Boris released her shoulders “What do you mean ‘Absolutely necessary’”
“China’s Weres are up to something. I cannot get a read on it. You know how explaining them, and their attitudes might bring up their general contempt for Michael and his children. They barely accepted Peter’s punishments and believed Michael to be a boogieman invented by Peter to keep them under control. Your staunch support of Peter and the number of times you defeated their attempts at expansion was all that kept them in check. Now they are moving…”
“They will receive the same option my Czarina gave China’s government. Try to kill me, sue for peace, or die. You will not have the luxury the Mongolian pack has so often taken between me and their provocations, Sarangerel. With Bethany Anne, if you are a part of the UnknownWorld, you are on her side, or you will be hunted and eliminated. Neutrality will not be a solution for you, especially if you don’t want me to challenge for your pack and absorb it. Bethany Anne may not see it as I do, but the storm is coming. It is almost upon us. I will not leave any but allies at her back.”
Sarangerel was shocked. This was her teacher. He had taught her that unless the situation was most dire, neutrality was the best option. He truly believed such great changes were coming to make that threat.
She lowered her head in submission.
Boris turned and saw a black pod dropping from the sky. The two watched in silence as it stopped and hovered a few feet above the ground. Boris was surprised to see Dan open the hatch and wave to him.“Boris, Janna asked for some help from a more experienced interrogator. They have a live one apparently. So Bethany Anne sent me to pick you up and help. Come on.”
Boris bowed slightly to Sarangerel, “It seems other duties call. I hope to talk to you later, student.” He turned and hurried to the pod.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Command Container, Siberia
The pod landed two kilometers away from the container. If there was a chance that the Russians could localize the radar signature of the pod, there was no point in making the task easier for them.
“So what is so important that you were called in? I know I don’t like rigorous interrogation techniques, but if you are getting a site or location, you can confirm it. If it’s a ticking clock situation same deal. I have done it in the past. Besides, how did they get their hands on him?” Boris asked.
“Which question do you want to be answered first?” Dan responded with a grin.
“How they got him.”
“Well, they received some intelligence from one of the groups. It seems that he had a cover job as security for a brothel. One of the regular visitors came in on a set schedule accompanied by two guards in uniforms with NVG flashes. So Janna went in as if she were looking for work. After knocking out the brothel owner, she killed the two guards and with our man’s help left the building with the visitor. He was threatening her with how she’d be tortured when his boss came to retrieve him. Danislav helped her get him back to the command container.”
“Since it isn’t moving anytime soon, outside of an emergency, the entrenched team has moved the beds to the side of the container and set up tents and camouflage netting for more concealment. Inside of all of that, they’ve left the captive chained to a chair most of the day. A heavy, metal chair. Paul wanted to interrogate him immediately, but instead Janna has been questioning him eighteen hours a day for three days straight. She’s pulled a lot of information out of him. Apparently, the leader is a man with terrifying eyes called Konrad.”
Boris’s face took on a grim cast. He knew of only one vampire with that name. One of David’s children. Boris had personally killed two of his brothers in the Great Patriotic War which complicated things. It meant there might be a personal aspect to this whole situation. Vampires could plan for centuries before taking revenge. Peter had assured Boris he had not revealed his identity to anyone but Michael, but could it have slipped out somehow?
Then he suddenly realized a part that was just as worrying. Janna had gone through the mission practically alone.
His eyes stretching wide, Boris started immediately to bitch, “What in the nine hells were those diaper wearing dipstick fuckers thinking? Letting her go on a mission like that with practically no backup? It was too dangerous. I swear I will find a way to make my displeasure known about their ill-judged, reckless…” Boris’s rant was interrupted by a chuckle from Dan.
“You have it bad, Boris,” he said.
Boris stopped his tirade to stare at Dan. “What do you mean?”
“You are in love, my friend.” He held up his hand to forestall Boris. “I’ve seen this reaction from a Were before. When Ecatrina told Nathan that she wanted to be part of active operations, he hit the ceiling. Get it under control before you see her. Otherwise, it will get messy. I reviewed the mission and the plan was solid. They had an inside man, who has gone to ground, by the way. He was in far more danger than Janna. She’s capable and a Werebear now. The job was a piece of cake.”
Boris blinked. After actually listening to Dan and thinking for a minute, he realized that Dan was right. But that only brought up another problem. With a hint of despair in his voice, he asked “What am I going to do? It isn’t appropriate for me to be in a relationship with my second-in-command. I’ll have to request a…”
Dan interrupted again. “As long as you don’t let it affect your job, Bethany Anne won’t care. Think about it. Nathan and Ecaterina, John and Jean Dukes, Stephen and Jennifer, although don’t you mouth a word about that last couple. If Bethany Anne thinks I let that slip, my ass is grass. Just keep doing your jobs and it won’t be a problem.”
Dan paused and considered his next recommendation, “I think you need to go talk to her when we get there. I can work over the man with Paul or Danislav, and if we still aren’t getting anywhere we’ll call for a bear and one of you can change and see what that does to loosen his tongue. If pain doesn’t work, fear might be just the tool we need.”
Boris shook his head. “Ask Paul. He has some experience. Sometimes we’ve had to convince a Forsaken’s human lackey to give him up. Paul figured out early on how much I disliked it, so he offered to take the task. He doesn’t enjoy it, but views it as sometimes necessary. Danislav finds it nearly as distasteful as I do.”
When they entered the container, it was to see Paul making a production of laying down and hanging plastic around the chair to which the prisoner fastened. He looked up to Dan and Boris and said “Okay boss, ready to go in a minute or two. Wasn’t expecting you quite yet. Just give me a bit more time so the cleanup is easier.
Dan caught on quickly and answered “Sure. Janna, your methods didn’t work, so why don’t you take a walk with Boris? He needs to get the bear ready in case I need it. I’m not blaming you, but this rigorous stuff takes a different edge is all. You pulled a fair amount out of him your way. Now, because he’s a stubborn ass, I was sent. So we do it my way now.”
Paul looked at the prisoner and treated him to a vicious grin. “I’ve got the assistant covered, Janna. Just help Boris prepare the bear, will ya? One way or another, we’ll probably need ‘im. Either to clean up the corpse or to start at this fellow’s tootsies if he stays stubborn.”
Dan took a pair of leather gloves out of his pocket “Yes. We need to find out where this Konrad is, after all.”