Page 74 of Beneath Scarred Vows
I open it to find surveillance photos. They're images of the men I killed in Gio's warehouse. They are speaking with someone whose face is obscured by a bush. The timestamp shows they were taken three days before the restaurant shooting.
I squint my eyes to double-check. "Wait, these are from the place Calli and Katerina were shot at?"
Dimitri nods. "Yeah, sons of bitches were there scoping things out."
I lean back in my chair, looking at the photo.
Theo stands. "There's more, brother. We've received intel that suggests these Athenian Warriors may not have acted alone."
My fingers tighten on the edge of the folder. "What does that mean exactly?"
Theo leans forward, resting his fists on my desk. "It means that Sebastian Makris might be a pawn, not the king. These meetings—" he gestures to the photos, "—show his men meeting with someone outside their usual circle. Someone who's been very careful to stay out of frame."
"And you think this mystery player is Zervas?" I ask.
"We think it's worth considering," Dimitri cuts in. "We did some research. They couldn't have done this alone, both on pulling it off and financially. Someone is backing them."
I sift through the photos again, looking for something—anything—I might have missed. "Zervas could be using these Athenian Warriors to make a move or expand. Taking bolder risks without it being tied to the family."
"That's what I think," Theo says. "I think they are behind it and using new tactics to stay under the radar. But I fucking see them," he says, turning to grab a new folder from his bag and handing it to me. "Look at this. Unusual movement of funds in accounts affiliated with the Zervas families. Large transfers, money being shifted around in ways that don't make sense. Especially to the one at the bottom. We think that account is tied to Sebastian."
"How'd you get these?" I ask, holding up the forms.
"Kalamata Bank and Trust. I've got a guy who has connections at Athens Central Bank. That's where these are from."
"So someone's financing a war," I conclude.
Dimitri nods. "And Zervas is trying to hide behind these small groups of thugs in Greece."
"But we know who's really pulling the strings," Theo adds.
I lean back in my chair, mind racing.
"Oh, did Sebastian get our gift?" I ask, my voice cold.
A brutal smile crosses Theo's face. "They did. We heard it caused some mayhem."
"I'd pay to have seen Sebastian's face when he opened that box," Dimitri adds with a dark laugh. "Nothing says 'fuck you' like sending back the head of one of their shooters."
"Good," I say. "Let them know we're not fucking around."
"They've doubled security at their main compound," Theo says. "Sebastian hasn't been seen in public since our delivery."
"He's scared," Dimitri says. "As he should be."
I tap my fingers against the desk, thinking. "If there is someone else involved, they might be counting on us going after these Athenian Warriors while they move in the shadows."
"It's such a dumb name," Theo says.
We all laugh in agreement.
"So what's our play?" Dimitri asks.
I stand, walking to the window that overlooks the garden. In the distance, I can see Katerina has moved outside, still sketching in the sunlight. The sight of her makes me lose my train of thought for a moment.
"Two tracks," I finally say. "We put some pressure on Sebastian and his wannabe crew. Maybe rough up a couple of them. Let everyone think our attention is fixed there. But quietly, I want to know who's behind those meetings. Follow the money. Find the face that's being hidden from us."
"Okay, we'll put that in motion," Theo says.
