Page 318 of Eternal
He nods and says, “A lot. About you too.”
I frown and don’t even get to answer before Nikolai and Zanae appear beside me.
“We’re going to have to steal her away, dear Alexander, we have things to discuss.”
Nikolai signals me to follow. Zanae stays back a little longer and says to him, “Alexander, you should learn not to surprise my guests when they’re having a good time. I hate that. And youknow what happens when I hate something.” Her voice is cold, threatening.
She smiles at me and walks by my side.
We move away, the three of us, and she murmurs, “Men. Fucking annoying sometimes.”
It makes me laugh. Niko laughs too. “Little Z, you really need to learn to hide that hatred for men, I’m starting to think you hate me too.”
She laughs and says, “Never.”
We end up outside, only the three of us. Nikolai offers me a cigarette, which I accept, and I ask, curious, “Why did you bring me out here?”
Zanae looks ahead before answering, “I know you’re leaving tomorrow, and you probably have a mission to follow up on, but if you learn anything new about The Veil, send me a message. We’re still hunting members of that organization here, and things are really turning in our favor.”
I nod, and Nikolai continues, “You’ve got unlimited resources now that you’re with us, Azra. If you need anything when you leave, just call me. You don’t have to go through Viktor anymore. Brian’s here to help if you need information, and Zanae’s here too.”
I look at them, smoke, and smile, “Thank you. I have a meeting with someone tomorrow who might give us info when I get back. I’ll send you a report if I find anything.”
Please, let this meeting be useful.
90
DAMIR
“It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World (Cover)” by Jurnee Smollett
Present
Iinfiltrated the bratva when I was twenty-two.
It wasn’t my first mission, I’d handled smaller ones before, but this was the first time it meant something. The first time I felt like I was becoming something more than just a number in a file.
My team was scattered across different ops, unofficial mercenaries. We had no name. Just roles.
A mix of solitary violent boys grouped and training to become a family of murderers.
Ghosts. In and out. No trace. No past.
They needed someone inside the Moscow bratva,deepinside. Said there was a man rising through the ranks, maybe the next pakhan. Young, dangerous, trained from the age of fourteen like he was born for it. Everyoneassumedhe wouldn’t last. Too young. Too brash. Temporary.
But he stayed. He thrived.
So they sent me.
I had a cover. Join the military program where he was training.
Work, observe, wait.
Blend in. Find out if he was the real thing. I met him during drills.
He was only a few years younger than me, cold, quiet, violent. He was built for this role.
And always with him, that other one, Nikolai, the don’s son. You’d expect rivalry,ego…but no.
