Protective

The Calm

Mikhail

"I haven't seen you in the better part of a decade and now you call me up for drinks?"

"Da," I smiled, pulling Marco in for a hug, "It's a little early for drinks."

He laughed sitting on the stool, "You want me to go to war and you're not offering me a drink?"

Good. He already knew why he was here. I didn't want to have to explain. I just needed a yes.

"Something is coming, Marco. For me, for my family," I sighed, "I need help."

"Whew," he shook his head, "It must be pretty bad if the great Mikhail Petrov is asking for help."

He sighed, "I have managed to stay out of this war of yours for quite some time. What changed?"

"I'm trying to protect my daughter. I need this to end."

"Lana?" he furrowed his brows, "She's in danger?"

I nodded, pouring myself a drink, "I can't afford to fight them and fight the man after her. I need to devote my attention to one, but I have this nagging feeling that the second I do, I'm going to lose her."

I didn't necessarily trust Marco. I didn't not trust him either. We had known each other for years, been allies for years.

He was a family man, I respected that.

But because of that, I could tell him my troubles and know it wouldn't leave these walls. Family was sacred to him as it was to me. So I trusted him with mine.

"Mikhail, you already have my full support, you know that," he shrugged, "What do you want to do my friend?"

"I need your contact with the Koreans and the Chinese," I explained, "I already have Akio's enemies from Japan in my pocket. Unfortunately Seamus and Manuel are too busy with each other to have any actual enemies outside of me."

Marco laughed, "They always did hold a soft spot for you."

I rolled my eyes, "Because they thought I was the one that killed Annah," I shook my head at the thought, "It was Akio and Amaya, you know."

"Nearly two decades of friendship and you never let that slip," he said, shocked, "I never knew he killed her. I always figured it was Adama. The betrayal made her bloodthirsty."

"No," I shook my head, leaning against the counter now, "Adama loved her sister, despite the betrayal. She wasn't capable of it."

"Akio and Amaya on the other hand," I sucked my teeth, "They had a taste for the stranger things. To tell you the truth I thought Manuel had done it. I didn't figure out it was them until a few years back."

Marco took a sip of his drink, "You never thought of clearing your name?"

"What's the point?" I shrugged, "You and Diana knew I didn't do it and that was all that mattered."

"Diana," his voice trailed off, "Any leads on that?"

"I get closer everyday," I replied, "The trail went cold years ago but still."

"Still?"

"I know she's alive," I said, "And I know one of them took her."

"Them being Seamus, Manuel, or Akio."

"Or all three," I shook my head, "Manuel never could swallow that his father was a rat. He resented mine for ordering his end even despite the fact that we kept it a secret. My father made it look like an accident so the De León's wouldn't lose it all."

"I'd hate you too if your father killed mine," Marco chuckled, "Rat or not."

"True," I agreed, "But he let hate get the better of him and I think he'd used Diana to get revenge. He crossed a line. At least, I think he did."