Chapter 25 Ghost
Ghost
I wake up restless as hell, with energy to burn.
Maxim needs dealt with and I need Malishka.
It's been three days since Malishka was saved from that madman’s clutches. Three days too long for that asshole to still be breathing.
I wish Jax hadn’t given us orders not to kill the fucker until we get all our questions answered. The asshole, Maxim, is being tight-lipped.
Deciding to see my girl, and go beat more answers from Maxim, I head out of my room and down to the kitchen to fuel up.
I grab two cups of coffee and a plate for my girl, carrying them to her room. I knock on her door and wait.
I hear mumbling, then a shuffle of feet. The door opens, and she grins sleepily at me.
“Good morning, Ghost. Is that for me?” Malishka asks with hope on her face.
“Of course it is, baby.” I kiss her hard, and she widens the door, allowing me inside.
“Where’s Sam at?” I ask, seeing her alone in the room.
“He said he was going for a walk.”
“How do you feel about fucking up Maxim this morning? We need to get the rest of the answers out of that bag of meat.”
“Yep, I'm down. Just let me eat and shower first.”
She eats and drinks her coffee, then grabs some sweats out before going to shower. She's only in there for about ten minutes before she comes out announcing she’s ready.
She looks adorable in her sweats, hair pulled back into a ponytail, face scrubbed clean from makeup. I take her hand, leading her down to the place Maxim is being held.
When we walk in, Maxim looks up and smiles. “Little Bird, you came back for me.”
“Nope. Hell to the fucking no I didn’t. I'm here to squeeze the rest of the info you’re hanging onto out of your worthless body,” Malishka spits at him.
“You die today,” I say matter-of-factly, crossing my fingers that we get the green light from Jax if our answers are successfully given.
I grab a blowtorch, slowly stalking toward my prey.
“Wait, wait, hang on—” Maxim struggles in his binds, frantic. “I have a deal to propose. Give me one day with my wife, and I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
I see red and charge for the fucker. Grabbing him by the hair, I wrench his head back, baring my teeth. I move to rip his throat out when Malishka yells, “Stop!”
I rear back. “What? Why?”
“I think we should consider this. There's more we need to know, like info on
The Camp, and any other relevant information on The Retreat and possibly Purge’s father. Glancing at Maxim she asks him, “What, exactly, do you want from me?”
“Just time with you, Little Bird, before I die. That's all I ask.
“No way, motherfucker!” I say, my jaw rigid with anger.
“One hour, Maxim. Take it or leave it.” Malishka crosses her arms, tapping her foot.
“I want out of these chains too,” Maxim has the audacity to demand.
My face heats with blood as I shout, “This is not happening, Malishka! Like fuck we’ll give him what he wants!”
She glares hard at me. “Ghost— it’s worth it for anything he can tell us we don’t already know. I'm not asking. This is my decision.”
I take a few deep breaths to center myself. “We are talking to everyone else first.”
I grab Malishka’s hand, and we leave, and I flip Maxim the bird on the way out.
We walk together in silence, feet carrying us to the kitchen. It's the most likely place everyone will be first thing in the morning.
Conversation fills my ears when we enter. The table is full of the others, including Jax. All our people are here, so I whistle to get their attention.
“Excuse me, sorry to interrupt,” I start. I explain Malishka’s plan, and as predicted, shit erupts.
Synn, Razor, Purge, and Harris all jump up, rage on their faces.
“Fuck that, I don’t think so,” Synn snarls.
“No fucking way! That waste of space isn’t going to get another chance to hurt Iskra,” Purge adds.
“Over my dead fucking body,” Razor says firmly.
“Hold on,” Jax attempts to calm the room. “If Ghost will be in there with her, and we station several guys right outside, Phoenyxx should be safe. We’ll remove everything in the room that can be used a weapon, and keep the prisoner restrained.”
Harris holds up a hand. “This makes me very nervous. Pretty Girl, are you sure you can handle this?”
“Yes,” Malishka says confidently. “Ghost and I can handle that piece of shit. I’m not afraid of him anymore.”
“Alright, here’s the plan: Synn, Purge, and Razor go—with Maverick, Trav, and Tyler, as well,” Jax says.
Everyone else jumps up, arguing amongst themselves. Even the girls are yelling along with the others. It seems everyone wants to come along.
I raise my voice to be heard. “This is settled. Let's go get this over with,” I tell them, presenting my back.
I take Malishka‘s hand to leave.
One hour until Maxim is dead. As long as we get those answers.
Tick-tock.
Phoenyxx
My heart pounds in time with each step I take. I feel mostly confident, but there is still some uncertainty there.
I trust Ghost with my life; he won’t let any harm come to me. There's a tiny bit of fear, though. My PTSD seems to always rear it’s head.
