Enzo threw his drink at the fire, exploding the crystal into shards. He turned to Putyatin. “What is the meaning of this?”
This time, Putyatin looked up and acknowledged him with a smirk on his face. He took his time walking around his desk and sat down in the wingback opposite Enzo. The Russian president poured himself a drink from the decanter and sniffed the glass before taking a sip.
“Ah, Kauffman. My favorite Russian vodka,” he said. “Do you know why I use a decanter? Because Kauffman might be seen as, how can I put it, not presidential. It is good vodka, but not the most expensive and unattainable, maybe only eight thousand rubles a bottle. I first discovered it when I was just a lower official in the army. High enough to buy decent vodka. Low enough not to be stupid about buying too nice a bottle.”
“You could have had a kingdom. The world, you fool,” Enzo snarled.
“Now that I am president,” Putyatin continued with his story, ignoring Enzo completely, “I could easily have…” he made a grand gesture with his hands, “… presidential vodka. Instead, I still ask for my Kauffman, because I like what I like, and I am not a greedy man. Kauffman was good enough when I was a soldier, it is good enough for me now.”
Enzo growled. “We had an agreement. There will be consequences for double-crossing me.” He considered reaching out and breaking the damn Russian’s neck. A quick dart forward and twist, and he could drink all the vodka he wanted in hell.
No.
“Zoras, he taunts me.”
You will not touch him. You might have lost him to Vinnick, but that still keeps Russia under Genjix influence. You kill him, and the country will fall out of Genjix hands. We cannot allow that.
“You see,” Putyatin droned on. “You offer me Germany and Champagne and all these fancy things. No matter where I have climbed in life, I will always be that young officer at heart, albeit now fatter. I want my vodka, I want money, and I want to serve Russia, with none of your strings attached.”
“And now you might lose everything,” Enzo said, taking a step forward.
Putyatin wasn’t cowed. He nodded to the side, and a dozen soldiers came in, rifles all pointing at Enzo. “And one more thing,” he said. “I do not like fucking foreigners threatening my family. You might be more powerful than Vinnick, but he is Russian and will do what is best for Russia. That, and he pays with cash, not promises.”
Four of the soldiers grabbed Enzo’s arms. He considered killing everyone in the room. It would be difficult, but not impossible. The key would be to prevent any of them from escaping to alert others. The two exits in the room would prove troublesome, though.
No. You are too valuable and the risk too high. Find another way to achieve my goals.
“Gaaah, fine. I will have his tongue one day.”
Putyatin walked up to Enzo and jabbed him in the chest with his finger. “No one threatens my family, you son of a bitch. You are lucky you are an official envoy. Your delegation has two days to leave Russia. One minute past and I will have the military storm your compound and have you all dragged off to the gulag, diplomatic status or not. Now get out of my sight.”
Enzo and his entourage were pushed and herded through Moscow under armed guard. His limousine was led by no less than four police cars and two Typhoon armored trucks. It would have been flattering if it wasn’t so humiliating. When the convoy reached Novo-Ogarevo, they were met with an extensive military blockade. Obviously, both Vinnick and Putyatin had conspired ahead of time and were aware of the results beforehand. This made Enzo fume even more. They had made him look even more the fool.
Worry about your pride and revenge later. Vinnick has struck at you once; he may do so again.
The military blockade opened just enough for his limousine and one of the Typhoons to go in and then closed behind them. Enzo looked out the window and noticed his entire security on high alert. All of his brothers and sisters were armed and operating as if a force under siege. This complex was tactically indefensible. The drain on Hatchery talent would be immeasurable if they were killed. No, open conflict was not an option. However, Enzo was not ready to admit defeat.
He stepped out of the limousine and stared at the Typhoon transport that had followed him into the compound. “What is Putyatin playing at now?” he muttered. He pointed at a group of agents nearby. “Secure that vehicle.”
He watched as a group of men and women stepped out and realized right away that they weren’t regular military. All were uniformed, but he could tell these people were not just administrators. No, by the way they moved, and the look in their eyes, these were Spetsnaz or possibly KGB, or both.
The last to come out, an older woman with a long neck and sharp nose that reminded Enzo of a hawk, walked over and nodded. He noted the lack of respect in her demeanor. “I am Natalya Voznesenceva. By order of President Putyatin, I am the envoy assigned to oversee your withdrawal from Russia. I will have full access to your embassy and will accompany you any time you depart the premises. These terms are not negotiable.”
One step would cover the distance. He could crack the woman’s skull, get two shots with his pistol, and pull back behind cover before those Spetsnaz knew what happened. The rest of his brothers and sisters would follow suit and wipe them out within a second.
There are a thousand troops surrounding your complex.
“Do we have an alternate exit route?”
One established by your scout team before your arrival. We will have to check if the Russians have blocked it. For now, bide your time.
Enzo, in what he considered a shameful act, turned away from the Russian envoy and retreated into the main building.
Amanda met him at the door and bowed. “Councilman Vinnick is on the phone, Father.”
See to his terms.
Enzo took the ear piece from her and stepped off to the side, noting the envoy following him every step of the way. He nodded to his two guards at the door to let the woman pass. The words being passed to her ears would be harmless.
“Brother,” Enzo said into the ear piece, not willing to give Vinnick the pleasure of hearing his frustration.
“Threatening the president and trying to bribe the Federal Assembly with things that don’t cost you anything?” Vinnick chortled. “As unpredictable as you are as a person, you are mightily predictable in your tactics, boy.”
“Thank you for the lesson, old man.”
“Listen, Enzo,” Vinnick said. “I won today, and I do so for the good of all Genjix. You are the future. Surely we can accommodate each other. Together, we are stronger. The planet is still not ripe for Quasiform. It needs a few more years to incubate. Can we not agree on this?”
“Your greed betrays you.”
Vinnick barked a sharp laugh. “You think it is greed that motivates me? I’ll drop dead any day now. Stupid boy. All I care about is seeing Flua and the Holy Ones’s objectives completed, but the risks you take are too high. Quasiform will fail if the planet’s conditions are not within parameters. Right now, Earth is barely within range. The Genjix only have one chance to get this right. Even increasing global temperatures a few more -”
“The parameters are acceptable, and have been for years,” Enzo snapped. “It is non-believers like you who drag your feet because you fear the evolution that lies ahead.”
“God damn it, Enzo. What is the hurry? Time is all the Quasing have. Why don’t we meet -?”
Enzo hung up on him. “Assemble,” he said to Amanda standing at the door. He looked over at the envoy following close behind.