Chapter 35 – Elijah
35
ELIJAH
W e were in the car, having just left the office after meeting with Nikolai to pick up the files and records I had been working on a few days before Zanae’s surprise. She was at the café catching up with her friend Miranda, so we were patiently waiting for her to return.
“So, Eli, about that tattoo we were supposed to get...”
Nikolai had to bring up the damn tattoo again.
I grunted, “Don’t remind me, Niko.”
His hand found its way on my shoulder. “Come on, Volkov. It could be the best thing ever, our initials next to our hearts.”
I looked at him and with the most sarcastic tone ever I answered, “That’s right, because nothing says ‘brotherhood’ like our names on each other’s heart.”
He laughed. “You’re a softie now, so maybe it’s the right time to ask.”
“Keep pushing Niko, and I might reconsider that punch I owe you.”
Zanae strolled out of the café, grinning beautifully. She waved at the car next to us, our guards nodded to salute her in return, and with curiosity she asked, “Why do you want to punch him this time?”
Nikolai spilled, “Just discussing our missed opportunity for matching tattoos.”
“Matching tattoos? Seriously?”
I shrugged, “It was his idea, Little nightmare. ”
Nikolai insisted, “Yeah, but you were totally on board, Elijah.”
The truth is, I was never on board for this; in fact, I hated the idea. “Niko, listen to me, the day I die, you can do that.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Don’t make me kill you just to see that, Elijah.”
“You’ll have to try it, Nikolai.”
“Never, I love you way too much to kill you, my Pakhan.”
“You little asshole.”
Zanae raised an eyebrow, tilting her head like she was studying us.
“Are you guys in love?”
My gaze found her and softened when I saw her smile. “Don’t listen to him. Are you ready to go home?”
She grinned. “I am, let’s go.”
Nikolai nodded. “I mean, you’re not always going to have a sexy man like Elijah behind the wheel.”
I shot him a warning gaze, “Moretti, I might leave you on the side of the road, all while keeping the wheels turning.”
Zanae giggled, grabbing my hand. “Don’t do this, we need him, Elijah.”
Even when driving, I needed to touch her. So, I just would occasionally reach back to stroke her leg and kiss her hand when she puts it on my shoulders. Of course, Nikolai can’t let this slide without saying anything, “I swear, if you two don’t stop this shit, I might need a barf bag.”
This man was just here to be a hater. “Nikolai, one more word...”
Zanae laughed, “He’s stupid.”
The journey in the car felt brief.
We knew what was waiting for us today.
To successfully complete a mission, it is crucial to acknowledge the nerves running through our bodies before, during and maybe even after.
It takes more than a good strategy or determination; every detail is important. No negligence, impeccable coordination, and above all, trust .
It has to be precise and efficient. Flawless. This isn’t our first mission, but with Zanae and only two of our men, our options are limited. And I won’t risk her safety.
The pressure is so intense, knowing what’s at stake.
We’re at the penthouse, waiting for Ben and Brian, to join us on a video call.
I can feel Zanae’s determination, and worry too. This fucking organization stole her life away, her happiness, leaving only traumas and despair.
I want them gone with all my heart too, I need to know who’s sending me those gifts every year. If it’s not Elias, then it’s clearly the organization, but why?
Glancing back at my woman, I notice her drifting away, gazing at the sky through the window. This obsession with the sky is something I can’t help but link to my mother.
At times, it feels as though they never had the chance to meet in person, they still shared the same sky, the same nights, and the same stars.
In a way, they know each other.
In a way, my mother is still somewhere in the same sky I see every day.
I instinctively squeeze her hand to make her come back to me; she looks at me and with a small smile she says, “I’m good Elijah.”
I feel her pulse accelerating on her wrist, “Don’t lie to me Zanae, I know your body too damn well for that.”
Ben and Brian hop onto the video call, and we all gather around a big screen that lights up with their faces.
Benny smiles and says, “Let’s get started.”
I begin, “We’ve got one shot at this, and we need it to be clean during the intrusion. Naevio’s father, Lukas, will be alone at home on a specific day. No parties, just his guards and him.”
Niko nods, “That’s good to know. We don’t need unnecessary complications.”
Zanae points at the map behind us, “Elijah, you and Nikolai will lead your own team. We’ve identified the guard positions and entry points. You just have to take out the guards as you go.”
Niko smiles before adding, “Silent takedowns are our specialty.”
I nod toward Benny. “Ben, you’ll be on standby not far from the location. If anything goes wrong, we’ll need an immediate extraction. Medical assistance too if necessary. We never know.”
“I’ll be ready,” he replies.
Zanae comes back and sits beside me, “Brian, your focus is on the alarm systems and communication. Make sure our channels are secure, and we don’t raise any alarms.”
Typing on her keyboard Brian answers, “Got it covered. No alarms, no unwanted attention.”
Niko takes his serious tone and adds, “We’ve trained for this. It has to be perfect. Our goal is to eliminate the guards and extract any information that could lead us to Lukas’s involvement with the organization, or anything about that. So computers, paper documents, emails, anything.”
Zanae looks at the map again and talks to Brian, “Hey, any updates on the security system? We need to know if we can find any weaknesses in it.”
“I found a vulnerability in the north wing. If we exploit it, we should be able to bypass most of the security measures and shut down the alarms quite easily. The thing is someone’s going to have to enter from this point and follow all the way to the security block to do so. And Zanae you’re the only small one in the team to do that.”
I don’t like this.
Zanae nods, “It’s okay, as long as you guide me through the entry point.”
“Okay, I sent you something, copy that, Zee. So, you’ll be entering through the ventilation shaft on the west side from outside the complex. It’s a tight squeeze, but you should fit.”
I really don’t like this. Having her enter first can be so dangerous; I don’t even know if we can trust this Brian. “Are you sure about this, Milaya ? It’s too risky.”
She smiles at me and takes my hand in hers. “I’ve done riskier things, Elijah. Trust me.”
I have to trust her; I know she’s talented enough for this. She wants to participate and be treated like one of our soldiers, not like the woman I want to protect all my life.
My woman .
Brian points at the blueprints on the screen, “Zee, you’ll have to follow the shaft until you reach the main hallway here. From there, you’ll have a clear view of the guards in the north wing, and you’ll have access to the alarm system to shut it down manually.”
“Got it. Once I shut down the security system, I’ll open the door for the guys.”
I look at the map; it’s risky. But she’ll be at the other side from the door and if something happens, I’m just going to enter and kill everybody.
My eyes find hers, urging her to be safe. “Just be careful, Zanae. If anything goes wrong, abort the mission and get back outside immediately.”
“I promise.”
Niko gets up and leans against the wall. “Alright, don’t forget the big day is next week. We’ve got seven days to make sure everything is perfect.”
Zanae gives an enthusiastic nod while grabbing my arm. “7 days then.”
I let my hand rest on hers and add, “Can’t stress enough how crucial your training is, Milaya . You’ve made a lot of progress, but we need to polish your skills. I don’t want you to go there without being completely ready.”
Determination lights up her pretty eyes.
“I’m okay with that; I trust you.”
Nikolai smirks. “Great, then I’ll organize some hardcore training sessions for us.”
“Hardcore training? Good luck Zee,” Ben says before disappearing from the screen.
Brian laughs and whispers a small, “Bye,” before disappearing from the screen too.
“Oh, and Elijah, we’re squeezing in some time for that tattoo of ours.”
I shoot Niko a threatening gaze while Zanae chuckles against me and closes the laptop. “I swear Niko, say something again about this and I’m punching you.