Chapter 2 The Assignment
Rich Kid Problems
Viktor Novak had spent most of his life learning one simple rule.
Stay out of other people's problems.
The rule had kept him alive through gang wars, prison cells, border crossings, and construction sites scattered across three different countries.
Problems had a way of multiplying when people got involved.
The smarter choice was always to keep your head down, do your work, collect your paycheck, and move on.
That was exactly what Viktor intended to do after catching Richard Hart's son from falling off a scaffold.
Unfortunately, the universe seemed determined to test his patience.
By the time the workday ended, the entire camp was already talking about the incident.
Workers gathered outside the cafeteria.
Others sat near the housing trailers smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee.
Everywhere Viktor went, he heard versions of the same story.
The boss's kid almost broke his neck.
The college boy wasn't watching where he was going.
Some idiot approved damaged scaffolding.
The comments blended together.
Viktor ignored them all.
He carried a toolbox toward the maintenance shed, hoping to finish a few repairs before dinner.
His muscles ached from twelve hours of work.
Dust coated every inch of his body.
The last thing he wanted was another conversation about the rich kid.
Yet somehow the image refused to leave his mind.
Those wide green eyes.
The startled expression.
The way Elias Hart had looked at him while hanging halfway off a broken scaffold.
Viktor cursed under his breath.
The kid should have been terrified.
Instead, he had stared at Viktor like he was trying to solve a puzzle.
Most people didn't do that.
Most people took one look at Viktor and decided exactly who he was.
Dangerous.
Violent.
Trouble.
Sometimes they were right.
Sometimes they weren't.
Either way, nobody usually bothered looking deeper.
Elias Hart had.
That bothered Viktor more than it should have.
He reached the maintenance shed and pushed the thought away.
The sooner the rich kid finished his university project and returned to his comfortable life, the better.
Viktor had enough complications already.
A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Novak."
Viktor turned.
Carl Henderson stood several feet away.
The site manager wore the same spotless clothes he'd been wearing all day.
Not a speck of dust touched him.
Somehow.
Viktor found that irritating.
"What?"
Carl frowned at the lack of respect.
After years at the camp, both men understood the routine.
Carl demanded authority.
Viktor ignored it.
"Office. Now."
Viktor sighed heavily.
"I just finished twelve hours."
Carl didn't care.
"Office."
That usually meant trouble.
Viktor considered refusing.
Then decided against it.
He needed this job.
At least for now.
Without another word, he followed Carl across the camp.
The sun was beginning to sink below the horizon.
Long shadows stretched between unfinished structures.
Workers headed toward the cafeteria while others returned to their trailers.
Most looked exhausted.
A few nodded respectfully as Viktor passed.
He nodded back.
Many of these men had become family over the years.
Not by blood.
By survival.
They worked together.
Bled together.
Looked after one another.
Nobody else would.
Certainly not management.
Carl led him into the temporary administration building.
The cool air-conditioning immediately hit Viktor's skin.
Another thing reserved for management.
Inside, several supervisors sat around a table reviewing paperwork.
The conversation stopped when Viktor entered.
That was never a good sign.
Carl closed the door.
"We have a situation."
Viktor folded his arms.
"Then handle it."
One supervisor sighed.
"The Hart boy needs an escort."
Viktor blinked.
For a moment, he thought he'd heard incorrectly.
"What?"
"Elias Hart."
"I know who he is."
"Good."
Carl sat behind the desk.
"Then this will be easier."
Viktor laughed.
A short, humorless sound.
"No."
The supervisors exchanged looks.
Carl pinched the bridge of his nose.
"We haven't even explained."
"You don't need to."
Viktor headed toward the door.
"No."
"Novak."
"No."
Carl's voice hardened.
"You will listen."
Viktor stopped.
Not because he wanted to.
Because he knew what came next.
The site manager folded his hands.
"Mr. Hart is conducting a university field study."
"I know."
"He requires access to various sections of the camp."
"Then give him access."
"We need someone to accompany him."
Viktor stared.
Then laughed again.
This time louder.
"You want a babysitter."
Carl's jaw tightened.
"We want someone reliable."
"Find someone else."
The answer came immediately.
Without hesitation.
Without consideration.
Absolutely not.
The last thing Viktor needed was spending weeks following a wealthy architecture student around camp.
He already disliked the idea.
The more he thought about it, the worse it became.
Rich kids brought problems.
Corporate families brought bigger problems.
Richard Hart's family brought disasters.
No thank you.
Carl leaned forward.
"You're respected by the workers."
