Gabriella walked in through the main hall with two of the guards trailing behind her, brushing off dust from her jacket as she'd just come back from a casual stroll. The moment I saw her, relief washed over me-but it was buried under a wave of irritation. She was fine, sure, but that didn't excuse the chaos she'd left in her wake.

"Nice of you to finally show up," I said, my tone sharp.

She shot me a look, half-apologetic, half-defiant. "You're welcome. I'm fine, by the way, if anyone's interested."

"Are you serious?" I stepped forward, folding my arms. "You went off the radar for hours, Gabriella. No word, no backup, and no plan to fix it when things went wrong. You should've called-hell, you should've asked me before you left in the first place."

She bristled, crossing her arms. "I didn't think I needed your permission for everything, Dimitri. It was a simple task."

"It wasn't simple if it ended with your phone dead, your car broken down, and everyone here thinking Leonid got to you," Nora interjected, her voice calm but firm. "You didn't even tell me before you left. I could've-"

Gabriella cut her off, her tone defensive. "I did what I thought was best at the time. And for the record, I did tell someone-I told Irina. She said it was fine."

All eyes shifted to Irina, who stood beside Gabriella with a stiff posture and a carefully neutral expression. "It seemed straightforward," Irina said, lifting her chin. "I didn't see the need to make a big deal."

"Of course, you didn't," Marcus muttered from the corner, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. "Because you don't think about the bigger picture."

Irina's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"The bigger picture," Marcus repeated, pushing off the wall. "Like how your little green light sent everyone into a panic because Gabriella went dark. Maybe let the people who actually manage high-level operations make those calls."

"That's enough," Gabriella snapped. "This wasn't Irina's fault. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

"Don't worry, I am," I said coldly. "You handle some dangerous jobs, Gabriella, but when it comes to high-level work, Nora is the one I trust to make decisions, not Irina. You should've gone to her-or me-before acting on your own."

Irina's face flushed, and she stepped forward. "I've handled plenty of high-level tasks before, Dimitri. You're acting like I'm incompetent."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, fighting to keep my temper in check. "This isn't about you, Irina. It's about Gabriella not following protocol when she knows better. One mistake can cost lives. And we can't afford mistakes right now."

Gabriella squared her shoulders, her voice sharp with defiance. "I've been doing this for over a year now, Dimitri. I know how to handle myself. I don't need to be micromanaged every step of the way."

A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it. "A year," I repeated, my voice dripping with disbelief. "You think one year is enough experience to act like you know better than everyone else? Let me remind you, Gabriella, this isn't the first time you've pulled something like this."

She frowned but didn't deny it, her jaw tightening.

I stepped forward, my tone sharper now. "This is becoming a pattern with you. You keep deciding what's 'best' without consulting me-or anyone, for that matter. Is it your ego, Gabriella? Because let me tell you something: ego doesn't keep you alive in this business. It gets people killed."

"That's not fair," she shot back, her voice rising. "I've always done what I thought was right for the clan. If I waited for permission every time, nothing would get done!"

"No, what you've done is put your pride above the team," I said coldly. "And if you're so sure of yourself, let me make something clear: I don't care how capable you think you are. If I see you pulling this stunt again, I'll demote you without a second thought."

Her eyes widened, and for a moment, the confidence slipped.

Irina jumped in, her voice defensive. "Dimitri, that's enough! She's proven herself plenty of times. You don't need to throw threats around like that."

"Proven herself?" I snapped, turning to Irina. "By what-going rogue and hoping it all works out? Nora handles the high-level operations for a reason. If Gabriella has an issue with that, she can come to me, not ignore protocol and risk everything because she doesn't like being told no."

Irina's eye's widened, opening her mouth to argue, but Marcus cut in, his voice calm but firm. "He's right. This isn't just about one mistake, Irina. It's about a pattern. And if she can't recognize that, it's a bigger problem than we thought."

Gabriella's hands curled into fists at her sides. "I get it, okay? I screwed up. Again. But I wasn't trying to undermine anyone-I was just trying to help."

"Help?" Nora interjected, her tone sharp but measured. "Help means working with the team, Gabriella, not against it." For the first time ever, I agreed with something she had said.

The room fell into a tense silence, Gabriella glancing between us before exhaling sharply. "Fine," she muttered, her voice barely audible. "I'll follow protocol. Happy?"

