Page 36 of Blazing Embers

“I wasn’t the one who first alerted the RMSAD to Tara’s existence,” I point out. “She and her lover Gavriil did that.” Thinking of Tara with Gavriil ignites my anger further. “They were even greeted by some agents when they went to the Moscow hospital where she was born to find more information about her biological mother.”

“Those weren’t RMSAD agents,” she tells me. “They were DS-Security agents.”

“What?” I splutter. “Why would the general send his security team to intercept them?”

“So they didn’t get to alert the RMSAD and we could get Tara the hell out of Russia,” she replies, her voice filled with irritation. “Then you dragged her back here, splurging her name all over the Ministry of Internal Affairs like you’re trying to shove her right into RMSAD’s faces. Worse, if they’d gotten wind that she was pregnant…” Her voice rises slightly, and I hear it in her voice. Fear. For Tara. “Your arrogance and sense of self-worth are truly astonishing.” I hear the swoosh of a bottle opening.

Now I’m wondering who she is, as I don’t think she’s the Black Widow. No, this woman cares for Tara on a level a family member would. Anya Morozov, maybe?

“They won’t touch her now that she’s with me,” I tell her. “They wouldn’t dare. I know where their bodies are buried and all the secrets I helped cover up over the years.”

“Oh, you think not?”

“I know so!” My voice radiates with confidence. “Not only am I privy to all the RMSAD’s secrets but also the shit I’ve covered up for the people who work there…”

“Well, I sure hope you have a backup plan for the hot head of yours,” she jeers. “Because trust me, you're not as indispensable as you think you are, and they will bury you and whatever evidence or skeletons in their closet you think you know about, they’ll make it seem like they were yours.” She gives a soft laugh. “Attorneys are a dime a dozen. They just keep you for the exact same reason they kept your predecessor. To ensure they had eyes on the Dragunovs. And if you think for one minute Tara will give you leverage over them, you need to rethink your planbecause they will spin that right around on you and make her your pressure point. Just like they did with your predecessor's daughter. You remember your best friend's sister, right? Petra. The one you asked to help you contact Clyde?”

My jaw clenches. “I have made provisions for that already.” I can’t keep the smugness from my voice. “Trust me, I have all the pieces ready on my board. When I’m done with that place, there will be no more RMSAD.”

“Jesus!” I hear her hiss. “Do you know how many times some arrogant young cocky prick has tried to take that organization down?”

“They didn’t have me in their corner,” I tell her. “Or people on the inside.”

She goes quiet, and I hear the swish of liquid. “So you think you’re ready to take them down?”

“Who the hell are you?” I try to shake the bag off my head again. “And I hope to God you haven’t killed Clyde yet because he has answers I want.”

“I’ve already given you the answers you needed from Clyde,” she tells me. “And trust me. I gave you more than he would’ve.”

“You gave me nothing!”

“We’re going around in circles here.” Her tone is clipped now. “You want answers, Ruslan?”

“I haven’t sat here or stood in a drafty shithole alleyway for hours for nothing,” I seethe.

“Then you have to prove you’re ready to hear them.” I hear the shuffle of papers again and the light thud of something hitting wood.

“I don’t have to prove anything to you or anyone.” Now my anger is near boiling point and I start shaking my head violently but the fucking sack won’t budge.

“It won’t come off.” I hear something land beside me with a plop. “You want to know who I am?”

“I think it’s rude not to have introduced yourself.”

“I’m your grandfather's most trusted advisor and highest-ranking guard.”

13

RUSLAN

I start to laugh. “Sure you are. My grandfather didn’t have soldiers. He had village advisors that walked around dressed like bleached monks.” I wish she could see me rolling my eyes. How did I ever think this delusional woman was the Black Widow. “Listen crazy lady… you’ve wasted more than enough of my time. So stop this fucking car right now and let me out or I will bust out of these cable ties and strangle you with my bare hands.”

“Then my lady will have Dragunov blood on her hands and that would be on you,” a male voice makes me pause. My covered head turns to where the sound is.

“It’s okay.” The woman tells the man. “Give us some privacy now. Mr. Dragunov now knows he has a gun pointed at him and one wrong move will get him a bullet in his brain.”

“I tell you what, if you take me to the hospital I’ll listen to your fairy stories about being my grandfather’s most trusted soldier,” I tell her. “Fuck, I’ll even play along.”

“Your grandfather was right about you not being ready to claim your legacy.” Her words cut me deeper than I let on.

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