Page 76 of Forced By the Bratva

Boris had the tablet open on the table in the dimly lit room, a satellite feed frozen mid-frame.

“The courier’s been confirmed,” he said. “Small crew. Two vehicles, moving cargo through the industrial corridor off Route 9. ETA to intercept point, forty minutes.”

“How many?” I asked.

“Four, maybe five. Light arms. Nothing we can’t handle.” Boris tapped the screen, zooming in on a stretch of road flanked by warehouses. “Extraction window’s tight. Once they hit the corridor, we’ve got maybe six minutes before they’re clear on the other side.”

Yuri leaned over the hood, checking the route himself. “This ties back to the encrypted comms we pulled off the last hit?”

“Same signal pattern,” Boris answered. “If this courier’s carrying what we think he’s carrying, it’ll confirm the channel.”

The door behind us opened.

Iris walked in dressed in black, fitted, practical, hair pulled back, nothing about her looking like she planned on staying behind tonight.

“If you’re going on an extraction mission, then I’m coming with you,” she said.

“Like hell you are,” I protested.

“Ilya…”

“No. This isn’t up for debate.” I turned back to the tablet, dismissing the conversation before it started. “You’re staying here.”

“Listen, I’m the only one who can read that data in real time.” She crossed the room, stopping in front of me. “If this courier’s carrying encrypted files, someone needs to process them the second you pull them off him. Not an hour later, back here, after whatever window matters has already closed.”

Silence.

“She does have a point, Boss,” Boris said quietly.

“Thank you.” She gestured at him.

I thought for a moment. “It’s dangerous.”

“Everything about my life since you knocked on my door has been dangerous.” Her voice stayed level, no theatrics in it, just fact. “I’m not asking permission. I’m telling you I can do something none of these men can do as fast as I can.”

Boris and Yuri exchanged a glance.

“No offense,” she said to them.

“None taken,” Yuri replied.

I hesitated, hating the idea of willingly putting her in harm’s way. But knowing her, she wasn’t going to back down from this. Her stubbornness wouldn’t let her.

“Fine. But you’ll stay in the vehicle,” I said. “Whatever happens, you don’t leave the car.”

“Understood.”

“I mean it, Iris.” My voice was firm.

“I hear you, all right?” She held my gaze, steady, no argument left in it now that she’d won the one that mattered. “Now let’s go before we lose our window.”

***

We sat parked a block off the loading dock, engine off, headlights dark.

I kept the binoculars up, watching the courier through the windshield. Iris sat beside me in the passenger seat, a secured tablet resting on her knees.

He wasn’t alone. Two men were talking with him about God-knows-what.