"It's not about making me happy," I said, softening my tone slightly. "It's about keeping you safe. You're like a younger sister to me, Gabriella, and I can't keep watching you gamble with your safety-or anyone else's."

Her shoulders sagged, the fight draining out of her. "I'll do better," she said quietly.

"You'd better," I replied, though my voice lacked its earlier bite. "Because next time, there won't be warnings."

"Now go and handle the files Svetlana sent you," I muttered and sat down on the office table as everyone else got to work. She nodded and left, leaving Marcus, Irina, and Nora in the silent room.

I could feel Irina staring at me but this wasn't the time for consolations or friend talk.

The silence in the room felt heavy and oppressive. The air was thick with unspoken tension as I paced slowly in front of my desk.

We were running out of options, but I was far from convinced that the new lead Marcus had brought up was not going to be a dead end.

"I've been digging into Leonid's past," Marcus said, his voice breaking through the stillness. "And I found something interesting-his step brothers still alive-"

I cut him off, my voice sharp. "You're telling me Leonid's stepbrother's been hiding this entire time, and now he's suddenly willing to talk?"

"Why don't you shut up for a moment and listen to him?" I heard Nora speaking as I glanced at her irritated face, making me smirk but I didn't say anything.

I signaled for Marcus to speak again.

Marcus glanced at Nora briefly before continuing, as though bracing himself for the pushback he knew was coming. "So as I was saying, his stepbrother is alive but he only wants to talk to you. Not anyone from the clan."

The skepticism hit me immediately, but I forced myself to stay calm. "Why would he trust me? His brother's a traitor. You really think anyone connected to that mess is trustworthy?" I crossed my arms with a sigh.

Nora, who had been quiet up until now, spoke, her tone measured but firm. "We don't have much to go on, Dimitri. You know better than anyone that time is against us. If there's even the slightest chance this could get us answers, we can't just dismiss it."

Irina chuckled as she stood beside me, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I don't agree. You were after Gabriella for not listening to you, but you'll trust a traitor like his brother?"

Her words hit me like a slap, leaving me momentarily confused. Was she really questioning this now, after everything? I was about to respond when Nora spoke up again, her voice smooth but with a hint of sharpness.

"Really, Irina? You're going to compare a lead that could save us all to a missing lieutenant who couldn't even be bothered to let anyone know her whereabouts?" Nora's gaze never wavered, her tone icy but calm. "At least Leonid's stepbrother has the decency to talk to us directly. Gabriella, on the other hand, ignored orders and went off on her own, only to get stranded."

Irina crossed her arms, a smirk playing on her lips. "Oh, I get it now. You're all about trusting people who barely even know you while ignoring the ones who've been around since the start. Nice, Dimitri. Seems like your judgment's gotten a little cloudy."

I wanted to respond but I knew the tiny cut-back was toward Nora, not me.

"I'd say the real issue here isn't trusting people who might still have something to offer, but trusting someone who doesn't respect the chain of command," The sharpness of Nora's words hung in the air, and for a moment, Irina stood there, caught in her own silence.

She crossed her arms, clearly stung and she looked at me as if expecting me to back her up. "You're really going to let her talk to me like that, Dimitri? You're going to agree with her-after everything I've done for this clan?"

I met her gaze coolly. "Enough, Irina," I said firmly, my tone cutting through the tension. "You don't get to talk to me like that. And you sure as hell don't get to question my decisions."

Irina's mouth opened, but I didn't give her the chance to continue. "You'll listen to me, or you'll find yourself answering to someone else. I'm the boss here, and if you think like Gabriella did, then maybe you're better off working with her. Don't waste my time."

The room went silent, and Irina's expression shifted from defiance to something darker, but she didn't argue. Her arms dropped to her sides, and she glared at me, but the words died in her throat.

I turned my attention back to the table, ignoring the simmering tension in the air. This wasn't a discussion anymore. It was an order.

"You know what, I'll talk to Leonid and let's see if he even agrees to meet us," I said after sitting down as Nora nodded.

"That's the point. Even if he doesn't agree to meet with you, at least you'll be able to talk to him," she remarked as I nodded. Maybe she's right, I can agree with her for once.

Irina carefully placed the phone on the table, the recorder flashing red in anticipation. She glanced at me, her eyes slightly narrowed in concentration, before stepping back. Nora and Marcus sat across from me, their gaze shifting between the phone and me, a silent reminder that every word would count.

