But Sebastian wasn’t sure Alexeicouldstop it. There was an unholy light in his eyes, a manic energy gripping him, and though he yelled and ranted like a lunatic, the gun pointed at Bas was held steady, and his finger was poised on thetrigger.
Bas swallowed and moved his hand another fraction of an inch, placing his hand atop Drew’s. Drew’s brown eyes - terrified and beautiful - lifted tohis.
“Madness?” Alexei scoffed, throwing his father back down to the ground so that his head hit the wall behind him with a dull thud. “There’s no madness here. There’s ambition.Determination. All the qualities you told me a good leader needed. Remember,batya? Remember what you toldme?”
“I remember,” Ilya whisperedsadly.
“The family comesfirst,”Alexei railed. “First, last, always. That’s what you told me. That’s what youtaughtme. But then you betrayed me, betrayed our family.You turned my own cousin against me, got him to lie for you. You talked to that fag reporter, telling him all your old war stories like he even gave a shit, like he wasn’t just using you to make a name for himself.” His nostrils flared. “I’m going for him as soon as I’m done here. And I will make himpay.”
Tears spilled down Ilya’s cheeks. “Alyosha.Alexei. My son. There is no need forthis.”
“There is every need!” He stood, pacing in front of Bas and the others. “Now I see the truth - that I am theonly onewho will protect our family name. The only one I can trust ismyself.”
Bas had the frantic thought that surely all of them, working together in close quarters, could take downoneman with a handgun. But what if he got off a shot? What if one of them was killed as a result? He’d learned there were some things that weren’t worthrisking.
He chanced another glance at Cort, and saw the man’s eyes were trained on Alexei, not in fear, like the rest of them, but in cold assessment. His jacket was draped over his right hand, hanging off his wrist in an odd way. And at that exact moment, Bas remembered that Natalie had given Cort her backupweapon.
Cort had agun.
Bas swallowed and forced himself to lookaway.
“So now I will take care of SILA,” Alexei said, crouching by his father, who was openly crying now. “It’s mine now, and I will destroy anyone who threatens her, just like you taught me. And then you’ll be proud.” He slapped Ilya’s cheek with his palm. “Won’t you,batya?”
Ilya shook hishead.
“Which one will I shoot first?” he demanded. “What would you have me do, hmm? Thisone?”
He pointed the gun at Damon, who stood closest to him, and Damon swallowed hard. “This is the one who couldn’t justdiein that fucking plane crash like he should have. He’s been living on borrowed time already. Maybe his time has runout?”
He thrust forward with the gun and Cain cried, “No!” throwing himself in front of Damon’sbody.
But Alexei hadn’t fired, and now he laughed out loud. “Oh. Oh my god. The child jumps in front of you to protect you?” he asked Damon, as Damon shoved Cain roughly behindhim.
“Piz'dyulina!This is one of themenyou betrayed me to protect?” he demanded of his father. “Pathetic. So, tell me which one first, Ilya Grigorovich? Shall I kill the brave littleangel?”
“Shootnoneof them, Alyosha. Please. This isn’t a show of strength, I tellyou.”
Alexei ignored him, turned his mocking smile on Cain. “Your father isn’t here, sweetheart. He can’t save you from me. How brave are you with no one to stand in front ofyou?”
Cain wisely didn’tanswer.
But Bas saw Alexei turn his attention on Cort next, and knew he had to do something to distract him. The gun in Cort’s hand might be their onlyhope.
“You know they’re coming for you!” Bas said. It sounded like a cheesy line from a movie, but it worked. Beside him, Drew froze in place, and Bas could feel the angry disbelief radiating off him as Alexei turned to glower atBas.
“Ah! Ah, ah, ah,” he said, punctuating each syllable with a jab of the gun. “Sebastian Seaver. Of course! You’re the one who caused all of this trouble in the first place, you and your father. A pair of geniuses, and I’ll have killed you both.” He smiled, almost pleasantly. “Does that make me smarter than both ofyou?”
Bas set his jaw, but didn’tanswer.
Alexei turned the gun on Drew. “Isaid, Sebastian, does that make me smarter thanyou?”
“Yes,” Bas said quickly. “Much.”
If the man really thought Bas’s pride was more important than Drew, he was a bigger idiot than Bas hadimagined.
Alexei smiled. “You hear that,batya?” he said, still staring at Bas. “I’ve outsmarted two geniuses. Does that please you?” When Ilya didn’t respond, didn’t even lift his head, Alexei turned and took two strides across the floor, lifting his father’s head by the hair. “Isaid,‘Does that pleaseyou?’”
For just a second, Alexei’s rage made him incautious. He turned his back to them, and Cort brought out his gun to takeaim.
