Page 58 of Collin: Episodes 13-15
“Richard believes in his own creed.”
“What’s that?”
“Live true.”
Mikhail narrowed his eyes. “This mean what now?”
Collin raised his voice. He knew this answer, and he could say it in words his grandfather understood. “Richard would rather die. He’ll pay. He’ll bargain. But he won’t accept a yoke. He only bends to give a gift, never because of fear.”
Mikhail threw Collin a dirty look. “What would his whore know?”
Collin laughed. A sense of unhinged sanity tinged Collin’s thoughts. “Whores know everything. Men like you only release their mask on those they think are less than them.”
“I can’t wait for you to die, boy.”
Collin’s lips peeled back in a crazed smile. He opened his mouth to snap back.
“Collin!” Émeric’s voice cracked across the space. “Hold your tongue.”
Collin’s cheeks pricked. He dropped his eyes. “Yes, sir.”
Mikhail laughed, lewd and dark. “Oh, so that’s how it is.”
Collin said nothing. He kept his eyes on the ground.
“How did you train him?” Mikhail said.
“Not information for outsiders,” Émeric retorted calmly.
Mikhail crossed over to Collin and stuck a finger under Collin’s shirt. “Shock collar? Chip?”
“Nothing so crude,” Émeric said. “It’s not necessary. Now warm the boy before he’s useless to both of us.”
“He not die so soon.”
“You can’t make Richard choose between me and a senseless body. How will he know the boy’s alive?”
“He not so delicate.”
“Then you haven’t been paying attention. He’s been in the hospital twice this past month.”
“Oh. That new intel.” Mikhail went to the van. He came back with a heavy packing blanket and threw it around Collin.
Collin shivered under the blanket, but at least now, the shivering seemed to be doing some good. Mikhail’s phone buzzed, and he stalked off, answering in Russian.
“How are you doing, boy?” Émeric whispered.
Collin grimaced. “I’m here, sir. How’d they’d get you?”
“Ambush on the sidewalk as I left class.”
“Your security?”
“I don’t know. They might have survived, but they weren’t conscious. How’d they get you?”
“The office. Mikhail took me in the hall and threatened to shoot anyone who cottoned on.”
Émeric’s lips pressed together. “We weren’t ready for this.”
