Page 63 of Savage Lies

His phrasing is careful, generic enough to apply to multiple scenarios. But something about his voice triggers a sense of familiarity I can’t place.

“You have experience with government surveillance?” I ask.

Pavel focuses on me when he replies, “Some. Spent time around people who wear badges and hate paperwork.”

“Which branch?”

“Classified, I’m afraid. Even former personnel can’t discuss operational details.”

A standard answer, delivered with charm.

“Of course,” I reply. “Operational security.”

The phrase feels natural coming out of my mouth, which should probably concern me. I raise my eyebrows slightly at my choice of words.

“Exactly. You seem familiar with military terminology, Mrs. Kozlov.”

“My husband’s business involves security considerations. You pick up the language.”

“Indeed.” But his eyes linger on my face like he’s trying to coax something else out of me. “Mr. Kozlov mentioned a recent incident. Attempted extraction?”

“Six men, coordinated operation,” Dmitri confirms. “They held my wife for approximately six hours before we recovered her.”

“Short timeline. Teams plan for half a day before anyone’s close. You were hours.”

“We got lucky and found the details quickly.”

“Or they got sloppy.” Pavel looks at me again. “How did you handle the experience, Mrs. Kozlov?”

“Better than expected.”

“Self-defense training?”

“Something like that.”

“Formal instruction?”

“I seem to have some instincts.”

Pavel nods. “Stress responses can reveal capabilities people didn’t know they possessed.”

The comment feels loaded with meaning, like he’s talking about something specific rather than making a general observation.

“Mr. Romanov,” I begin, “what does a comprehensive security assessment involve?”

“Perimeter analysis, personnel evaluation, and protocol review. I’ll need to understand your daily routines to identify patterns that might create vulnerabilities.”

“Such as?”

“Guard rotations, delivery schedules, maintenance windows. Any regular activities that create predictable opportunities for hostile surveillance.”

Each phrase feels familiar in a way that makes my skin prickle with unease. Not fear, but recognition of concepts I shouldn’t understand this clearly.

“How long will this take?” Dmitri asks.

“Several days for the initial assessment. Longer if we identify significant weaknesses that require immediate attention.”

“What kind of weaknesses are you looking for?”