Maximus (Guardian Security Shadow World #15)

Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

T he road through the Caucasus Mountains meandered and at any other time would have been enjoyable. That day, it was a prep for the mission. Before leaving, he’d double-checked the car he’d rented through a service to ensure they could talk freely.

“So, we need an extra room off the venue?”

“Yes, for a meeting between Abrasha and the prince who supposedly owns the Salvator Mundi. ”

“And that would be where …” Her voice trailed off.

“No, it’ll provide access to him, but it won’t be there.” He glanced over at her. “You won’t be involved with it. You’ll be gone before I approach him to meet the prince.”

She nodded, and he reached over and covered her hand with his. “I need to know you’ll be able to do this.”

She nodded. “All I have to do is my job. You’ll do the rest.”

“And follow Val’s directions.”

“Immediately,” she added. “I know this is the right thing to do. I just feel … guilty for setting him up.”

“You aren’t doing that. I am.” Max made that point again. “None of this is on you. You’re doing your job. I’m doing mine, and Abrasha will pay for the crimes he’s committed.”

She squeezed his hand. “I know that rationally, but still, he’s going to be killed.” She shook her head. “Knowing that is hard.”

“It is.” It was something she would have to internalize and come to terms with. Unfortunately, he couldn’t help her.

“The turnoff is just up here,” Elena said as they approached the lodge. The area was in the middle of a dense forest, and they’d passed several rivers that wound through the mountains. He pulled up to the front and parked the car. A man greeted Elena as they entered.

“Elena, there you are. We’re ready for you. The carpenters and electricians have already been here to check the rooms.”

“Thank you, Anatoly.” She turned to him and continued in Russian. “This is Max; he’s working with me for this showing. We’ll need an additional room tonight for a meeting between important guests and my employer.”

“Of course, of course. I have several near the exhibition hall. If you’ll come with me, we can do the inspection of the venue and select the room you’ll need. Of course, there’ll be an added charge for the facility.”

“Of course,” Elena agreed. Max trailed behind the two as they reviewed the show's details and discussed catering, alcohol service, and security. He paced off the dimensions of the hall and observed all the exits, windows, and where the staff would enter and exit. As they discussed security, he listened and noted where the staff security would be posted. Depending on how many men came with Abrasha, exiting the venue with Abrasha could get dicey. He didn’t care if Abrasha was alive or dead when he took him out of the lodge. Either way, the message he would send would be a gruesome and obvious message not only to Molchalin’s allies but to everyone who thought they were above the law.

After about an hour’s discussion with Anatoly, Elena returned alone to speak with him. “I need to talk to the electrician and the carpenter next. Do you need anything before I do that?”

“No. I’m fine; the room you selected for the meeting will work. I’m going to take a walk outside. Sokolov isn’t here. I’ve confirmed he’s still in Sochi. You’re safe.”

She smiled at him. “Thank you. I’ll meet you in the room?” She handed him an old-fashioned key with a room number on it. “I shouldn’t be too long, then we can go to dinner. They have a lovely café with outdoor seating. The stars are beyond beautiful.”

He leaned down and kissed her. “They couldn’t compare to you.”

She smiled up at him. “Don’t get lost in the woods.”

“Never.”

A person called her name from the other end of the hall, and he kissed her again before she spun around and approached the man who’d called her. They embraced like old friends and started talking. Max ducked out of one of the exits and headed to his meeting.

The forest cloaked their meeting. Reaper, Malice, Smith, and Val emerged from beside the trail as he approached the small clearing near the waterfall.

Maximus unfolded the schematic of the building he’d taken from the Sochi public works archives.

“There have been modifications to the room since the blueprints I sent you were published. Here and here are doors leading back into the lobby of the resort. There are no exits in this hallway. In this hallway, there’s an exit next to the breakout room we’ve chosen for the prince to meet Abrasha.” Maximus looked up at Smith. “How are preparations coming?”

Val chuckled. “We have it. I had to call Harbinger for a little advice, but we’ve perfected it.”

Smith grunted. “Just what I’ve always wanted to do. Not.” He crossed his arms over his chest, and Val leaned against him. “Oh, poor Smith. You’ll survive.” She looked over at Reaper. “Won’t he?” That was a direct challenge. Maximus cocked his head to the left and glanced at Reaper.

“He will.” Reaper nodded. “Malice will support Maximus on the exit plan, and then he’ll have our back as shit hits the fan.”

“I’ve got it. We’ve got everything prepped,” Malice said. “My long-range rifle is secured and hidden. I know the route and have run it during the day and several times in the dark. I’ll walk it again before security shows up to make sure there are no impediments to my sprint.”

Maximus nodded. “Good. I’ll set up the first round of diversions. Are you good with setting the second?” He looked at Reaper.

“Yep. I have it. Mal will go with me to set them up. We’re good.”

“Invitations?” Val asked.

Max reached into his inside suit pocket and extracted two invitations, handing one to Val and Reaper. “Yours, Val. Reaper, this is yours. Smith, you must be here no later than twenty-one hundred hours.” He pointed to the exact spot on the map.

Smith nodded. “I’ll be there.”

“I’ll let you know what the dress code is,” Val said, smiling. “For the first time, he’s got more clothes in our luggage than I do.”

Reaper chuckled at Smith’s pained expression. “Taking one for the team, Smith. We appreciate it.”

“If it is the way we get rid of him, I’ll take two.” Smith’s expression told everyone he wanted Molchalin removed as much as they did.

“What about Sokolov?” Val asked.

“He’s mine.” Maximus looked at each of the Shadows one at a time. “Mine.”

“Understood.” Malice nodded his head. “We’ve all been there, not the same circumstances, but we know what it’s like to ensure those we love don’t have to worry about the past haunting them.”

“Then we’re set.”

“Not quite,” Malice said. “Con told us you couldn't drop that information in the system without them knowing. Jewell confirmed it, and both of them are in a tizzy about you circumventing their safeguards. How did you do it?”

Maximus smiled. “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

Reaper’s eyebrow rose. “I could push the issue.”

“Why?” Val said. “He’s good. He’s on our side, right? The bosses don’t have an issue with it, or we’d have orders to determine how he did it. We don’t. All we have is Con whining. Jewell hasn’t said squat to us. And watching Con get some of his own is funny as hell. It’s about time.”

All four of them laughed, and Smith pointed to his ear. Maximus smiled. He knew Con had heard the entire meeting and was fine with that. He glanced at his watch. “We have twenty-seven hours until the show. Last call for alibis.”

He looked at the other assassins. “We’re good, and Con said to tell you Abrasha has landed in Sochi,” Val said.

“I know.” Malice smiled. “He’s en route to his compound, where he’ll spend the night before coming up here tomorrow night. He never spends the night outside of his compound when he’s here.”

“Are you ready to go?” He looked at Malice.

“Good to go,” Malice said.

“I’m ready, too,” Reaper agreed. “As long as you’re wearing your comms tomorrow night.”

“I will be.” Max turned around and walked back down the path he’d traveled. The die had been cast, and the following night, Abrasha Molchalin would pay for the damage he’d done to the innocents of the world.