Chapter 41 Ares
ARES
When we get close, we pull off the main road and hop out.
We look at Sebastian Makris's so-called restaurant.
The place is locked down tighter than a fucking maximum-security prison.
I count at least twelve guards from where we're parked—two at the front entrance, pairs patrolling the perimeter, more on what looks like a rear loading dock.
"Just a restaurant, my ass," Theo says beside me.
The place sits isolated on a cliff edge, overlooking the ocean. It would be beautiful if I gave a shit about the view. All I care about is that my wife is somewhere inside that building—beneath it, if Stavros is right about the cellars.
I crack my neck, releasing some of the tension. "Have the men start marking targets," I tell Theo. "I want every guard accounted for."
A black Mercedes pulls up behind us, and I spot Dimitri being driven by one of our men. My youngest brother steps out, his face pale but determined. His arm is completely bandaged and resting in a sling.
Theo curses under his breath. "Fucking guy. Nothing stops him."
I wait as other vehicles arrive—more of our men, Stavros Petrou's crew in two SUVs, and finally a few black cars full of George Zervas's men.
I walk over to Dimitri as he approaches, his good arm clutching a handgun.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I demand, keeping my voice low.
He meets my gaze without flinching. "They took her from right in front of me. I was bleeding on the fucking floor while they dragged her out."
"That's not your fault."
"Doesn't matter if it is or isn't. I'm here."
I grip his good shoulder. "Dimitri, it's too dangerous for you to go in with just one arm. I won't risk your life too."
"Fuck that. I'm not sitting this out," he says in a firm tone.
"I'm not asking you to. I need someone I trust watching our backs while we go in."
Dimitri hesitates, then nods slowly. "Fine. But I'm not just sitting in the damn car."
"Of course you're not. I need you to coordinate the perimeter teams. Make sure nobody gets out, especially not with Katerina," I say.
I turn to our assembled forces. Twenty-five to thirty men, maybe more, all armed and waiting for the order. I signal them to gather closer.
"Listen up," I say, loud enough for them to hear. "My wife is being held inside. Most likely in the basement level. The building has multiple entrances—front, kitchen, loading dock, and probably a service door."
I point to different groups. "Stavros's men, take the east side. Zervas's, the west. Our teams will hit the front and back simultaneously." I look at Dimitri. "Dimitri will coordinate from here. Nobody—and I mean nobody—gets out of that building without going through one of you first."
I turn to Theo. "You and I are going in the front."
Theo raises an eyebrow. "They'll see us coming."
"That's the point."
I check my weapons one final time. In the distance, the restaurant glows against the darkening sky, its lights reflecting off the sea beyond. Somewhere inside those walls, Katerina is waiting. Afraid, possibly hurt, but alive. I have to believe that.
We all move into position.
"Three," I announce.
I draw my gun, preparing to kill every man who stands between me and what's mine.
"Two."
I visualize her face—not frightened as she was in the video, but fierce and defiant as she so often is with me.
"One."
I think of her lips on mine, her body beneath me, her voice saying my name in the darkness.
"Go."
We move as one, a synchronized wave of black-clad figures descending on the restaurant from all sides.
I lead the charge straight for the front door, Theo keeping pace on my right, some of my men on the left.
A single guard, away from the others taking a piss on a tree, spots us too late. He frantically reaches for his weapon, but my shot drops him before his hand touches steel. He stumbles forward, hitting the trees and falling into the puddle he's no better than.
Then we hear gunfire erupt. We look around and see Zervas's men firing. Another guard runs in our direction and manages to fire a wild shot before I put two bullets in his chest and drop him.
Suddenly the ground rumbles and a loud explosion is heard to our left.
"What the fuck," Theo says. "Was that a bomb?"
"Son of a bitch has explosives. Be careful," I say to my brother, and loud enough for the men with us to hear.
We watch as a few of the men guarding the front split off around the building, going after Zervas and Petrou's men.
I look back and point to some of my men. "You guys—and all of you—fan out. Don't hesitate to kill. We're," I motion between my brother and me, "walking in that fucking front door."
They nod and separate from us, moving away on either side.
Theo and I advance, and two guards start shooting at us.
They take down one of my men on the left, but we all return fire and the first guy's head explodes.
The other one grabs his neck as blood starts pouring out.
I'm not sure who took who out, but they're dead—and that's all that matters.
We continue moving slowly, surrounded by the sounds of gunfire. It seems everyone we came here with is closing in and locked in their own fights. I see a mixture of ours and Sebastian's men falling, but not me. I will not die until I reach my wife and take out everyone who's responsible.
"Those bushes up ahead—go," I say and start running, Theo never leaving my side.
We slide down just as a man comes out the front door shooting into the dark.
