Chapter 27 #2
The popping sounds continued, but the noise inside the house began to fade, I intertwined our fingers together and moved down the stairs one by one. When I was on the landing, I tried to get my bearings.
A loud voice boomed from the left. So I went to the right. I was shocked she remained quiet, allowing me to guide her through what felt like a maze of rooms. Panic was trying to take over, but I refused to allow it.
The darkness was oppressive, the horrible sounds coming from every direction threatening to derail what little courage I had. When I finally noticed a door, I pulled Nina even closer, inching toward it.
I was almost there. I could almost taste freedom.
With another step taken, I felt a presence behind us. On instinct, I pulled Nina closer.
“Welcome to the party, Lainey. The fun is just about to begin.”
Then I heard a dark, frightening laugh.
Sasha
Pop! Pop!
Boom!
The explosion sent a shockwave of vibrations beneath my feet.
The thunderous noise echoed in my ears as smoke began to roll into the building.
There were several buildings within the compound, all connected.
I’d never seen anything like it. It was as if they’d taken an old barracks and had turned portions into commercial space, other sections into homes.
“Move. Move!” Mikhail yelled.
Pop! Pop!
There were more soldiers than we’d accounted for, the fuckers coming from everywhere.
I raced behind Mikhail and Vissarian as we rolled down a corridor.
Another even louder gunshot sounded just behind me. Swinging around, I was prepared to fight. An enemy soldier was standing maybe five yards behind me and very slowly he fell forward onto his face.
Bernie stood proudly, a grin on his face. “Another one down, boss.”
Jaxon shook his head. “They’re everywhere.”
“Take out as many as you can, but be careful. Nina and Lainey are here. I feel it,” I gritted out.
Another boom. More gunfire. We’d killed at least thirty soldiers and had left our own to keep watch while we searched the house. Other than terrified employees who weren’t carrying weapons, there was no one of value.
There was another sharp turn and as soon as we reached it, Mikhail pushed us back.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
The gunfire came fast and furious. I threw myself on the other side just behind Alexsey. There were six men standing guard in front of a set of locked double doors.
With six of them and twelve of us, they didn’t last long.
After tossing their bodies out of the way and with a single shot to the steel mechanism, I ripped off the lock. We moved inside, staying close to the walls.
I was instantly unnerved because it was just too quiet.
We continued heading down what appeared to be a main hallway, constantly scanning the area and every room.
“I don’t like this,” Kazimir whispered.
“Yeah, me neither. This feels like a trap,”
The lights suddenly popped on and I glanced at the others, pressing my finger against my lips. We were headed for a crossroads. I could feel it.
I moved in front of the others, pressing the barrel of my rifle into the other rooms. Suddenly, there was a light just ahead coming from a set of double doors. These were different, thick wood and highly ornate.
A strange and very unsettling feeling washed through me, my blood pressure instantly sparking.
We moved in formation, flanking both sides of the door.
“Zakhodi, Sasha. Ty kak raz vovremya.” The man’s voice was raspy, strained as if from years of smoking cigarettes. Yet his words were clear. There was also labored breathing.
You might as well come in, Sasha. You’re right on time.
Mikhail gripped my arm, pulling me back and shaking his head. But I was having none of it. I could feel Lainey’s presence. She was in the room and she needed me. I would save both my girls, no matter what.
Both Bernie and Jaxon flanked the sides of the door, Jaxon giving me a look that I knew well. He’d have my back.
I pointed to myself then to the open doorway. I wanted to be the first heading inside. He hesitated but finally nodded. We needed to know if we were headed into a massacre.
So I moved inside to face a man who looked remarkably like my father, only he appeared much older, and frail, especially since he was hooked to a canister of oxygen.
“Yuri,” I hissed and he nodded, enjoying the moment.
Right beside him sitting in chairs with two guards flanking each were the woman I loved and my sweet baby girl.
“Sasha,” Lainey whispered, fighting to keep from racing toward me.
“Daddy!” Nina screamed and tried to jump from her chair, but the monster holding her down lifted his arm to backhand her.
My growl echoed in the room.
“I told you before,” Lainey screamed, getting in the man’s face. “If you try and touch her then you will die.”
The old man chuckled. “Do what the woman says. We can’t afford to have my great-niece injured. There’s too much at stake.”
