Badass Omega [MxM] - A Reimagining of Carmen

Chapter 13 - An Order you can't Refuse

Before

Kosta glanced at him sideways as Kit pushed bullets into an empty clip, counting silently. The huge, blond man sighed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. 

"The young man you treated - he is alive. And he is my sister's son. She asked me to look out for him, and I answered that it would be impossible. But you saved his life."

He paused, lost in thought. "How long have you studied Russian?"

"Just a couple 'o weeks."

Kit did not tell him that he had picked up a little bit of Russian as a child in New Orleans. The immigrant community there provided plenty of opportunities for a child gifted in languages  - he had also learnt Spanish and Louisiana French, even though his mother only spoke English. 

"Then you are a natural. But you will not learn Fenya that way."

"Fenya?"

"Prison slang. Mr Novák uses it a lot. I know some...you can ask me, if you want."

Kit pushed the full clip into place and stretched his arms straight out, locking his elbows. He knew that Kosta did not make the offer lightly. 

Taking aim, he lowered the handgun slowly until the target was centred and squeezed the trigger without missing a beat. It jerked in his hand but he held it steady against the recoil, firing again. His ears rang. The shots were dead centre. 

"Thanks, Kosta."

In the months that followed Kit often followed Devlin and his bodyguards. He acted as paramedic, translator, and assistant. Devlin made him learn advanced mixology and dealing cards, honing him into a discreet and capable servant.

Kosta had warmed up to him. He turned on the radio in the car and showed Kit pictures of two blond, chubby toddlers. Several times per week he showed up to bring him to a shooting range. 

According to the rumours Kosta had heard, the Vor v zakone or Thieves in Law had sent Devlin Novák away from Russia because he had killed too many people. He was mysterious and feared and so they sent him to the west coast where their influence, though old, was not as strong as on the east coast. 

In Los Angeles he had picked up Ilya and Kosta and now they were strengthening operations here, feeling out the Chinese Mafia and Latin American gangs. 

"You are like him, aren't you?" he asked, not seeming to expect an answer.

The large bodyguard even gave Kit a few lessons in hand-to-hand combat once he had gotten a hang of shooting, showing him how to defend against someone armed with a knife or handgun.

"Kick them in the groin and run away. If they have a gun, knock it aside and take it from them."

"Easy peasy."

"Don't fight even if they're unarmed. You've got good instincts and you're a fast learner. But  too small and light - so you would probably lose."

"Gee, thanks."

"Run away if you can."

"Great advice."

"And if you can't - then you have about two seconds to damage your opponent as much as possible before they use their weight and range against you. That's assuming you've caught them by surprise."

"Catch 'em by surprise."

"Yes, and stay low. Keep your point of balance below theirs, strike fast, and play dirty. Be ruthless - if you're willing to hurt them more than they are willing to hurt you then you've got an advantage.