Chapter 37 Nocturne #2
To say he wasn't happy about Brodie and I, would be the understatement of the fucking century.
But we came to an understanding after hours of planning, arguing, and having an imaginary pissing contest. It was needed to rid us of Volokov and Graves.
Strictly between the two of us. He turns to look over at her, the warmth seems to instantly form again when she's the center of his focus.
“I’m sorry I couldn't tell you Brodie. It would have risked too much - risked you.”
My muscles relax when the betrayal I once saw in her eyes doesn’t form, I’ll never forget what it looked like when she stormed back into my life.
I know deep down she’s still dealing with the hurt.
But after everything, I know she realizes it was all necessary.
And I was willing to do anything to keep her safe, even give my life for her own.
But the memory still weighs heavy on me.
“Come on,” I say, bringing them both back into the now.
“Graves is still breathing.” I head out first, Brodie in the back and flanked by her father.
I edge out the door, gun aimed. Adam and Hawk are still standing outside.
Brodie follows behind me, the guys both grabbing a shoulder each to greet her.
Hawk is rambling on about her running away on her own, Adam bobbing his head in agreement like one of those car bulldog decorations.
Hawk turns his attention to the three of us. “We're keeping watch out here for reinforcements, Phantom and Rhain are on the roof. Hunter needs support for the back-”
The captain cuts in, “I'll head up and clear.” Hawk nods, giving him directions to get to the checkpoint. The captain turns to Brodie and me. “He's still inside, likely further through the back,” and I nod. He squeezes his daughter’s hand, then eyes shift to me. “You look after my daughter, Nocturne. Or I’ll have your fucking balls.”
Normally I would respond to that with a look of indifference, but there’s a hint of a plea in his eyes, even with the mild threat.
“With my life, Captain.” He tilts his head firmly, then strides the other way to get into position.
I reach my arm out to pull Brodie flush to front, my arm clutching her chest, the other gliding down to grip her waist as I whisper in her ear, “Ready to go hunting, Malyshka?”
I feel the wicked grin form from the side of her face, “Always.”
We stalk the outside of the building. The access to the secondary building was sealed when the factory closed - all the brick cemented to form a barrier - so we needed to take the scenic route.
Orange flames dance along the path, the truck Phantom blew up as a distraction still a raging inferno as the odd crack of bullets echoes in the distance.
The light and heat waltzes as we edge through the darkness.
The battered door creaking against its hinges as we enter.
A stench of staleness and damp assaults my nostrils deeper into the building; the place has clearly been left to fester in the darkness.
The only light able to penetrate the space is from the moon and the remains of the burning truck, the radiance peaking through the high up windows.
The old engine room yawns far ahead towards the open water.
Corroded steel pillars stretch across and make archways in the middle of the concrete floor.
Water droplets crashing into formed puddles is the only sound that cuts through the silence.
Every surface bears the murk of shadows. Like my favorite playground.
I throw my hands signs up, signaling to Brodie to stay behind the pillars with me and to follow my lead.
The beams are wide enough we can both fit behind - with backs pressed together so she can cover my six, and I can scope ahead.
My eyes drag across the floor, adjusting into the dark - no movement.
I sidestep across the floor, gun slowly swaying back and forth as I scan the area.
When I secure the next pillar, I motion for her to follow me.
Instead of following me, a sinister smile spreads across her face.
She steps backwards behind the steel, slowly slinking underneath the walkway, and disappears into the dimness.
I bite back a curse; that shouldn't turn me on how at one with the darkness she is right now. One I brought her into. But mostly, she just fucking disobeyed my order. And the wicked look she tossed me shouldn’t have sent a thrill to my dick - she’ll pay for that later.
My teeth grind, and my head snaps forward as I stealthily creep forward, watching for anything that might give away my position on the ground.
My eyes continuously dart over to Brodie.
When I approach the middle of the factory, I hang back until I can see her reach the next pillar.
My pace is slower than it normally would be - always making sure she’s in my peripheral vision.
A sharp clatter echoes around the walls, causing my ears to prick back and my movements to stall.
