20. Aleksandras
T he fluorescent light buzzes softly above me as I sit on the edge of the cot, staring at the floor of my cramped cell. Today’s the day. Five grueling months of this case, and it’s finally coming to an end. At least for me. Victor will continue his legal battle, but today is my last day in this hellhole.
I run my hands down my face, trying to shake off the weight pressing on me. The day I signed the plea deal, my entire life shifted. It wasn’t just about testifying. It was about giving up everything I knew, walking away from the person I was, and becoming someone new. Witness protection. A clean slate. That’s what Katelyn fought for, and somehow, she got it.
It wasn’t supposed to go this way. Detective Collins told me what they initially planned to offer me a bullshit deal. Two years inside, with the possibility of parole after one. A slap on the wrist compared to what I was facing, but still a prison sentence. Still another year, maybe more, of looking over my shoulder, waiting for one of Victor’s guys to take me out. It was better than nothing, but it wasn’t freedom. Not really.
But Katelyn... Christ, Katelyn. Collins said she stormed into his office the second she heard about the deal. Told them it was an insult, that my testimony was worth more than they were giving me. He said she fought like a bulldog, refusing to back down, refusing to settle for anything less than a full pardon and a fresh start.
I still don’t know how she did it, how she convinced them I was worth the risk. But somehow, she did. She didn’t just get me a reduced sentence. She got them to wipe my slate clean and give me a new identity. Aleksandras Kazlauskas is as good as dead. It’s ironic, really. My life started over the day I met her, and now it’s starting over again because of her. When this is over, I’ll be a free man. No charges. No prison. Just...a new life.
That’s the part that feels the heaviest. My new life. The unknown. I’ve spent so long living in the shadows, staying inconspicuous and under the radar. I don’t know how to be someone else, how to live a life that doesn’t come with strings or debts or danger lurking around every corner. But for her, I’ll figure it out. I have to. She fought like hell to give me this chance. The least I can do is make it worth something.
The clink of keys pulls me from my thoughts. A moment later, Detective Collins steps into the room. “Big day,” he says, leaning casually against the wall.
I nod. “Yeah. Let’s get it over with.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Here’s how it’s gonna work. You’ll be transported under heavy guard straight to the courthouse. No detours, no stops. Once you’re done testifying, you’ll be taken back to the safe house, where you’ll stay until we think it’s safe to move you.”
“And after that?” I ask, even though I already know the answer. I want to hear it. My brain needs the confirmation.
“After that, you’ll be relocated. New state, new name, new everything. Witness protection doesn’t cut corners, but it’s on you to stick to the rules. No contact with anyone from your old life. That means no friends, no family...and no Katelyn.”
The last part hits like a punch to the gut, but I don’t let it show. “Where am I going?”
“That’s classified for now. All you need to know is that it won’t be anywhere near California. Victor’s reach extends too far here. The fewer people who know your whereabouts, the safer you’ll be.”
“And how long do I stay in the safe house?”
“Depends on how things shake out. If Victor gets put away for life, the heat will die down faster. But if he walks, or if any of his associates decide to make a move, it could take months. Maybe longer.”
Months? I press my lips into a thin line, nodding. “And the transport today? How secure is it?”
“Secure enough that even Victor’s best men couldn’t get close. You’ll be escorted by a convoy, and the courthouse will be locked down tighter than a drum. The only thing you need to focus on is telling the truth when you’re up there.”
Telling the truth. That’s the easy part. It’s living with the consequences that’s harder.
Collins watches me for a moment, his expression showing a hint of concern. “You nervous?”
“No,” I lie. “Just ready to move on.”
He nods, pushing off the wall. “Good. A van will pick you up in twenty minutes. Be ready.”
As the door closes behind him, I sit back on the cot, staring at the blank walls. Twenty minutes until I face Victor in court. Twenty minutes until I help tear down the empire that’s been haunting me for years.
And then, after all that, I’ll disappear. A new life. A new name. A new everything.
But no Katelyn.
