Chapter Thirty-one

 

 

Moscow, Russia

December 5, 10:55 a.m.

 

“You really want to go back into the viper’s nest?” Carrie asked Justin as she joined him in the hall.

“Yes. I need a place where I can think, analyze, and come up with a working plan.”

“The safe house.”

“No. No need to reveal it to the FSB, and besides, it’s too small. I need everyone around a table, to see who they are, what I can do with them, what we know and what we don’t.”

She stepped closer to him and her worried eyes fell on his face. “I can’t come with you to Daggerstan, but I’ll be in the meeting.”

“Thank you. And you’re right, that is a place of daggers. I just hope none will go through my heart.”

“This is not to be misunderstood as lack of confidence in your abilities, but have you considered all the odds against you?” she asked in a gentle voice. “I will not be there and Yuliya is also out of action. Derzhavin just threatened you, and putting your trust in his men . . . I’m not sure it’s the right thing to do.”

Justin sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “I’ve thought about just going home, but this war, Kaziyev, he won’t stop if we leave. His men are plotting massacres in the States, and Canada could be next. This team, my team, will have to do.”

He took a couple of steps and turned around. He shrugged and put his hands in his pants pockets. “I have to use what I’ve got. Let’s review the intel, the pictures, and the maps. And let’s run a couple of scenarios. We’ll go with the one that gives the minimum of intel to the men appointed by Derzhavin.”

Carrie nodded. A spark glinted in her eyes. “Need-to-know basis and low-level tasks. I like it. Will take some work, but it is doable.”

“Yes, an operation where half the team is not aware of the exact moves of the operation. Hard to pull through but better than trusting the wrong people.”

Justin let out another sigh.

Carrie said, “Let’s go talk to Yuliya, then check on Fyodor. Once we have the intel in our hands, we’ll have a better idea.”