Read Online Freedom's Promise: Task Force 125 by Lisa Pietsch - Free Book Online
Authors: Lisa Pietsch
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don't think she'd be your type. May I?" Vince motioned toward the pack of cigarettes on the table.
Might as well take advantage of every hospitality I can. He's clearly waiting for something.
"Yes, of course." Nikolai pushed the pack toward Vince. "You and Will have established significant contacts in your business dealings. We've seen your operation grow almost exponentially over the past several years. With all of your contacts and the information you could share on Miss Stevens, I'm sure we could come to a profitable, if not amicable agreement."
"You know, Nicolai." Vince paused to light his cigarette. "What I can't figure out is if you connected me with Sarah when Victor told you about her, why didn't you tell him about it?"
Nikolai tilted his head as he looked carefully at Vince. "To be honest, you did me a favor. Victor was becoming a nuisance. He did wonderful business for my organization and even did a considerable business with the United States government, earning us billions over the years. The problem with Victor was that he thought he was bigger than the brotherhood.”
Vince leaned back in his chair. “So you were hoping he’d meet an untimely end?”
Nikolai shrugged. “Do you know he had plans to write a book?" He shook his head as though disappointed. "In fact, the manuscript is still out there somewhere. My people are trying to locate it now.”
Vince smiled. “What was it about? How to be an arms dealer for dummies?”
Nikolai smiled, he seemed to see the humor in the title Vince offered but the grin disappeared quickly. “He wanted to tell the world about how the brotherhood made its money off the U.S. government. He found irony in the fact that the Soviet Union was ground to dust by the arms race, but the former Soviet republics were being resurrected almost instantly through arms trades and transporting for the U.S. government.”
He set his cigarette in the ashtray. “While I'm sure we all see the irony, I don't think I need to explain what such an explosive tell-all would do to one of our most significant income streams." He stubbed out his cigarette in the crystal ashtray and sat back in the large dining chair. "Victor's days were already numbered. When I put you and Sarah together, I decided to wait it out. He didn't know enough to give you anything of value so it was easier and far less expensive to let you take care of him rather than hiring someone myself."
"I see. How did you know we'd take care of him?"
"Please. I'm not a fool. After Hassan, it was too much of a coincidence. Miss Stevens proved herself a Black Widow once again. I have to commend her. Few people would expect so much danger from such a pretty package. She played it very well."
That explains how Nikolai was one step ahead. It's probably a good thing Sarah is retiring. She's already too conspicuous as the glamour girl, although she could be respected in organized crime circles, if she ever wanted to go over to the dark side .
The bruised girl in the abaya entered the room carrying a large tray and began to serve dinner.
Shocked by the sound of his own stomach as it growled, Vince savored the smell of the steak, baked potatoes, and grilled vegetables. He smiled slightly as he wondered what the meal cost Nikolai since none of those items could have possibly been locally grown.
Great. Digesting steak after a couple days of not eating at all is going to be torture . This isn't going to be pretty .
As if reading Vince's mind, Nikolai spoke. "Now we will have a nice dinner and then, you can sleep on your decision in a comfortable bed. What you tell me at breakfast will determine how well you are treated for the duration of your stay, as well as how long your stay may be."
Vince didn’t miss his emphasis on the word stay. This was a life or death decision.
Chapter Sixteen
Sarah ran a brush through her hair as they
Might as well take advantage of every hospitality I can. He's clearly waiting for something.
"Yes, of course." Nikolai pushed the pack toward Vince. "You and Will have established significant contacts in your business dealings. We've seen your operation grow almost exponentially over the past several years. With all of your contacts and the information you could share on Miss Stevens, I'm sure we could come to a profitable, if not amicable agreement."
"You know, Nicolai." Vince paused to light his cigarette. "What I can't figure out is if you connected me with Sarah when Victor told you about her, why didn't you tell him about it?"
Nikolai tilted his head as he looked carefully at Vince. "To be honest, you did me a favor. Victor was becoming a nuisance. He did wonderful business for my organization and even did a considerable business with the United States government, earning us billions over the years. The problem with Victor was that he thought he was bigger than the brotherhood.”
Vince leaned back in his chair. “So you were hoping he’d meet an untimely end?”
Nikolai shrugged. “Do you know he had plans to write a book?" He shook his head as though disappointed. "In fact, the manuscript is still out there somewhere. My people are trying to locate it now.”
Vince smiled. “What was it about? How to be an arms dealer for dummies?”
Nikolai smiled, he seemed to see the humor in the title Vince offered but the grin disappeared quickly. “He wanted to tell the world about how the brotherhood made its money off the U.S. government. He found irony in the fact that the Soviet Union was ground to dust by the arms race, but the former Soviet republics were being resurrected almost instantly through arms trades and transporting for the U.S. government.”
He set his cigarette in the ashtray. “While I'm sure we all see the irony, I don't think I need to explain what such an explosive tell-all would do to one of our most significant income streams." He stubbed out his cigarette in the crystal ashtray and sat back in the large dining chair. "Victor's days were already numbered. When I put you and Sarah together, I decided to wait it out. He didn't know enough to give you anything of value so it was easier and far less expensive to let you take care of him rather than hiring someone myself."
"I see. How did you know we'd take care of him?"
"Please. I'm not a fool. After Hassan, it was too much of a coincidence. Miss Stevens proved herself a Black Widow once again. I have to commend her. Few people would expect so much danger from such a pretty package. She played it very well."
That explains how Nikolai was one step ahead. It's probably a good thing Sarah is retiring. She's already too conspicuous as the glamour girl, although she could be respected in organized crime circles, if she ever wanted to go over to the dark side .
The bruised girl in the abaya entered the room carrying a large tray and began to serve dinner.
Shocked by the sound of his own stomach as it growled, Vince savored the smell of the steak, baked potatoes, and grilled vegetables. He smiled slightly as he wondered what the meal cost Nikolai since none of those items could have possibly been locally grown.
Great. Digesting steak after a couple days of not eating at all is going to be torture . This isn't going to be pretty .
As if reading Vince's mind, Nikolai spoke. "Now we will have a nice dinner and then, you can sleep on your decision in a comfortable bed. What you tell me at breakfast will determine how well you are treated for the duration of your stay, as well as how long your stay may be."
Vince didn’t miss his emphasis on the word stay. This was a life or death decision.
Chapter Sixteen
Sarah ran a brush through her hair as they
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