He takes a few steps forward and as soon as he's even with me, I pop up, place my gun a few inches away from the side of his head—just above his left ear—and pull the trigger.
I feel a wet spray come across my face and his blood squirts everywhere.
As he goes to fall, I catch him and push him forward.
I let out a yell as I rush the front entrance, using his body as a shield as I crash through the front door of Sebastian Makris's domain. The man's body shakes as men inside open fire.
I push the man forward and Theo is right beside me, firing in quick succession. I see the eyes of four men turn black and leave this earth.
Another explosion rocks the building and I lose my footing, falling to one knee as a man comes into view. I don't even try to get up. I aim and fire twice—my bullets ripping through the thickest part of his thigh and the other piercing his heart, causing him to crumple to the floor instantly.
"Katerina! I am here!" I yell, reloading my gun and getting back up.
"Behind the bar!" Theo shouts, and I turn and feel a burning sensation on my right arm. We both fire, and the man crashes into glasses and falls to the ground.
"Shit," I say and look down at my arm.
"You hurt?" Theo asks.
"No. Grazed."
As I lift my head, I'm knocked down to the floor, and a man is on top of me brandishing a knife. I flip him over and grab his hands.
"I can't get a shot," Theo says as we roll around on the floor.
"Fuck you," the man says to me as he tries to stab me.
Katerina's face flashes before my eyes and I pull strength from deep within and turn the knife on the man. Since I'm on top of him, I lean into him, using everything I have. Slowly the knife slides down.
I hear him screaming as the blade slides into his eye socket as easily as a warm knife cuts into butter.
The man goes limp and I stand, the handle sticking out of his left eye. I pick up my gun and look around the room. A few of our men make it inside.
"Our team in the back has made it in," one of them says.
"Good. Go help them. We're going down."
They nod and run off.
We make our way through the restaurant, past the half-eaten food and drinks.
"Were Sebastian and his men eating before we arrived? Enjoying themselves while my wife was tied up downstairs?" I ask my brother in a soft tone, anger simmering.
"Don't worry. We'll fucking kill them for it," he says.
Just then a woman falls out of a small closet onto the ground and screams.
"Don't fucking move!" Theo roars, scanning the room. "Hands where I can see them!"
She complies immediately, raising her hands. "Please, please don't kill me," she says through tears.
I kneel down in front of her. "Where is she?" I demand. "Where's Makris keeping her?"
The woman stammers, her face white with fear. "D…downstairs. There's a hidden door. Please, I didn't do any of this."
"You being here, knowing my wife was down there, is enough for me to end your life. But luck is on your side. Get the fuck out of here," I say.
I've done a lot of things in my life. Killing a woman isn't something I want added.
She hurries to her feet, leaving her heels behind, and runs outside crying.
Gunfire erupts from the kitchen—our rear team and the men I sent, engaging with our enemy—but I tune it out, focused only on finding the stairs.
"Ares," Theo calls, keeping pace beside me. "Left!"
I turn to see three armed men emerging from a door.
They freeze when they spot us, then raise their weapons.
I dive behind a column as bullets chip the marble where I stood a second earlier.
Theo returns fire, dropping one. I lean out and take down the remaining two, my aim true to their throats.
As I watch them crumble, blood pouring out, I see what's behind them.
"Stairs," I say, pointing to the doorway the men just emerged from.
We move toward it, stepping over bodies. Someone shoots from inside and I jump back. Theo steps in front of me and fires three times until his gun clicks, then steps back to reload.
"Got the asshole," he says, shoving a new clip into his gun. I pop my head through the door and see the stairwell leading down into darkness.
"Theo," I say, turning back to him. "Stay here."
"Excuse me?"
"I can't," I shake my head, "I can't risk your life. It's pitch black down there. We don't know how many men stand in our way. I couldn't protect Dad," I say, wiping my—or someone else's—blood from my face, "hell, even Katerina," but I don't finish.
"Ares. It's never been your job to protect. And up until recently, it wasn't your job to lead. If my wife was down there, would you come with me?"
"You don't even need to ask."
"Well, then let's fucking go. We're Kastaris. We live as one, and if the man upstairs wishes it, we'll die as one."
Theo cocks his gun. "Let's go get her back."
I stare down into that darkness and then I hear it.
A muffled scream.
My entire body locks up.
It's her.
"Katerina!" I yell, my voice raw, primal. "I'm coming!"
I pause for a moment, allowing my rage and anger to make me see red.
"And to the rest of you fuckers down there—"
I step forward into the shadows with one thought on my mind:
I'm going to cause every enemy down there so much fucking pain, their soul will beg to leave their body. They took my wife. Now I'm taking their lives.