Chapter Five
Bertha gasped and turned her head to stare at her sister.
Even her own son stared at her with horror in his eyes.”
Greta kept shaking her head as she denied this, “What are you talking about? I never did anything like that.”
Briar marched up to her and grabbed the locket from around Greta’s neck. “Then how the hell did you get her necklace? A necklace her father gave her on her wedding day? One with the family’s coat of arms?”
Felix stepped over to Greta and stared at the family crest on the pendant.
He reached out and took it in his hand. He gently rubbed his thumb across the crest. Raising his angry gaze up to Greta’s face, his eyes were cold and he growled under his breath.
“Explain this,” he commanded as he lifted the pendant.
“Explain to me how you have this pendant, because the last time I saw it, it was around Magna’s neck. ”
Greta swallowed hard but she pursed her lips together and didn’t say a word.
Felix growled then pushed her back. “No worries. We always get to the truth. Sergi will make you talk.” He ripped the pendant from her neck.
Greta cried out as she stumbled back in shock and the chain cut the back of her neck.
Felix wrapped his hand around the pendant.
Briar took a step back as her eyes were blank now. She had gone silent and she looked pale as she walked out of the warehouse. She joined Willy and Misha but didn’t say a word.
Now a van pulled up and Artem was driving. He got out of the van and rushed over to Briar. He grasped her shoulders and studied her face for a moment then wrapped his arms around her. He simply comforted her as he didn’t even bother to ask what happened. He just held her.
After a minute, she reached up and wrapped her arms around him too.
Viktor and the others came out with their prisoners.
The prisoners looked surprised to see Misha standing there free from restraints, out in the open.
Greta growled and began screaming again, this time she demanded to know how he got free.
Misha just shook his head. “With help from my friends I am free. Which is something you and yours will never have. Friends or freedom.”
Greta scoffed. “I’ve got friends. And they won’t let Sergi alone until my family is free. And when I get out, I will come back and crush Sergi under my heel.”
Felix shook his head. “Lady, you are crazy. Pavel was captured and the rest of your brothers were killed today. You have nothing left. The Bratva froze your money and we have toppled your cult. Both here and at home. You, your sister and Pavel will stand before the High Courts and be judged by the very men you tried to destroy.”
Greta looked shocked, then glanced at her son and her sister. Falling to her knees, she wailed and screamed, “No! I don’t accept this. They can’t do this. We are Dmitricoffs. They can’t treat us like common criminals!”
Briar stepped away from Artem and glared at her. “You are common criminals. Murders, thieves and fiends. You murdered my mother twenty years ago because of the baby in her belly. You killed both of them. Their blood is on your hands. I hope you are ready for the fires of hell.”
Greta scoffed. “You think we are defeated? No. We have more—”
Briar then did something no one saw coming... She spun around and kicked Greta in the mouth.
Greta fell over and blood rushed from her lips. “You bitch!” She screamed in her pain.
Felix stepped up and pulled Briar away. “Ok, that’s enough badassery, cuz.”
Viktor and the others got Greta, Bertha and Greta’s son loaded into the back of the van. Greta continued weeping as she kept muttering almost to herself, “You will all pay for this.”
Just as the door was secured another vehicle drove up.
Kirill was driving and as soon as he stepped out, he rushed over to Misha. “Are you alright? Your father was relieved to hear they found you but he’s in a hurry to get you back to the hotel.”
Misha nodded. “I’m a little bruised but I’ll live.” He turned to Willy. “Please come with me, Will. I owe you so much and it is way past time for the truth to be known.”
Willy looked down at the ground and shook his head.
“Even when the truth comes out, it isn’t going to change the last thirty years.
Anton can only die once and I don’t think it will be from attacking you.
It will be for treason against Russia, like Briar said.
” He looked up and smiled at his old friend.
“Besides, I did what I did because you and I were friends back then. I’m glad you survived that beating because I think the point behind it was your death.
The same family tried again and again, but they couldn’t do it.
” He drew himself up and held his hand out to Misha.
“What matters is that you lived through it.”
Misha stared at his hand then he reached out and grasped it with both of his. “That is only because of you. Please Will, please come back with me. Both me and my father have a lot to make up for, let us try?”
Willy shook his head. “You have nothing to make up for, my life changed, maybe not the way I envisioned but it wasn’t all bad. I met a lot of friends along the way.” He turned to Briar. “Including this one.”
Briar walked over to Willy and slid her arm around his.
“Mistakes were made years ago and many things were left unsaid, Willy. Don’t you think they finally need to be made right?
Things won’t change as far as the past is concerned but you might feel better.
You came here running from your past, you said your life changed, but one thing stands out.
You learned to survive every trial that was thrown at you.
Time and time again, you survived the cold of winter while living on nothing and yet you did it.
Be the bigger man and let them apologize for what happened all those years ago.
No, it won’t change your life but let what you suffered with mean something. Acknowledge it then let it go.”
Willy turned to her and asked, “You really think I should do it that way?”
Briar nodded.
Willy turned back to Misha. “Ok, I’ll come back with you for a little while.”
Just then, the Ghosts stepped out of hiding and they had the three men from the roof in their custody.
“You might want to take these three back with you,” one of them said. “We managed to get them before they knew we were even here. That was why they didn’t get a shot off.”
The three captured snipers were silent as they were loaded into the van holding Greta and her sister.
Misha smiled then he got into the car and slid over so Willy could slide in as well.
Willy paused but then he got into the vehicle.
Felix got in as well.
Briar slipped in next to Artem.
Viktor and the others climbed into their own vehicles.
In what turned out to be a small caravan, everyone drove away.