Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Sleep eluded Idris. The reason? The knowledge that Svetlana and her brother would be leaving town.
Idris had found another bear, something he’d never expected.
He wasn’t alone, not that the knowledge did anything to help him.
His situation differed vastly from Yuri’s, who’d not been subjected to intense and painful treatments, but rather claimed he’d been God-blessed.
Still, it had been nice, if even for a brief moment, to find someone who understood.
Sure, he had his military mates who had gone through the same trauma as him; however, he’d felt an instant kinship to the other bear—and attraction to Yuri’s sister.
A woman who’d not been daunted by his beastly side.
Someone who could handle it and knew how to keep the secret.
A sexy honey treat for a very hungry bear.
Perhaps he should have asked if he could tag along, if even for a little while. Seen if he could learn something from Yuri. How to control the shift. Use it to his advantage. Kiss Svetlana’s sweet-looking lips…
Perhaps it wasn’t too late. After all, didn’t Svetlana plan to hit the bar after closing? It wouldn’t hurt to head over and—
Tap. Tap.
The light knocking at his door brought a frown. No one should be visiting at this hour. For one, he had no local friends, and two, even those he did still talk to had no idea where to find him. Most likely it was a person who’d gotten the wrong door. He ignored it.
Tap. Tap. This time, the faint rapping came with a whispered, “I know you’re inside. Let me in.”
The familiar voice widened Idris’s eyes, and he flew to the door to open it. A naked Yuri quickly entered, huffing, “I don’t think they followed me, but I’d still recommend you shut the door.”
A statement that screamed trouble, yet Idris didn’t toss Yuri out. Couldn’t. He just wasn’t built to turn aside someone in need.
Idris shut the portal before asking, “What are you doing here? Where’s Svetlana?”
“They have her.”
“Who is they?”
Yuri’s lips twisted as he spat, “The KGB.”
A chill went through Idris. “What happened?”
“I’m not entirely sure. The gunshot was what first woke me. I was in the truck sleeping off the booze. From what I could glean from that point, the KGB set an ambush for us in the alley.”
News to chill Idris’ blood. “You obviously escaped. What about Svetlana? You said they have her. Is she okay?”
Yuri shrugged, and his lips turned down. “I don’t know.”
“How do you not know?” Idris exploded. “Don’t tell me you left her behind.”
“I was going to fight,” Yuri exclaimed. “But they came armed with guns and darts, and she yelled at me to run. Since I couldn’t exactly help her if I was dead or tranqued, I bolted.”
“And decided to come to me.” Which led to Idris wondering, “How did you find me? I didn’t tell you where I lived.”
Yuri tapped his nose. “Your scent. It lingered around the truck, and when I took off, I happened to exit the alley in the same direction as you. It wasn’t hard to follow your trail.”
A skill Idris hadn’t yet properly developed. “How long ago did these events unfold?”
“Not long and too long at the same time.” Yuri grimaced. “Once I knew where you lived, I kept running, wanting to ensure I lost anyone following. When I could be sure I didn’t have a shadow, I made my way back here.”
It didn’t take a genius to figure out why. “You want my help getting Svetlana back.”
Yuri nodded.
“You realize how impossible that is. We’re talking about the KGB.” Everyone in North America had grown up on stories about the dreaded government group. Needed a bad guy in a movie, book, or real life? Blame the KGB.
“I know it’s a lot to ask, but I have no one else I can turn to.”
And while Idris wouldn’t turn him away, he did point out the obvious. “What do you think I can do? I’m still a stranger in this country who doesn’t speak the language. I don’t have any connections, or even a gun.”
“I know,” Yuri’s soft reply. “I’ll understand if you refuse, but I’m desperate.”
“Never said I wouldn’t help, just trying to make it clear I’m not much of an asset. That said, is there anything you do know? What will they do with her?”
“If we’re lucky, they’ve relocated to a holding location somewhere in this town for questioning. If we can figure out where, we might be able to get her out.”
“It won’t be that simple. Wherever they’re holed up will be guarded,” Idris pointed out.
“Yes, but not as heavily as one of their main offices in the bigger cities.”
“What are the chances they’ve left town already?”
“Depends on their orders.”
“I’m going to assume they want her alive since they didn’t shoot her on sight,” Idris stated.
“She was uninjured when I fled.”
A state that might not last long if she kept her mouth shut, and she seemed the stubborn type who would spit the more you shoved.
“Assuming you were the main aspect of their mission, the fact they didn’t nab you is probably a good thing.
