“Get down, get down!” Someone shouted from a distance. My heart beat rapidly, my eyesight blurred. I couldn't see a damn thing because we were stuck in the darkness. I tried to scream, but my voice wasn't strong enough to reach my ownears. The division had begun, and my only prayer was for my safety.
The bald man entered the warehouse through the back. The remaining faction of rival mercenaries looked calmer, almost as though nothing was happening. I turned my head and looked at the door. One by one, I saw them crawl in. That's when I knew that the attack wasn’t caused by any cops. Viktor had come to rescue me.
Finally! Freedom at last.
He kept me in a container behind the stacked carton boxes. As if binding my hands and legs with ropes weren't enough, he used the chains in the container to bind my whole body to the wooden chair. I shook myself in vain, trying to escape.
I sighed and turned my head to the right side. I caught a glance of Viktor before the bald-headed guy closed the container. I was furious, but at the same time, hopeful. I was glad that he lived up to himself, and at the same time, I was scared. I didn't want Viktor to endanger himself. Besides, I overheard them when they spoke about an ambush.
“Don't you think it would be too late for them to come for her?”
“Oh, trust me. They'll come alright. It's just a matter of time. And when they do, we'll have them surrounded. She's going to be the bait, and because she's Viktor's main focus, it's a no-brainer for him to rush us the moment he sees what he wants.”
“Where will she be?”
“At the center. She'll be at the center so that they can get a good view of her. The minute he walks in to save her with his guards, we'll jump on them in an instant kill. Genius, isn't it?”
“It's still average compared to what I had in mind.”
“What did you have in mind?” The bald guy asked and looked at his accomplice in disgust. For the first time, I saw him from, and it looked very fulfilling to watch.
“Think about this. An ambush without her in the picture.”
“That's the stupidest shit I've ever heard.” The bald man hissed. “Who would be the central focus if she's not in the picture?”
“One of us.”
“Nonsense.”
“No, think about it carefully now. If he walks in and sees her, we might have a good chance to kill him, but his guards would stop at nothing to rescue her. But if they come over and they don't find her, they'll know that they're cooked, which means that we would have leverage because we have her location.”
The bald man stood for a while and rubbed his chin. I knew he was thinking about it, and I believed that even for me, his idea was genius. But I couldn't be the bait. I still want Viktor to be alive, no matter what. There were still things we had to do and words I do wish I had uttered earlier on.
“That's smart. But I'll think about it.”
I liked the way they talked like brothers, almost stirring up jealousy in me because I had no siblings. I had no one to express myself to, no one to play with or care for.
Nonetheless, the plans changed the very minute they knew that I was priced at a high value. One of the effects of getting married to the Pakhan of the Bratva. Being worth millions of dollars was insane. I'd become too important to the point where I cannot be cheap.
Although I was still in the container, I heard the indistinct chatter of individuals. The silence came in as a shock, right before I heard the loud cry of agony.
“Open fire!” The bald-headed man shouted. This was how I knew that the game was already over before it even began.
The gunshots blared. Some came in contact with the container I was in, and I tried to cower.
Breathe in! I inhaled. Breathe out!
It was hard to breathe because I was enclosed in a place that smelled like garbage. The sweat on my forehead gathered, the heat intensified, and while the gunshots blasted around, I heard someone kick the door of my container.
The lock opened, and Viktor came in. He stood beside me, and I looked at him, trying to force a smile. The first thing he did was to remove the tape and cloth from my mouth before losing the bindings all around me.
“Viktor.” I managed to say, my voice almost closed to a whisper.
“Emilia.” He replied. His eyes were flickering with passion and desperation.
“You came.”
“I promised to take good care of you, right?”
