Page 182 of Lethal Legacy

“Alexei Petrovsky has spent years enduring humiliation and torture. All the while, he must have been waiting. Planning. Watching for an opportunity to regain everything he’s lost.”

Dimitry’s eyes slide sideways. “Sounds like someone else I know.”

I ignore that. “My point is, Mercura is one hell of an opportunity.”

“Okay.” He nods. “So in this scenario, what’s Petrovsky’s play?”

“Alexei’s been playing the part of Orlov puppet for years now. They trust him enough to pick up their yacht or to represent the family at public events. He’s won the Orlovs’ trust by pretending to be their cowed dog. Which means they’ve forgotten he can be dangerous.

“When he brings them Mercura, my guess is he’ll do it with just the right mix of fear and deference, like a servant giving a precious gift to his masters. He’ll dangle Mercura as bait. He’ll play just dumb enough to make it believable, but he’ll also throw around Andersson’s name and make himself the key to the Orlovs getting their hands on it.

“And when he’s hooked them, he’ll propose a trade: Mercura for his family’s freedom. The Orlovs give up on whatever treasure they think the Petrovsky family can give them and take the one Alexei is offering instead.”

“So we’re back to the idea of him trading it for his family’s freedom.”

“Except he won’t.” The cogs click in place in my mind, and I’m suddenly sure I’m right. “He’ll play the game long enough to be certain he’s got his father and sister to safety. But a man doesn’t endure what Petrovsky has, for as long as he has, without being determined to take his revenge. He’s planning to take Mercura for himself—and he just happens to be best buddies with Lars Andersson, the one man in the world with the ability to make it happen for him.

“How they found out about Mercura,” I add, “is a whole other question. One I’ll work out, sooner rather than later. Although I’m willing to bet Lance fucking Ryder was involved. Gregor told me that prick hung around Pillars for days during the first trojan upload, asking all sorts of weird questions. I’ll bet there’s a connection there somehow.”

“Okay.” Dimitry nods slowly. “Let’s say I agree that all this is plausible.”

“Because it is,” I interject.

“There’s still no evidence to suggest that Lucia has any idea about Mercura or the trojans. Bryce is certain she was trying to get away from Ryder, not conspiring with him. There’s no reason to believe she’s going to run—”

I laugh hollowly. “Except for new fake passports that she’s hiding, and the fact that she’s barely spoken a word to me in days. Not to mention that come tomorrow night’s ball, I’d bet my right ball theGuapawill be moored right offshore.”

“I think you should ask her—”

“If I wanted fucking advice, Dimitry, I’d be asking. I’m not.”

“Well, I’m giving it anyway.” His tone is unusually harsh. “Lucia wouldn’t betray you, Roman. Mickey knows it, and so do I. Talk to her. Ask her what’s going on. At least give her a chance to explain.”

I glare at him. “How is Mickey part of this discussion?”

“Because he’s not an idiot. He tracked the whole Petrovsky/Andersson link in the first place, and he understands the connection to Lucia.” He rolls his eyes when I frown. “Of course he’s worked out who Lucia is, Roman. You honestly think he’s this far into it with Pavel and hasn’t joined the fucking dots?” Dimitry doesn’t even pretend to be deferential. “Mickey’s in it now. And Pavel seems to believe he’s the best chance you’ve got of getting to the bottom of this.”

“And I’ve already told you:no. If Lucia is planning to fuck us over in any capacity, then Mickey needs to stay away. Pavel’s geeks were the best in the world before Mickey came on board, and so they still fucking should be. You can’t tell me an untrained kid is better than the elite team Pavel personally fucking recruited.”

“Well according to Pavel, Mickey really is that good.” Dimitry stares me down. “And he’s not a kid, Roman. Not really. He’s also just as worried about Lucia as you are—”

“I’m not fucking worried about Lucia.”

There’s a pause. Even I can hear the killing note in my voice. Dimitry’s known me well enough to pick right about now to stop. Except the idiot doesn’t.

“Mickey loves Lucia. The kids all do. He’s afraid, with good reason, that you might decide to shoot her first and ask questions later.”

“Oh, so you two are sharing fucking notes now?” The thought of Mickey confiding in Dimitry infuriates me almost as much as the fact that Lucia is planning to run.

“Well, he can’t exactly talk to you about any of it, can he?” He sounds almost as angry as I do. “He knows you aren’t telling him the full story. And for what it’s worth—he’s not the only one.”

I stiffen.

Dimitry’s eyes narrow. “And there it is,” he says softly. “That, right there. The line you won’t ever cross, beyond which lies whatever secret it is that’s been festering all these years. Don’t try to tell me there isn’t more to this whole Petrovsky business than you’re saying. I was there when you were running from the Orlovs, remember? You say Alexei Petrovsky has been watching and waiting. Well, I’d bet your fucking MTT that your file on the Orlovs is even thicker than his. And now you just happen to have his sister, which is the part that’s starting to scare the hell out of Mickey.”

There’s a strange pressure on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I feel like I’m underwater, the room around me oddly indistinct. I inhale sharply through my nose, trying to regain control.

“Well, aren’t you two quite the fucking investigation squad.” My voice sounds rough even to my own ears. “I’d suggest you both give it a rest, Dimitry, and stay the fuck out of the way. I was handling business when Mickey wasn’t even a spark in his daddy’s eye and when you were still a skinny kid pissing your pants.”

---