Free Aftermath by S. W. Frank Page B

allies if any of them were fingered or worse, caught by Russian police . This was strictly a personal payback, but there could be no more.
    Nico had the last word. He needed to reiterate, “We’re in mourning. Home in our beds as far as the authorities are concerned. Keep the fucking hats on and those gloves , too –and whatever you do, don’t fuck this up, Geo! No fingerprints, nothing stupid.”  Then he removed a case of co ntact lenses from a backpack and passed each a pair of brown ones , “Put them in and k eep them in until we get home, then flush them, c apisce?”
    That was an hour ago. They were now in a nondescript van being driven by Nico’s contact along Michael’s Square. Alfonzo listened to the two cousins’ usual banter. Giuseppe shared his dislike of Russia and Nico sounding more like his father responded, “Because you do not like the man, do not disparage his country. Russia is a beautiful place, but like every country it has its shameful secrets. Poverty and greed .”
    “It is ugly and ostentatious.” Giuseppe snort , “And those ugly gold onion domes sitting atop buildings are horrendous.”
    “An Italian architect Bertolomeo Rastrelli designed that ugly palace.”
    Giuseppe went silent.
    “Visit during June eleventh and July second and experience the White Nights. It’s cool .” Alfonzo int erjected, thinking of a b usiness trip where he got to enjoy the sights with a local client and was fascinated that during this time of year there was perpetual daylight . The inability to differentiate night from day due to its latitudinal location was truly a sight to behold. H e’d heard about this natural phenomenon and being present during the occurrence was awesome. He planned to bring his family one day.
    “No grazie.” Geo waved at his cousin, “Dinners and women; women are dinner, they’re the only foods I need to live.”
    Alfonzo snickered, “ Po etry from the mouth of an un romantic jackass .”
    The van rolled to a halt in front of a stretch of multi-story townhouses on Mikhailoskaya Street . The driver pointed to a number above one of the d oor s , “That’s the place, number ten. It’s unlocked and Fedrik is sleeping on the third floor, second door to the right.” He said in passable English.
    Nico pat the driver’s shoulder, “Thanks. Disappear for thirty minutes then come back, understand?”
    The driver nodded, “There are guards on each floor, but they will remain sleeping.” He winked, “Very strong sleeping pills. The cameras are disabled, it is ready.”
    Nico nodded, “ Half an hour, n o later.” Then he exited the van followed by his cousins. Cloaked i n shadow they hurried to townhouse ten to the entrance .
    Alfonzo reached inside his jacket for the weapon concealed there and went to the side as Nico w ent in without incident. He followed and Giuseppe took up the rear. Nico of course knew the lay-out, it was his job to know these things and he led the way up the stairs of the finely decorated home as if he lived there.
    Alfonzo scanned every corner of the corridor for anything lying in wait, but it’s as the driver said. The occupants appeared to be asleep, in a very deep sleep, judging by the eerie quiet.
    “Second door to the right , ” Giuseppe reminded Nico when they reached the third landing and h is cousin hesitated .
    Nico’s foot paused. He heard s omething . Someone entered the house. They stood very still and listened as voices filled the lower level.
    Workers making a shift change. They didn’t have much time. The countdown was on. Nico peered in the corridor and found it empty then marched to the designated door. It opened with a slight twist of his wrist and he glanced inside. On a bed with a woman lie Fedrik, without a care in the world. The stench of sex and booze also emanated from the musty room and Nico wondered if the man used antiperspirant because the funk was disgusting. He nodded to Giuseppe to go in , w aited for Alfonzo to do the