The Russian Unleashed

by Red Phoenix

  He nods and slows down to turn the vehicle around.

  The phone starts buzzing while I’m still talking to Andrev and I see that it’s Dr. Volkov. “I have to take this. I’ll see you there in an hour.”

  I hang up on him before he responds and put Dr. Volkov on the line.

  “Talk to me.”

  “I will be sending you my resignation effective today.”

  “No! There is no need for that.”

  “I disagree. The longer this persists, the greater harm it will cause our patients. It’s best I cut ties with you now and focus my efforts on finding an alternative location for these young women.”

  “Dr. Volkov, the facility cannot run without you.”

  “I have someone in mind to take my place. Hopefully, having a woman as director will halt any further attacks on the program.”

  “If you do this, people will see it as an admission of guilt.”

  “At this point, my career is already ruined. The only hope we have now is to ensure our patients do not suffer needlessly in the fallout.”

  I groan. “But you’ve done nothing wrong.”

  “In the court of public opinion, that doesn’t seem to matter.”

  I close my eyes, remembering the chaos at the press conference and know he’s right. “I accept your resignation, but I will never agree with it.”

  “Thank you. I’ll make a call to my replacement and get back to you later.”

  I hang up the phone and glance at Titov. “This isn’t right. None of this is right!”

  He shakes his head, swallowing hard. The look of devastation on his face reflecting how I feel.

  “I will make whoever did this pay!”

  I stare out the window, muttering under my breath, “They will wish they had never been born…”

  When I arrive at Vlad’s home, I find my brothers waiting to pounce on me as soon as I walk through the door.

  “Damn you, Anton!” Vlad growls. “In one fell swoop, you’ve brought shame down on this entire family.”

  I narrow my eyes. “I’ve done nothing wrong. Dr. Volkov is innocent.”

  He walks to the window and pulls back the curtain, pointing at the throng of reporters. “Tell that to the vultures out there.”

  I look at all four of my brothers when I tell them, “He’s been set up. The accusations are untrue.”

  I’m surprised to hear Andrev stand up for me. “I personally vouch for Dr. Volkov.”

  Vlad frowns at him and then asks me snidely, “Is there money missing?”

  I let out a frustrated sigh. “Yes, I confirmed it.”

  “If the money is missing, it has to be an inside job. So, if it isn’t Volkov, then someone else on your team stole it,” Vlad insists. “Who knows what else they have gotten away with?”

  I hate the insinuation that it’s an inside job, but I must explore the possibility in case it proves true.

  “I bet they leaked the accusations against your director to cover their tracks,” Timur conjectures.

  Pavel shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter!” Turning on me, he yells, “This is unfair, Anton! All of us are being punished for something we had nothing to do with and had no say in.”

  I glare at my youngest brother. “You are not the one being dragged through the mud, Pavel.”

  “I never agreed to have the family mansion converted into a center for little girls. No wonder your reputation is being questioned. What were you thinking?” he cries.

  I rush up and wrap my hand around his throat. “They are survivors, Pavel, and they’ve been through hell. Don’t you ever disparage those young women again.”

  I growl in his face before I release his neck.

  Timur speaks up. “There’s no need to get physical, Anton. Pavel was just stating his feelings on the matter.”

  I snarl at him. “What? Do you question my motivations for helping these survivors?”

  “No, of course not. I know you do it in honor of Tatianna.”

  Hearing her name spoken aloud hurts. I grit my teeth and keep a stoic expression, but at least Timur understands.

  Andrev moves closer to me and asks in a calm voice, “Anton, is it possible this is the work of the Bratva? You threatened their livelihood. What better way to silence your efforts than to destroy your reputation and force the facility to shut down?”

  I shake my head. “They are known for homicides. That seems highly unlikely.”

  “I don’t know…” Andrev insists. “You went public about funding the new police task force. Rather than make you a martyr and face the wrath of the authorities, they can sit back and watch the media rip your entire future apart.”

  “I cannot bear the shame this has brought to our family,” Vlad snarls. “Something must be done—and done now!”

  “Something has been done, Vlad,” I answer in a cold voice. “Dr. Volkov resigned, despite his innocence, to protect our family name and the facility’s future.” I let out a low growl. “As for the person responsible for this, I promise I will see justice is served.”

  Andrev looks at me with concern. “Be careful, Anton.”

  Vlad scowls at me. “Don’t you dare drag us down with you in your crusade for justice.”

  “What is it you want from me?” I demand. “Why did you insist I come here today?”

  “We want nothing from you.” Vlad looks at the others before speaking. “We feel it would be best for our families if we publicly separate ourselves from you.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “We must protect the family,” Pavel declares, but he takes two steps back when I glare at him.

  “You do realize it will appear to the world that my brothers believe the false accusations lodged against Dr. Volkov—and me.”

  “Our family must come first,” Vlad states emphatically.

  I snort angrily. “Mamulya told me we would all come together someday. I realize now I was a fool to believe it.”

