Page 68 of Ash

Also, in order to help cover up any noise from their gunfire, we rigged up some fireworks. Miki called the local police station with a cover story. We told them we were having a party for guests visiting from abroad that night and would be letting off fireworks in case there were any complaints about noise. Naturally, the sounds of extensive gunfire would be a concern to our neighbours, but the sound of fireworks hopefully wouldn’t be. Besides, complaints of fireworks being set off were far better for us to deal with than complaints of a gunfight.

However, if there were enough complaints, the police would likely come to investigate. So, to be sure they couldn’t, Sergei and his dealers were ready to create as much mayhem on the streets on Friday night as possible. That way, the police would be too busy dealing with more serious issues to worry about a few noise complaints.

Hopefully, that would apply to them attending any noise complaints at the lab location, too.

When Miki spoke to Uncle Maxim about Ivor, he also arranged for some of our relatives to visit. That way, we would indeed have guests from abroad, making our cover story of a party seem more plausible.

Miki, Glowacki, his son Daniel, a few of their most trusted men, and I would slip away late Thursday night and join a few of our men who were hiding out at the C. We’d join up with the rest of the men we had hiding out in the abandoned buildings nearby the following evening, and together with the few guards we had at the Lab itself, we’d be the defence team for the Lab attack.

Glowacki believed some of the traitors in his brotherhood had been discovered. He had a plan in motion to ensure they were eliminated by his loyal men just as soon as the attacks began. The two who’d been working with the Malia boys and Broxy’s hadn’t been found yet but were being hunted down, and Glowacki was determined to make them pay when he found them.

So, those of us at the C would wait until the Malia Boys arrived to attack the Lab, and then we would advance from the rear once they’d passed us. The men we had already planted in the abandoned farmhouses would approach from either side, and with the few guards based at the Lab itself and the drivers for the drug shipment all in front, we would surround them.

Hopefully, we could then deal with them and capture Siri before they breached the Lab and caused any damage.

I smiled. Miki, as always, was so thorough. There was really nothing else I could add to the plan.

There was just one thing I was uncomfortable about.

“Why are we taking Glowacki or any of his men to the farm and Lab? We have some hiding out on the farm, but they don’t have any idea there is a lab located there. However, when they have to defend it, they soon will. Once they know the location of our lab, we can’t take that back. They may be allies, but what if that doesn’t last? They would know exactly where and how to hit us,” I asked.

“Also, why reveal anything about the C to Glowacki and his sons at all? Only family and the closest of our men know about either location?”

Glowacki was a good friend and ally. However, the secrets of the C and the lab location had been kept for a reason, and I didn’t know why he was divulging them to Glowacki at all.

He looked at me thoughtfully, obviously weighing up whether or not to tell me what he had up his sleeve.

The longer he looked at me, hesitating, the more I thought that I knew why he was trusting Glowacki so much. I shook my head.

“No.”

“It’s a good match,” he told me, and I knew I was right.

“Like hell! Do you want an arranged marriage?” I asked him.

“Listen, our parents had one, and it became a love match. Glowacki had one, and he and his wife respected and cared for each other. Most of our family had arranged marriages, and they worked out. I’m sure Sonia’s will work out too,” he said in defence of his decision.

“That was all years ago. We don’t do that so much now. I, for one, don’t want an arranged marriage, so don’t even think of that,” I exclaimed.

He laughed.

“Don’t worry, little brother. I know you have it bad for Gracie, and I am assuming if there is any woman that will get you into a marriage with them, it will be her,” he smirked.

“You should re-think this,” I said, shaking my head and pursing my lips in annoyance.

He was my older brother, but he was also our Bratva Pakhan and, in the end, his word was our law, so I could only try to appeal to his good nature.

“We need to ensure this alliance of ours stays strong and marriage ties both of our families together. Anyhow, we shook on it, so the deal is done,” he told me firmly.

Shit, I was not pleased about this. I couldn’t imagine Sonia would be either.

“I take it the arrangement is with Dariusz?” I asked, annoyed.

“Yes, he is the better match and will eventually take over from Janusz,” he replied.

“I also take it that you haven’t told Sonia yet?”

“Nope,” he said quickly, “I haven’t had time to discuss it with her yet. Dariusz is also unaware,” he stated.