They finally reached another section of the warehouse, deeper in and brighter lit than where Nikolai had first been dropped off the night before.
The wide space smelled faintly of oil and steel. Five people waited there, spread casually around a long metal table.
The first to move was a man leaning on the hood of a stripped-down car. Mid-thirties maybe, sharp jaw, dark stubble, lean but wiry. He straightened when he saw Moreno and stepped forward like he owned the floor.
"Moreno," he said with a grin, voice casual and warm, like an old friend greeting after a long shift.
Moreno didn't smile. He just exhaled through his nose and gave a short nod, not angry, but not encouraging either. Power didn't need to shout.
The man stopped in front of them and turned slightly to glance at Nikolai before going back to Moreno. Then Moreno spoke, steady and direct.
"This is the crew you'll be with."
He pointed with a small gesture, naming them one by one without pausing to explain what each could do.
When he got to the man who'd greeted him first, Moreno added, "Eli, he'll drive."
Then his hand moved to the others. "Marcus runs the ship."
Marcus, a broad man with close-cropped hair and an easy but heavy stare, gave Nikolai a slow once-over but said nothing.
Next was a wiry woman with short blonde hair and hands deep in her jacket pockets, Tasha, her eyes sharp but unreadable.
Beside her leaned a tall man with braids pulled back and a faint scar along his chin, Vex. His expression stayed cool but curious.
And finally, the pale guy in glasses standing a little back, tapping something on his phone before tucking it away, Jin.
Names hung in the air like quiet warnings. No one smiled except Eli, who still wore that easy grin.
Moreno's gaze shifted back to Marcus. "He's with you for this run. Make sure he doesn't die."
It wasn't said as concern. More an order about efficiency.
Marcus gave a small grunt, half a nod. No one else spoke, but the room's air changed, Nikolai could feel the quiet measuring already happening.
"I'll leave you all to talk," Moreno said finally, his voice calm but clear. Then he looked at Marcus. "Marcus, let's talk in private."
Marcus nodded once and followed him toward a smaller room off to the side, the door shutting behind them with a heavy click.
The moment they were gone, Eli clapped a hand onto Nikolai's shoulder with easy familiarity. "Sooo… what do we call you?"
"Nikolai," he answered simply.
Eli rolled his eyes with an exaggerated sigh. "Man, another Ruskovian. Figures."
"Well," Eli went on before Nikolai could reply, "since Moreno didn't bother explaining, I'm the best driver you'll ever meet. With me on the wheel, I could even drive you to the moon."
Before Nikolai could comment, a woman stepped up beside him with a sly smile. Tasha.
She had that look of someone who could slip through a crowd without touching a soul. "Don't believe the hype," she said smoothly. "He drives fast but not smart."
Eli made an offended noise. "Excuse me?"
"Anyway," Tasha cut him off, turning her grin on Nikolai. "I can unlock anything… and I mean anything. Doors, safes, locks, cuffs, you name it."
Eli scoffed loudly. "Thief."
She stuck her tongue out at him without breaking eye contact with Nikolai.
"And the big guy over there?" she added, jerking her chin toward a mountain of a man leaning against a tool rack, broad shoulders, neck like a tree trunk, quiet eyes. "We call him Brick. He's basically a big teddy bear. Former underground fighter, Mexican, and any gun you hand him, he can shoot."
Brick gave the smallest nod, but said nothing.
Nikolai's gaze slid toward the last one, the quiet man in glasses, hands tucked in his hoodie pocket, eyes on his phone. "What about him?"
Eli grinned instantly. "Jin? Just a nerd."
"Sexy nerd," Tasha corrected, smirking.
That finally got Jin to look up. His stare was cool, expression almost bored, but there was an edge behind it. "Systems, logistics, timing, and digital security," he said evenly. His voice was calm but sharp, every word clean. "I keep us alive before we even show up."
Eli made a face. "See? Nerd."
Jin just shrugged and went back to his phone.
Nikolai couldn't help the corner of his mouth twitching. The crew clearly knew each other well, the easy banter was obvious.
"The boss does most of the plans and makes sure everything's set," Eli said, leaning back against a crate. "He's the one who introduced us to Moreno… anyway—"
"Nikolai Rafael Crowe," Tasha cut in suddenly, voice sharp but playful.
Nikolai turned, frown forming before his brain caught up, she was holding his ID between two fingers like she'd plucked it out of thin air.
"How the hell—" He snatched it back fast, eyes narrowing.
"Meh," she said with a grin, clearly pleased with herself.
Eli chuckled. "Told you. Thief."
"So what can you do, Rafael?" Tasha asked, rolling the full name out slow like she was testing how it sounded.
Nikolai sighed quietly. He hadn't gone by Rafael in years. But he didn't take the bait; instead, he scanned the room, buying time.
The team was solid, that much was obvious. Jin had the tech and intel handled, Eli had the wheel, Tasha could open anything, Brick was a walking tank with a gun, and Marcus, well, Marcus was the brains and the guy who kept everyone alive.
With a crew this specialized, there wasn't an obvious hole to fill.
His eyes came back to them, calm but measuring. "I make things happen," he said finally. "Guns, wheels, hands, whatever's needed. I can improvise and I don't fold under pressure."
Eli raised a brow. "That's a fancy way to say 'I don't know.'"
"Or," Tasha countered, smiling, "it's a way to say he's a wildcard. Could be useful."
Brick grunted once, the sound low but approving, like that was enough of an answer for him.
Jin just glanced up briefly, expression unreadable. "Wildcard's only good if he doesn't get us killed."
Nikolai gave the faintest shrug. "Then don't get killed."
For a second, the group went quiet, then Eli laughed under his breath. "Alright, kid. Guess we'll see what you're really about."
The door behind them opened, and Marcus stepped back in with Moreno, conversation done.