CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

THE RUSSIANS

 

Arkadi was pacing next to a table inside of an old abandoned IHOP restaurant. He was distraught and incensed with anger. They met there whenever they couldn’t get to their hideout in D.C. Right now they were in Baltimore, Maryland, not too far from Jersey, D.C. and Virginia.

Inside of the restaurant were fifteen Reapers waiting for leadership.

“They killed my fiancé,” he yelled at Iakov as if he were unaware. “And all you want to talk about is money and profit margins! What about her, brother?” He paused. “She was only woman I ever loved!” Each time he yelled, his face reddened as sweat dripped down his cheeks. “I want my revenge and I won’t stop until I have it!”

Iakov slowly walked toward Arkadi. Standing over him, he placed one hand on his shoulder and used his other one to slap him. “You better get your life together and look around you.” He stepped out of his way so that he could see that fifteen of the Reapers were around the table waiting on action. “You need level head. Never show weakness in front of warriors. You’ll lose their respect forever.”

Arkadi wiped the sweat off his face and backed up. “But I want revenge, brother,” he whispered.

“Then get the revenge you seek.” He paused. “Lead them to destruction.”

Arkadi gazed up at his brother and wiped the sadness from his face. Slowly he swaggered toward the table and placed both hands on top of it. Staring at the young men before him, he said, “I want you to bring me their—”

His message ended abruptly when a hail of bullets came crashing into the restaurant. As they ripped through the foundation of the building, it seemed as if there wasn’t a safe place in sight.

When Iakov saw a few of the men take bullets to the upper body he rushed up to his brother and knocked him to the floor. Together the both of them crawled toward the back of the restaurant to protect their lives.

Gunfire continued to tear into the walls and when it stopped, the Russians remained lying down until fifteen minutes passed and the smell of gunpowder filled the air.

Slowly both men stood up and walked toward the table. The scene was gruesome. Blood and guts covered everything in sight. The assassins successfully killed all but two, the most dangerous two.

The Russians.

“Who do you think it was?” Arkadi asked.

“Don’t be stupid, brother,” Iakov responded.

“But how did the Kennedys know where we held meetings?”

“The same way Mellvue found them.” Iakov walked around the table, taking in all of its gore. “They researched using reputable resources. I won’t stop until every last one of those chorn is dead! I don’t care if it’s the last thing I do.”