Oh, darling angel. Hasn’t anybody told you? No one kills Shadow. Unless—
Shadow wants to be killed.
Go on. Devise your plan. Gloat in false hope. I’m excited to see what you come up with. But don’t for one second think you can outsmart me. I could have killed you a thousand times. And, eventually, you will die a thousand deaths.
Ready or not.
Here I come.
You can’t hide.
I’m going to kill you…
And very slowly.
“I’d like to believe our country is honorable, that a crime, no matter who commits it, will be punished.”
Markus
I’ve been wandering around aimlessly for hours. Going back to Deveraux isn’t an option. Not yet. First, I have to open that goddamn envelope and face the truth about my brother’s killer. Then and only then can I look Deveraux in the eye and decide how to proceed.
Should I call London and tell her what her sweetheart is up to? The FBI maybe? Or would they all sweep it under the rug for the president’s sake?
I’d like to believe our country is honorable, that a crime, no matter who commits it, will be punished. But, at the end of the day, Karl was right. A government is human. Our president is still Deveraux’s father. We all know how far parents would go to protect their kids, don’t we?
I find a quiet spot away from Miami’s everyday crazy. A secluded beach, far from playing kids and tanning tourists. It’s just me, the water, and Shadow’s file.
Get it together, Boulder.
I don’t know why I’m so afraid of the envelope’s content. I really don’t. But my inner voice is right. I have to get a grip on my fear, or it’ll end badly. For me. For Deveraux. For whoever else is on Shadow’s list.
So I work up the courage to rip the envelope open.
REBENOK SOLDAT
No 1
SVR PROJECT REBENOK SOLDAT
REF: NEW SUBJECT APPREHENDED
RE: REBENOK-SOLDAT N°1
SUBJ: ORPHAN 22
AGENT IN COMMAND [AIC]: NIKOLAI ALEXEEV
SVR CASE CODE NAMES: REBENOK, ORPHAN 22, DEATH STAR
AUTHORIZATION: Ministry of Defense/Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Orphan 22, Natalia Petrova, 10, apprehended from Baby House No 48, Moscow. Brought to our attention by Sister Anna, after rescuing baby sister. Subject showed extreme strength and speed.
CONCLUSION: Perfect candidate for PROJECT REBENOK.
SVR PROJECT REBENOK SOLDAT
REF: ORPHAN 22
RE: REBENOK-SOLDAT N°1
SUBJ: PROGRESS
AGENT IN COMMAND [AIC]: NIKOLAI ALEXEEV
SVR CASE CODE NAMES: REBENOK, ORPHAN 22, DEATH STAR
AUTHORIZATION: Ministry of Defense/Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Orphan 22 was apprehended four weeks ago. Usual procedure (starvation, cold, and seclusion) survived. Subject shows no fear. Defiance could hinder progress. Steps to be taken. Soon.
CONCLUSION: Strongest candidate so far.
SVR PROJECT REBENOK SOLDAT
REF: ORPHAN 22
RE: REBENOK-SOLDAT N°1
SUBJ: IDEAL CANDIDATE
AGENT IN COMMAND [AIC]: NIKOLAI ALEXEEV
SVR CASE CODE NAMES: REBENOK, ORPHAN 22, DEATH STAR
AUTHORIZATION: Ministry of Defense/Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Orphan 22, code name: Ten’, successfully passed initiation ritual. First dog killed in self-defense. Remaining pack eliminated for food and winter jacket.
CONCLUSION: Starting training process now.
SVR PROJECT REBENOK SOLDAT
REF: ORPHAN 22/REBENOK-SOLDAT No1/TEN
RE: REBENOK-SOLDAT N°1
SUBJ: FIRST MISSION
AGENT IN COMMAND [AIC]: NIKOLAI ALEXEEV
SVR CASE CODE NAMES: REBENOK, ORPHAN 22, DEATH STAR
AUTHORIZATION: Ministry of Defense/Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Orphan 22, code name: Ten’. Passed training with excellence. First mission—DEATH STAR—a major success. Target killed with a single blow to the heart.
CONCLUSION: PROJECT REBENOK SOLDAT succeeded. Orphan 22 proceeds for further missions.
“Terrorists groom child-soldiers. Not the Russian government.”
Markus
Project Rebenok-Soldat? Rebenok-Soldat, as in child-soldier? This has to be a joke. The Russians might not be as democratic as we are, but child-soldiers?
Bullshit!
Terrorists groom child-soldiers. Not the Russian government. Whoever wrote those reports watched too many Marvel movies. Must be a die-hard fan of Black Widow. C’mon, don’t pretend this doesn’t ring several bells. A brainwashed child moving on to become the world’s most notorious assassin? That’s the shit movies are made of.
Right?
I skim through the papers again. According to this, Shadow was found in an orphanage at the age of ten, after he saved…his baby sister? Shadow has a baby sister? He was an orphan? Apprehended by the SVR? Starved and left in the cold?
