After a few minutes had passed, Ivan who was still in pain, turned to Sergei. "Is there anything here I can use to wrap this wound?"
Sergei shook his head. "Nothing in the car, sir. But..." He quickly loosened his tie and handed it to Ivan. "Will this do?"
Ivan took the tie, inspecting it for a moment before shrugging. "It will have to." He wrapped it around his waist, tightening it over the wound to stem the bleeding. "Manageable," he grunted.
Sergei felt a pang of guilt. This was the first time Ivan had gotten hurt on his watch. If only he had insisted on accompanying him to the auction, maybe he could have prevented this. He made a silent vow to himself that he would ensure this never happened again, even if it meant putting his own life on the line.
"Close the window," Ivan demanded suddenly, breaking Sergei from his thoughts. "The air feels odd."