  “I’ll stand beside him,” Andrev suddenly announces to the other three.

  “So be it,” Vlad states with disinterest. “You can burn with him.”

  I stand there speechless, staring at Andrev. To have him go against the other three evokes an emotion I am unfamiliar with, and I struggle to process it.

  Timur shifts on his feet uncomfortably, telling me, “I wish I had a choice, Anton, but I must protect my children from the scandal.”

  When Andrev places his hand on my shoulder, I turn to him. “Remain focused on the program, Anton,” he says. “We can’t let the Bratva win. Those young women are counting on you.”

  I nod to him.

  Addressing the other three, I state, “Do what you must. As a Durov, it is not the judgment of men that should motivate us, but the need to do what is just and right.”

  I walk out on them without another word.

  I know now what I must do.

  Although Andrev has advised caution, I am not a man to be toyed with. So, I up the ante.

  On the drive back, I call the head of the task force. “I am doubling my funding. Tell no one.”

  I then call Dr. Volkov. “I agree, we must be proactive. Rather than wait while they destroy what we’ve built, I want to expand the program. Which means we’ll need a bigger facility.” I smile to myself when I add, “I’m predicting an influx of new patients within the next few months.”

  I hear the doctor clear his throat on the other end. “I hate to be brutally honest when your intentions are noble. However, I’m afraid even with me out of the picture, the program may fail if you are still involved—even remotely.”

  “I’ve already considered that,” I assure him. “I’m on my way now to visit a business associate I think may be able to help.”

  I sit back in the seat and stare out the window, chuckling to myself.

  Taking my lessons from boxing, I’m going to outmaneuver them all. Right now, whoever attacked me is certain they have me on the defensive. But they don’t know who they’re dea
ling with.

  I am the Silencer.

  I am not the one going down.

  A Promise

  Nikolay Koslov meets me at a secret location near Ruza, a small town west of Moscow. As the Pakhan of the Koslovs and a prominent leader among the Bratva, neither of us can afford to be seen together.

  Thankfully, he has a vested interest in my future for two reasons. He and my grandfather had profound mutual respect for one other, and Nikolay understands the inheritance I control is large enough to have dire consequences if it were to fall into the wrong hands.

  After my mother’s death, he protected my life when I stormed the Koslov compound in search of my father, and I am confident he will help me now.

  His men escort me into the atrium, where Nikolay gestures for me to sit at the small table across from him.

  “I need to ask a favor.”

  He frowns. “As you know, Anton, I abhor the sale of human life, and I will have nothing to do with the business of it. However, you have purposely provoked the men in the organization who profit from it. I cannot protect you.”

  “I am not here to ask for protection, Nikolay. I only need two things from you.”

  He raises an eyebrow. “I cannot promise I will do either.”

  “Understood.”

  “Before we begin, let us drink.” He motions to one of his men, who brings us two shots of vodka.

  “Za Vstrechu,” he says, holding up his glass.

  I nod, toasting to our meeting.

  We look each other in the eye and then throw back the vodka.

  He slowly sets his glass down and smiles. “I never trust a man who won’t drink with me.”

  “I feel the same.”

  Sitting back in his chair, he asks, “So, what is it you want from me?”

  “You are a man with connections.”

  He nods thoughtfully.

  “Is there anyone outside of the Bratva who would be willing to financially support a new center for victims of slavery?”

  He chuckles darkly. “Are you trying to get me in trouble?”

  “You said yourself that you hate the ungodly trade of human life. Isn’t it your moral obligation to help those who survive it?”

  His lip curls up in a snarl. “How presumptuous of you to lecture me.”

  I lean in to look him in the eyes. “Nikolay, I am not asking you to personally fund it. I am simply asking for the name of someone who will. A person I have no association with, so the center won’t be attached to this scandal.”

  He lets out a long, slow breath. “I may know someone.”

  “Excellent. Dr. Volkov is drawing up the procedures and protocols of his cutting-edge program to hand over to the director of the new center.”

  “What about your facility?”

  “I have a moral obligation to these young women under my care but, after what happened today, my association with them puts their care in jeopardy.”

  “It could take as much as six months to a year to find a new place,” he informs me.

  I shake my head. “I have people currently locating a suitable building, and we already have a highly qualified staff familiar with the program. The woman who would run it comes highly recommended. All I need is the financial backing of a philanthropist committed to the program. A third party will approach them and ask them to finance it. With everything in place, it should get up and running quickly.”

  “For such a young man, you are remarkably thorough,” Nikolay states, sounding impressed.

  “Don’t let my age fool you. I have seen the worst and the best of humanity—it has changed me.”

  He looks at me with understanding. “We are alike in that way.”

  “As you know, I have personally experienced what happens to these young women if they are not given the care they need. I will not stand by and let that happen, no matter the cost.”

  He locks eyes with me. “You mentioned you needed two things. What else do you want, Anton?”

  “I need to know where Zuyev is.”

  His brow furrows. “Why?”

