We hustle out of the bunker, breaking into different directions.
My boots pound on the ground as I make a beeline for the barn. The air’s heavy, like it’s holding its breath for the shitstorm that’s about to hit. A chill snakes down my spine, and it’s got nothing to do with the weather. Tonight’s sticky as hell, but this? This is the feeling you get when you know everything’s on the line.
Almost there. I rush toward the barn.
The horses are already uneasy when I slip inside the barn, their whinnies low and nervous, hooves scraping against the wooden floors. Something’s spooking them; they can sense the tension in the air.
I tap my earpiece. “Zakhary, Ilya – Sophia and Yulia should be here any minute. Eyes sharp, no fucking mistakes.”
“Understood,” Zakhary mutters back. Ilya just grunts an acknowledgment.
I switch channels. “Ollie, where the hell is Aleks? I need him to make a move.”
My hiding spot is carefully chosen – a haystack near the back, shielded by the shadows but close enough for me to spring into action. I have a clear view of the entrance. It’s perfect for what’s coming next.
Then the barn door creaks, and a shadow inches its way inside. The horses stir, their eyes wide and wild. I grip my gun tighter. If that’s Aleks, the son of a bitch is even quieter than I remember.
It’s not Aleks. A woman materializes from the shadows – Katerina!
“Blyat,” I swear under my breath.
I want to rush out and slice this bitch’s throat, but it’s not the right time. Not yet. My finger hovers over the earpiece, hesitant. I need Aleks to show himself.
Just then, the barn door creaks open wider, and Sophia and Yulia step in, their eyes scanning the dim interior. The air’s thick enough to cut with a knife. I can almost hear their hearts pounding from here. They don’t see Katerina. Not yet.
I tap my earpiece again. Whispering even lower, “Sophia and Yulia are in the barn. Aleks still hasn’t shown. Katerina’s here; keep a fucking eye on her.”
I hear Zakhary’s voice crackling in my ear, “Got it, target locking on Katerina.”
“We are here,” Sophia says, walking in slowly, trying not to appear so obvious in looking around for danger. Holding hands with Yulia, they walk toward Katerina.
“Right on time,” Katerina says, grinning.
“Why do you want us here?” I hear Sophia almost whispering. Horses are kicking the ground, their eyes wide. Sophia holds Yulia’s hand even tighter.
“I am scared, Sophia,” Yulia says, and I feel a sharp pang of guilt. “I thought we were going to see the circus.”
“It’s okay, Yulia. We’ll go there in a minute. No one is going to hurt you,” Sophia reassures her.
“Are you sure about that, Sophia?” Katerina hisses. “The Ivankov Bratva will die here today,” Katerina sneers. “And so will your pathetic brother and friend.”
Yulia’s clearly aware that something is wrong now, and her sobs fill the air, an awful soundtrack to an awful night.
“Fuck! Where the fuck is Aleks?” I mutter, my heart pounding out of my chest.
“Ssshhh…it’s okay, Yulia,” Sophia tries to comfort her, but the undercurrent of her own fear betrays her words.
“Oh yes, be scared, little princess. Be very scared,” Katerina coos. “Because when we’re done tonight, you’ll be the last living Ivankov. And all that wealth? All those dirty millions? They’ll go to your only family left – Aleks. How poetic.” Katerina’s cackle slices through the air like broken glass. “Sophia, your pitiful goody-two-shoes act makes me want to puke. You had one job: protecting Yulia. Guess you screwed that up.”
“Fucking unbelievable,” I growl, my grip on the gun so tight my knuckles go white. Aleks, that conniving piece of shit, is planning to erase us, and for what? So he can be daddy to little Yulia and snag the Ivankov goldmine?
Over my dead body.
I want to burst out and redecorate the barn with her brains, but I hold back. Just a moment longer.
That’s when Ollie’s voice hacks through my earpiece. “Aleks is—” Gunfire drowns him out. My guts churn; something bad’s going down outside.
“Boss, Aleks took out Boris and Pyotr. He’s found out about our ambush!” Zakhary spits the update into my ear, the urgency in his voice like a shot of adrenaline. “Do I take the shot at Katerina now?”
