December 22nd: Day of the Operation
Viktor was calm. Too calm for a man walking into danger.
"You understand the risks?" Isla asked for the third time that morning. "Alexei won't hesitate to kill you. You're the brother who betrayed him. The one who allied with us instead of family."
"I understand. I also understand what's at stake. Sera. My granddaughter. If Alexei isn't stopped, he'll go after her. That's—that's unacceptable. So yes, I'm willing to be bait. I'm willing to risk myself to protect her."
Killian checked Viktor's wire for the fourth time. "The second you see Alexei, you say the code word. Dmitri's team moves in. You get out. We handle the rest."
"And if Alexei brings an army? If this is bigger than we anticipated?"
"Then we adapt. But Viktor—you don't play hero. You don't try to handle this yourself. You say the word, you get out, we eliminate the threat. That's the plan. Stick to the plan."
