Page 85 of Sinner's Sacrifice

Or was it a secret stairwell?

Shit, the architect for his building must have had fun designing it. Secret stairs, panic rooms, and God only knew what else Yvgeny could have thought up.

He was still in his apartment, but he and his aunt weren’t arguing anymore. They were on their phones, texting for all they were worth. Her four remaining henchmen had bladed weapons out and were facing the entrance to the suite. The elevator. Though, maybe there were other ways in and out?

What about the public stairwell? Was there a way to get to his place through there?

Sam checked all the screens and finally found one that showed some kind of fancy kitchen/restaurant and greenhouse on the other side of the floor. She hadn’t even known there was such a place. Maybe it was a spot Yvgeny used to entertain people in privacy?

The group from the lobby streamed into the restaurant area, hands poised to deliver blows, like they were a bunch of Kung Fu fighters. Only there wasn’t anyone there to attack.

They milled around searching the space.

In Yvgeny’s apartment, he, his aunt, and her henchmen were still poised to attack anything that came out of the elevator. So, when Baz opened another innocuous looking wall panel next to the elevator, Sam was surprised no one went for him.

He stepped out, Nika behind him. Brian exited behind her.

Where had Baz found Brian?

“What’s he doing here?” Yvgeny’s aunt asked in a tone that promised death to the one responsible.

“I found him in the emergency stairwell,” Baz said, his tone heavily laced with sarcasm. “He said he was getting some exercise.”

“That’s not what I said,” Brian protested. “I was working in my office when either Mason or Magnus, I can’t tell them apart, came in and told me to hide. Some kind of rival corporation was attempting a hostile takeover.” He let out a gust of stress and worry. “I had no idea that when they said hostile, they meant guns and grenades.” He looked at Yvgeny. “Did you know they blew up the employee entrance?”

“Yes, we felt it. How did you find out about the stairwell?” Yvgeny asked.

“Well, everyone says you’re a paranoid guy, so I asked myself, what would I do if I were rich, paranoid, and possibly part of a criminal organization? The answer was obvious.” He shrugged. “Secret escape routes.”

Yvgeny’s aunt stepped out from behind Yvgeny and her henchmen, and walked toward Brian.

When he saw her, his jaw dropped open, and he backed away as fast as he could until he ran into the wall behind him.

“You know who I am?” she asked. Sam could only see her back from the camera’s angle, but she sounded almost happy.

Brian nodded, swallowed, then said in a croak, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Who am I?” she asked.

“You’re the head of the largest bank in Slovenia. You’re an elected member of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, and you control the Breznik crime family.”

“We are not a crime family.” She turned and spoke to Yvgeny. “Why does he think we’re criminals?”

“Bad reputations stick to people. A good reputation can be ruined with one wrong word, but a bad one,” he shook his head. “They can last forever.”

She made a frustrated noise and turned back to Brian. “I ended the corruption and crime when I replaced my predecessor ten years ago. Most of it, anyway.”

“Your grandmother?” Brian asked.

“Yes.”

“You...you look exactly like her.”

“Thank you.”

No one said anything for a moment. Brian looked like he was two seconds from passing out due to hyperventilating.

“Are we going to do anything about the assholes who would very much like to kill us?” Baz asked as if only minimally interested in the answer.