Page 58 of Blood & Snow

"Never stays in one place more than a day or two."

His words are rushed, scattered.

He's terrified of me.

What he doesn't understand is he's not getting out of this alive anyway.

Singing like a fucking canary and he'll still burn.

I'd be ashamed as hell if this were my man, and he'd earn the same fate in the end too.

"But you know his schedule. You transfer his money, which means you know where he'll be next."

He looks at his buddy's bleeding hand and makes his decision.

He provides three addresses where Arkady conducts business this week, along with times and security arrangements.

Valuable intelligence that justifies the afternoon's work.

"Thank you both for your cooperation," I say, holstering the knife.

The bleeding fucker slumps in his chair, clutching his wounded hand while the other slides down the wall to sit on the floor.

Neither man speaks as I collect my phone and prepare to leave.

Their usefulness has ended, and Igor willdo the dirty deed for me this time, somewhere I don't need to clean up.

Walking out of the room, I give Igor a nod, and before I'm even to the staircase, I hear screams.

It's like music to my ears.

I climb the basement stairs already planning how to approach the next leg of my journey.

The interrogation provided enough intelligence to plan strikes against remaining Brotherhood operations.

Account numbers will let me freeze their financial resources while location data enables tactical assaults.

But the afternoon's work left me with injuries of my own.

Slamming that knife into that man's hand opened something in my shoulder that hasn't quite healed yet.

I can feel the moisture under the stitches and know I'm bleeding again.

I could live with the pain, but I can't be dripping everywhere I go.

I need supplies and medical attention, but hospitals ask questions I can't answer.

Instead, I dial Nadya's number while driving toward my safehouse where I can address the reopened wound privately.

"Yes?"

Her voice sounds tired even though it's not very late at all.

"I need you to bring medical supplies and food to an address I'm sending you. Come quickly."

"What happened?"

"Nothing serious, but I need help. Alright?"