by Kenya Wright
I’m really doing this.
The trick was to get this done and return safely. Misha didn’t need any more problems. Deep in my heart, I knew that he needed as many people helping as possible.
Our limo left Kupchino—the South Ghetto. I checked out the address of Misha’s old bunker.
Central District.
This location made more sense for a man of his caliber.
St Petersburg was divided into eighteen administrative districts. The most popular and expensive area to live in was the Central District on the south bank of the Neva. It was the home to the Hermitage and Palace Square and filled with other beautiful 18th- and 19th-century buildings. Several embassies existed there. The district also boasted the splendid Tavrichesky Garden and palace that once belonged to Grigory Potemkin—the lover and advisor of Catherine the Great. During the summers, tons of concerts and events were held at Tavrichesky Garden. During winter, people ice skated and sledded there.
When Misha first arrived in St Petersburg, he probably also had a condo in Central District. Thus, he chose an underground secret office near it.
I’m in love with a rich genius. He makes smart moves. But. . .is my move smart too?
I turned to Yefim who sat across from me. “Do you think this is a bad idea?”
He nodded.
I widened my eyes. “What? But you helped me convince Circuit.”
“You’re smarter than me. I’m hoping that you think this is a better idea.”
I gulped in fear. “I figured that when you backed me up that it was an excellent idea.”
Jesus Christ.
Yefim widened his eyes. “Do you want the driver to turn the limo around?”
“No way.” I checked all of the vans behind me. “We started this. I can’t just stop and go back to doing nothing.”
“You can do whatever you want.”
“Then, even more, we need to head to the Xecutioners. Do you know anything about them?”
Yefim picked up the thick folder next to him and handed it to me. “Circuit gave me this. It’s the information that they were able to pull on the group.”
Sighing, I placed the folder on my lap and opened it. The men from the restaurant filled the picture. I flipped through more images. All of the views looked like cameras from a public area. The Xecutioners definitely didn’t know they were getting their pictures taken. After all of the images, there was one sheet of paper with words on it.
I read it out loud. “Hiro is the perceived leader. He has black hair with a red streak on the right side. He also likes lollipops.”
I looked at Yefim.
My guard shrugged.
I tapped the page. “Maybe we should get some lollipops. What do you think?”
Yefim shrugged again.
“Wow. You can add a little more input.”
“I’m only here to make sure no bullets come your way.”
“Good point.” I went back to the picture and spotted Hiro in the image. “Yefim, do me a favor and have the driver stop us at Rubiscookies.”
“Rubiscookies?”
“Rubiscookies is the name of a shop.”
“That sells cookies?”
I grinned. “What’s funny is that there is not one cookie in the store. Instead, it’s all sweets. My best friend O loved the place.”
Yefim took out his phone and gave the driver the instructions.
“Oh.” I blinked. “Should I give him the address?”
“That’s his job.”
“Okay.” I was slowly getting used to all of this. “Anyway, Rubiscookies has an insane collection of lollipops, candies, and chocolate truffles. They take candy to the next level and are super creative.”
“Will they have chocolate ruble coins?”
“Definitely.” I smiled. “That’s your candy addiction?”
A wicked grin spread across his scarred face. “I haven’t had any in several years.”
“Then we’ll grab you some while we get Hiro’s lollipops.” I shrugged. “Personally, I love chocolate pelmeni dumplings. How can anyone be mad at dough full of chocolate?”
Yefim nodded.
I twisted my hands together, needing something to do. “The staff is good too. You can show them a picture of the person, and they will come up with the perfect sweet gift for them. They’ve helped me think up things to send to my grandmother.”
My heart ached.
I thought of Grandma and wondered what she would say about this idea. I never knew her to sit down while men raced around. Always, she worked at helping and protecting those that needed it.
I’ve got this. I have my grandmother’s blood in me.
I returned to thinking about the shop.
First, O introduced me to the place. Then, I went there now and then to buy stuff for the few gatherings that I was invited to. Candies, pastries, and chocolates played an essential role in Russian social rituals. When someone invited me to their small party, I would ask what to bring. Always the answer tended to be, bring something to go with tea.
I enjoyed the shop. Entering the place was like walking into a scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Yefim nodded. “This could be a good idea.”
My mood brightened. I switched to English. “You think so?”
“I hope so.”
I’ll bring some nice lollipops, give this Hiro a smile, show respect, and ask nicely.
I twisted my hand again.
And then. . .hopefully. . .the Xecutioners or anybody else won’t try to kill me.
Chapter 27
Ava
Leaving the candy shop, we headed to the Xecutioners.
I held two boxes of the most expensive lollipops I’d ever heard of.
The box on top cost $1000 in US dollars. Each lollipop was edible art and featured a movie scene encapsulated in the candy’s exterior. The film was called 13 Assassins. According to Rubiscookies’s confectioner behind the counter, the movie was one of the best in Japan’s samurai movie genre. The story was about a group of once loyal samurai who became too disappointed with their sadistic feudal lord that they staged an assassination attempt against him. The confectioner declared that each scene would remain until the final lick. Meanwhile, the flavor was a mixture of coconut and blueberry.
