Chapter Eight: The Hunt

“The Warrens. You recognized them because you’d served them before?”

“No.” Arya’s voice went cold. “I recognized them because my brother had their file. But I’d been watching the restaurant for weeks. I knew something was going to happen there. I just didn’t know when.”

She finally looked at him.

“I was there to stop it. Whatever it was. I just didn’t expect it to be your wife.”

The third strike was personal.

Victor Klov, the scarred enforcer who’d threatened Richard and Patricia in that alley, was found by Leon’s team in a warehouse on the outskirts of the city.

The confrontation was brief and decisive.

When it was over, Victor was in federal custody, facing life in prison.

Arya watched through the security feed as he was taken away in handcuffs.

“That’s for Michael,” she whispered.

Leon stood beside her in the darkened room.

“He was the one who cut the brake lines?”

“He was the one who ordered it.” Arya’s voice was hollow. “Michael’s file had notes. Victor Klov was the enforcer assigned to high-risk collections. People who tried to leave the organization were his specialty.”

Leon was quiet for a long moment.

“Your brother tried to leave.”

“Yes.” Arya’s jaw tightened. “And Victor made sure everyone knew what happened to people who tried.”

She turned away from the screen.

“How many more?”

“Three.” Leon pulled up a list on his phone. “Dmitri Valkov is in hiding. We’re close. Sergei Volkov is the money man. And Konstantin Kravik himself.”

“The head of the snake.”

“The head of the snake,” Leon agreed. “And the only one who can authorize a message like the one they sent with your wife.”

Arya looked at the names on the screen.

“Tomorrow,” she said. “We hit them tomorrow.”

“Are you ready?”

She met his eyes.

“I’ve been ready for three years.”

Dmitri Valkov was found in a basement apartment on the south side.

He’d been hiding there for four days, living on canned food and fear.

Leon’s team surrounded the building at 4:00 a.m.

Arya watched from the command vehicle, her eyes on the thermal feed.

“Second floor. Back corner. He’s alone.”

Marcus moved his team into position.

The breach took seven seconds.

Dmitri didn’t even have time to reach for his weapon.

“One down,” Marcus’s voice crackled through the radio. “He’s talking.”

Arya leaned forward. “What’s he saying?”

“He’s offering a trade. Information for witness protection.”

“Tell him the only protection he gets is from the other Kravik soldiers if he doesn’t give us everything.” Leon’s voice was cold. “And make sure he knows we’re the only ones between him and Konstantin right now.”

Dmitri talked for three hours.

He gave up money routes, communication codes, safe house locations.

He gave up Sergei Volkov’s current location—a luxury condo three blocks from the waterfront.

And he gave up Konstantin Kravik’s schedule.

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