Anatoly Medlov (38 page)

Dmitry looked at both of the quivering men and smiled. “Don’t worry. I don’t have any plans to kill you.”

“Let’s go, papa” Anatoly said, opening the door. “Council members
still standing
, let’s go.”

Wiping the blood off his face, Dmitry walked back out of the basement and was guided back out into the rain by his bodyguards. Two men stayed behind to get rid of the bodies.

Everyone knew that they would have plenty of time to clean up the mess and get rid of the bodies before the police department could get a warrant to search.

Within five minutes, everyone was gone. Sirens blared behind them in the thunderstorm. The trucks split off in different locations, going unnoticed as they disappeared into traffic. Dmitry headed in one direction. Anatoly headed in the other.

***

“Damn this is a lot of coke,” Agent Lee said, hitting Gabriel on the back. “Good job, man. I was worried about you, but you did it. You brought the bastards down.”

“Yeah, we didn’t get Anatoly or Dmitry, but we got the people responsible for it. Between the tapes and this, I’d say this investigation was successful.”

“There is always next time for them. And you say that these warehouses belong to Yuri and Oleg?” Lee asked, watching the warehouse being emptied by the undercover agents.

Gabriel nodded. “Not just them. Their two sons are on the council as well. Roman and Alesky. Those are the only men that I really got a chance to ever meet, but they were supposed to be here. I don’t understand where they went to.”

“We’ll get them,” Lee said, holding up the umbrella to protect himself from the fierce storm. “They all can’t run forever, right?”

Gabriel smirked. “I’m sure that they’ll pop up. I just doubt that you’ll get anything out of them. Vor don’t talk to cops. They’ll do their time quietly.”

“We don’t need them to talk with all of this evidence. They can sit in jail and rot.”

“Alright, well, I’m out of here.”

“I need you back at the office to debrief tomorrow,” Agent Lee reminded.

“About that,” Gabriel said, pulling out his badge. “I’ve been through enough. I did what I came to do.” He passed his badge and gun to Agent Lee and nodded. “I won’t be needing that anymore.”

“You’re going to take the girl and run?” Agent Lee asked.

“Yeah, I am,” Gabriel said, walking way. “Take care of yourself, man.”

As the rain beat against his face, Gabriel walked away, feeling free for the first time in his life. He stood straighter, saw things clearer. Even in the storm, everything finally made sense.

***

Dmitry was back on a private plane headed on a long journey back to Prague out of Tunica, Mississippi by night fall. Still in his bloody clothes, he sat back and enjoyed a glass of vodka knowing that his family was safe and his point had been made. It was definitely worth the trip. Now, he could return to his family, to his wife, to his twin boys, to his daughter, to his wife. He smiled at the thought. Everything was just as it should have been.

***

Fifty miles away, Gabriel and Briggy were loading into a car and heading far away. He didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to Anatoly, possibly because his father had already told him about who he really was – possibly because it would be oo painful for his cousin to see him go, but he knew for once that he had their blessings. And more than anything, he knew who they were and they know who he was. Kissing Briggy’s hand, he headed out on the dark highway with no luggage and just one envelope. He had no idea where they were going to start their new life, but he would take his uncle’s advice and make sure that it was somewhere that did not extradite.

***

The rain beat against the windows with a definite fury at Anatoly’s mansion. He stood looking out of the windows of his solarium and drinking a glass of vodka straight. He needed something to take the edge off of a very long day.

Reflecting, he thought about the men who were headed off in to the world with his last name. His father had risked everything to protect him again, and he had risked everything by protecting his cousin even though he was a cop.

Anatoly had found out the truth of Gabriel’s identity through Aldolfo at the docks. He’d tipped him off as soon as he saw him. Considering that the Cuban’s dealings had them in contact very often with DEA, he had run across the man unbeknown to him.

Anatoly had made up his mind to protect Gabriel when they were in his office after the job. He could see that his cousin was torn, hurting. It was then that he had called his father and asked him what to do before the trip to Jamaica.

“Let him fly,” Dmitry had said quickly. “We owe it to him.” Anatoly had taken his father’s advice. He knew that Gabriel was looking for anyone to take the fall to protect them. So, it was only fair that he do the same. Now, they had all settled up.

In the morning, Aleksey and Roman would be found holed up in a hotel by the DEA and take the fall for their fathers. And he would start to rebuild the council based upon his own choices.

He was actually grateful for this adventure, every part of it. Victoria had taught him the meaning of lust. Destiny had taught him the meaning of revenge. Renee had taught him the meaning of love. And Gabriel had taught him the meaning of family.

“Baby, are you coming to bed?” Renee asked, walking into the room.

He turned to her and smiled. “In a minute,” he said, licking his lips. His blood began to burn at the thought of what he was going to do her tonight.
I was made for this
, he thought to himself of his life.
And she was made for me.

The End

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