Page 111 of Warlord’s Empire

Pop, pop.

Gunshots sounded at the back of the house telling them Jozef’s team had engaged as well.

Silence fell and they waited. When no one else came out the door, Havel waved at Leeza and Radik to follow him.

Another shooter engaged them as they entered the house and all three scattered for cover. Jozef killed the man with a shot to the head as he strode into the room.

“The family is hiding upstairs,” Cooper said entering the room behind Jozef, his gun at the ready.

The capture of Prime Minister Branislav was anticlimactic considering the wide surveillance net Havel had set up and the scale of planning involved in the operation. It took less than two minutes to infiltrate the house and neutralize all hostiles.

In short order, they had five people on their knees in the living room, fingers locked behind their heads. Branislav, his wife, Irena, her sister, Katya, the sister’s husband, Ivan, and their seventeen-year-old son, Alvin.

“Let my wife and her family go,” Branislav begged. “They had nothing to do with this.”

Havel, who was frowning down at the body of the security specialist Jozef had killed, said, “They’re hiding you, which means they’re complicit.” Then he asked, “Was this our old friend Alan Dietrick?”

Radik remembered that Jozef had shot a Dietrick in the shoulder when he’d dared to engage Jozef in a high-speed chase with Shaun in the car. It was in the extensive file Radik kept on Guard Dog and all its employees and associates.

“Yes,” Branislav confirmed, his arms trembling either from fear or having to hold them over his head. “My head of security.”

“Not anymore.” Havel smirked. Then he said to Jozef, “We take Branislav and Irena, leave the rest?”

“No!” Branislav shouted as he was hauled off the floor, his hands wrenched behind his back and zip tied. “None of this is our fault. It was all President Urban.”

“We know,” Havel said, watching dispassionately as Irena, who was dragged off the floor, cried out for her sister. “Which is why he won’t be running for office in the upcoming election. He’ll gracefully drop out, back the candidate of our choice, set his affairs in order, then, after an appropriate amount of time has passed, die peacefully in his sleep of an injection that will stop his heart.”

“Why would he agree to that?” Branislav asked, horrified.

“It was better than the alternative,” Havel said, then so Branislav understood, added, “Dismemberment.”

Take them, Jozef signed. Let’s get out of here.

Before leaving, Havel and Radik made sure Katya, Ivan and Alvin understood their lives depended on their silence. “We walk away, we don’t come back,” Havel said. “Everyone is happy.”

“Irena?” Katya whimpered.

Radik shrugged. “She made her bed when she married a lying, cheating politician.” His tone spoke to how much he hated corruption in politics. It was rampant in the area of the world he worked and lived in. “You sheltered them and it’s my wish to punish you for that, but today is your lucky day. We agree to leave if you go quietly about your lives. No alarms raised, no fuss, no theatrics. Understood?”

“We understand,” Ivan said, speaking for the first time, his displeased gaze on Branislav as Cooper dragged the Prime Minister out the door. “Take them and go. I will guarantee our silence.”

“Spoken like a man who wants to live,” said Havel jovially.

Katya was crying softly, clinging to her son, but she nodded her agreement.

Upon landing in Prague, Jozef had their hostages taken to the estate where he dismissed his mercenaries, leaving only Havel, Jozef and Radik to deal with Branislav and his wife.

Leeza was given the option to stay, but she left, saying, “No thanks. I don’t enjoy this part. I’ll go hang out with Saskia and the kids.”

Radik did enjoy this part. He had his own sense of justice, and it thirsted for blood, especially the blood of those who betrayed him and the people he loved.

“You tried to kill my woman,” he said to Branislav, who was tied to a chair, alongside his wife.

Branislav’s eyes widened as they travelled over Radik, taking in his massive size. “I have no idea who you’re talking about.” His tone was pleading, whiny.

“Her name is Saskia Koba.” Radik smashed his fist into Branislav’s face.

Branislav’s teeth were knocked into his throat, making him choke. He screamed as blood sprayed from his mouth.