Page 30 of Devotion

Damn. That was actually a good one. So much so that I let it go, snapping my mouth closed. One point for Matvey.

Slipping out of the car, we skirt along the buildings, keeping a low profile to get a better view. At the corner, Mat leans against the wall, lighting a cigarette and nodding for me to post up across from him against a mailbox.

“What do you think they’re doing?”

“Same thing I was waiting to do. Hassling Mr. Andreev. He is good informant, oversees a lot of smuggling through his fish packing warehouse.”

“And was he the guy theses strangers were talking to in the photos?”

“No. But he will know any new faces in this area.”

“Cool. Cool, cool, cool. We just gotta wait for the po-po to clear out. Speaking of which, we pay off dirty cops back home to get things done hush hush. What’s the protocol here?”

“Mutual hatred, mutual respect?” Matvey shrugs.

“So basically the same.”

“Yes, only the whole organization is corrupt. We do not pay them. They make their own money. They are almost like a branch of Bratva themselves.”

“Ah, I think I get it. So if they decide to seize some contraband…”

“It’s usually because they want to own it and sell it. Use it for coercion, etc. They are careful, though, not to step on toes too much, only nabbing small shit. We let them have most, and they keep noses out of bigger dealings.”

“And you let them clean up some of your messes too, people intruding on your turf?”

“Exactly. Give them tips on who we want gone, they look good to the public for keeping petty crime down. Win, win.”

“All while you collect money to actually protect the average Jogov and their way of life. Huh. But the cops technically could arrest any one of you just to be spiteful.”

“It happens. Catch is, Volk run the prisons. They cannot keep anyone in jail for too long, don’t want to send anyone back to the fold. It’s how you say, rub-and-tug?”

“Noooo. That’s something way different. And more fun.” Like what his sister was doing to me earlier…“You mean tug-of-war.”

“Ah, yes.” Mat gives me a look as I try to hide the flustered look on my face. “Let’s get a closer look, ah?”

“Sounds good. Lead on.”

We mosey down the walk, crossing the street in the dim, letting the flickering lights and the fact that this isn’t the nicest part of town offer cover. Hoods up and hands in pockets doesn’t hurt either. Just two local shitbags minding our business.

“Are they shaking him down for money right now?” I peer across through the side window of the store front. “That’s…”

“Russia, baby. This is how it works. Everybody gets their cut of the thing. Everybody also hush hush. There’s a lot of rules and regulations in our country that make things difficult. Uh, like pretending to be conservative, yeah?”

“I get that. Usually makes the people on the ground level just hide their indiscretions better.”

“Exactly. Like prohibition in your country.”

“You see that in a movie?” I snicker.

“I went to school fuckface. College for two years in America too.”

“Oh yeah! I forget you can read sometimes. It’s the pronounced brow.”

Matvey squints at me, grimacing. Sometimes I can’t tell if he doesn’t get the joke or he’s playing dumb to get a rise out of me.

“Anyway, you get used to this relationship with the law. Always trust that they will fuck you. This way, no surprise.”

“They try to get guys on the inside?”

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