They might stick around in the hopes Svetlana will help them. ”
Yuri’s shoulders drooped. “She won’t. My sister would die before she betrayed me.”
Must be nice to have someone so staunchly in your corner. “If we assume you’re the reason they ambushed, do you think this means they’re aware of your secret?”
“It’s possible, although I’ve never changed in front of anyone but my sister. She is the only one who knows what I can do.” Yuri’s gaze narrowed. “Other than you.”
At the accusation, Idris held up his hands. “I didn’t rat you out. I wouldn’t do that.”
“Then perhaps it was simply the KGB being curious about our act.”
“Does it happen often, them arresting people for no known reason?”
Once more, Yuri rolled his shoulders. “They’re the KGB. They can do what they like in the name of Russian security.”
Idris paced. “Let’s go on the premise they’ve chosen to stick around town looking for you. How would we go about finding them?”
“I don’t know. They could be anywhere. Police station. Hotel. In the American movies, it’s often a warehouse.” Yuri managed a weak smile.
“Can’t exactly walk into a police station and ask,” Idris murmured aloud. “And there’s too many hotels to check. There are too many places, period, and we don’t have time to search them all. What about following her scent like you did with me?”
“They came in cars. I don’t know about you, but even I can’t follow the trail of a specific one.”
“Meaning they could have gone anywhere.” Idris kept pacing, trying to jumpstart his brain, and had a lightbulb moment. “How did they know she’d be at the bar at that specific time? She was done with her show for the night. Why would they be lying in wait?”
Yuri’s mouth rounded. “Only one person knew she’d be back around closing. Boris.”
“Boris is the owner of the bar?”
Yuri’s head bobbed. “Yes. He must have called the KGB. But why? We made the man money.”
“The why doesn’t really matter. What does matter is Boris obviously knew how to get in touch with a local KGB agent, making him our main lead to finding Svetlana.”
“I’ll kill him,” Yuri growled.
“Not until we question him,” Idris advised.
“We? You’ll really help me?” Yuri’s expression was akin to that of a begging puppy.
Even without it, Idris’ hero complex wouldn’t let him turn away someone in need. “I’ll try, but no guarantees. We’re just two men against one of the most fearsome agencies in the world.”
“Men who are strong as bears,” Yuri added with a more hopeful smile.
“Guess the next question is, how do we find this Boris? I doubt he’s still at his bar.”
“Actually, the next question is, do you have some clothes for me to wear?” A sheepish request. “It’s cold outside, enough to make a man permanently shrivel, and I would like to give my future wife babies.”
It wasn’t hard to outfit Yuri, given their similar size, and soon they were walking to the bar on high alert. What if the KGB remained in the area?
To Idris’ relief, they spotted no one in the vicinity of the establishment, and according to Yuri, the scents of the agents from the alley never went near either of the bar’s entrances. As for Svetlana’s, her scent disappeared in an area that still held the acrid remains of a car’s exhaust.
“So, now what? If Boris left in a car, we’re screwed,” Idris pointed out.
“If that’s the case, then we break in to see if we can find a clue to his address, but I don’t think that will be necessary.” Yuri leaned into the main entrance and inhaled several times before pointing. “We’re in luck. Boris left on foot in that direction.”
“How can you tell it was Boris?”
“Because he wears a repulsive cologne.” Yuri’s brows lifted. “Can you not smell it?”
Idris spent a moment sifting smells and shook his head. “There’s too many for me to single out one.”
“We will have to work on that. A bear’s sense of smell is one of his greatest gifts.” Yuri tapped his nose.
“I’ll be honest, I never really saw the use.” Idris matched steps with the other man. “It’s not like I have to hunt for food.”
“Must be nice. There have been times where the only reason Svetlana and I could eat was because I managed to track a fat rabbit for dinner.”
“Things were tough.” A statement that Yuri didn’t refute.
“Our parents died in a car accident when we were young. Our uncle took custody, but he was a mean bastard. We ran away in our teens and have been scraping by since.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
Yuri’s shoulders rolled. “It was unpleasant, but we survived. Made us strong!”
“You and your sister are very close.” An observation that led to a twinge of envy. Idris never had siblings.
“It’s been just the two of us our entire lives.
She’s the reason I’m alive today. When I cracked my skull riding my bike, I should have died.
I spent weeks in a coma. The doctors kept trying to pull the plug, but Svetlana wouldn’t let them.
It’s her prayers that brought me back. Veles heard and blessed me. ”
“Veles being the god who made you a bear?”