It’s the right thing to do. It’s what she wanted for me. Freedom, safety, and a second chance. And I owe her that much. Hell, I owe her everything. But that doesn’t make it any easier to let her go.
MY LEGS FEEL LIKE LEAD as the guard escorts me down the cold, sterile hallway toward the courtroom. Each step drags, my ankles weighed down not just by the cuffs, but by the weight of what’s about to happen.
The second I step inside, the air shifts. It’s icy, hostile, thick with tension. My eyes immediately find him. Victor. He’s sitting at the defense table, his face a mask of barely contained fury. His eyes lock on me, burning with a mixture of surprise and rage. It’s not disbelief; Victor’s too smart for that. It’s something worse. Betrayal. With the exception of Bowman, I was probably the last person he ever expected to turn on him.
For a split second, doubt creeps in. I can feel his glare cutting through me, a silent promise of retaliation. My gut churns, and for a brief moment, I think about backing out. With the way Victor’s sneering at me, I might not even make it out of this courtroom alive, much less to the safe house.
But then my eyes shift, and I see her. Katie. She’s sitting in the gallery, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her face is calm, controlled, but I can see the strain in her posture. She’s trying so hard to keep it together, but I know her well enough to see the cracks beneath the surface. She’s terrified for me, for what this means.
And I realize, I can’t let her down. Not after everything she’s done to get me here. She pulled strings I didn’t even know existed, made deals, took risks. All to give me a chance at a life I didn’t think I deserved. She’s my salvation, and I can’t let her down.
I square my shoulders and take a deep breath as I step onto the witness stand. The bailiff approaches, holding out a Bible, and I place my hand on it.
“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”
“I do,” I say, my voice neutral even as my heart pounds like a jackhammer.
I sit down, the chair creaking slightly beneath me. The prosecution doesn’t waste a second, diving straight into the questions.
“Mr. Kazlauskas, how long have you been associated with Victor Salazar?”
“I started at seventeen...and got arrested at twenty-one, so about four years.”
“And during those four years, what was your role within his organization?”
“I started off running small errands. Moving cash, delivering messages. Later, I got pulled into thefts, robberies...some hijackings. Eventually, I was managing shipments and overseeing security for some of his operations. But shipping wasn’t my primary role.”
“What kind of shipments are we talking about?”
I shift in my seat, my eyes flicking to Victor. He’s staring me down, but I don’t flinch. “Weapons. Drugs. Sometimes other things.”
The lawyer narrows his eyes. “What do you mean by other things ?”
I exhale slowly. “I suspected it might include people. Human trafficking. I saw...signs of it. Young girls loitering in the warehouse. I didn’t handle those shipments directly, so I wasn’t sure what was going on. I got arrested before I found out anything concrete. All I know is that those girls had no business being in that warehouse.”
There’s a ripple of murmurs through the courtroom, but the lawyer doesn’t let up. “So, you’re saying you had no direct involvement in the trafficking?”
“That’s right,” I confirm. “But I knew enough to know Victor was running that part of the operation, just like everything else.”
The lawyer moves on. “Let’s talk about Victor’s other crimes. How many murders are you aware of?”
My stomach twists, but I force myself to keep my composure. “Dozens. Maybe more.”
“And your involvement in these murders?”
“Victor committed most of them himself. Some he just gave orders to take them out. I helped...cover things up. Disposal of bodies, cleaning up crime scenes. I didn’t pull the trigger, but I’m not innocent.”
The lawyer nods, jotting something down before continuing. “And these bodies you disposed of? How many are we talking?”
“Uh...for me...fifteen...at least.”
The courtroom murmurs again, the tension thick in the air. I glance at Victor, his jaw tight, his eyes filled with venom. But I keep going, because I have to. Because this is the only way to keep Katelyn safe and make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone else.
The prosecutor straightens, his tone shifting slightly. “Mr. Kazlauskas, is there any doubt in your mind that Victor Salazar was the one giving the orders for these crimes?”
“None. Victor controlled everything. Nothing happened without his approval.”
