‘No. Some here were. Not me. I’m a Vor. But we fought together. Put our differences aside to fight for this country.’
That explained the tattoos. Anna felt herself blush at her naive question, hoping she hadn’t offended Alex. She knew well of the Vory – a subculture adopted through Georgia’s long established links to Russia. Many of the Mkhedrioni’s leaders were Vors. Thieves in law. Men who gave their lives to the criminal code. Not soldiers at all. In fact it was part of the criminal code that a Vor could never be seen to bow down to officialdom of any sort. To serve in the army would have been treachery.
But not all the Mkhedrioni were Vors. Many were ex-Soviet soldiers – like Kankava. Many others were simply bored young men who liked the idea of holding a gun, and had watched too many gangster movies.
The Vors, on the other hand, were men of power and corruption and violence. Men to be feared.
But Alex wasn’t fearsome to Anna. Not anymore.
‘Are you scared of me?’ Alex asked, looking pleased with himself for the revelation of his past life.
‘There’s nothing to be scared of.’
‘No. That’s right.’ Alex nodded as though impressed with the answer. ‘And you should always believe that. People can try to frighten you, they can tell you things and do things to you against your will, but it’s your choice whether or not to be scared. And if you can’t help but be scared, don’t show it. Never show your weaknesses.’
Alex stopped talking and looked at Anna intently. She wondered whether he was expecting her to speak.
‘I see something in you, Anna,’ he said eventually. ‘I see strength.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Do you know how I came to be in here?’
‘No.’
‘I was a good fighter. Good with guns, good with knives. I was perfect for the Mkhedrioni. But you know what my downfall was?’
‘What?’
‘I was a show-off. You know the type of man. The top dog. I had to be best at everything. I had to prove myself to my men constantly. Ten of us were swimming in the Black Sea. We took turns finding higher and higher cliffs to jump from. I went higher than any of the others dared. But... look at me now.’
Alex trailed off, his usual upbeat manner dissipating.
‘We all make mistakes,’ he said more solemnly after a few moments of silence. ‘You’re fourteen. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. But it only takes one mistake to change your life forever.’
Alex became distracted. He stared past Anna. She turned and saw Kankava standing in the doorway. Kankava studied Anna for a few seconds and she began to feel uncomfortable.
‘Anna, when you’re finished, I need your help,’ Kankava said.
‘It’s okay.’ She got to her feet. ‘I can come now.’
Kankava turned and walked out. Anna was moving toward the doorway when Alex spoke. His words sent a chill through her.
‘Remember what I said, Anna. Don’t ever show them you’re scared.’
CHAPTER 10
Anna followed Kankava down the corridor towards his living quarters. Anna, Maria, and Viktoria shared a single bedroom on the mansion’s top floor, but Kankava had his own private space on the ground floor that included a bedroom, bathroom, lounge, and dining room. His quarters were strictly off limits and Anna had only previously been in there one time when Kankava had sent her in to fetch a jacket for him. As she kept pace behind him, she felt increasingly uneasy at the prospect of leaving the relative safety of the communal areas.
Kankava unlocked the door that led into his space and stood aside to wave Anna through. He shut the door behind her. Anna flicked her gaze across the lounge. Numerous pictures of battle scenes hung on the walls, together with a gigantic centrepiece above an ornate fireplace that showed a gallant St George – a truly nationalist symbol – defeating a gruesome-looking dragon. Below the picture were two ornamental swords, criss-crossed over each other.
‘You shouldn’t listen to everything that Alex tells you,’ Kankava said. ‘The Vory are not men to be trusted. Their whole lives are about lying and thieving.’
Anna frowned. ‘But he was a Mkhedrioni. Like you.’
‘I’m nothing like him,’ Kankava said with disdain. ‘The only thing we have in common is that we both fought for Georgia. But we fought in very different ways.’
‘But you’re helping him. By having him here.’
‘Wanting to help someone is different than wanting to like or respect them.’
Anna said nothing but in many ways she realised she agreed with the Colonel’s words.
‘Please, this way. I need your assistance.’
Kankava walked past Anna and into the adjoining bathroom. Anna followed, silently impressed with the exquisite porcelain fittings that looked like they may have been original to the house. But when she looked over to Kankava, she was suddenly filled with dread.
‘My arthritis is getting too bad,’ Kankava explained, holding up his one useful hand. It had an awkward tremor she’d not noticed before. Whether or not the tremor was genuine she wasn’t sure. ‘Maria and Viktoria usually have to do this for me but they were too busy. Please, could you help?’
Kankava looked down at the toilet and Anna tried her best not to show any reaction. Don’t ever show them you’re scared. Words Alex had said to her moments earlier and which were similar to what her father had drummed into her for many years.
‘Of course,’ Anna said, moving forward and reaching out with one hand.
She took hold of the zip on Kankava’s trousers with the tip of two fingers, trying to make as little contact as possible. She clumsily pulled the zip down then shut her eyes as she reached inside, holding back the urge to retch when the stale smell from Kankava’s groin filled her nose. She fumbled for a few seconds before managing to pull out his flaccid penis which she held above the toilet bowl.
Kankava urinated, and Anna cringed and looked away. But when she did so she caught sight of Kankava in the mirror above the sink. He was giving her a lurid smile. She whipped her eyes away.
‘You have very delicate hands,’ he said. ‘I could get used to this.’
Anna said nothing.
‘Do I disgust you?’
Anna again held her tongue, even though the truth was yes, he really did. Kankava stopped pissing and Anna went to push him back into his trousers but he threw her hand away.
‘Do I disgust you?’ he repeated, his tone more brash this time.
‘No.’
‘Liar!’
Kankava swiped at Anna with the back of his hand, catching the side of her mouth. Her bottom lip split and throbbed. She held her hand up to her face as Kankava angrily zipped himself up.