SOPHIE JOLTED AWAKE as the car navigated a speed bump. Exhausted from stress and lack of sleep, she’d dozed off in the quiet comfort of the Mercedes shortly after leaving Goragavan. Blackout shades obscured any view from the car’s windows. She had no clue to where they were or how long it had taken to get there, but sensed they had arrived at their destination.
The driver slowed to a stop and cut the engine. As Sophie straightened into a sitting position, her door pulled open from outside. A short man in a gray suit peered into the back seat. “Hello,” he said in English, offering his hand. “I am Taras. Come with me please.”
She climbed out of the car on stiff legs. Her foot had gone numb, and Taras cradled her elbow as she stumbled. “I’m sure you had a long drive. Would you like some bre
