"And you helped aim me." The fury rises despite my exhaustion. “Congratulations.”
He smirks. “One of us will live to see tomorrow. One of us will have a woman in our bed again. I think I made the right choice.”
"His loyal dog, finishing the job."
“This time, you'll definitely be dying. No miraculous survivals. No returns from the dead. Just gone."
The gun points at my chest. Center mass.
I close my eyes, and Kira's face fills my vision. Her smile. Her tears yesterday. Her voice saying she loved me.
At least I'll die knowing the truth. She never betrayed me. That she loved me through everything.
Small comfort, but comfort, nonetheless.
The cell door creaks.
I open my eyes to see it swinging inward. Viktor spins, confused.
Semyon stands in the doorway, his own weapon raised.
"Step away from him, Viktor." Semyon's voice is deadly calm.
"Semyon?" Viktor's gun wavers. "What are you—how did you—"
"I've been working with resistance inside Roman's organization for weeks." Semyon moves into the cell. "Waiting for the right moment. This is it."
"You can't stop this." Viktor's desperation bleeds through. "Roman has won. The wedding is happening right now—"
"Then we'd better hurry." Semyon's gun doesn't waver. "Put yours down. Step aside. Or I put you down. Your choice."
For a long moment, Viktor doesn't move. Weighing options. Calculating odds.
Then he sighs and lowers his weapon. "I'm dead either way. At least this way, maybe I die with some honor."
"You lost honor six years ago." I force myself forward, legs unsteady. "When you sold me out."
"I know." Viktor sets the gun on the floor. "For what it's worth—I'm sorry. To you. To Kira. To your father's memory. I'm sorry for all of it."
Semyon shoots him.
The suppressed shot is quiet—barely louder than a cough. Viktor's expression shifts from resignation to surprise to nothing as he crumples.
I stare at his body, feeling nothing. No satisfaction. No rage. Just emptiness.
"Can you walk?" Semyon is at my side, supporting my good arm.
"I'll crawl if I have to." I look at him. "Kira—"
"Is upstairs at the wedding." He hands me Viktor's gun. "Along with her sister and about two hundred witnesses. We need to move fast."
"How did you—"
"Later." He pulls me toward the door. "Right now, we stop a wedding. Or two. Then we deal with Roman."
"Deal with him how?"
Semyon's smile is grim. "However necessary. The real war starts now, brother. And this time, we're fighting the right enemy."
