Page 58 of Heritage of Fire

Always.

Traffic makes our trip take longer than expected, and Luka’s constant tapping in the back seat is driving me crazy. Igor is driving, which is best. Luka and I aren’t overly calm right now.

When we make it to the alley, it’s quiet. The surrounding businesses are closed for the night. Dmitry’s car is pulled over on the opposite side of the street, directly across from the alley. There are no other vehicles around, and a sense of foreboding settles over me as we pull up behind his Mercedes.

The moon and the surrounding streetlamps illuminate the silver car. I don’t see any movement inside, and my uneasiness turns suffocating. With the sudden roaring in my ears, I barely notice Luka reaching for his handle to get out.

“Nyet. Boss. Wait for Igor and I.”

He growls but sits back, obeying, something I don’t think he would’ve done before Kate.

Igor and I open our doors and lurch toward Dmitry’s sleek car. Igor walks around to the front and shakes his head back at Luka. He isn’t there.

My gaze moves across the street to the dark void of the alleyway. There isn’t any movement down there, either. EVs occupants are probably already fully entrenched in their debauchery. I’m curious if there’s another entrance we don't know about. Therehasto be.

I try the driver’s side door, and it opens. Poking my head in, I take a quick look in the back seat. It’s empty. Up front, there’s a fast-food drink cup in the cupholder. I pick it up, swirling it around—about half gone. His cell phone isn’t in the console.

“You said his phone tracks here?”

“Da.”

Igor opens the other passenger door and rummages around the glove box, shuffling through receipts, wrappers, and an extra firearm. Nothing.

“See any keys?”

The fact they aren’t here makes me think he may have wandered off somewhere. Maybe he caught up with a girl and snuck away. But, at the same time, that isn’t the Dmitry I know. He wouldn’t shirk his job, especially with Luka.

“Let’s pop the trunk.” I motion with my thumb up, and Igor reaches down to lift the trunk release. We shut both doors and walk to the back of the vehicle. Igor lifts the trunk.

Holy shit.

“Nyet! Damn it!” Igor yells.

I spin around and motion for Luka to come over.

“Nyet.Nyet!”Luka snarls, clenching his fists as he looks at what’s in the trunk.

Dmitry, with blood smeared around his throat like it was slashed. His shirt has been removed, and the initials EV are carved into his chest. Igor steps onto the sidewalk, pressing his palms to his eyes.

“That’s it. I’m going in.” Luka yanks out his weapon and checks the chamber.

“Nyet, Luka.Stop.We need to deal with Dmitry’s body. We can’t go in there right now. We knownothingabout what we’d be walking into.” I grab his arm as he starts across the street. “Luka, come on. Kate wants you home safe.”

He pauses in the middle of the road, gun hanging down at his side. He tucks his chin to his chest, and I watch his shoulders shake.

We’ve lost men before. Death isn’t a new concept for any of us. But this was supposed to be a simple surveillance job. How did it end like this? And there wasn’t even a brother here with him to have his back. I feel sick.

Dmitry’s eyes are wide open. I close them. “Rest easy, brother.”

I pat around his body, searching for anything useful, and my hand slips over a slim phone next to where his knees are folded over. I pull it out. A note taped to the front of it reads: PLAY ME.

Igor leans over my shoulder. “We need to move his car to a warehouse for the team to process everything.”

He’s right. We can’t keep standing here. Luka turns to me, and I hold up the phone. “They have a message for us.”

I glance toward the alleyway, then scan the surrounding area again. Morenothing. Damn it. I’m fed up with being blind when it comes to these people. Theyaren’tinvincible.

Igor checks Dmitry’s pockets. When he finds the keys, he volunteers to drive.

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