Zofia Hoffmann met them in the hall, her arms held wide for a hug as they stepped inside. She’d done her best to wash away the blood on her forehead and face. Don’t worry the kids. When all four were united in a giant hug, they made a vision of love and security, and the person watching felt happy to see it, but also a little sad that she couldn’t share in it.

But after a while Zofia looked up at her and smiled with heartfelt warmth.

“Thank you.”

—

We drove all night, and as morning came we rolled into the streets of Pristina. Aunt Vesa had managed to get ahold of one of my father’s former smuggling partners, and we were able to hide out in his house temporarily. A good man around the age my father would have been. He had small, sharp eyes that reminded me of a bird, thin gold rings in his ears, and a substantial birthmark on his neck. He spoke so kindly about us, showed pictures of me as an infant on his knee, and one of him and Dad standing in front of a truck while making some weapons delivery, their arms slung proudly around each other’s shoulders.

A temporary hiding place with a temporary friend—but within a year we had created a future together. I changed. Or, maybe I didn’t at all? Maybe it was more that once I was with my aunt and my father’s old friend I finally understood who I was, where I came from, and maybe it was difficult or even impossible to escape something you want to get closer to? That kind of fear that turns into strength and determination when it’s paired with trust. Because we made up our minds. I made them make up their minds. We would take back what belonged to us, finish what Dad had started, and we’d do it with the help of Hamid’s and Dad’s old contacts. We hired professionals to take out Zoltan’s men one by one. Always Ulcinj execution. The same method used to kill my own family while I watched. We saved King Zoltan for last, and I took care of him myself—it was the third time gunshots changed the meaning and direction of my life.

Now we had taken back the Balkan route.

And we’d do what Dad had been preparing to do—use the secret stash of the world’s most advanced machine gun to take over bigger markets.