Chapter Six
Sophia followed Olesya’s accomplice up the spiraling stairwell of a reconstructed Renaissance building. Her name was Marina and she was Central Asian in appearance, wearing a black winter coat that matched her dark ponytail. Marina spoke with a Russian accent, at least with the few words she’d spoken so far. Sophia took two steps at a time to keep up, while the rest of her ten-person team climbed the stairwell behind her.
Marina reached the top level, pausing only to shed her coat. As she opened an iron door, Sophia noticed two bobby pins that glinted in her black tresses. Marina stepped aside, allowing Sophia and her team to set foot inside an attic. The wooden floorboards creaked underfoot and dust floated in the air, visible under a large skylight.
Olesya’s gaze seared th