My head and gun snap to the source, and my breathing jams, eyes fixating on every point where I saw her two minutes ago - and where she should be.
My pulse begins to accelerate as I edge into the wide-open center, then I stop. One foot still suspended in the air.
Brodie moves forward with a feline grace, the delicate light allowing a glimpse of her.
My lungs release gradually - she's gonna give me a fucking heart attack. I lift the sight back to eye level, deciding it's better to let her get in front - scanning ahead of her. We’re almost at the edge of the building, and my aim pauses when a faint wisp of black blinks into the sight’s periphery.
My senses heighten, and the scope drops from my eye, my fingers gripping tighter around the foregrip.
Then I hear it - a burst of debris being disturbed underneath a pair of feet. An icy malice pours in my bones.
My feet lunge through the wide open space, slinging my rifle behind me as I transition to my Glock.
I press my back to the pillar, giving it a beat before stepping out – aim focused straight ahead.
I falter when I don't see her, a howl now forming beneath my skin as frenzy threatens to breach within me.
My eyes shift to the archway, towards the gaping threshold leading to a small dock.
The moonlight strains on the ground as its glare is broken by a silhouette.
Graves has his hand around Brodie's mouth and nose, gun at her head as he drags her towards it.
Black ire is now forming deep inside me, the smog elevating to wrap around and consume me - I’ve skipped being angry, I’m approaching apoplectic.
A deadly prowl takes my form, inching ten feet behind them, my exterior demeanor a lot fucking calmer than the chaos triggering inside me, waiting for the hatch on it to blow. My voice cuts through the silence.
“You're touching something that doesn't belong to you, Graves.”
He stiffens, his body locking on the spot with his back to me. My eyes focus on Brodie's shoulders, the quick succession of rise and falls as she struggles to breath with the clamp he has on her airways.
Graves whips them both round, and his eyes are wild and uncivilized.
The whites in his pupils are a stark contrast to the ink-coated room around us.
He looks like a feral beast, caught in the snare and ready to chew his own leg off for freedom.
This is this man's one last reckless move, and I need to approach a cornered animal with caution.
No matter how much my hands ache to grab her, I need to keep my feet cemented to the ground.
“Well, well. Didn't take you long to catch up with your bitch, did it Nocturne?” His words come out rushed, like he’s tangled in his inner hysteria.
My knuckles bleed white with how hard I grip the handle of the Glock, and I lift my fingers over the carbon to stop myself shooting this bastard too early.
“I’m always watching, Commander. Always got eyes on you.
Volokov's had it that way for the past four years.” I add a wink, and it’s a daring move given the situation we’re in.
But the way his cheeks flare scarlet against the moon's glow has a satisfied smirk crawling up the side of my face.
“Fuck you! I knew he had you doing his dirty work for him, like a cheap lacky. Volokov had served his purpose. Nyx, here, did me a favor taking him out. And besides…” he shoves his face close to hers, and I notice her eyes have started to go unfocused as he moves his grip to her throat.
She drags in a gust of air to refill her lungs.
“She’s helped me set it all in motion.” He presses his nose right against her ear, allowing me to creep forward.
Her eyes fight to look at me, trying to plead with me to help her.
I'm here, Malyshka.
“She didn't follow her superior’s orders, therefore, option one is about to stain your soul for the rest of your pathetic life.” He switches limbs, armed hand pressing against her neck whilst the other digs into this pocket, pulling a burner phone and hitting a dial.
He holds it in the air, like a fucking trophy as the dial tone bleeds into the atmosphere.
Fuck. The realization washes over me that Virginia may no longer exist.
I can only fucking hope James managed to get to it in time.
When Brodie realizes what he's done, her eyes widen as she bucks wildly in his hold. Her hands shoot beneath her vest, dragging out a knife from the pocket, and reaching behind her to stab his side. I pounce, two shots crack through the air as he clutches the blade in his side. My hand already at his shoulder - his gun now aiming for Brodie as I grip his forearm. It’s followed by the snapping of joints and tendons, my force ripping his shoulder from the socket.