I return fire, hitting one of them five times in the chest and dropping him. The last one is hit in the head by Ares’ sniper rifle. The remaining two try to flee, their car pulling back and away. I stand up and open fire on the car. Bullets skip up the hood and break through the windshield over the driver’s seat. The driver’s head jerks as the bullets riddle his body.
As the car slows down, the passenger’s door opens and the last man tumbles out. I let him get to his feet and watch as he tries to scramble away. Ares lets him get halfway across the lot before shooting him in the back of the head.
Just like that, it’s over. I stand over the bodies left in the wake of it all, still alert, vaguely wondering if more await me when I walk into the warehouse.
My phone buzzes. I glance down to see that Ares texted me.“Cavalry’s on the way. Don’t go in without me.”
I don’t want to wait. Ember and Sasha are somewhere inside and they need me. I can’t help them if somebody gets the jump on me.
It doesn’t take Ares long to get by my side. Seconds later, I see his shadow as he runs up, the long neck of his rifle hanging by his side. “His band of brothers is small,” he says, slightly out of breath. “Didn’t see anyone as I was coming up.”
I’d wanted to arrange for an army. In my mind, I was back to ten years ago, rage clouding my mind as I wipe every single one of them off the map. There’s no one to destroy, though. Sergei’s little group has been dispatched with just Ares and me on the case.
Still. I need to find Ember and Sasha. I need to know this piece of shit didn’t renege on his word and hurt them. I have to know that they’re okay.
Ares hands me my handgun and I put it in my boot. The semi-automatic stays warm in my arms. “Let’s go,” he says.
We rush through the front door.
29
EMBER
We heard the gunshots from the room as one of Sergei’s men was finished duct taping my wrists. He’d started with Sasha, getting the first round of tape over her wrists, and was now talking about taping over our mouths. She’s sitting next to me on the floor of this dark, barren room, her face shiny with tears as she sobs softly.
As soon as he heard the shots, though, he stood up and pulled out the gun from his belt and walked toward the door where another one of them is standing just outside. He says something to him in Russian, and the other one gives a short answer.
Whatever’s happened, it’s not according to plan. Not judging from how cautious they’re both looking all of a sudden. I glance over at Sasha and give her a look of hope.
He’s here. Roman’s come to rescue us. Or at least, I hope he has. I hope Sergei didn’t get the better of him. I hope?—
The first man barks at the other, waving his gun over his head.Go check,he seems to be saying. The other argues with him andpoints to the two of us. He doesn’t want us left alone. Finally, the second man relents and disappears from the door.
The first one turns back to us and sighs. “You two have been more trouble than you’re worth,” he says as he picks up the duct tape. “I’ll be glad when this is all over.”
The tape comes free with a loud rip. He bites off one end and rips it free from the roll in one movement and starts walking toward me. As he places it over my mouth, he says, “Maybe Sergei will let us have a little fun with you, first.”
He regards me for a long moment, then reaches down to grab one of my breasts. He leans into me and suddenly, I’m in a cloud of heavy vodka and foul breath. “Yes,” he says as he squeezes it. “I think you’ll be a lot of fun?—”
The door slams open behind him. He jumps and whirls around just as Roman’s fist hurls up toward his chin. His head jerks upward and blood sprays up into the air. Roman punches him again as he falls to the floor with a hard thud.
Roman stalks over to him and starts to stomp his head in. I turn away, closing my eyes tightly as the sound of the room is filled with the squelching sound of his boot crushing the man’s head over and over again.
I feel the cool, slick feel of a blade against one of my wrists, then feel a tear and a snap as my binds are cut. I open my eyes to see Roman standing over the mess that used to be a man. Behind me, I hear Ares say, “It’s all right. You’re safe.”
I nod, but it’s an automatic movement. I can’t seem to keep my eyes off Roman, silhouetted in the moonlight, his hair mussed and falling into his face as he turns away from our attacker.
He kneels down to his daughter as Ares frees her next. He speaks softly to her in Russian and she bursts into tears, leaning into her father’s chest.
He came for us…
Or maybe he came for his daughter. I was just on the way.
I slowly peel the tape from my mouth and stand up. Roman glances at me, then to Sasha he says, “Come on, let’s get you home.”
He’s turning away before I can say anything. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve proven myself to be an outsider. My freedom is less of a mission and more of a courtesy.
I guess I should be thankful that he hasn’t decided to leave me here, or finish the job that Sergei undoubtedly would have gotten to eventually. Ares walks behind me as I walk behind Roman, who has an arm around his shivering child.