Ghost and I go back in; the others parking themselves outside the door. Ghost is holding a zip-tie Jax gave him.
Maxim turns red in anger. “Wait a minute... I'm supposed to be unshackled!”
“You will be, but your hands will be tied,” I respond flatly.
Ghost moves to him and slips Maxim’s hands out of the chains, then slaps the zip-tie on so fast, it’s clear he’s experienced.
Ghost reluctantly takes a couple of steps back, but stays close to me.
Maxim stumbles forward, almost falling in his haste to get to me.
I stand my ground, refusing to be intimidated or show any weakness. Maxim lifts his tied arms to try and touch my face.
“No, you motherfucking don’t.” I dance away easily.
“You get nothing if I don’t get one last kiss, for a goodbye,” Maxim insists.
Ghost makes a sound of rage behind me.
I laugh hard. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am quite serious. I won’t say one word unless you give that to me,” Maxim says smugly.
I rush forward, grabbing him by his hair. “You do not make the orders, you piece of shit,” I growl, shoving my other hand down to wrap around his balls. I squeeze as hard as I can.
Maxim yelps but keeps his mouth closed otherwise.
I turn back to Ghost, who’s shaking his head emphatically.
Determined to get the answers we seek, I press forward to plant my lips on Maxim’s. He tries to pry my mouth open with his tongue, but I promptly bite down on it, tasting blood. I spit it back in his face.
“You’ve got less than one hour. Better make it count,” I curl my lip with distaste.
Maxim sighs heavily. “I can see that this is a fruitless mission. You won’t touch me willingly, or give me any kind of chance.
I don’t see a point in dragging it out.” He pauses, collecting his thoughts.
“Let me say this: I am madly in love with you, Little Bird.
I'm prepared to prove that by giving my life for you.”
“You are not a martyr. You do not get to act like one!” Ghost shouts, coming up next to me.
Maxim sits down on the floor. “Ask away.”
Ghost fumbles with his phone, shooting a text to the others.
“Where is the exact location of The Camp?” I ask first.
Maxim looks into my eyes. “On the outskirts of a small town, about ninety minutes from The Retreat.”
“Address?” Ghost asks next.
Maxim rattles it off, and Ghost texts the details to the others.
“Who built The Retreat in the first place?” I ask next.
“The Pakhan of the bratva in the 70s. He's long dead now.”
“Why did he build it?” I ask next.
“To create super-soldiers to use to take over the world. That's why The Morgue exists.”
Ghost fires off the next question. “How is that done?”
“Brainwashing. A code word is used to activate the soldiers. They turn into mindless, unfeeling murder machines,” Maxim cackles.
“What’s the code word?” I ask.
Maxim huffs, but answers after a moment. “Ostrich.”
“Random... That had better not be a lie, motherfucker,” I say viciously.
“I swear on my love for you every word is the truth,” Maxim affirms.
I look back to Ghost. “Anything else we need to know?”
“Nothing he could answer, Malishka.”
“What about anything about Purge’s father?”
‘I know nothing about those men,” Maxim says, arms crossed.
“I guess we’re done, then.”
I step back, allowing a smiling Ghost to move toward Maxim.
“Stand up and back up to the wall,” Ghost orders.
Maxim complies, and within seconds, he’s in shackles again.
Ghost takes out his phone again, tapping away. With a slow grin, he holds up the phone to Maxim.
“Say goodbye to Daddy.”
I look to see he’s on a call, and curiosity has me leaning closer to see the screen. I know their fathers are in hiding, so I doubt he’ll pick up.
To my surprise, the screen comes to life.
“What is this? What is happening?” a distraught-sounding Mr. Petrov demands.
“Thought you’d want to bid your other son a fond farewell,” Ghost laughs.
His father’s face goes white. “Please, son, don’t do this. I'll make it right, I promise.”
Ghost just shakes his head, turning the volume low, then perching the phone on a table facing Maxim.
He turns to me with a sadistic smile. “Playtime. Feel like making art with me?”
“Art? What do you mean?”
“One thing I haven’t told you about yet is I’m an artist when I kill. I like to make something grotesquely beautiful.”
“Um... I’m up for it. Will you show me how?” My curiosity is getting the better of me.
“Gladly, Malishka.”
Ghost goes to the door, carrying everything back in that we removed with Purge’s help.
“God, I want to Rage Out,” Purge groans, looking at Maxim.
“Soon, brother,” Ghost claps him on the back.
Shaking his head, Purge leaves again.
Ghost hums, gazing over the tools on the table.
“I want to start with this,” he says, picking up the blowtorch.
He steps in front of Maxim, cocking his head in thought. He ignites the deadly weapon, aiming it at Maxim’s feet.
The flame licks along his exposed skin, setting off a ton of foul-smelling smoke.