I shake my head, unable to process this shit.
Don’t get me wrong. He’s still a monster in my book. Yet, no child should ever go through something like that.
Not even Shadow.
I swallow the pins and needles prickling my throat and move to the next papers. It can’t possibly get worse than that, can it?
MISSION
BLACK STAR
SVR EYES ONLY
CLEARANCE LEVEL COMPARTMENTED
SVR EYES ONLY
CLEARANCE LEVEL COMPARTMENTED
MISSION BLACK STAR
REF: SVR CASE 222S015
AGENT IN COMMAND [AIC]: NIKOLAI ALEXEEV
RE: APPREHENTION OF TARGETS
TRANSCRIPT: DIRECTOR NARYSHKIN, MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
AUTHORIZATION: Ministry of Defense/Ministry of Foreign Affairs/President P.
LOCATION: Damascus
TARGETS: Zara and Eva Elbaz
OPERATIVE: Ten’ aka Shadow aka Rebenok-Soldat No 1
MISSION: Rescue targets from enemy combatants. Bring in for questioning. Targets cannot fall into hands of Americans.
Targets have intel on ISIS. Must be kept alive. Information may strengthen Assad regime. Could lead to massive strike against opposition and ISIS.
Targets willing to trade intel for safe-keeping.
Mission green-lit by: Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and President P.
SVR EYES ONLY
CLEARANCE LEVEL COMPARTMENTED
MISSION BLACK STAR
REF: SVR CASE 222S015
AGENT IN COMMAND [AIC]: NIKOLAI ALEXEEV
RE: MISSION FAILURE
TRANSCRIPT: DIRECTOR NARYSHKIN, MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
AUTHORIZATION: Ministry of Defense/Ministry of Foreign Affairs/President P.
Operative, Ten’, failed Mission. Targets exterminated. American CIA-operative alive.
CONCLUSION: Investigation launched
Status: Pending.
“Why!”
Markus
Shadow was supposed to save Eva and Zara Elbaz? That’s a joke, right? He’s an assassin, not a one-man-rescue show. Besides, why are they dead if his mission was to bring them in alive? He never failed. And why did no one care to mention Eva and Zara had intel on ISIS?
The CIA told us they were caught in the cross fire and needed extraction for several reasons. When asked what reasons, their reply was simple. “It’s classified.”
None of this makes any sense. The very least, the death of my brother and his squad.
We had the same goal—get those girls out of there alive. Sure, Shadow had clear instructions not to hand the targets to the Americans. But he didn’t need to kill Luke and his squad.
In fact, it was rather dumb. He could have waited till we got them out of there. Then found a way to take them from us. No blood needed to be shed.
He isn’t dumb.
No, he most certai
nly isn’t. So why the fuck did he kill Luke and the others? Why risk a mission failure and kill Eva and Zara?
Why!
I move to the next file in the envelope, hoping it answers my questions.
TEN
INVESTIGATION
SVR EYES ONLY
CLEARANCE LEVEL COMPARTMENTED
SVR EYES ONLY
CLEARANCE LEVEL COMPARTMENTED
DISOBEYED ORDER, RESULTING IN MISSION FAILURE INVESTIGATION
REF: SVR CASE 222S016
AGENT IN COMMAND [AIC]: NIKOLAI ALEXEEV
RE: TEN’ AKA SHADOW AKA REBENOK-SOLDAT N°1
TRANSCRIPT: DIRECTOR NARYSHKIN, MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
AIC: Zara and Eva Elbaz.
TEN’: My targets.
AIC: You had clear orders.
TEN’: I did.
AIC: And yet you disobeyed.
TEN’: Yes, sir.
AIC: They were important assets.
TEN’: So I’ve been told.
AIC: Two hundred seventy-eight missions. You never failed, or disobeyed any orders.
TEN’: Is there a question?
AIC: Actually, there is.
TEN’: I’m listening.
AIC: What I want to know is, why?
TEN’: I was trained to kill, sir. Rescuing hostages isn’t exactly my game. But you already knew that when you sent me to Damascus, didn’t you?
AIC: I’m the one who asks the questions.
TEN’: And I answered them.
AIC: Tell me why you saved the American. I want to remind you you’re under oath.
TEN’: He was protecting my targets. The enemy combatants would have killed them if it wasn’t for him. I needed him alive. But you already knew that too. It’s in my report, sir.
AIC: What isn’t in your report is what happened to your targets.
TEN’: They died.
AIC: How?
TEN’: I killed them.
AIC: Why?
TEN’: Because you told me to.
AIC: Your mission was to bring them in for interrogation.
TEN’: My mission was to bring them in and to make sure the Americans wouldn’t get them. I had to make a choice. I did.
AIC: You failed.
TEN’: Did I?
AIC: We’re investigating your connections to the American. You might as well tell us right now.
TEN’: Tell you what, sir?
AIC: Espionage is a serious crime. You will spend the rest of your life behind the walls of Black Dolphin. Unless—
TEN’: I admit to something I didn’t do?
