12. Dax #2
“Hey, if all we need to do to keep her happy is fed and fucked, I’m all for it,” Cognac chimed in.
“Do you know how crazy some women can be, wanting all that girly stuff like clothes, jewelry, shoes, and purses? It’s almost like you have to have a side job just to keep some woman happy.
I’ll buy a five-dollar burrito every damn day if that’s what she wants. ”
I paused in my eating to voice my thoughts. “See, I don’t need you guys to get the girly shit for me because that’s Harper’s job. She knows I’m not to be trusted when it comes to shopping for the ‘finer’ things in life.”
“Ah, so that’s how that relationship works. You’re her Barbie,” Cognac mused, nodding his head.
“Only because she won’t wear her own creations. I keep telling her she’s got the perfect body for it,” I added.
All the guys paused in their eating to look at me, then at each other.
“I’m not sure how to respond to that, spitfire…” Picasso hedged. “I feel like this is a lose-lose situation here. Do I agree with you that she’s got a good body or tell you you’re hotter?”
The worry on their faces as they nodded in agreement had me cackling.
“Guys, I know Harper is smoking hot, and if we both swung that way, I’d have tapped that ages ago.
But I get what you’re saying because if you told me she was ugly, I would have punched you, so you’re free to plead the fifth as they say. ”
Glancing at my watch, I noticed it was getting to the point it was almost too late to call Levin so I took one more bite of my burrito and wrapped up the rest. Unlocking a filing cabinet drawer, I pulled out a laptop I used only for international video communication because of all the things Wes did to it to make it untraceable.
Once it was booted up, I sent an IM to Levin in our secure chat and crossed my fingers he’d answer.
He was up late most nights with his line of work, but you never know what a day would hold.
Ping!
“Alright, guys, when I make this call, you have to be silent. If Levin finds out you’re in the room, he’ll hang up and never talk to me again, no matter what I do to convince him you’re good people.
He’s an ex-KGB operative who’s now into weapons dealing, and he has things we need for this fight, you got me?
” I demanded, looking at the men scattered about my office.
Wes stood and signaled to Cam and Cognac. “I could use your help with the plan to root out the mole. This conversation could go quickly or take forever depending on what mood Levin is in.”
The three men left, leaving me with only four to keep from blowing up this situation. “Seriously, guys, if you stay, you have to be silent as the dead.”
“We got it, little demon. We won’t fuck this up for you,” Void assured me.
“Here goes nothing,” I mumbled as I hit the dial prompt.
“Ah, there you are, kroshka, alive and in the flesh!” Levin blurted as soon as the video connected, his face lighting up with a smile. “I thought the rumors could be true that they managed to kill you dead.”
“Not yet, Levin. I’m like a cat. I’ve got at least six lives left,” I joked, leaning back in my chair, putting on my Tricks’ mask now that I was dealing with Empire business. “I have good news for you regarding that favor of yours.”
“I was beginning to think you were not going to help me, kroshka. Cutting it a little close, no? My granddaughter only has ten days before they come for her. You can get her out of here, da?”
“Look, I’ll be straight with you. I won’t be the one personally going to get your granddaughter, but the team I’m sending is the best. If there was anyone who could get her out with all of Russia’s collection of big n’ badder coming after her, it would be them.
Of course, you understand I can’t tell you more than that for both our sakes, but I need all the information you can give me on her and where they can grab her that won’t draw attention. ”
“Da, I can do that,” Levin said as he shifted around for something on his desk. “You take picture of screen when I show you picture. There’s no way I send dis to you, so be ready.”
The image was of a teenage girl with a small elven-like face, bright blue eyes, neon pink dreadlocks, and a hoop in her right nostril.
This chick was anything but subtle, and it made me smile, knowing just from looking at her she was going to be a handful for the Wright brothers.
Harper would love her, but the teen might not appreciate Harper right away.
But like me, my bestie would grow on her.
I took a screenshot just like Levin asked me to and put it in a folder so I could send it to them later.
“Got it,” I told Levin. “Now I just need to know what her name is and where to find her.”
“Primakova Maximovana, but she like to be called Prim,” Levin shared as I made notes.
“She works in a coffee shop call Coffee Piu on weekends when not in school. It private school ESS, I think they call it. She got a scholarship because she so good at science. Prim very good student, much smarter than my son-in-law, worthless balvan that he is. Only good thing he did is give me Prim, but now I have to send her away. Promise me, Dax, that you keep an eye on her. I put her in your hands. Don’t let me down.
I give you whatever you need for this war, you keep her safe. ”
“Don’t offer that if you don’t mean it, Levin,” I warned, knowing I’d absolutely use that to my advantage.
“I washing tank now, even putting nice big bow on it,” he teased. “You think I didn’t notice your eyes light up. Ack, I know you better than you think I do, kroshka.”
“My team will be on their way the moment I send them all this information. Does she live with you or your son?”
“No, she live at school, but I think it because the KGB is putting her up. They have much interest in her,” Levin cautioned.
“Well, this will be fun for them,” I muttered, making more notes so I didn’t make this harder for them than it already would be. “Anything else I need to know?”
“Da… she don’t know I doing this. Prim thinks she can outsmart them all, but I know these people. They will kill her if she don’t fall in line. I do this out of love, no matter what she think,” Levin declared as he slammed his hand on the table.
“My team and I will do whatever it takes to get her out of there, but I need to know you’re not going to be pissed at me if we need to drug her or tie her up to make it happen.”
“Mad? Why mad? I tie her up for you if need be. No, you tell them whatever it takes, they do, da?”
“Da, whatever it takes.”