Page 84 of Dark Desires
Patterson’s sharp gaze sweeps over the scene, landing on me and my brothers. Her expression is pure steel.
“Plushenko,” she starts, “what the hell happened here?”
I step forward. My chest is still aching from the earlier shot, but I don’t let it show.
“De la Rosa took Isabella Mancini,” I say.
Patterson stops short, visibly thrown by the blunt statement.
“What was she doing here?” she asks.
“That is none of your concern,” I reply. “It’s personal and unrelated to whatever issue you might have with my family or De la Rosa, for that matter. She got caught in the middle of this shitstorm. And we’re going to get her back.”
She catches herself, her jaw tightening. “No, you’re not doing anything. This is my investigation. Like hell, I’m going to stand here and let you all go on some vigilante mission. Not a chance.”
Lev lets out a low, humorless laugh from behind me.
“Arrest us then, because we’re not sitting on our asses while De la Rosa is holding an innocent woman.”
Patterson narrows her eyes. “Everyone out of here but Barnes,” she says, addressing the cops. They all dutifully file into the elevator and leave.
Barnes raises his hands. “Let’s not start something here. You’re both on the same side of this one.”
“If you would have just worked with me in the first place, this never would have happened.”
“But it’s happened and you’re wasting time,” I say, “and you know as well as I do that we’ll find her faster than your people can.”
I step slowly toward her.
“I know how federal operations work. They’re slow, bogged down with procedure and protocol. Not us. We can move in, save Isabella, bring down De la Rosa while you’re still waiting for a phone call from some suit in a cushy office.”
She says nothing. She knows I’m right.
“All you have to do is look the other way. Let us work. That’s it.”
She shifts her weight from one foot to the other.
“If I agree to this, this arrangement stays in this room.”
“You’ve already agreed,” Lev cuts in. “Otherwise, we’d all be in cuffs right now.”
“Enough,” Barnes says. “No need to measure everyone’s well, you know, right now. We can combine resources. Share intel. We find Isabella, and De la Rosa gets taken down. Everyone wins.”
The room goes silent for a beat.
“I don’t like this. Any of it. But fine. Truce. For now.” Patterson looks me dead in the eye. “Once this is over, once De la Rosa is taken down, I’m coming for you all. The Ivanov Bratva is going to be my special project.”
I don’t flinch. Instead, I smile, my eyes locked on hers.
“You’ll have your chance, Agent Patterson. But right now, we need to focus on Isabella.”
The room holds its breath for a moment, the unholy alliance sealed in silence.
Then Patterson steps back, turning to Barnes. “Get everything we have on De la Rosa. Now.”
I glance at my brothers.
Lev’s smirk says it all: The hunt has begun.
