Volkov motioned towardthe scattered diamonds. “These few stones are valued at just undertwo million dollars on the retail market. Find the three matches tothe ones you examined before threatening to cut my head off.”
She glanced between thediamonds and the jeweler. “Cutting off someone’s head with smallblade is much harder than you think.”
In less than fiveminutes, she set three stones to the side and bagged the remainingfifteen.
“Not possible,”Viktor said. “No one can remember three stones and identify theirmatches so quickly.”
“Perhaps no one otherthan me, but I have done it.”
He lifted the diamondsfrom the table and headed for his office with Anya close in tow. “Ifyou’ve done it, you may have any one of the six stones you wish.”
He reclaimed his chairand pulled each stone to his eye in exaggerated motions. Pair bypair, he laid the diamonds aside until six nearly flawless gemsrested beside their twins. Volkov motioned toward the desk. “Choose.”
Anya set her face inthe cold, stern look as only Russian women can do. “All of theseare beautiful, but I choose, instead, to continue working for a bitof the sweat equity you mentioned earlier.”
24
SOSHEDSHIYS REL'SOV
(OFF THE RAILS)
Anya was onlyslightly surprised to find the door to her apartment unlocked andstanding open a few inches. She stepped through the door with bladein hand and made her way through the darkened foyer without a sound.As she stepped from the kitchen into the living room, a deep,confident voice cut through the silence. “You owe me two tires anda new shotgun mount.”
She switched on thelights, and Special Agent Ray White shielded his eyes against thesudden flood of fluorescence. “Do you want to tell me why you shotup my Suburban?”
“Because you orderedme to get the job done by any means. But you will be pleased to knowI have not killed anyone yet.”
“Sit down. We need toset some new ground rules.”
Anya remained on herfeet. “Where is Gwynn?”
“That’s up to you,I’m afraid. Now, sit down.”
She slid her knife backinto its sheath and settled onto the sofa.
White stared her down.“It would appear we’ve developed a bit of a communicationproblem. I can do it in Russian if you’re having trouble with thelanguage barrier.”
“I am not having anytrouble at all. You told me to get the job done, and you didn’tcare how many laws I broke or who I killed. These are your words . .. in English.”
White rubbed hisforehead. “Not everything I say is meant to be taken to theextreme.”
“I did not take it toextreme. I told you I have not killed anyone yet, but I did press myknife to Volkov’s face today.”
“I don’t even wantto hear that story. What I do want to hear is how you convincedSkipper to come onboard.”
“I simply asked forher help, and she came for me. This is friendship.”
White continued rubbinghis head. “Speaking of friends, Agent Davis is not so patientlywaiting to hear your decision.”
“What decision?”
“It’s becomeglaringly obvious to me that you prefer to work alone. When you don’thave your sidekick hanging on, you make moves no one couldanticipate, and you get things done. When Gwynn is weighing you down,things don’t seem to happen as quickly. Gwynn has a skill you lack,though. It’s called subtlety, and you could learn a great deal fromher in that area.”
Anya sat expressionlessas he continued.
“So, I’m leaving itup to you. The reins are off. You can run all you want. You canbutt-stroke drivers all day on the D.C. Beltway and steal all thecars you need. I don’t care, as long as when this thing is over,Viktor Volkov and Sascha Goncharov are in prison . . . or dead.”
“You did not tell mekilling both of them would be satisfactory ending for this mission. Ican do that tonight.”
White held up a hand.“Calm down, warrior princess. We don’t want them dead. That’s alast resort when all else has failed. So far, we have no evidenceeither of them is dangerous to anyone except the diamond brokers andtheir bank accounts.”
White sucked at histeeth. “I don’t know what to do with you. On the one hand, I wantDavis to learn from you, and I want her to keep an eye on you so youdon’t go off the rails. But on the other hand, I want to turn youloose on these bastards and let you do what you do best.”
“Killing people withknives is what I do best.”
“I know, but that’snot all you’re good at. So, let’s hear it. What do you want?”
Anya didn’t have tothink. “I want to do whatever I must to bring Anya Volkovna and hermother to United States.”
“I already told youwhat that requires. I’ll get that done as long as you tie Volkov tohis brother’s murder and you put him and Sascha behind bars. Thequestion is, are you going to do that with or without Agent Davis?”
“I want Gwynn tocontinue with me.”
White rose from hisseat and pointed at the Russian. “Then keep your butt on thereservation, and don’t get arrested. If you do, I’m not bailingyou out.”
She gave him a simplenod of understanding and apparent compliance.
He looked down thehall. “Get in here, Davis. She wants you to stay.”
Gwynn emerged from herbedroom looking like a scolded child.
White put a finger inher face. “She’s your responsibility. You got that?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You better, and forGod’s sake, find a way to control her.”
He stomped from theliving room into the kitchen and rifled through cabinets until Davisasked, “What are you looking for?”
“Something to drink.Don’t you have any alcohol in this apartment?”
Barely loud enough tohear, Anya said, “I need a legend.”
“What?” White said.
“I need a backstory.I believe Volkov will soon investigate my past. He does not know mylast name yet, but some things happened today that make me believe heis going to open a door and let me put in one of my feet. Maybe theone with only four toes.”
“Your legend isalready in place in your real last name—if Burinkova really is yourlast name. You’ve been a working actress for three years. Yourcredit score is seven twenty-five, and you’re