“Too much, Uncle Yuri?” Mikhail asked as he and the others filled the room. There was no look of surprise in his eyes. He’d known we’d come in by force. He’d intended that we would. “Are you talking about an alliance using my niece as collateral? An eventual marriage when she’s of age?”
“Ah, you must be Mikhail, the great new Pakhan. You look exactly like your father.”
I inched closer, the barrel of the weapon pointed at his chest. My thoughts were vile, including cutting off his air supply.
“Cut the crap, Yuri,” Vissarian hissed. “The act of vengeance is finished.”
“Not yet,” Yuri said and smiled just as the door opened and the room was suddenly filled with several men, all with guns and outnumbering us.
“Hello, cousins,” the oldest of the men snarled, yet he carried a wide smile.
“Gregor,” Mikhail hissed. “I always knew you’d turn out to be a thug.”
Gregor laughed. “Your jealousy is showing, cousin. Your father was a coward and so are you.”
He had no idea what he was doing in trying to goad my Pakhan.
“You see, we are going to rise to power once again. Now that we have Nina, we have everything we need to defeat our enemy. Kirill. Take the child into the next room. She doesn’t need to see this.
” Yuri was enjoying himself, even while he had difficulty breathing.
He wasn’t long for this world. My plan was to help him reach his maker.
“No. Daddy!”
As soon as my little girl screamed, it took every ounce of strength not to wrap my hands around the fucker’s throat.
I moved toward her, pulling her into a hug.
If they dared try to stop me, they would learn I wasn’t the kind of man to be fucked with.
“It’s okay, baby girl. Everything will be fine.
Just go with him and I’ll come get you in a few minutes.
Okay? Can you do that for me?” I smoothed hair from her face, trying to smile.
She glanced at Lainey and so did I. I could tell by the look on Lainey’s face that she was ready to fight to the death.
She was so strong, but the bruise on her face and the blood on her lip pushed the anger to the edge.
“It’s okay, Nina. We’ll be right there. Bernie. Jaxon. Go with them. Keep her safe.”
“Yes, sir.” Jaxon snarled at Yuri and the two others as he walked closer.
Bernie immediately reached for Nina, refusing to take any crap from the enemy soldier.
Kirill started to push her and I pointed my finger in the man’s face.
Without saying the words, I could tell he got the message.
Bernie too, taking her hand and I watched as she was escorted out, her little face telling me everything I needed to know.
I didn’t give a shit they were supposedly family. They’d crossed every line.
“Bastards. You fucking bastards. They plan on selling me off to the highest bidder,” Lainey said with her usual defiance that I’d come to adore.
“Don’t worry, little butterfly. That will not occur.”
I glanced at the three men who stood by their father.
Our cousins. “Gregor, Konstantine, and Nikandr. The fruit of corruption doesn’t fall far from the tree, I see.
Let me venture a guess as to what this is really about.
There was a deal made with the Petrov family just recently.
You saw an opportunity to gain even more power than you’ve had.
That’s who you negotiated an alliance with, but you plan on deceiving them.
This was just a power play using a little girl with Antonova blood to ruin the Petrovs.
Isn’t it?” There was still a huge piece missing.
Noise drew our attention, men sweeping into the party from the rear.
Instantly, my hackles were raised, Mikhail and Kazimir reacting first with noted surprise as well as agitation.
“That’s exactly what’s happening, son.” The arrival of my father and uncle surprised all of us.
“Don’t look so shocked, son. We might be advanced in our years, but we still maintain significant power, including in parts of Moscow and beyond.
We’ve been watching what’s been happening for years.
Waiting until Yuri played his hand. One. Final. Time.”
“Yuri. I wish I could say it’s good to see you, but I’d be lying,” Uncle Boris said casually. I could see another group of men in the corridor. “I assure you that you won’t need to worry about your alliance with anyone any longer.”
Mikhail had told me more about how they’d been taken and tortured by their own brother years before, using their contacts to help free them. Arrangements had been made to get both families out of the country, but they’d been forced to leave everything behind. All their riches.
However, there were still other aspects of the story we’d yet to learn.
Yuri stood on shaking legs, glaring at them. “What the fuck did you do?” He hadn’t anticipated seeing his brothers. All he’d wanted was to lure the children into the compound and kill us.
He was cracking and his sons were uncertain exactly what was going on. However, I sensed Gregor was ready to fire his weapon if necessary.