It was an impressive mansion, nestled in the mountains, surrounded by a dense forest of pines, firs, and birches, which we reached after traversing a trail that, despite my excellent sense of direction, I wouldn't have been able to find my way back from.
"Here we'll be safe," Alessandro said after parking.
I didn't say anything, but weren't we already safe?
His comment only confirmed what I already suspected: he wasn't telling me everything.
I continued to build a psychological profile of Alessandro.
"Welcome. Mr. Ivania," Valery greeted us, and I saw a quick exchange of glances between Alessandro and her, in which it seemed like a lot of information had been shared.
What were they up to?
Why was I really in that gigantic house in the mountains, hidden in a hard-to-reach forest?
"T
