They move off, and I snatch the only chance I might have.
Staying low, I half run, half crawl toward the doors and out into the cold night air. But outside, there are more men, and I'm forced to press myself against the warehouse wall and hide again.
Dammit, I silently curse.
At least I'm not inside anymore.
But soon I realize I'm still in a lot of trouble. There are too many guards. Too many men with their eyes everywhere, and there is nowhere for me to run. I'm trapped.
Gunshots snap through the air, and two men fall flat on their faces. I get such a fright that I yelp, then I clamp my hand over my mouth, horrified that I let myself slip up like that.
But the guards aren't paying attention. They're too busy focusing on the stream of men in black Kevlar who are flooding the front of the warehouse, pushing past them, taking them out by one.
Behind me, I hear a man scream and more gunshots. Bardil's voice shouts, "Don't shoot, it's me! I'm coming out the front!"
Two of the men in black Kevlar gesture toward the entrance. "It's Bardil!" one shouts, and I recognize Diomid's voice.
"Diomid!" I scream his name as panic and relief mix in a cry of emotions.
"Stay down," he yells back.
I watch as my brothers and their allies systematically take out every one of the guards.
When the shooting stops, I hesitantly stand.
My entire body is shaking from shock.
Matvei runs to Bardil, grabbing his arm. "Where is Alex Sokolov?" he demands.
"Dead. He's inside. He came back, and I caught him by surprise."
"So, that's everyone?" Diomid asks, slowly lowering his gun.
"Bardil?" I almost whimper. Bardil spins toward me and runs.
"Nikita, you're here!" he shouts, grabbing me into his arms.
I clutch onto him, crying and shaking and trying to breathe evenly.
My body is in turmoil, and when a sharp pain shoots through my stomach, I yelp and step away from him, clutching at my belly.
"What's wrong?" he asks, worried.
I look down and see blood soaking through my jeans between my legs. "No," I gasp in horror.
"Nikita!" he shouts in panic when he sees it too. "She's hurt!"
My head spins, and blackness threatens my balance and vision. I clutch onto him, my eyes wide and my voice tight. "Save the baby, please,save the baby… "
Bardil scoops me into his arms and yells at Diomid, "Take us to the hospital!"
Diomid is running with us, and my head is spinning in and out of focus.
I don't remember getting into the car. I don't remember the drive.
I do remember Bardil's voice, a constant soothing sound that kept me floating above the surface.
Then there was silence.
