Page 29 of Boss

Chapter 7

They used three different snowmobiles to head for their meeting. Ice roads were built between the camp houses and the oil rigs to protect the environment. The men only traveled this way. To veer off any of the roads in a snow storm of this nature could mean certain death.

“When did production stop?” Tarek asked the man who drove him.

“A week and a half ago. We are going crazy out here. The storm is expected to pass in a few days. Until then no one can work.”

“But LuxeOil pulled the plug before the storm?”

The man nodded. “Yea, we were worried. These men all have families back home to support. Yegor says when the storm passes we will be back on the rig. I believe him.”

Tarek pulled back his sleeve. He checked the time. He didn’t want to leave her alone for too long. But there was no way to avoid it. Earlier he put her to the test. Pushed hard for answers. And nothing changed. He considered that she was telling him the truth. He just couldn’t be sure.

The caravan stopped at a command post that was an extension to the rig. It looked to Tarek that they would have to walk the rest of the way in.

“Where is the LuxeOil camp?”

“On the other side of the rig,” the man said.

Tarek didn’t question why they needed to make the journey in the middle of the blizzard. He knew the price to pay to get Yegor’s allegiance would be costly. The Russians considered a business merger of this kind a debt. And when the person was untrustworthy as his family had been they required a sizeable deposit to earn trust. That deposit could be anything.

The man next to him passed him a pair of goggles. “Put these on.”

Tarek did as he was told and then pulled up his ski mask to cover his mouth and nose. Once out of the mobile he brought up his hood. Yegor was out and walking with his troupe of men. He looked back at Tarek and gestured for him to follow.

The men braved the wind and snow to make it along the ice paved trek to the door. When he went inside the cold air followed. He waited for the others and they entered through a security door. A man with a gun stood guard. Tarek found that odd. There was no need for it out in the middle of nowhere. But he kept moving. He was directed to a door and had already seen Yegor disappear inside.

Tarek arrived a few seconds after him. Yegor had taken off his coat and lowered the overalls straps from his shoulders. Tarek removed his hood and frowned.

Alec Dresden was tied to a chair. He and two other men looked terrified but unharmed.

“What is this Yegor?” Tarek asked.

“Negotiations. My way.” Yegor said. “No more bureaucracy. Eh?” He walked over to Alec and grabbed the man by his hair. He yanked his head back. “You talk like a big man in the meetings. Think you can push me around in front of your bosses? You forget who I am?”

Alec tried to speak but the gag garbled his words. Tarek assumed it would be nothing but pathetic pleas and denial.

“We don’t have to do this Yegor. Get our hands dirty this way. My plan is solid.”

Yegor gaze swung to him. “You want my money. My approval. My father’s investment?”

Tarek glanced to the other men who now stood frozen with hateful glares that matched their leaders. Yegor stepped to him. “Then you have to have my respect Tarek. You aren’t the only one who does his research. I know how limited your power is now. The war between you and your brother goes all the way back to that dead girl in Crystal Beach.”

Tarek eyes stretched.

“Yes. I know about her too. My father has kept his eye on you all these years. Dale almost broke you through that girl. And now, he hires another to finish you off? We’ve been waiting for you to decide to be a man. Now prove that you are one or get the hell off my rock.”

Two men stepped behind him. Tarek glanced to them and then back to Yegor. The decision was made. He unzipped his coat and shrugged it off. Yegor chuckled.

“See boys! He’s not Texan. He’s Russian. Aren’t you Tarek?” Yegor laughed. “Show them.”

Alec Dresden was unlocked from his cuffs. “Not him!” Yegor said. “He belongs to me. Give Tarek one of his men.”

The man went to the other. The bigger of the two. Tarek’s victim was unchained and shoved to the floor. Yegor grinned.

9.

Kassidy dug through his bags and found a small briefcase. She put it on the bed and tried several times to figure out the combination lock. Nothing she came up with worked. Desperate she used a nail filer and tried to pick the lock. The nail filer broke. There was no accessing it.

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