34

It definitely sounded as if I was defending Kirill. In front of my own uncle. “You’ll stay away from that man and his son and their world, Sasha.” “W-why?” “You don’t need to know. Transfer to another unit and stay in Russia where I can look after you.” “Can’t you at least tell me what that man had to do with the massacre? I can go to New York and kill him. I can—” “You’ll do no such thing!” Uncle Albert’s voice booms around me with the lethality of a bomb. The only other time he’s spoken to me in this harsh tone was when he told me to run while I was half dazed. When he pushed me out of danger’s way so hard, he broke my arm. Just like then, it feels as if the situation is heading in a disastrous direction. My uncle grabs me by the shoulders and lowers his head to stare into my eyes, his gaze firm, filled with the sternness of a parent. “Listen to me, Sasha. Those people are a pack of wolves who are only out for destruction. If you see them, you walk the other way. Got it?” I stare sil