Chapter 23 - Lev
The moonlight glints off the snow as we creep through the Aspen woods toward Lenny's massive log cabin. My breath plumes in the freezing air. Boris glances back and puts a finger to his lips, signaling silence. I nod, my nerves on edge. We've done ops like this countless times before, but each time still feels dangerous.
We reach the perimeter fence. The snow falls lightly on the pine trees, casting a serene, almost deceivingly peaceful atmosphere around Lenny's Aspen holiday home.
"Are we ready?" I ask, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.
"Always," Damien nods briefly.
Boris signals to his men. One of them clips a device to the metal links, frying the security system. A minute later, the gate swings open. We share a knowing look; this is personal, and failure is not an option.
We rush through, boots crunching on the snow-dusted driveway. At the front door, an associate picks the lock in seconds. Too easy. As we slide inside, the hairs on my neck stand up. Something's off. It’s too quiet here. There isn’t a single light on. There are no security guards, no gatekeeper, and no watchman.
"Split up," Boris orders quietly. "Search every room. Find the money and any sign of Lenny."
"Got it," Damien and I murmur in unison. I gesture to my men. We disperse, each taking a different direction. As I search the rooms, I can't shake the feeling that my gut is trying to warn me about something. Lenny might be short-sighted, but he's not stupid.
He wouldn’t leave this house without any security measures, would he? Not when he knows we’re on his tail. This makes it too easy as a target.
Why would he allow that?
The men fan out, clearing each room efficiently. Tension coils in my gut. Where's the cash? Where's Lenny? We find nothing but empty guest bedrooms and a massive kitchen.
Back at the foyer, Boris meets my gaze, jaw tight. "He knew we were coming," I mutter.
“You think?” Damien looks at me, like I just stated the obvious.
“Let’s just take another look around,” Boris tells us. “We have come all the way after all.”
We nod. “Check drawers, cupboards, under the bed, any hiding place you can find,” Boris instructs us.
"Any luck?" I ask over the comms, frustration creeping into my voice.
"Nothing," my right-hand man Daniil replies, his tone equally agitated. "This rat's nest is empty."
"Keep searching," Boris says, ever the voice of reason. "He has to be here somewhere."
“On it, Boss.”
Damien and I go in to join the others while Boris keeps asking for updates.
"Dammit!" I curse under my breath as another room turns up empty. The tension in the air is palpable, suffocating even.
"Focus, Lev," Damien's voice crackles through the comms. "We'll find him."
"God help him when we do," I mutter, fury driving me forward as I continue my search for the man who dared to cross us.
"Boris, Lev, over here!" Damien's voice cuts through the tense silence. I rush to join him in what appears to be a study, my heart pounding with anticipation. Boris joins me moments later. Our men surround us, peeking in through the door, curious at what’s happening.
"Look," he says, pointing at a pile of cash on the desk. Our eyes meet, excitement surging through us, but it's short-lived. We count the cash. It’s around a hundred grand. The amount is nowhere near the ten million Lenny stole from us.
"Where is that bastard?" I growl, slamming my fist against the wall. The pain barely registers, my anger far too strong.
"Guys, this doesn't add up," Boris chimes in. "Lenny knows better than to leave money just sitting out like this."
"Exactly my point." I glare at the pile of cash, my suspicion growing by the second. "He's playing games with us."
"Or leading us astray," Damien adds, his tone equally suspicious. "Trying to buy time or set us up."
"Wouldn't put it past him," I mutter, running a hand through my hair.
“But what is his end game?” Boris mutters under his breath, trying to think. “What is he playing at?”
“Pack the money,” Damien instructs two men. “The rest of you. Keep looking for hiding spots.
Some disappear, others remain by our sides. While the money is being packed, I check the shelves, the walls, and the floors, for concealed hiding spots. Just then, my phone beeps. I would have ignored it, but it’s the special alert I have set for family.
I glance down at the screen, and my heart lurches when I see Pippa's name.
"Hello! If you receive this message, I need your help. Can you access my GPS location?" her automated text reads, the urgency of the message sending a spike of panic through me.
Rage rises in me like bile. That bastard Lenny took our money, lured us here, and now he has Pippa too? If he lays one finger on her pretty little head, I'll skin him alive.
"Guys," I shout, my voice urgent. "I just got a text from Pippa. She needs help."
"Let me see." Boris snatches the phone from my hand, his eyes scanning the message before passing it back to me. “That son of a bitch!” Boris slams his fist on the wall.
Anxiety courses through me. Fear. If anything happens to her… For the first time in my life, I can’t think straight.
“Lenny's been using this house to distract us so he could get to Pippa!" Boris says.
"Damn him!" Damien growls, slamming his fist into the wall. "We need to move, now!"
"Agreed," Boris says, visibly fuming. "We'll find them and make Lenny pay for this."
"Anoushka, Robin, Genevieve…" I mutter, my heart dropping like a stone in my chest. "Boris, we need to make sure they’re safe too."
"Already on it," he replies, his voice strained as he quickly directs his men. "Check on the other family members!"
Less than a minute later, one of the men returns, his face pale and grim. "We've checked on everyone else. They're fine. But Anoushka… she's missing."
"Damn it!" Boris curses, slamming his fist into the wall.
"Let's not waste any more time," Damien brings us back to focus, his gaze moving between Boris and me. "We have two people to save and one snake to crush."
***
"Alright, we need a plan," Boris states, his voice authoritative as we gather around the table in our makeshift headquarters in our private jet on the way back to Pilladelphia. I can feel the tension and urgency radiating from all in the Bratva. We're united by a single purpose: finding Pippa and Anoushka.
"Staring at this map won't make them appear," Damien remarks dryly, tapping the screen displaying Pippa's last known GPS location. "We need to track down Lenny's hideout."
"Let's start with what we know," I suggest, my mind racing through possibilities. "Lenny has connections to several shady businesses in the area. It's possible he's using one of them as a front."
"True," Boris agrees, his brow furrowing in concentration. "But we can't afford to waste time checking out every single one. We need to narrow it down."
"Right," Damien says. "Let's use our network. We have eyes and ears all over the city. Someone must've seen or heard something."
"Good thinking," I reply, already pulling out my phone to send a message to our most trusted contacts. I type quickly, each word fueled by determination and rage. "Spread the word—we want any information on Lenny's whereabouts, and we want it now."
"Meanwhile, I'll work on tracking Pippa's GPS signal," one of the tech-wizards chimes in, fingers flying across his laptop keyboard. "It's been a while since she sent that text, but maybe we can still trace it back to her current location."
As we work, I can't help but think of Pippa's laughter, her warm presence filling my days with light. I imagine her bound and scared, and it’s a frightening, scary thought. I think of Anoushka, my sister, my light. What if he breaks them?
"Got something," Boris announces, his eyes scanning a message on his phone. "One of our informants spotted Lenny visiting an abandoned warehouse near the docks earlier today."
"Sounds promising," I say, my pulse quickening. "Let's gear up the moment we land and pay that place a visit."
"Wait," Damien cautions, holding up a hand. "We can't just barge in there without a plan. We need to be smart about this."
"Fine," I snap, impatience boiling under my skin. "What do you suggest?"
"Surveillance first," he replies, his voice steady. "We'll scope out the place and see if we can spot any signs of Pippa and Anoushka or Lenny's goons. Once we know what we're dealing with, we can formulate a plan of attack."
"Agreed," Boris says, nodding. "We'll move as soon as we have enough intel."