Hetman by Alex Shaw Read Free Book Online Page A

door opened and two uniformed Militia officers greeted him.
    Snow smiled. “Is Eric having a party?”
    “Who you are?” The first asked in English. Snow realised it was the same voice he had heard on the telephone the day before.
    “I’m a friend of Eric. Who are you?” Snow replied and placed his bottles on the step.
    “My name is Officer Kopylenko and you are very drunk.”
    Snow raised his arms smiling. “Guilty as charged!”
    Kopylenko pointed at him. “Tell me please, what is your name?”
    Snow gave his own name; he had no reason to lie. “Aidan Snow. Nice to meet you.”
    “Can I see your passport Mr Snow?”
    “I’m sorry; I don’t have it with me.”
    “Hm, I see. In that case I am very sorry but I shall have to issue you with a fine.”
    Snow pointed at the bottles. “Is there not something else I could give you?”
    “We will take those too, but you must pay a fine.”
    “Fine, that’s fine!” Snow started to laugh and retrieved a wad of notes from his pocket. As he did so he made sure that it slipped through his fingers and fell on the ground. He noticed Kopylenko eye-up the bundle of bills greedily.   Snow shakily retrieved the money and smiled. “Now officer, how much do I need to give you? Will $100 be enough?” As Snow held out the notes he looked around. “Where is Eric?”
    “I told you Eric is not here. This is the wrong house. Give me all your money and you can go.”
    Snow made a decision, double or nothing. “Where is Eric? Are you robbing him?” He tried to push past the two men but the second officer grabbed his arm. Snow half-heartedly punched him in the face before shouting, “Eric I’m on my way!”   The officer loosened his grip and Snow burst into the house only to be pushed to the floor a moment later. Several heavy kicks connected with Snow’s torso and as he was dragged to his feet a fist hit him in the side of the head causing him to see stars.
    Kopylenko spoke again. “You have assaulted a Militia officer. We now must arrest you and keep you here until you are processed.”
    “Let me go. I’m a British citizen!”   Snow protested.
    Kopylenko spoke the second officer in Russian.   “Take him away and put him with the other English idiot.”
    Snow let his feet drag and his head loll forward as the officer moved him down a flight of stairs and then pushed him into another room. The heavy door was locked behind him. Snow rubbed his head and looked around. It was a wine cellar but empty apart from the racks. There was a narrow barred window to one side at head height which let in the only source of light through which he could see a flower bed.
    “Bloody Hell! Aidan you found me!
    Snow noticed a large dishevelled figure sitting on a patio chair. “Hello Brian.”
    Webb smiled. “How the heck did you get here?”
    “Connections.”
    “Aidan thanks a million for coming.”
    Snow held his forefinger to his mouth, then moved back to the door and listened. He could hear nothing through it. He nodded at Webb. “Tell me what happened?”
    “I was out with Mitch and Michael having a few – you know how it is, and then got a taxi home. The driver stopped the car, I thought he needed a piss but then he just ‘legged it’. Then when I got out to see where the heck he was going some blokes came at me. I thought it was a bloody team of hit-men! Aidan, I was that tanked-up that I just got back in the taxi and drove off. I tried to lose them but crashed into a sodding bus shelter, shook me up I can tell you.” Webb lifted his grey fringe to show his blooded forehead. “I kept moving until I couldn’t go any further. Then I called you.”
    “And they grabbed you.”
    “Yep. I was that blotto and shagged out that I couldn’t do anything to stop them. They slapped me around a bit for good measure.”
    One against four was bad enough odds for anyone but an overweight drunk pushing sixty had no chance. “The Militia came to see Katya.”
    “How is she? Is she