Page 59 of Den of Thieves

“No!” Nikolai roared, starting CPR. But it was too late. Venchi was gone.

Lydia kicked them out, shortly after, still wailing over her deceased son. Nikolai added her to the ever-growing list of people the Brava needed to take care of.

“Chto teper’?” Bogdan asked. What now?

Nikolai looked at the rapidly darkening skyline. One building stuck out in the distance that he hadn’t noticed before. “Come on. I know a place not too far away!”

Bogdan and Khruschev pulled out their guns. The three of them stuck to the shadows, rushing down alleyways and between buildings to their next destination.

21. “I’ve Got Friends in Low Places,”

-GARTH BROOKS

Karina tried the phones again and cursed when she heard nothing on the other line. They were vulnerable in this position. But she wouldn’t dare move Aksana in her current state. She hoped she had enough bullets to ward off anyone thinking of causing them further harm.

She would never tell Vladimir this, but perhaps he was right about them sitting this one out.

Where the hell are you, Vlad?

Sharp, rapid knocks drew her attention to the front door. Despite her wishes for someone to find her, no one knew where they were. Karina pulled out her Beretta and took a deep beath before she looked through the peephole.

“Nikolai?!” she squealed, yanking the door open. “Oh my God, I almost shot you!”

The last man she expected to see strolled inside and nodded for Bogdan and Khruschev to stand watch outside. “How did you find us?”

“This is Dedushka’s old place.”

“That’s right.” In all the commotion, it slipped her mind.

Nikolai looked her up and down. “I noticed the locker outside was empty. How much trouble did you run into?”

“Not much. Everything was going smoothly until our helicopter got shut down.”

Nikolai’s eyes bulged. “That was you?”

“Don’t look so surprised, Niko. Where are the others? I thought you all left together.”

“We got separated after you and AK shot up the vans. Venchi, Bogdan, Khruschev and I fought your way free, but not without taking a few hits.”

Karina squinted. There was one member of the quartet missing. “Where is Venchi?”

Nikolai shook his head and thinned his lips.

“Fuck,” Karina groaned. She never cared for him, but Aksana was going to be devastated when she found out. “Do you have a radio?”

“Yeah, but it’s busted.”

“Fuck,” she said again. “We can’t stay here long. AK needs help. I don’t know how bad things are, but I gave her two Percocets.”

“And she’s still in pain?”

“Yeah, she’s asleep, but she has a fractured tibia and a couple of broken ribs.”

“What the hell happened?”

“Faulty parachute.”

“I hope you’re healthy because once Vladimir finds out you two disobeyed him, he might just kill you himself!”

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