Chapter 33 #2
“The guys don’t look so bad either,” another one adds with a grin.
Yegor steps forward. “What the fuck did you say? Don’t come near us with that shit.”
The man laughs. “Oh, I like him feisty. I prefer boys anyway.”
I step to the front and put my hands up. “Gentlemen, please. We’ll delete the pictures right now. Then we’ll leave. This is just for a school project to help the community. We can make this place better.”
There’s a second of silence. Then they all start laughing.
“We don’t give a fuck about this place getting better,” one says. He reaches out and yanks Yulia toward him. “Come here, at least you can make our dicks wet.”
“No! Stop!” Larisa screams as another man grabs her.
“What the fuck are you doing?!” I shout. “We said we’d leave!”
The man holding Yulia grins. “I don't care about the pictures. We just want to have sex.”
I don’t wait. I reach into my jacket and pull out the gun Alexei made me carry. I point it up and fire twice.
BANG. BANG.
Everyone freezes.
“Leave them alone,” I say, my voice surprisingly did not shake. “Larisa, Yulia, get over here. Yegor, Kostya, behind me.”
They scramble over to me. But then a man on the sidelines stands up and squints at me.
“Wait. Does she look familiar?”
Another one looks closer. “Holy shit. Aren’t you that chick who always gets kidnapped?”
“What are they talking about?” Yulia whispers.
“Don’t listen to them,” I say. “Move. Now.”
“No,” the man shouts. “It’s true! Dato put a bounty on her head, I think about $10,000 for whoever gets her!”
Everything goes still for a heartbeat. Then the shouting starts. “Get her! We can get that money!”
They lunge toward us. I don't think - I just shoot.
BANG. A man drops, clutching his neck.
BANG. Another hits the ground.
BANG. A third one goes down.
“RUN!” I scream. “GO!”
We sprint. I can hear them chasing us. My heart is pounding so hard it hurts. Suddenly, my foot catches on a piece of trash, and I trip. I hit the ground hard, and the gun skids away across the dirt. Before I can move, a man is on top of me, his hands crushing my throat. I can’t breathe.
“Kostya!” Yegor yells from ahead. “Get the gun and shoot him!”
I look up. Kostya is standing right there, looking at the gun on the ground.
“Kostya!” Yegor shouts again.
Kostya follows my gaze to the gun. His smile widens. Then his boot slams into it, kicking it far out of reach. “That’s what you get.”
Then he turns and runs.
“WHAT THE FUCK?!” I hear Yegor’s voice fading as he keeps running with the girls.
The man on my neck leans down. His breath is disgusting. I’m starting to see spots. I pull my legs up and kick as hard as I can, right into his groin. He screams and rolls off. I scramble for the gun, grab it, and shoot him point-blank.
BANG.
I’m up and running again. I turn the corner and see Lev and Grigori with their guns drawn. “We heard shots,” Lev says. “We saw your friends. What happened?”
I’m gasping for air, clutching my throat. “Where is he? Where is that bitch Kostya?”
“What’s going on, ma’am?” Lev asks, his hand already on his gun.
I’m gasping for air, and my throat is burning. “Just go. We have to go now!” The shouting from the alley is getting louder and closer. “Don’t ask questions! Just drive!” I scream.
We run for the SUV. I rip the door open and see Yegor, Yulia, and Larisa already inside. They are huddled together in the back seat, looking completely terrified.
“Drive! Drive! Drive!” I shout as I jump in and slam the door.
Lev doesn't wait. He shifts into gear and the engine roars.
“Where’s Kostya?” Grigori asks, looking at the empty seat.
“We can’t talk about that now!” I yell. “We need to go!”
The first gunshots hit as the men from the alley run after us, shooting into the air and at the car while Lev floors it. We go speeding through the narrow streets so fast the tires are screeching on every turn as we swerve to dodge parked cars, trash cans, and anything else in the way.
A black car appears behind us, tailing us perfectly, and more gunshots hit the back of the SUV with a heavy thud that makes everyone jump.
“They’re shooting at us!” Yulia screams, covering her ears and ducking as low as she can.
Grigori takes action immediately, opening the sunroof and starting to aim his gun at the incoming car. While the black car swerves to avoid the bullets, it doesn’t pull away. Two more cars join in until there are three of them now, all firing at us at once.
“We need backup!” Grigori shouts into his earpiece. We’re under fire, and we need backup in the south district near the textile factories!"
Lev is weaving through traffic, cutting corners, and driving over curbs. The SUV skids sideways. My phone starts ringing in my pocket. It's Alexei.
I answer it with shaking hands. “Alexei…”
“Vedma, are you okay?” His voice is tight and scary. “Hold on. I’m coming myself.”
“No, just send…”
“I’m coming with everyone I have,” he growls. “I’m going to fucking murder these people.”
The line cuts out just as a bullet shatters the back window, making glass spray all over us.
“I’m sorry!” Yulia sobs. “I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have taken those pictures! This is all my fault!”
“It’s not your fault,” I say, though my own voice is trembling.
Tears track down Larisa’s cheeks, stark against her bloodless skin. “I shouldn’t have come here,” she chokes out. “I shouldn’t have…”
“Stop!” I grab her hand and squeeze it. “It’s not your fault either.”
I can see the main road ahead and realize we’re almost out when I spot a convoy of ten black SUVs and military trucks led by Alexei, who is coming with everyone he has. But just as we reach the edge of safety, the tire explodes with a violent BANG, and the whole SUV starts to swerve.
We’re going too fast for Lev to keep control as the SUV skids sideways and the world tilts, sending us flipping once and then twice with the sound of metal crunching and everyone screaming until we hit something and finally come to a stop.
I’m upside down, and the pain is everywhere as I try to move but can’t, feeling the blood run down my face.
I can hear Larisa crying and Yegor groaning while Yulia stays silent. Lev and Grigori remain completely still in the front. My vision starts to blur. I hear footsteps and voices shouting. Someone rips the door open and starts pulling me out. I try to fight them, but I’m too weak.
Then everything fades to black.