The Code To A Don's Heart

n i n e

"Maybe. I need to know where he is."

"Why?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out Markov. It would be in your best interests to tell me where your nephew is."

I had to admit, calling Markov was not a good idea. I might have safe guarded my phone's location but provoking an Underboss? That was some next level shit. Markov wasn't the time to play around with his meal before he ate it. He was more of a 'shoot first, ask later' kind of person unlike Viktor. I'd intrigued the young Don and the same could not be said for his uncle who followed the old ways of doing things in the Bratva.

I understood a bit of how these illegal fraternities worked. I'd looked at their deals and contracts, studied their roots and their connection with the government. Everything was smart, planned for, clean. The only thing they didn't have was the safety and amazing hacker like me could provide. I could tie up their loose ends but their loose ends are the only leverage I have.

"You threaten me?" Markov laughed hard and long. "Malen'kaya devochka, you do not know who you are messing with."

"I do," I told the man clearly.

"You don't. You see, my plemyannik is a little soft eh? He likes to play games and weave around a problem before he strikes. He has you fooled I presume, letting you get away from his clutches just so he could have the thrill of chasing you down again. His fault is that he takes too long to act," Markov explained.

"Your problem is that you act too quickly. Had not been for your 'plemyannik' Markov, all mafias around the world would be exposed," I said and shifted into a more comfortable position. Another thing I was good at, bullshitting. "I have an accomplice somewhere else old man and if he does not hear from me, everything I know goes public. Of course, Viktor doesn't know how much killing me will affect his reputation and that of other powerful families like the Martinelli Familia and the Castellano Cartel. Imagine their surprise when they figured out a mistake of the Bratva got their businesses shut down."

The line was silent. "Of course Viktor would kill you first before the other families and groups destroyed the Bratva for their betrayal. It would be a war like no other."

"Liar," Markov spat. "Your silver tongue has no bounds."

"Are you so sure?" I asked Markov and then pulled out the locket around my chest and held it between my fingers. "You are willing to bet your life and the Bratva on your belief that I am telling tall tales."

Markov angrily spat Russian from the other side of the phone and I couldn't help but smile through my pain. It's the small things.

"I don't know where Viktor is," he said after a while.

"That's a lie. You talked to him recently. I still have a record of the conversation. Do you want me to play it for you Markov? I only need his number. It's not that difficult."

The last conversation between the two that I had was the exchange outside the hospital. I did not know if they spoke after but I was hoping. I was also praying Markov didn't figure out the fact that if I'd heard their last conversation, I would have his phone number. I closed my eyes and waited.

"I hope you have a paper and pen," he announced and then begun to read out the number. I let out a breath and typed it in.

"Thank you Markov. You'll be hearing from me again."

I ended the call. Luck like I possessed was not easy to come by. I dialed Viktor's number. The phone rung once, twice...

"I thought you'd be trying to run from me and not contact me."