Chapter 29
I closed my eyes, but the hit never came.When I opened them, I saw Agent Kozlov holding Jericho’s arm, thestick high in the air.
“I thought you understood that themerchandise was not supposed to be damaged any more than italready is.” He sneered at Jericho and then at me. He took a steptoward me and grabbed my chin, digging his fingers into my jaw. Icried out in pain, sure I already had bruises. “You do somethingfoolish like that again, and I will personally hold you down for mycrew to break you in.”
Fury tinged with raw fear rushed through me.Had Jeremy been right? Was he really only doing things thatprotected us both? Why was he being so cruel to me now?
He jerked my head to the side beforeremoving his fingers. My jaw ached.
“And who do we have here?” He turned hisattention to Jeremy.
“I’m her uncle. Can’t you see theresemblance?” His tone was sarcastic and smart.
Kozlov backhanded Jeremy, making his wholebody sway. I thought I heard something crack, and I cringed. “Youthink you can disrespect me? If you’re a Fed, you can kiss yourlife away. If not, I have a nice little coal mine picked out foryou in West Africa.” He punched Jeremy in the gut, and he doubledover. The crew laughed. Kozlov turned to one of the guards andsaid, “Get a picture of him to Alexander, let’s see if we can findout who he is so we can apply the correct punishment. Put themerchandise back where it belongs, and bring the others back totheir new little home, container RT 264. And no one gets near ituntil we pull up to port.” His eyes traveled over the crew andstopped on Jericho. “You understand?”
He nodded, his Adam’s apple working hard inhis throat.
Kozlov lowered his voice. “I won’t tellAlexander about this little slip up, but if anything else happens,I’ll have to report it. I don’t understand how you allowed this tohappen. Unbelievable.”
It took me a second to realize it, butKozlov was speaking in Russian. I flipped my head to Jericho. Heclenched his jaw, and a vein pulsed on his temple. He haddefinitely understood Kozlov’s words. Did that mean that Jerichoknew Russian? Did he have a Russian heritage? Were his parentsRussian? Or had he been working for Alexander for a while and hadtaken Russian classes in order to fit in better? That made moresense to me. Besides, it seemed obvious, now that I knew himbetter, that he was involved with the bratva for the status, thepower of it.
The fire in his eyes told me he would find away to make me pay. Of that, I was sure
I thought Kozlov would leave now that he hadlaid down the law, but he didn’t. He stood there, waiting to watchJericho succeed or fail.
I watched, despondent, as the kids we’d cometo save were led away with the same hopeless acceptance they’dshown when we’d taken them out of the container in the first place.It broke my heart.
With military-like precision, Jerichoordered the rest of the guards to take up positions along the pathto some container that would be our home for two weeks. I glancedat Jeremy. What was going to happen to us? Would Halluis and Ace beable to send someone? And even if they did, how would we be able toget to our would-be rescuers?
Jericho assigned two guards to each of us,who held onto us as they led us up stairs until we reached the deckjust below the captain’s deck.
Two rows of twenty-foot containers sat evenwith this deck, but directly behind the second row, they werestacked one higher. Two guards stood outside a red containerlabeled RT 264. I figured that was our destination. I took a deepbreath as a guard shoved me forward, almost forcing me againstJeremy’s back. Jericho pushed his way to the door of the containerand, using a key he pulled from his pocket, unlocked it. With alittle shove, the door swung open. If it hadn’t been for the ropelight wound around the bottom of the container, it would have beenpitch black inside.
I gulped, thinking about the absence ofwindows. If for some reason we had to remain in the container forthe whole two-week voyage, I’d lose my mind.
“I’d say ladies first, but I see no ladieshere,” Jericho mocked, pushing Jeremy inside. His foot hit the lipof the container, and he stumbled into the container.
Jericho stepped toward me and, wanting tomitigate whatever action he was going to take, I attempted to enterthe box of my own accord, but he stopped me, his arms wrappingaround me and his temple resting on mine. A sticky wetness ran overmy ear as he licked it. “I’ll be back for you, to teach you alittle lesson in being humble.”
Ignoring the shiver that overtook me, Ismashed the side of my head into his. He called me a bad name as hestepped back. I spat on him. He raised his hand to strike me, butstopped, I’m sure thinking of Kozlov only feet behind him.
Despite my attack on him, he still moved inclose and said, “I’ll see you soon.” He ran his tongue around hislips as he moved back. I hurried forward, stepping over thethreshold and into the dank darkness of the container.
Inside, I found Mikado huddled in the farright corner of the twenty-foot container with Jeremy sitting onlya foot or so away. I took a seat on the cold, hard metal and slidmy arms under my butt to the front of me. Jeremy already had hisbound hands in front of him, and he had his hands raised above himready to break the ties.
I immediately brought the bonds to the frontof me and tightened them until they hurt. Raising my hands above myhead, I puffed out my stomach and slammed them into me, breakingthe clasp. The plastic fell to the floor. Mikado followed suit.Mikado sat back down with his knees to his chest, and his armswrapped around them.
That’s when I
