Page 20 of Flames of Ruin

Approaching Daniil’s line of black armored SUVs, one of his guards steps in front of me.

Without hesitating, I grab my Glock. “Move,” I growl through gritted teeth.

“On odin iz nas segodnya noch’yu.” I hear Daniil snap firmly.

The guard steps out of my way, reluctantly.

As Daniil approaches me, I prod, “What did you tell him?” I nod back in the guard’s direction.

“I said ‘He is one of us tonight.’” He looks at me. “Don’t read too much into it. I won’t hesitate to kill you if this is some game.”

Slapping his chest, I laugh, “Ah ha! There’s the real Daniil.”

Walking down the stairs to enter the tunnels that house the waterway access points, we stay silent. The look on Daniil’s face tells me he is still trying to convince himself that his father would be okay with such destruction.

A few steps ahead of us, I can see the shadow of a man standing next to a barrel of chemicals, guarded by soldiers that I recognize as my father’s men. Of course he wouldn’t use the Bratva to keep him safe.

Dimitri.

I can see the anger flash in Daniil’s eyes as he registers what he is seeing.

“Father.”

Turning around, Dimitri sees his son standing in front of him. For the first time in all the years I have been around the man, I see an emotion flash across his hardened face as his shoulders slump.

As if hearing the disappointment in his son’s voice was enough to change his mind.

“This is not how we operate.” Daniil may be my age, but his goal is to one day be just as powerful as Mikhail, and he wants to climb the Bratva ladder the proper way. Not by sidestepping his organization’s code of conduct and gaining power by killing innocent people. Daniil and I both differ from our fathers in that we both enjoy the power and wealth that our lifestyles bring with it, but not at the expense of helpless victims, women, or children.

“Call Enzo & Craig off. Now.” Daniil orders, walking up to his father, his shoulders squared.

“He threatened...” Dimitri snaps, as if to explain his actions.

“I will take care of my father,” I interrupt. “Just tell them to stand down.”

“Enzo will listen. I am not quite sure Demassi will.” He pulls his phone out and types a message before replacing it back in his pocket.

“Idi domoy, otets. Go home, Father,” Daniil says.

Then, looking at my father’s guards, he says,“Get rid of this.” He disgustingly points at the barrel of murderous chemicals, “and if any of you make one mistake, I will put a bullet between your eyes.”

Surprising me, he turns to me and says, “It looks like the Bratva is in your debt.” He pauses as he glares at his father. Dimitri returns his hard stare.

Without turning away from his father, he addresses me, “Go. Take care of your father. I will make sure Demassi stands down,” he says through gritted teeth.

***

Ironically, the access point my father assigned himself was two blocks away from Vanguard Enterprises. As though he pictured himself standing in his ivory fucking tower as the people of Raventown began to grow ill, desperate and begging for help. The chemicals my father concocted contain high levels of arsenic, thallium and a synthetic derivative of the botulinum toxin. Normally, in small amounts, these would not cause death, or would even work rapidly, but my father hired a chemist that knew how to add these chemicals together to make a fast-acting concoction for the most potent and quickest destruction. For the right amount of money, his evil plan was brought to fruition.

After learning of his plan, I also gathered intel he had ordered the precinct and emergency line to stop taking calls for the next forty-eight hours. The corrupt police captain fears my father, so of course he obliged. There will be no one to help these innocent people unless they bring themselves to Edinburgh General. No help and no hope.

Descending the steps, I stare down the long tunnel at the man standing at the end, overtaken with greed and power. I am surprised to find he has no guards with him. This isn’t the same man who raised me. He may be a criminal and have an unethical way of doing things, but cold-blooded murder was never something I thought my father could be capable of.

The closer I get to him, I realize I’m too late. The chemicals are pouring into the water, and I have no way to stop it.

“You’re late.” He sneers, calling over his shoulder. “Enzo and Dimitri may have been weak, but at least Demassi still went through with the plan.”

My stomach sinks. Daniil couldn’t get to him.

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