Page 30 of Den of Thieves

The limo stopped in front of a large 747 on the tarmac a short while later. Gustaf’s plane was a mansion on wheels. It was decked out with the finest furnishings, meeting rooms, a gymnasium, a private chef, and two bedrooms in case the little ones got tired.

Not even Vladimir knew where they were headed. And he didn’t ask. Knowing that his children would be safe from harm at the hands of even the merciless of torturers gave him solace.

His wife kept her tears at bay as she kissed the little ones goodbye. They waved from the bottom of the stairs like it was everyday they sent their children off with family members. Karina’s smile dissipated the moment they disappeared from the doorway. He pulled her into his arms and steered them back towards the waiting car, but she fought his hold.

“I hate this!” she cried, punching his chest. It didn’t hurt physically, but he ached to see her tears.

“Baby, you know this is for the best.”

“Why can’t we be a regular family? I feel like whenever we’re happy, it’s only for a minute. This Bratva shit always has to come first.”

“I know Solynchnka. I know.”

He glimpsed movement in one of the plane windows and blocked Karina’s face, just in case. The driver stood behind them with the door open. Vladimir placed his hands on her shoulders and used his thumbs to lift her chin.

“Do you want to go with them? I will not fault you for saying yes.”

She took a shuttering breath, thinking about his words. “No. How could I leave you? This world is not yet recovered from an unhinged Vladimir.”

She sounded strong, but her hands still shook with emotion. “It is okay to be afraid, Solynchnka. Fear is not always bad. Sometimes it is good. Fear can help you focus. Fear can make you more determined to defeat your enemies. To do what is best for the greater good. Fear can make you strong. We will need that strength in the coming days.” He pulled her close to his side and kissed her head.

“Promise me you’ll never leave me. I don’t know what I’ll do without you,” she whispered, winding her arms around him.

“You and our children are my life. I’m not going anywhere.” Vladimir hoped it was a promise he could keep.

11. “By the Prickling of My Thumbs, Something Wicked This Way Comes.”

-WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Alvin Molody stuffed his laptop inside his bag before stepping out of the taxi. Working for the Bratva was hard. With long unforgiving hours and demanding deadlines and minimal off time, Alvin got four hours of sleep per night on average. He survived off of energy drinks, smoked meats and whatever his mother shoved down his throat at dinner.

Mr. Nikolai supplied him with all the latest tech gadgets and software to make spying on their enemies easier. Studying under Mr. Pavel last year was the opportunity of a lifetime. He gained more knowledge, skill, and prowess under his guidance than he could have in 5 years tinkering around on the dark web.

One of the upsides of his job was the pay. Since he didn’t have to foot the bill for the upgrades, he was able to move his family to a nicer area. They now lived in the Tretyakov Gallery Area, an up-and-coming neighborhood in the heart of the city.

“Ma?” Alvin called out to the empty living room. He took his time shaking the rain off his jacket and hanging it on a hook by the door.

“Alvin, you’re home early.” His mother smiled.

Hilda had more wrinkles than most women her age. She often worked two and three jobs to support Alvin and his sister rowing up. Alvin thought she was beautiful with her long, dark hair and permanent smile. She only deserved the best. He was proud to be the reason she could retire and rest.

He wanted to buy them a lavish apartment along the Golden Mile, but Hilda declined, saying she didn’t want anything fancy. She wanted to stay close enough to take Irina to art school each day.

Alvin relented and purchased the row house after saving up for three months.

“I was just headed out. The soup kitchen is running low on soup, and we have extra.”

Alvin, tired as he was, took the large pot from her hands.

“You are a svyatoy, ma. I’ll take it. Where’s Irina?” he asked, walking back towards the door.

“She’s in her room. She has a huge project coming up and wants to get good marks.” His mother beamed, helping him into his jacket. “I am so lucky to have such brilliant children. So proud.”

Alvin smiled, feeling the guilt weigh heavily on his chest as she kissed his cheek.

He lied and told her he was training with a top engineer from America and landed a job at a large company through the connections he made. It wasn’t a total lie, but it certainly wasn’t the truth.

Rain fell from the night sky as Alvin made the 10-minute drive to the soup kitchen in his old neighborhood. The street parking was full, forcing him to park around the block. Luckily, someone propped the back door open.

---