He took his time reloading the ammunition and making sure the chamber under the hammer was empty. Once satisfied, he slipped it into the pocket of his vest and waited. At midnight, a sleek black Cadillac Escalade SUV with tinted windows cruised by his window and stopped a short distance away. Sam climbed out and crossed the gap as the SUV’s rear passenger window rolled down in whisper silence. Vadik’s wide face peered out from the inner darkness. Another figure sat beside him, but he sat deeper in the shadows, face turned away. ‘You got my message?’ ‘Hard to miss.’ Sam focused on his breathing as he struggled to keep the nervousness out of his voice. ‘You up for this?’ Vadik asked. Sam nodded, his eyes hard, stance solid, showing confidence. ‘Just like the movies, huh?’ Vadik’s smile narrowed. ‘Only in this case, we want all cameras off.’ ‘It won’t be a problem.’ ‘Good.’ Vadik glanced down at his watch.