"That's not my problem."
"People listen to you."
"Still not my problem."
"We need someone who can keep him safe."
Viktor shook his head.
"He almost killed himself today. That's not on me."
One supervisor cleared his throat.
"The board specifically requested strong oversight."
That caught Viktor's attention.
Not because he cared.
Because it meant headquarters was involved.
Which meant politics.
Which meant trouble.
His least favorite combination.
Carl noticed his hesitation.
"Elias Hart goes wherever he wants."
"So?"
"You know this site better than anyone."
Viktor immediately understood.
They weren't worried about Elias getting lost.
They were worried about what he might find.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Apparently the university project wasn't as harmless as management claimed.
The realization made Viktor want the assignment even less.
"No."
Carl's expression darkened.
"Careful."
Viktor met his gaze.
Neither looked away.
The room grew quiet.
Everyone knew this dance.
Management pushed.
Viktor resisted.
Usually the matter ended there.
Today it didn't.
Carl opened a file on his desk.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
A warning.
"You've been requesting transfer paperwork."
Viktor's jaw tightened.
"What's your point?"
"The requests haven't been approved."
"I noticed."
"You still need company sponsorship."
There it was.
The threat.
Not subtle.
Not surprising.
Just disappointing.
Viktor had spent months trying to secure a transfer to a better position with higher pay.
Nothing had moved.
Now he understood why.
Carl continued calmly.
"We can make things easier."
Or harder.
The unspoken words hung in the air.
Viktor felt anger rising inside him.
Not explosive anger.
The cold kind.
The dangerous kind.
The kind he had spent years learning to control.
He hated being cornered.
Always had.
Yet sometimes survival required swallowing pride.
This was one of those times.
Several workers depended on him.
He sent money home every month.
Walking away wasn't an option.
Not yet.
Carl knew it.
Which made the entire situation worse.
Silence stretched between them.
Finally, Viktor spoke.
"What exactly do you want?"
Relief flashed across Carl's face.
"We want you to escort Elias Hart."
The words tasted bitter.
Viktor looked away.
Toward the window.
Toward the camp beyond.
The rich kid was probably sitting comfortably somewhere right now.
Completely unaware that management was rearranging everyone's lives around him.
Lucky bastard.
After several seconds, Viktor sighed.
Long and slow.
The sound of surrender.
"I'll do it."
Carl relaxed immediately.
Smart man.
He knew better than to celebrate.
Viktor wasn't happy.
Not even close.
The site manager pushed several documents across the desk.
"Good."
Viktor ignored them.
"This changes nothing."
Carl raised an eyebrow.
"It changes enough."
Maybe.
Maybe not.
Viktor turned toward the door.
His decision was made.
The argument was over.
There was no point wasting additional energy.
Tomorrow he would escort Elias Hart around camp.
He would answer questions.
Keep him away from danger.
Prevent another accident.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
He certainly wouldn't get involved in the rich kid's life.
Wouldn't care about his problems.
Wouldn't become curious.
Wouldn't let those green eyes get under his skin again.
As Viktor stepped outside, the evening air hit his face.
The camp stretched before him.
Workers laughed near the cafeteria.
Someone played music from a trailer.
Life continued.
Exactly as it always had.
He intended to keep it that way.
One summer.
One assignment.
One rich kid.
Then Elias Hart would leave.
And Viktor Novak would go back to forgetting he ever existed.
That was the plan.
At least, that's what he told himself.
First Impressions
Viktor regretted agreeing to the assignment before the day had even properly started.
The following morning, he arrived outside the administration trailer ten minutes early, carrying a clipboard Carl had insisted he use.
The thing felt ridiculous in his hands. He had spent most of his adult life hauling steel, pouring concrete, and fixing machinery.
Walking around with paperwork made him feel like an imposter.
The door to the trailer opened.
Elias Hart stepped outside.
For a second, Viktor almost didn't recognize him.
The expensive black shirt from the previous day had been replaced by a simple gray T-shirt and durable work pants. The clothes were still obviously new, but at least they looked practical. A sketchbook was tucked beneath one arm, and a camera hung around his neck.
The kid looked rested.
Viktor did not.
Elias smiled when he saw him.
"Morning."
Viktor grunted.
That seemed like an appropriate level of enthusiasm.
The smile didn't disappear.
Something about that annoyed him.
Most people got uncomfortable around Viktor after a few seconds.
Elias apparently wasn't most people.
Carl emerged from the trailer behind them.
"Perfect. You're both here."
Viktor already disliked the sound of that.