I stared at the box.
Just because he’s Japanese doesn’t mean he likes samurai films. God, what was I thinking?
Just in case he hated the movie or disliked those lollipops, I bought a second elegant box too. This one held Rosé lollipops that were made with the actual wine and hints of raspberry. Edible gold flakes outlined the rose-shaped candy.
But are they too glamorous for a group of killers?
Yefim snacked on chocolate rubles. Every time he peeled off the gold wrapping and revealed coin-shaped chocolate, a giddy expression covered his face.
At least someone is enjoying this adventure.
Yefim popped coins into his mouth and grinned. Had I not been used to his scarred face, I might have been terrified. The smile didn’t soften his looks and came out more horrifying.
I smirked. “How’s the chocolate?”
“Perfect. You look nervous.”
“I am.”
“Remember the codeword.”
“Black Swan.”
“But you won’t need to say it. There’s something about a woman’s touch that can soften even the most dangerous killer.”
“I hope you’re right.”
The limo stopped.
I looked out the window.
While the other underground spot was under a sleazy bar, this one existed under a high-end strip club.
Strippers, Misha? Well. . .you were a single man at the time.
The club was called Zavist which meant envy in Russian. I’d heard about Zavist strip club among some of my fellow ballerinas. They giggled about it in the dressing room. Many rich guys had taken them there, perhaps trying to get the women in the mood for a lustful eveni
ng.
The driver opened the door. Yefim left first, scanned the outside, and then held his hand out for me.
“Thank you.”
We stood by the limo. Staying there, I scanned the space. Two big men stood in front of the strip club, wearing tuxedos. I thought back to Circuit’s instructions.
“They’ll recognize who you are, but you will still need to say the word,” Circuit said.
“What is it?”
“Obsession.”
“Why did Misha pick that?”
Circuit shrugged. “I don’t know. He can be too deep for me at times.”
I began to speak.
Yefim stopped me by holding up his hands. “Before entering, we must have your men surround you first.”
I nodded. This was already a dangerous situation. I would listen to Yefim every step of the way. Over thirty men arrived and gathered around us.
I whispered to Yefim, “This is more than I thought.”
“Circuit doesn’t want to take any chances.”
“It’s a small army.”
“This was the only way Circuit and I would feel comfortable with this plan. You’re the most important woman in Misha’s life. I will not take that lightly.”
“All right.”
Yefim gave me his bulky arm and guided us forward.
When we approached the men, they held worried expressions on their faces. Their gazes went over the huge army behind us.
I cleared my throat and spoke in Russian. “Hello, I’m going down to. . .Misha’s office to talk to his guests.”
Silent, they studied me.
Yefim nudged me. “The codeword.”
“Of course.” I nodded. “Obsession.”
They moved to the side.
The one on the left let me in. “Welcome, Ms. Jones.”
We entered Zavist.
Piano music filled the air.
I expected a black and gold club with nude women dangling from the ceiling.
Shockingly, the place looked like a men’s only social hunting club. It was very masculine. The large space displayed dim lighting, beautifully detailed wood walls, antique pool tables, and taxidermy everywhere. There was a conversation-style seating arrangement. Men lounged in brown leather chairs near the bar, drinking vodka, scotch, and whiskey and wearing high-end suits. Most had gray hair, signaling this group was from an older population. Over the fireplaces were gold leaf framed images of powerful men throughout Russian history.
Wall-mounted shelves created a library feel, but no one could mistake themselves for being in one. Every waitress was naked and wore high heels. Almost all had blonde ponytails and black glasses on their faces. A few represented other races. The nude women that weren’t carrying around drinks or trays of food, sat on the men’s laps and watched them talk.
Interesting. Not as wild as I thought. This looks like a place where power moves are made.
Walking by, I caught a few discussions. Most appeared to be in deep conversation over politics and the financial state of Russia. A few men glanced my way but most ignored me. Their full attention remained on the army of men following me.
We continued past the bar and into a long hallway. Like Misha’s other underground office, a purple glow bathed the space as if signaling this was now his zone.
Another guy sat in a chair at the end. He had black spiky hair and a simple black suit with a white shirt and no tie. Each ear held a black earring. He rose when he approached. The whole time his gaze remained on me.
I stopped in front of him. “Obsession.”
The man had an English accent. “Welcome, Ms. Jones. My name is Zip. Circuit said you would be arriving soon.” He opened the door. “Everyone will not fit down there.”
“I understand, but I want as many as possible.”
Zip scanned my group. “We’ll bring twenty. You already have other guards down there. The rest can remain here.”
“Sounds good.”
He led us through.
A silver door stood at the bottom of the stairs. A large A had been carved in the center. A circle surrounded the letter.
This is just like the other one.
Zip placed his hand on it. A beep sounded. The silver door slid open. And then we went down the stairs.
Misha loves burrowing in secrecy.
I stayed on Yefim’s side.