There’s a pause, the lawyer letting my words sink in before moving on to the next question. But in that moment, I feel the weight of every word I’ve said. Every crime I’ve confessed to. Every secret I’ve exposed. It’s like peeling back layers of rot, one by one, exposing the ugly truth underneath.
And Katie’s there, listening to every despicable thing I’ve done.
My gaze flickers to her, but I can’t hold it. She’s keeping her face neutral, but I know better. She’s hearing it all—the thefts, the robberies, the murders I helped cover up. The kind of darkness no one like her should ever have to confront.
This is why I lost my shit when she came to see me, why I told her to leave. Because she had the audacity to suggest there was a chance for us. That we could have a future.
That angered me more than anything because I know that chance doesn’t exist. Not for me. Not for us. Just the possibility of us being together scared me more than Victor did because I know I’ll never be the type of man she needs. She’s pure, untainted by the filth I’ve waded through. She’s light, and I’m the shadow that would snuff it out.
I hate that she’s here, hearing this. Hate that she’s getting a front-row seat to the monster I’ve spent my life becoming. I told her to forget me for a reason. She deserves so much more than I could ever offer her.
I force myself to look at her again, and the sight nearly breaks me. Her hands are clasped tightly in her lap. Her lips are pressed into a thin line, and her eyes stay fixed on the prosecutor. She’s doing everything she can to look unaffected, but I see the cracks.
I start to wonder if she hates me now, if she regrets fighting for me.
She should.
I grip the edge of the stand, my fingers digging into the wood. This testimony is the last piece of the deal. The last thing I owe before I disappear forever. And if it means she gets to move on, free from the weight of my mistakes, then I’ll keep going. I’ll bare it all.
The prosecutor clears his throat, ready to continue. I drag my focus back to him, but Katie’s face lingers in my mind, etched there like a ghost I can’t exorcise.
The questions continue, drilling down into specifics. Names, dates, locations. I answer every single one, my voice steady, my words deliberate. Detective Collins prepared me for this, but actually doing it is fucking me up inside. Each answer feels like peeling back a layer of my skin, exposing parts of myself I’ve tried to bury.
The prosecution steps back, and the defense takes over. Victor’s new lawyer is sharp, as calculated and manipulative as he is. His questions are designed to dismantle everything I’ve just said. He paints me as a criminal, trying to save myself. He suggests that I’m a man willing to say anything for a deal. As it progresses, he questions my credibility, my motives, my sudden change of heart.
He digs into my past, bringing up every crime I’ve committed, every order I carried out under Victor’s command. A long list of rapid-fire questions come flying at me. He asks why I never went to the police, why I waited until I had something to gain before speaking out. This asshole even tries to twist my words and make it seem like I’m embellishing details to make Victor look worse than he is.
I expected all of it. Forcing myself to stay calm, I answer every question with the same assertive resolve. I don’t sugarcoat the past or try to make myself look better than I am. The facts speak for themselves. The evidence backs up everything I’ve said. And no matter how hard he tries to shake me, I don’t waver.
By the time it all wraps up, hours have passed. My throat is dry, my head pounding. I’m drained, physically and mentally. But it’s done. I’ve said everything I needed to say.
The guard steps forward, gripping my arm. I know the plan. Detective Collins explained it all. No lingering, no goodbyes. As soon as my testimony is over, I’m to be taken back to the safe house.
But knowing the plan and actually executing it are entirely different things. Katie’s right there, just a few feet away, but it might as well be miles. I can’t say anything to her, can’t even acknowledge her. Any sign that we’re connected could blow everything apart and put her in danger.
As the guard leads me out of the courtroom, I steal one last glance at her. Our eyes lock, and for a moment, time seems to freeze. She’s trying so hard to hold it together. I see the sheen of tears that are on the brink of falling, and it absolutely guts me.
I want to tell her so much. Thank you. I’ll miss you. Even a simple goodbye would suffice at this point. But I can’t say any of it.
The courtroom doors close behind me with a heavy thud, and I know that’s it. That’s the end of this chapter, our chapter.
“Bye, Rebel,” I mouth to myself, a bittersweet smile tugging at my lips.