  “I know he is responsible for the capture and rape of several girls who came to me seeking protection.” I narrow my eyes. “When I say girls, I mean children.”

  Nikolay grimaces. “I am disheartened to hear it.”

  “He is a maggot.” I spit out the words with disgust. “And, he must be put down.”

  “Zuyev is a dangerous man, Anton,” Nikolay cautions.

  “Until someone stops him, he will continue to destroy lives—I am that man.”

  Nikolay says nothing for several moments. I can’t read his expression and wait as he contemplates his next action. “I will give you the man’s location, but I am not responsible for the consequences.”

  “That’s all I need.”

  He looks at me gravely. “You are playing a dangerous game, Anton.”

  “It’s not a game,” I correct him. “This is a matter of life or death.”

  Nikolay beckons to one of his men and whispers in his ear.

  I watch the man leave.

  We sit in silence for several minutes, the sun shining down on us through the branches of the tress. It would be peaceful if it weren’t for the serious nature of this meeting.

  When his man returns, he hands Nikolay a piece of paper and steps back.

  “Everything you need to know is here,” he states, handing it to me. “Burn it after you’re done.”

  “Of course.” I slip the paper into my pocket without glancing at it.

  “I believe this calls for another toast,” Nikolay announces. Snapping his fingers, the servant quickly fills our empty glasses.

  I raise my shot to him, grateful for the risk he has taken. “Thank you.”

  “May God protect your noble heart, Anton Durov.”

  On the drive home, I open the slip of paper and read the note.

  Nikolay has given me a list of places Zuyev is known to frequent each week. I am grateful the maggot likes to keep to a set schedule. It will make it that much easier to execute his assassination.

  Taking a lesson from my own recent experience, I plan to implicate someone else in the crime to take the suspicion off me. Wanting to kill two birds with one stone, I shoot for one of the biggest.

  After several successful raids on sex dens by the police, I have the name of another big player in the Bratva who is profiting from the business. His territories have recently expanded and there are grumblings that he plans to dominate the sex trade in Russia.

  Marat Semenov is one of the youngest Pakhan in the Bratva. His aggressive nature makes him loved by some and hated by others. To implicate him in the death of Zuyev will set off an already volatile situation.

  If I’m lucky, the warring groups will attack each other and eliminate more of their kind.

  For this to work, I must have an alibi that will shield me from scrutiny.

  In a sense, whoever started these accusations against me has done me a service. With the press hounding me, and my reputation in ruins, it seems only natural that a coward would run. It would serve me well if the Bratva believes I am one.

  I want them to view me as an egotistical child, blinded by money and self-importance. Devastated by the public suddenly turning against me, it only makes sense I would stick my tail between my legs and run.

  I chuckle. Such a deception would allow me to work under their radar. I could create havoc for them in the years to come.

  I put surveillance on Marat and am not surprised when I discover there is division among his ranks. Marat is a ruthless human being—even toward his own trusted entourage. Armed with that knowledge, it will be easy to create division between them.

  I hire the best to make the kill. The highly-trained assassin is familiar with the Lyubertsy District where the hit will take place. It is sobering to realize I have the power to order someone’s death and no one will ever know it.

  My unlimited resources make me a threat to any who would oppose me.
r />   I am not a killer by nature, but the need to avenge Lada burns like a raging fire in my soul.

  Zuyev must die.

  Once the time and place are set, I schedule a flight to America. Before I leave, however, I meet with Lada and the other girls.

  I have been dreading this moment.

  As soon as Lada sees me walk through the door, she bursts into tears. “I was afraid I might never see you again.”

  “I’m sorry, Lada.”

  She stares into my eyes, looking concerned. “Are you okay?”

  I force a smile. “I am.”

  The others hang back, observing our interaction.

  Lada glances at them. “This is Rytsar. He’s the one who gave you the Betas.”

  They suddenly break into smiles. Seeing those happy faces fills my heart with joy. All the sacrifices I have made to protect these innocents take on a new and deeper meaning. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect them.

  “I have something to tell you, Lada.”

  Glancing at the others, I say, “To all of you.”

  I see the concern return in Lada’s eyes.

  “I have found a bigger and better place for you.”

  “Why?” Lada cries out.

  I hear the fear of abandonment in her voice and force a gentle smile to ease her misgivings. “More girls coming, Lada, and this place isn’t big enough to house all of them.”

  She pulls back from me. “Are you going to be there, too?”

  “There are so many girls who still need help. My job is to rescue them.” I put my hands on her small shoulders and stare deep into her eyes. “And, it’s your job to heal.”

  Her bottom lip trembles. “So, you are leaving us?”

  Lada’s question pulls at my heart.

  “No. You are always here with me,” I assure her, pressing my hand against my chest. “But, to do my job, I must go.”

  “Did I do something wrong?” she whimpers.

  “Of course not.” I wrap my arms around her. “All four of you make me proud.”

  The others walk up, and I open my arms to include them.

  “Don’t go,” one of the girls whispers.

  I close my eyes, forcing down my sorrow.