“Greece? As in the European country? The country that is halfway around the world from where I was…fuck! What day is it?”
“Saturday.” Isidore paused, glanced down at his bare wrist, and then frowned as he lifted his eyes to Kairo. “Afternoon. Saturday afternoon. I believe my people picked you up on Thursday from Uruguay, so you’ve been unconscious for roughly two days. Again. Sorry about that.”
“Your people?” Kairo pushed the heel of his palm against his temple as pain shot through his skull. None of this was making any sense. He’d thought this guy was a prisoner with him based on his appearance, but was he actually looking at his kidnapper?
“Here. You should sit and rest. You’re still recovering.” Isidore lightly grasped his shoulders and guided him over to the bed he’d risen from. When he was seated and the room was no longer spinning, the man pressed him to drink some more water. “You should keep your voice soft. I’m sure they’ll be along shortly, but you need some time to recover before—”
His companion stopped speaking when the sound of heavy footsteps drew closer to the closed door. One hand gave Kairo’s shoulder a gentle squeeze as if reassuring him, but the smile had fallen from the man’s lips as he sighed. Turning toward the door, Isidore straightened and took a step in front of Kairo, as if to protect him.
Kairo carefully screwed the cap onto the water bottle and placed it on the floor beside his foot as the door swung open. A guy strode in accompanied by two others holding guns. Their leader appeared middle-aged with salt-and-pepper hair and a thick beard along his jaw. His body was fit under his black long-sleeved shirt and jeans, but his face was lined and haggard as if he’d led a hard life. His looks certainly weren’t helped by the jagged scar that ran down his left cheek and across his lips, twisting one corner into a permanent sneer.
The man held out both hands and spat out something that Kairo didn’t understand, but the tone was clearly mocking. Kairo glanced up at Isidore to see that his shoulders had stiffened while his hands were balled into fists at his sides.
“Yes, he’s awake now, and I think he would appreciate it if you would speak in English. He doesn’t understand Greek. Also, he could use some food. It’s been two days since he’s eaten. He needs something in his stomach to recover from all the sedatives you pumped into him.” Isidore laid out his demands neatly. His tone was hard and cold but respectful.
But they were demands all the same.
So, Kairo wasn’t overly surprised when the man stepped up and backhanded Isidore with enough force to knock him off his feet and send him crashing into the empty bed opposite Kairo. Isidore didn’t make a sound, but he was slow to get up. Kairo started to move to Isidore, but the newcomer turned toward him along with both of the guns held in the hands of his minions.
“You need English, huh?” The man sneered, twisting his fat upper lip even more as he spoke. His accent was incredibly thick and wasn’t all that easy to understand, but Kairo got it.
“Yeah. If you want anything out of me, you’re gonna need to speak English, asshole.”
The bastard balled up his fist and took a step toward Kairo. He was ready for him. Bring it, bitch. He didn’t spend eight years in the Army to put up with punk bullying. Guns or not, he was happy to put this guy in his place and get the fuck out of here.
But before the asshole could take another step, Isidore was jumping to his feet and sliding between them, using his body to shield Kairo.
“Vanko, don’t!” Isidore cried out as the punch landed on his chin. Isidore staggered backward a step, holding his chin, but he didn’t fall. Kairo surged to his feet. He grabbed Isidore’s arms to steady him and move toward the fucker he’d called Vanko, but Isidore refused to move. “You need him in one piece if you’re going to get what you want. He just woke up. He doesn’t know where he is or even why he’s here. Let me explain to him.”
Vanko narrowed dark eyes on Isidore and then glared at Kairo around Isidore’s shoulder. “You better be worth the time we’ve wasted. Tomorrow, you work. If you can’t do what he promised, we don’t waste more time on you.” As he spoke, he formed his hand into the shape of a gun and pointed it at Kairo’s head.
With a low chuckle, Vanko turned and walked to the door, waving one hand over his shoulder at them. “We’ll send up food. What is it the Americans call it? The carrot and the stick? Food is the carrot.”
Yeah, yeah. Kairo got it. He worked or the stick was a bullet to the skull.Fucking prick.
Before he could leave, Isidore lurched forward. “What about Athena? You promised I’d get to see Athena when he woke up.”
Vanko stopped in the doorway and one of his bodyguards moved to intercept Isidore. His tall protector only stopped when the muzzle of the gun was pressed to his forehead. Kairo’s breath caught in his throat. If Isidore had already promised that Kairo could do what he wanted, did Vanko still need him alive? He froze, his brain racing through various options for saving Isidore if the same thought occurred to Vanko.
“I want to know that she’s okay. You promised.” Isidore’s voice trembled, but he didn’t retreat. “Let me see her.”
Vanko’s expression turned to one of disgust and he sighed. “You want time. You want food. You want to see Athena. All these demands, and what have you given me? All this would have been over already if you gave me what I asked for.”
“I can’t! I wouldn’t have dragged him into this if I could do it! I wouldn’t have let this happen to Athena if I could give you what you wanted!” Isidore snapped. He stepped forward, pressing the gun farther into his forehead. Kairo wanted to lean forward and grab Isidore, pulling him away from the armed man, but he was afraid to do anything that might set off the guard.
“Then maybe you should give me something before you get anything else. Will he give up his food so you can have a glimpse of your little princess?” Vanko cackled.
Isidore’s shoulders slumped and he took an unsteady step backward. “No,” he whispered.
“Yes!” Kairo shouted at almost the same time.
Isidore swung around, his pale-gray eyes wide and his mouth open in soundless surprise. Kairo didn’t know who this Athena was, but he had a feeling she was important enough to Isidore that a threat to her life was enough to bend him to Vanko’s whims. If Athena made Isidore malleable, it could work in Kairo’s favor too. Plus, he needed to know all the players in this farce if he was going to escape with his life.
Or at least buy himself enough time for Charlie and the others to find him.
Vanko looked surprised as well, but it lasted for only a second. The bastard shrugged. “No. We already agreed on food. If you behave, maybe I’ll let you see her tomorrow.” He turned and left with the two guards following on his heels.
“Wait!” Isidore shouted, but the door slammed shut in his face.