Page 20 of Requiem
Rafe watches me for half a second longer before he nods once. “Micah.”
I just give a small nod back.
I don’t sit yet. I stand near the fireplace.
“Kieran,” Rafe looks to his friend. “Do you mind keeping an eye on him down there?”
“Sure thing,” Kieran replies, standing with a grunt and leaving the room.
“Alright, getting right to it.” Rafe exhales, then looks toward Adriana. “Tell us what Morozov did to Jude.”
She hesitates, but begins telling them everything she told me.
I stare at the floor, still hating it the second time. And when there is finally a moment of quiet… “I tried to give him Suboxone,” I say quietly.
All eyes flick to me for a second.
“He refused.”
Rafe nods slowly, like he expected that.
Adriana doesn’t look surprised either.
“Then what the hell are we supposed to do?” Emma asks, her gaze throwing daggers at Adriana. “Micah, how is he? Be honest with me.”
I clench my fists. I can’t answer her, and that seems to get the point across, because her face twists.
“We have to stabilize him first,” Rafe interjects, sensing a fight we don’t need right now. “We’ll treat the addiction as best as we can. But we need to figure out how to handle Alexei. He’s a fucking wild card. So we focus on the systems he put in place. Adela, Nico, Kieran, and I can work on the tech aspect. The rest of you,” he glances at us. “Help your friend. Whatever conditioning he’s under.” His gaze sharpens. “Adriana. You’re going to be important for understanding what we can do for him. You’refamiliar. He’s asked for you.”
My gaze darts over to Emma, to see her glaring at Adriana.
“Also,” Rafe sighs, crossing his arms across his chest. “Notonlydo we have to locate and eradicate Alexei’s files, but someone else has them. Can you tell us who?” His icy eyes settle on Adri. “Otherwise, we’ll be fighting a futile fight.”
I stay standing near the fireplace, staring at nothing.
“I think I can help with that part,” Adriana replies as she reaches into her pocket. She steps forward and places a flash drive on the coffee table. It hits the wood with a sharp, deliberateclackthat echoes loudly.
My gaze snaps up to her.
“This,” she says, her voice steadier now. “Is everything.”
Rafe’s brow furrows. “Everything?”
Adriana nods once. “Bank accounts. Transfers. Photos. Videos.”
Emma straightens. “Of what?” she asks.
Adriana looks at her. “Everything that Nolan could tie to him. Every moment they captured when he was…not in control of himself. Nolan copied some of Alexei’s most incriminating evidence. Including Vlad, his trafficking buddy.”
I feel my chest tighten with a grinding pressure that doesn’t ease.Damn it.I’m going to need some of Emma’s medication.
“Nolan made a record of it all,” Adriana says. “Notonlyto keep Jude in line.” She pauses, jaw tightening. “But to protecthimself.”
Rafe’s eyes narrow. “Explain.”
She exhales, chewing her lip. “Nolan didn’t just want power. He wanted insurance. So, he created a system,” she says. “If Alexei turned on him, or if Jude did—”
Her gaze flicks toward me for half a second.
