Chapter Text
Butch parked the SVU in an open space in the intersection of Nadsonovskaya Street and 50 Let Komsomola Street, a few feet from the front door of the Red Orgasm nightclub.
The ride had been silent. Ward had been mentally preparing a game plan, although he was pretty much blank; he'd had to figure it out as he went along. However dangerous, he saw this as an opportunity, the biggest one yet: He was literally stepping into the wolf's lair, which meant it was his chance to take a real look at what was going on, investigate to the fullest while maintaining his cover. He was the team's proper eyes and ears. It wasn't just connecting a USB drive anymore. He was in and he needed to learn everything he could.
He had no idea whether Skye had been able to get any intel from Novikov's laptop, let alone anything useful and incriminating, which was pretty much going in blindly. He only hoped he'd be able to get some real evidence for the team, yet he couldn't communicate with them, which was a problem in its own. He knew they've be tracking his coordinates, but that probably meant they'd assume he was in danger and they'd come as backup, which would risk them all and would let them learn nothing new. He had to let them know where he was and that he was okay.
He came out of the car with an idea. 'Any idea how long this gonna take? I had plans.' He said to Butch, who shrugged. 'Right. I'll make a call.' He took out his phone and prayed to sound convincing on both ends. He dialed.
--
They were all yelling different things at each other and moving frantically around the bus when Skye's phone rang. From where each one of them was, they turned to stare in the general direction of the sound.
Skye read the number on her screen and yelled at no one in particular 'It's him' and she picked up, while the rest of the team gathered around her.
'Ward' Skye said worriedly and put the phone on speaker.
'Hey, babe, I'm not sure I'm gonna make it in time for lunch.' He had to get to it right away so she would understand and not give anything away; he knew this conversation was being listened to.
Skye made a confused face and Coulson silently gestured her to go along.
'Oh… everything alright?' she fished.
'Yeah, nothing to worry about… Something came up at work. Don't know how long I'm gonna be here for.'
She looked at Coulson, who nodded. So, he was okay and he was at the nightclub; he'd make something out of it.
'Maybe you can call me once you're done and meet me for drinks… haven't seen you in a while' she tried.
'Yeah, I'd like that. Alright, I gotta go, but I'll call you later.' He hung up.
Skye looked at Coulson. 'Now what?'
'Now we wait for him to get out of there and call again to meet for drinks' he said with a smile on his face that was too forced for anyone to believe.
--
Inside the club, Butch was whispering something to Novikov and another guy whose face looked familiar but Ward couldn't place.
'Grant Ward' the stranger called him. 'Ivan Novikov. Your boss' brother' he smiled and shook his hand. Ah, that's where he knew him from.
'Sir. Pleasure to meet you.' Ward played his part.
'Sit.' Pyotr Novikov pointed at a vintage red velvet sofa in a corner of a room. Ward did as ordered and immediately started assessing his surroundings, trying to form a map of the place in his head.
The club in itself was what he thought to be an old warehouse, based on the concrete walls, though they were now painted. The square room with the main dance floor was big enough to fit a large crowd of 1000, which probably meant it held about 1500 people on busy nights. That was way too many people to search for traces of alien drugs. Maybe there'd be a way to narrow it down.
There was a dark wooden bar with a few stools at the far end of the room, heavily packed with expensive alcohol bottles of different shapes, sizes and colors. Next to the bar there was a corridor, closed with a velvet rope and he assumed, a guard. He couldn't see past it from where he was sitting so he turned his attention back to the Novikovs.
'Impresive resume for such a young age, Mr. Ward' Ivan said, sitting in front of him with his brother.
'Thank you, sir.' He smiled but didn't add any information. He was reading every micro expression on their faces for the slightest hints of an ambush.
'Tell me Grant, how was working in Japan?' Pyotr inquired, definitely testing him.
'Confusing, at first. Didn't speak the language so it lead to quite a few anecdotes.' He was a good actor when he needed to be. 'But my boss was an easy guy, laughed at my confussion. Fortunately easy to protect as well, overall good guy.' He smiled.
'Yes, Mr. Kirosawa.' Pyotr remembered from his file. 'Did he give you any vacation time?'
'I had weekends off. He'd spend it with his family in Kyoto and another bodyguard he had there. I'd mostly stay in Tokyo getting lost in the city but I did visit Kyoto during the sakura season. Ate a lot of weird stuff, met a girl…' he added, playing with his previous idea. Suddenly, his Grant Ward persona was the oversharing kind. 'I actually have a date with her later… So, what's the job Butch told me about?'
Ivan nodded and Pyotr spoke. 'This nightclub. It needs extra security, kids get crazy'
'Yeah, he mentioned.' Ward replied, suspicious as hell.
'This club opens from Mondays to Saturday nights. We only close on Sundays. Most of the activity happens from Thursdays onwards, but the more regular clientele… well, they come here almost every night. ' Novikov added.
'Any sort of trouble I should know about?' Ward asked and he could sense Novikov's distrust in him. 'Any underage kids trying to buy their way through; any drug problem…?' he threw casually.
Butch glanced at his boss and that didn't go unnoticed by Ward. 'The usual stuff. There's always someone trying to deal, but leave that for the guys working inside. I want you at the door. I want you to check who comes in and out.' Pyotr answered.
Ward nodded.
The show was about to begin.