AIC: Be smart, myshka.
TEN’: [gets up]
AIC: Myshka, where are you going? Sit back down. Now!
TEN’: We’re done here. [walks away]
AIC: If you walk out of here now—
TEN’: You’ll send your best killer after me? [laughs] Oh, that’s right. I am your best killer. And I’m done.
SVR EYES ONLY
CLEARANCE LEVEL COMPARTMENTED
APPREHENTION OF ROGUE OPERATIVE
REF: SVR CASE 222S016
AGENT IN COMMAND [AIC]: NIKOLAI ALEXEEV
RE: TEN’ AKA SHADOW AKA REBENOK-SOLDAT N°1
TRANSCRIPT: DIRECTOR NARYSHKIN, MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
SVR FIELD BULLETIN
OUT TO ALL OPERATIVES
<
<
<
<
<
<
<
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SVR EYES ONLY
CLEARANCE LEVEL COMPARTMENTED
EMAIL EXCHANGE BETWEEN AIC AND MINISTER OF DEFENSE; REGARDING ROGUE OPERATIVE
REF: SVR CASE 222S016
AGENT IN COMMAND [AIC]: NIKOLAI ALEXEEV
RE: TEN’ AKA SHADOW AKA REBENOK-SOLDAT N°1
TRANSCRIPT: DIRECTOR NARYSHKIN, MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
To: Minister of Defense
Cc: Director Naryshkin
Subject: TEN’
From: Nikolai Alexeev
Subject still at large. Requesting further orders.
N.
To: Nikolai Alexeev
Cc: Director Naryshkin
Subject: RE: TEN’
From: Minister of Defense
Initiate cleansing.
MD
To: Minister of Defense
Cc: Director Naryshkin
Subject: RE: RE: TEN’
From: Nikolai Alexeev
Requesting more time to apprehend subject.
N.
To: Nikolai Alexeev
Cc: Director Naryshkin
Subject: RE: RE: RE: TEN’
From: Minister of Defense
Request denied. Initiate cleansing! NOW!
MD
To: Minister of Defense
Cc: Director Naryshkin
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: TEN’
From: Nikolai Alexeev
All due respect, sir. Ten’ served us well. Give me a few weeks. I’m begging you.
N.
To: Nikolai Alexeev
Cc: Director Naryshkin
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: TEN’
From: Minister of Defense
Too late. Associates have been informed. Package will be shipped off tomorrow.
MD
To: Minister of Defense
Cc: Director Naryshkin
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: TEN’
From: Nikolai Alexeev
You’re making a mistake. If we touch Ten’s sister, death will come for us. Are you ready to die, sir? I am not.
N.
To: Nikolai Alexeev
Cc: Director Naryshkin
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: TEN’
From: Minister of Defense
Decision has been made and is final. Traitors need to pay.
MD
“Fucked up. Seriously fucked up.”
Markus
Two things preoccupy my mind above all others.
First, Shadow saved me? I mean I knew he could have killed me. But he fucking saved me? Why? How? Is that even possible?
Second, his sister? They used his goddamn sister to make him pay for…saving me? Killing Eva and Zara? Failing the mission? Walking away? All of it?
That’s—
Fucked up. Seriously fucked up.
But no matter how hard it is to wrap my head around the possibility those files are legit, I can’t deny it all makes sense. Well, part of it does. The part where they shipped the “package,” aka Shadow’s sister, off. The part where they used her to make him bleed. The part where Shadow seeks revenge for the lost life of his baby sister.
His sister…the girl who hung herself in Dimitri’s bedroom? It has to be her. Why else would Shadow go through so much trouble killing the ones who aided in her death?
Dimitri said it himself, she took her life with Masha i Medved in the room. Now Shadow is taking their lives, leaving the stuffed animal as a reminder of why they deserve that kind of end.
“Shadow killed my brother.”
“Did he?”
My conversation with Karl replays over and over.
According to those files, he saved me. Was accused of treason because of it. Why would he have killed Luke and his squad, but not me? It doesn’t add up. Unless—
My phone buzzes.
Deveraux: I need you. Now.
Me: What’s up?
Deveraux: Bones found him.
Me: Where?
Deveraux: Come to the old coast guard building.
Deveraux: And Boulder…hurry!
He doesn’t have
to tell me twice. It’s about time I get answers from the only other person who made it out of that hallway in Damascus alive.
Deveraux? I’m going to deal with the bastard as soon as I’m done with Shadow. I hate the hitman, but he’s right about one thing—the people responsible for the loss of an innocent life need to be punished. Not by death. By life behind bars.
“We know everything.”
Markus
I pay the Uber driver, get out of the car, and head straight for the old coast guard building. The sun has long set. Night falls over Miami. A weird feeling grows in the pit of my stomach. I can’t quite place it, but the air is damp and somehow toxic when it should be sweet and alluring at the prospect of facing my archenemy.
Shadow Page 26
