Three shots are fired from the handgun and then Mikhail calls out, ‘Clear!’
Lachlan goes first, beckons Roman down only when he sees three bodies.
‘Let’s go.’
The smoke from the flashbangs lingers.
There’s yelling coming from inside the safe room.
Lachlan bangs on the door.‘It’s clear, open the door!’he calls out.
There’s a moment of hesitation before Jules says, ‘Lachlan?’
Lachlan presses his head to the door, eyes tight shut.
‘It’s me, baby.They’re all dead, open the door.’
It slides open, black smoke curling out and then Jules throws himself into Lachlan’s arms, coughing, choking,crying.He’s shaking, terrified, clinging so hard it hurts.Lachlan clutches him, kissing skin and hair, heedless of who sees because this place is death incarnate and Lachlan knows now not to waste a single moment of life.
‘I thought you were dead, I heard him killing you,’ Jules sobs, pulling back to look at Lachlan, assess the damage.
He’s a sight for sore eyes if there ever fucking was one.
Lachlan kisses him full on the mouth.‘I wouldn’t do that to you,’ he mutters before setting him down and going in to get Savannah, but Roman already has her, carries her bridal style out into the open space between the blue room and the safe rooms.She’s still attached to the IV, currently unconscious, likely from the smoke.Roman pulls the needle out.
Alistair comes last, nose and mouth rimmed with black.He wheels out Ariadne, still on her bed, mask over her face.Alistair freezes, staring at Sorrenko.Lachlan follows his gaze.
His mind jars, because Mikhail Sorrenko isn’t aiming the gun Lachlan gave him at Alistair Penhalyx, but at…Savannah.
‘It’s too late,’ Alistair tells Mikhail quietly, not moving at all.
If Lachlan didn’t know better, he’d say the old man was afraid.
‘Papa,’ Roman utters, frowning, holding her closer.‘What are you—?’
‘Opusti yeyo, synok, i otoydi.’
‘No, I won’t put her down, Papa.I won’t.’
‘Mikki,’ Alistair says again, wheezing slightly.He grips the metal railing of Ariadne’s bed tightly.‘You are too late.’
‘I know your voice when youlie,and it has not been four full days.There is still a chance.’
Lachlan drags Jules behind him, raises his gun to Mikhail’s head.‘Drop it.’
Mikhail sighs.‘I told you it would come to this.’
‘Drop the gun.’
‘Roman, put her down and move away.’
‘No, Papa.’
‘I am doing thisfor you.’
‘Mikki, I know you are unhappy,’ Alistair says, tone entreating.‘We have endured this disconnect before and we will again.All three of us,alwaysthe three of us and all that we desire will be—’
‘Shut your mouth!’Sorrenko barks.‘I have seen enough,mladshiy brat!I have conquered enough of this worn-out world.I dream of warmer waters, and other coloured suns and a place where you and I are strangers.’
