Chapter 43 - Alexei
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Police say the scenes were discovered in the early morning hours, and investigators are still working to determine the full scope of the violence. At this stage, officials have not released the names of the victims or confirmed a motive.
Law enforcement sources say they are treating the incident as a possible serial killing, though they have not ruled out other possibilities. No arrests have been made, and the public is being urged to remain vigilant as the investigation continues.
We will bring you more updates as information becomes available.
147
That was the number of people I killed in one night.
I was standing in my cousin’s office wearing the evidence of one hundred and forty-seven deaths. Dimitri’s hand slammed on the table. “Have you lost your goddamn mind?!” He raised his voice.
My gaze was dead when I looked back.
He ran a hand through his hair. “There were cameras, Alexei. Everywhere. You’re on several of them.”
Oh.
It wasn’t like I didn’t know that. I knew there would be cameras. I knew there would be evidence. But I didn’t care.
Yesterday, after I made my choice, I asked Ilya to send me a file with every person in the city who had signed for organ donation upon their death.
Ilya sent me a long list.
It’s not like he didn’t know why I was asking for it. He did, but he still sent it, and I killed them all in one night.
I didn’t know if they were good or bad people. I’m not going to pretend I evaluated their moral character or the truth of what I had done.
It made no difference to me.
Good or bad. Kind or cruel. Loved or alone.
I needed a heart and I would do everything in my power to get one.
One will be compatible.
I didn’t know which of the one hundred and forty-seven would be a match.
I didn’t know if any of them would be a match.
But I knew that the probability of finding a compatible heart increased with every person I killed, and that if one hundred and forty-seven wasn’t enough, if none of them matched, then I would kill more.
There is always more.
I would find a heart.
If it took one hundred and forty-seven, I would kill one hundred and forty-seven.
If it took three hundred, I would kill three hundred.
If it took a thousand, I would kill a thousand.
I wouldn’t stop until I found one.
“We managed to keep their mouths shut and keep the cameras that caught you away from the public.”
Dimitri was still speaking but I could barely hear him properly. “But several organizations are aware of it. They are raging, Alexei. You brought an immense amount of attention upon all of us.”
Did he think I care?
I didn’t care if every mafia family came after me, which I’m assuming might happen. Don’t get me wrong - no one has a problem if you kill someone in our world, but they don’t want unwanted eyes on them.
But I just needed my star to breathe again.
I needed his lungs to fill with air on their own. I needed his heart to beat without a machine telling it to. I didn’t give a shit about the rest.
Why was no one understanding that?
Why was everyone in my way?
Dimitri sighed. “Alexei,” his voice was softer now. “I’m worried about you.”
That got him an answer. “Why?”
“Why? Because you’re seen as a threat now. The videos may not be leaked, but that doesn’t mean the rest of our organizations are pleased to have a criminal on the loose. Nearly one hundred and fifty people, Alexei.” He paused. “What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m finding a heart.”
He pressed his lips together. “Alexei.”
I shook my head. “No. I need a heart. He needs a heart.”
He ran a hand over his face. He looked tired, like he was barely holding himself together. “Okay. Just stay low for now, alright? I have a meeting with them. They want you present, but I’ll find an excuse. It’s better if they don’t see you in this state.”
He gave me a warning. “Just don’t kill anyone anymore, okay?”
“If none is a match, I will.”
His jaw clenched and I could see he struggled to remain calm.
“One has to be a match,” he said. “First, go wash and then go back to the hospital.”
I looked down at myself.
Right. I was full of blood.