The tension in the room was palpable, and there was a quiet hum of anticipation as we waited. Ten minutes passed, each second dragging like an eternity.

Then, the phone buzzed.

Irina's fingers hovered over the button as she looked at me. I nodded once, and she pressed it. The phone rang twice before a calm, almost monotone voice answered.

"This is Boris's associate. He's currently unavailable for a direct conversation, but I can relay any message you have."

I raised an eyebrow, glancing at Nora, then Marcus. "No message. I'm here for Boris. Put him on."

There was a slight pause before the line shifted, the voice on the other end lowering, almost begrudgingly. "He'll call you back in a few minutes," and the line went dead.

A few moments later, Boris called us back. "Dimitri, I assume?"

I kept my voice as neutral as possible. "You know who I am. Let's skip the pleasantries."

Boris chuckled lightly, the sound being too relaxed for the situation. "I admire your directness. But let's get one thing straight, Dimitri. I'm not in the business of trust, not with your kind, not with anyone. But my brother is a different case."

I clenched my jaw, ignoring the pang of anger that his words provoked. "I'm not here for you to insult me, Boris. Just tell me what you know about Leonid's involvement in Omsk. And why should I believe anything you say?"

There was a slight shift in Boris's tone, a bit of a smile hidden beneath the words. "You're cautious, I like that. It's not often I get to speak with someone who doesn't waste time with niceties. But let me be clear-Leonid doesn't trust anyone, especially not me. But if you want information, I'm the one who can give it to you."

"Why would I trust someone like you, then? You're the one who's been associated with a traitor, just like him," I bit back, feeling the weight of my words hang in the air.

Boris's voice didn't waver. "Because, Dimitri, as much as you'd like to think otherwise, we're both in the same position now. Leonid's actions are no longer his own; everything he does, I do too. And we're both trying to stay one step ahead of the consequences."

I narrowed my eyes, my fingers tapping on the table as I listened to him. "And what exactly is it that you think I don't know, Boris? What's your angle here?"

He took his time before responding, and when he did, his voice was laced with a sense of urgency. "You think Leonid's the only one who knows the truth? There's more, Dimitri. Much more. Information that you don't have, but that you'll need if you want to keep things in order."

The mention of more information caught my attention. I glanced at Marcus, who had been listening intently, and I could see a flicker of interest in his eyes.

"What are you offering me, exactly?" I asked, my voice lowering as I leaned forward.

Boris was quiet for a moment, then the words came slowly, almost like a warning. "Not at the moment but if you do agree to meet me, you'll find much more than you anticipate."

The line went silent momentarily, and I felt the cold grip of uncertainty tighten around me. "What do you mean by that?" I pressed, my voice sharper than before.

But Boris had already disconnected the call.

"That was useless," Irina rolled her eyes as she turned the recorder off.

"I don't think it was," Nora asserted, her expression going grim. "I think he knows something much more sinister."

Marcus nodded alongside her. "True. Maybe he knows about Viktor. But he definitely isn't telling us whatever it is on the phone."

I sat back in my chair, the room falling silent around me. He may be useful, his tongue twisters were interesting but they could be helpful to us.

"So?" Irina asked, looking annoyed but that was the least of my concerns.

I took a deep breath, letting the weight of the situation sink in.

"We're going to Omsk... but not to negotiate."

"Whatever games Boris thinks he's playing, we'll play them my way. I'm done waiting for answers-if anyone's pulling strings, they'll regret it. We're going there to take control, not to ask for favors."

The room went still, the silence deepening as my words settled in. Irina raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting to me, but I could see the flicker of approval in her eyes. Marcus seemed to catch my meaning, his expression sharpening, but it was Nora who spoke first.

"Do you think Boris is telling the truth?" she asked carefully, her voice quiet, almost hesitant.

I didn't answer right away. Instead, I stared at the table, my fingers brushing over the edge, lost in thought. "I don't trust him. But Omsk is where things will unfold. And if we're not careful, it could all spiral. We'll go there, and if I find anything out of place... I'll handle it."

[Word Count- 2714]

A/N

So here it is! You'll see more of Marcus's humor in the upcoming chapters hehe.

How was this chapter? Do you like Dimitri being a boss?

If you enjoyed, please vote and comment. I will appreciate it.

xoxo

-lily