“Do you want me to hold the lollipops, Ava?”
“I’ve got them.”
At the end of the stairs, blue lines of light covered the dark floor.
Again, this was just like his other place. With Misha’s life constantly revealing mysteries, it was nice to not be shocked.
My shoulders relaxed as we headed down the similar-looking hallway. It led us to a smaller room. This one had fewer people on computers with headsets than the combat room.
But there were many similarities from the other place. Same silver paint on the walls. Same style of desks and metal chairs. Same silver carpet on the floor.
I checked the right.
There’s the bathroom like in the other spot.
In some ways, I felt like I was in my second home.
My phone rang.
Nervousness came. I checked the screen and was relieved to not see Misha’s name. I put the phone to my ear. “Hello.”
Circuit’s panicked voice came on. “It took you forever to get there.”
“We made a detour. Weren’t you listening to the conversation?”
“No. I’m a bit busy. I was waiting for you to get to the Xecutioners. Why did you stop at the cookie shop?”
“It doesn’t sell cookies. It sells candies.”
“Cookies, candies, or urine-flavored ice cream. I don’t care. Why stop there?”
“The leader of the Xecutioners like lollipops so I grabbed two boxes.”
“Hmmm. That might not be a bad idea.”
I scrunched my face in confusion. “Urine-flavored ice cream?”
“Never mind that. Be careful. I switched the mic on. I can now hear everything. Remember the code word?”
“Black Swan.”
“Good.”
“Have you heard from Misha?”
“He has been non-stop bothering me. We’ve found the Devil’s location. Kazimir is heading there now. I don’t foresee much of a future for the Devil.”
“And Kazimir’s lover?”
“We have an eye on the French, but they’ve been good at avoiding the city’s cameras.”
“And what about Leonid and Valentina?”
“We have the baby’s location for sure. Misha had a tracker put in the baby bracelet.”
“Perfect.”
“However, I’m not sure if Leonid is with them.”
“Doesn’t matter. I just want to get Valentina and the baby away from that mad man.”
“Go talk to the Xecutioners. Once we have that, then you can work with Zip on getting the location. Call me if you have any problems.”
“I will.”
“And don’t forget the codeword. I haven’t written my will yet, so I don’t need you to get killed. Misha will not be forgiving to anyone who helped you die.”
“I’ll be fine.” I hung up and hoped I spoke the truth.
Zip watched me. “That was Circuit?”
I nodded. “Where are the Xecutioners?”
“In Misha’s old gym.” He guided us to another long hallway and then pointed at a large door. “I would go in, but they creep me out. At least you have a bunch of men who will die for you.”
I swallowed. “Thanks. I have it from here.”
Yefim opened the door for me.
I expected a small gym, but this space was huge. Instantly, I spotted eight men working out in the room. They all had their shirts off, exposing sculpted muscular arms, carved chests, and chiseled abs. Sweat glistened on their skin. Each man had a large X branded on their chest, right above their hearts.
No one stopped when Yefim, I, and ten of my guards entered. The Xecuti
oners continued with their routines.
I held the two boxes of lollipops and searched for Hiro.
All the men wore these interesting work out bottoms. They weren’t like jogging pants. These were paneled in black, white, and red and had zippers slashed diagonally on their thighs. The material looked soft and hugged their thick thighs.
Four were lifting weights on the right. I checked each guy. The one with the long ashy blond hair watched me with those violet contact eyes. Tall and slim, he paused from lifting arm weights, put them down, and headed off through another door.
Where is he going?
I checked the other three lifting weights. One had blue hair. Another had silver. The third one wore a black hat.
Okay. Hiro isn’t over there.
I looked to the left. Two men punched heavy boxing bags. One had short brown curls. The other had black hair with pink streaks. I was about to check the one guy kicking a boxing bag near them until I spotted Hiro in the far back.
That’s him. Short black hair with a dark red streak on the right.
Hiro did arm pull-ups on a bar that was positioned fifteen feet in the air. Unlike the other men, he wore form-fitting grey sweatpants with black lines slashing the sides of his legs. The pants didn’t do much to hide his package. Therefore, I kept my view on his face.
It’s showtime.
Swallowing, I kept my grip on the boxes and walked to him.
Yefim remained on my side.
Watching Hiro do pull-ups made me exhausted. Easily, he raised his body up and down, touching his chin to the bar in fast, almost bouncing spurts. His muscles flexed. Sweat dripped down his chest.
When I came close, I realized his gaze had been on me the whole time. I stopped five feet in front of him. Then, he switched from using both arms to only doing pull-ups with one.
Alrighty. We get it. You’re strong.
As if hearing me, Hiro dropped to the ground, picked up a small towel from the side, and wiped his face.
Do I say something first? Or should he?
Still wiping off the sweat, he walked over to me and stopped a foot away.
What’s the first thing I should say? Maybe. . .Hey, Mr. Hiro. No. Not Mr. Hiro.
He studied me. His gaze hit the crystals on my jacket. He closed the distance and touched one. “That’s an elegant detail.”
