Artem’s Temporary Headdquarters
“What did you say?” I demand.
“The council meeting,” Maxim repeats quickly. “It’s been moved up. Svetlana just called and gave me the intel.”
“Moved up?” I say furiously. “To when?”
“Now.” He stops short, but I can see that he’s just as tense as I am. “Budimir just left the compound for the hotel. The meeting will start in less than an hour.”
“Fuck,” I curse under my breath. “Fuck! We’re not prepared for this today.”
“We have to yank the plan,” Maxim says. “Just stake out the hotel and—”
“No,” I deny firmly, practically spitting out the word with venom. “We’re not yanking anything. We don’t change a fucking thing. We’re still in play.”
“But…”
I turn around so fast that Maxim almost plows right into me. “I’m not letting that slippery motherfucker get away from me again. Not this time.”
“Then what’s the plan?” he asks immediately.
Immediate and unquestioning loyalty. Ready for battle. He’s a good man.
“We know where the meeting is and we know where it’s being held,” I say. “We’re going.”
Maxim doesn’t flinch. He nods and turns towards the door.
“I’ll let the men know.”
I move into my office space and go through my collection of guns. I choose my favorites and then head outside where the vehicles are already being brought around.
“Maxim, Adrik, Vasyl, Zion,” I call.
The four of them move forward, and I can see they’re all kitted up and armed. “I want each of you commanding your own unit. You’ll have ten men apiece.”
“That only leaves you with three,” Adrik points out.
“I only need three,” I reply.
“Boss—”
“Drop it,” I say firmly. “This is how we’re doing it. We don’t have the numbers and if we wait until we do, we’ll miss our opportunity.”
Adrik sighs and steps back.
“Budimir has been consolidating power this whole time,” I continue. “He’s being tolerated by the other dons, but he’s also brought in other allies, ones that are more likely to be loyal to him than the normal power players.”
I holster another gun and lock eyes with my men.
“We can’t afford to play it safe anymore,” I finish.
The moment the words are out of my mouth, I think about my wife, my son. Am I betraying them right now by walking into a dons’ council meeting led by Budimir?
It’s reckless. It’s foolhardy. It’s fucking suicide.
But the best plans usually are.
“Do we have eyes on the Regency?” I ask Zion.