Page 106 - Chronicles of Darkness

Yevgeny is not a superstitious man. He’s not even a Catholic. All the same, the thought of doing this deal
in St. Ann’s, deconsecrated though it is, makes him nervous in ways he cannot articulate. But this is where

the client feels comfortable, and Yevgeny is nothing if not a full-service operation. The crate, old and rusted
and stenciled “СОВЕТСКАЯ АРМИЯ,” squats before the chancel as though to accept absolution.
“Yevgeny?” The voice is a woman’s, young. Yevgeny can’t see her clearly for the shadows of the cames.
“I am. And you are the elephant hunter.”

“Sorry, what now?”
“Firepower like this, you must be hunting elephants. Or planning to overthrow
a small government.”
“You got me, I’m staging a coup against the East Bollingsworth Board of

Alderpersons. Can we get on with this?” She tosses the duffel with the
money into the transept.
“That’s not enough.”
“You didn’t count it.”

“It’s what we agreed on?”
“Of course.”
Yevgeny shrugs. “Then it’s not enough. Extra complications.
The price has gone up.”

“That’s not going to work for me, Yevgeny. I’m on a timetable
here.”
“For your Glorious People’s Revolution of East Bollingsworth?”
“Look, I get that you’ve got this whole Solntsevskaya Bratva

thing going, and it’s working for you. But I need this now, and
I need it for the price we agreed on.”
“And yet.”
Yevgeny’s smile says “terribly sorry for the inconve-

nience, but you’re alone and I have the automatic weapon,
so what can you do?” Hers says “don’t make me do this,” but
Yevgeny can’t see it for the shadows of the cames.
“And yet. I have to confess, I thought something

like this might happen. That’s why I bought a
friend.”
Ximena whistles, low and liquid,
and the shadows rush away from

her and fly shrieking at Yevgeny
with his grandmother’s face.