Hostile Ground (The Arsenal #7) - Cara Carnes Page 0,74
and gambling operations as well as their identity theft rings and human trafficking.”
“Surface level?” Zoey asked. “Sorry, I didn’t get a chance to go through any of this before the meeting.”
“It just finished a few moments ago. Edge and I are still working through it ourselves,” Jesse said. “Financial records we’ve obtained indicate that the threads fully unraveled four years ago, shortly after Olaf’s attempted overthrow. Kristof infused more cashflow into the syndicate which, again from the initial view, appears to be an increase in profits.”
Beast and Thunder scowled at the screen as it shifted.
“What Kostya likely didn’t see was that Kristof also expanded operations into other arenas at the same time. The new branches were profitable, but the costs of running everything increased exponentially.”
“How? Why?” Johnny asked.
Maksim chuckled.
Kristof shifted as everyone’s attention settled on him. “Father’s empire relies heavily on goods obtained through a network of trusted associates. Weapons and other munitions from one syndicate, transportation through another. Four syndicates altogether have worked together for decades at reduced costs. I made sure Father’s costs for those services went up.”
“How?” Marshall asked.
“Gavriil took over his syndicate. Unlike Olaf’s attempt, Gavriil succeeded. As far as my father knew, he terminated his agreement with all syndicates within this network. In actuality, we renegotiated a new alliance that excluded Father and lowered the costs of the other syndicates in exchange for their assistance at a later time.” Kristof sighed. “I believe it worked faster than I expected.”
Which explained why Father had crawled into bed with Mandrake. He’d needed a cash infusion to stave Kristof’s strategy, one that’d been closer to completion than he’d realized. They could’ve struck sooner, before Mandrake became a heavy presence within Father’s compound.
Kristof could have rescued Olaf sooner.
“Why would this Gavriil do that?” Beast asked.
“He’s Stacia’s brother,” Kristof replied.
Addy gasped. Zoey paled.
“Sorry,” Kristof whispered. “I should have told you that. I forget that you haven’t been a part of this war I started against my father. In my mind you were always there. Whenever I grew tired of the fight, I remembered what we endured in that camp and how you never let it break you.”
“You got me through.”
Then he’d been forced to leave her there. He’d never forgive himself for not finding a way to rescue her from there or Peter’s clutches. The past was etched in stone, an unchangeable presence within each of them, but Kristof would carve a new life for them both. Somehow.
“Her brother,” Zoey repeated.
“Gavriil realized what I was doing several years ago but hadn’t said anything because his hatred for my father was almost as strong as my own,” Kristof said. “When Olaf’s attempt failed, he informed me he was about to take over his syndicate and wanted to assist with my endeavor. We formed a new plan.”
“It’s the underlying arrangement you two made after that that expedited the downfall,” Edge said.
Kristof narrowed his gaze as the screen images changed.
“I’m assuming your mutual hatred for your father’s human trafficking spurred the decision to undermine every transaction he did through your underground,” Edge said.
“How did you figure that part out?” Kristof asked. “You’re better than I expected.”
“Figure what part out?” Zoey asked. “I’m going to need you to bring out the crayons and draw a kindergarten picture for me.”
Gage chuckled. Zoey punched his arm.
“This underlying agreement worked thanks to you, Hummingbird,” Kristof said. “When Father informed me I would be selling Stacia in the underground, I was livid but in no position to attempt an overthrow of my own. He was too formidable at that time. I did the only thing I could.”
“You leaked the information to me so I’d rescue her and the others with her,” Zoey said, eyes wide. “Then you kept doing it. All those people I saved were from your father’s operation.”
“Most of them, yes,” Kristof said. “After you rescued Stacia and the others, I held back on doing more until I saw the fallout from that action. I expected to see Stacia return home. I was worried Father would find out what I’d done.”
“But when she and the others didn’t come back, you knew you could trust Zoey to do whatever she’d done for them with others,” Gage said. “That was one hell of a risk you took. One that could’ve put Zoey in a lot of danger.”
“I staggered out the ones I leaked to Hummingbird. I didn’t want to risk her or anyone, especially the trafficking victims I was trying to help,” Kristof said.