“Just give it to me. I don’t want youinvolved any more than you already are.” I grabbed his arm.
“Sorry. I’m already involved, and I need toshow you how to use it. I thought we were in a hurry.”
As soon as we rounded the corner on thecontainer with the slaves in it, he used the tool to open thecontainer. I reached to pull it open, but I heard a voice thatfroze my hand.
“I’m hurt. Really, Amber.” Alexanderspoke.
I swallowed hard, closed my eyes, and turnedslowly but surely, opening my eyes before I faced him. I would notcower. Instead, I glared.
“What, did those kids tug at your heart? Andyou thought you, little old you, could save them?”
A new guard showed up and put a padlock onthe container Carson had just unlocked and then the arms of thecrane came down and lifted it up. Men with rifles descended on us,and Carson put his hands in the air. It seemed like the properthing to do, so I did too.
I looked quickly around, hoping beyond hopethat Jeremy was seeing what was happening. His name even slippedfrom my lips. Carson’s face was blank as he stared forward.
I needed to run. I needed to fight. Instead,tears rushed out of my eyes as a guard threw me to the ground. Mycheek burned as it slid over the rough asphalt ground. I couldn’teven scream out. Hollowness filled me.
The guards tied my hands behind my back witha thick plastic zip tie—one of the hardest bonds to get out of. Icould do it with my hands in front, but with them tied behind meand plenty of guards watching, there would be no escaping this.
Two guards lifted me and shoved me roughlyto the ground in another spot. I stared up at Carson next to me, helooked forward, his body stiff. Seconds later, Mikado’s bodyslammed into mine, shifting me up against Carson and forcing him tosway to the side. He recovered quickly, returning to his stony lookand position. I wriggled myself into a sitting position, and Mikadofollowed my lead.
“Don’t worry about me,” he whispered. “It’sbetter that I die now and end the shame I’ve brought to my family.I will take the blame.”
“No,” I hissed. “You will not.” In my mind,I thought of Jeremy and Division, and a hope lit inside me that wewould all be saved. “I’m taking the blame.”
I glanced up when someone cleared histhroat. Alexander, flanked by four guards with guns stood beforeme, a slight smile on his lips. He tsked. “You know, Amber, I wouldhave thought that my demonstration earlier tonight would have beenenough to curb that hot will I sensed in you. Instead, you chooseto try to steal from me?” He chuckled. “And you seem to have ropedthese two soldiers into your little scheme. What exactly did you doto turn them? What promises did you make them? What promises havealready been fulfilled?”
A rumble of people shifting and mutteringcame from behind the brigadier, and Agent Kozlov appeared out ofthe crowd to the side of Alexander’s guards.
“What in the devil? We’re already behind—”His voice was deep and yet somehow sharp. His eyes lit on mine,recognition flitting through. His lips pressed together, and airrushed from his nose. I was saved. Jeremy had sent Kozlov to saveus. Relief washed over me.
“Alexander? What is happening here?” Hespoke in Russian.
“Nothing you need to concern yourself with.Just a tiny rebellion that I am about to put down.” He nodded tohis guards, three of whom raised their guns, pointing them directlyat our heads.
Kozlov pressed down on the arm of the guarddirectly next to him. “I asked,” his voice was insistent, “what wasgoing on here.”
I’d never been so glad to see anyone before,but a tightness gripped my heart. In order to save me and theothers, he would end up exposing himself.
“Sorry, sir,” Alexander said. “I didn’t wantto bother you with the details. Vlad never wanted to know.”
Kozlov raised an eyebrow. “I am not Vlad.And you know he’s indisposed. We’ve already had this discussion. Ifyou have a problem with that, then you need to bring it up with thePakhan.”
It occurred to me that even though Kozlovwas technically above Alexander in the bratva’s pecking order, hewasn’t even on the same branch as Alexander. How had he gottenhere?
Alexander spoke, “I don’t. It’s just, thisgirl was attempting to steal from us and convinced these two boysto help her.”
“Really?” Kozlov stared down at me like Iwas a piece of meat as he circled the three of us. I suddenly feltunsure of his role as our savior. “I wonder how she did that? Isshe the lead vory?”
“No. That’s Jericho.”
“And where is Jericho, and why hasn’t hebeen able to control his crew?” Kozlov snarled.
“He’s on a run. Should be arriving soon withhis last car.” Alexander seemed to be groveling a bit.
“Looks like he should have had hisattentions elsewhere.” Kozlov kicked Mikado. He switched toEnglish. “And you, Carson. How did you get caught up in this littlerevolt? We’ve worked so well with your family for so long. You knowwe don’t deal well with betrayal. What will your parents say?”
“Don’t blame him,” I shot. “He didn’t know Iwas planning this. He was in the wrong place at the wrongtime.”
Someone kicked me from behind, and I barelyhad a chance to turn my head before it smashed into the ground.
“Don’t speak unless spoken to, girl!”Alexander huffed.
“I wasn’t thinking, sir,” Carson said. Hisvoice flat, but void of fear. “She tricked me. I’m sorry to havebetrayed you and my family.”
Kozlov snorted. I rolled to my side just intime to see a car pull into the yard. Jericho. I closed my eyes andbreathed in hard.
He marched up to us after parking the finalcar. “What’s going on?”
“Jericho?” Kozlov said. “Are these pieces ofdirt part of your crew?”
His eyes widened in terror. “Yes, sir. Atleast Mikado and Amber.”
“And did you not teach them about loyaltyand honor?”
“I did, sir.” Jericho’s face actuallyblanched.
“Then why were they caught in the act oftrying to steal from the Pakhan?”
Jericho looked confused, but didn’t seem towant to ask any questions. “I don’t know, sir. I’m
