"Last chance," Yuri interrupted, his weapon never wavering. "Leave now, or die here."
For a moment, the three of us remained frozen in a deadly standoff— Denton in the doorway, Yuri between us, and me slumped against the console, barely conscious but still dangerous.
Through the surveillance feeds, I could see confusion spreading throughout the facility. O'Rourke's men were abandoning their posts, prioritizing escape over capturing intruders.
Denton must have seen it too. His jaw tightened as he calculated his odds. "This isn't over," he finally said, lowering his weapon slightly. "Mr. O'Rourke doesn't forget, and he doesn't forgive."
"Neither does Nicolai Aleksandrovich," Yuri replied coldly. "Remember that when you're running."
Another explosion rocked the facility, closer this time. Emergency lights flickered and died as backup systems failed one by one. The monitors displaying security feeds went dark, then flashed back to life, showing scenes of increasing chaos throughout the complex.
Denton took a step back, then another, his confidence replaced by the most human of instincts—survival. "You won't make it out," he said, a final attempt to salvage his pride. "Not with him in that condition."
"Watch us," Yuri growled.
The moment Denton disappeared down the corridor, Yuri was in motion, securing the door before turning to me. "Can you walk?"
I tried to push myself up, but my legs wouldn't cooperate. My body had finally reached its breaking point. "Don't think so," I admitted, the simple act of speaking requiring monumental effort.
Without hesitation, Yuri holstered his weapon and scooped me into his arms. The action should have been humiliating—I'd spent my life relying on no one but myself—but I couldn't summon the energy to feel anything but gratitude.
"Extraction point is two levels up, east wing," Yuri said, moving toward the door with me cradled against his chest. "Can you clear us a path?"
I nodded weakly, extending what little remained of my abilities to the security systems between us and freedom. Doors unlocked ahead of us, emergency bulkheads raised, pathway lights flickered in sequence—a breadcrumb trail leading to safety.
As Yuri carried me through the failing facility, I felt my consciousness slipping again. The darkness at the edges of myvision grew thicker, more insistent. I fought to stay awake, knowing that each second I maintained control over the facility's systems increased our chances of escape.
"Stay with me, kid," Yuri growled, his pace quickening as another explosion rocked the building. "Nicolai is waiting."
The thought of Nicolai waiting for me, worrying about me, was strangely powerful, enough to push back the darkness for a few more precious minutes.
Through the haze of pain and fading consciousness, I monitored O'Rourke's escape route. The private elevator he'd been heading for was now disabled, trapped between floors. He would be forced to take alternative paths—slower paths that exposed him to the chaos I'd created.
Good.
Let him feel what it was like to be hunted, to be afraid.
"Almost there," Yuri said, his voice seeming to come from very far away now. "Hold on, Mishka."
The use of my name again—so rare from him—pulled me back from the brink momentarily. I forced my eyes open, saw we were approaching a secured doorway that would lead to the extraction point.
With my last bit of strength, I unlocked it, the metal doors sliding open just as Yuri reached them. Beyond lay freedom—and Nicolai. I could see him at the far end of the corridor, powerful and imposing despite what he'd endured.
His eyes found mine instantly, widening at my condition. Even from this distance, I could read the mix of emotions on his face—relief, concern, and something deeper that I was too afraid to name.
As Yuri carried me toward him, I felt the last of my control over the facility's systems slip away. The lights throughout the complex gave one final, violent flicker before plunginginto darkness. The generators had reached critical failure. The facility's destruction was inevitable now.
I'd done what I set out to do. O'Rourke's research was destroyed, his facility crumbling. Nicolai was safe. And somehow, against all odds, I was going home with him.
As darkness claimed me completely, I heard Nicolai's voice—urgent, worried, but achingly familiar.
"I've got you now,malysh. You're safe."
For the first time in my life, I believed it might be true.
Chapter Fifteen
~ Nicolai ~
