Once the delegation is taken care of, we move fast for the front door. I make sure to keep an eye on the windows but Dimiv was right—those shutters are nailed down tight. Nothing to be seen there.
“Should we break down the door?” Dimiv asks when we reach the entrance.
“That’s going to create noise,” Nikolai warns.
I ignore both of them and reach for the handle. I twist and push and the door swings open easily. The darkness of the interior yawns like the mouth of a cave. There’s no telling what kind of creatures are waiting within.
“Anyone think that was a little too easy?” Nikolai whispers.
He’s right, but I can’t afford to look a gift horse in the mouth right now. I venture inside, gun at the ready, my red laser dot dancing across the far wall.
I glance around the corner to find three men on the sofa watching a basketball game. All three of us take aim and all three men go down simultaneously with silenced bullets to the backs of their head.
As far as death goes, it’s a good way to go out. Oblivious and entertained.
Their comrades won’t be so lucky.
We move quickly through the house, taking down any man that comes our way. Six more bodies hit the ground before we get to the center of the deceivingly large house.
“This is it,” Dimiv whispers. “We’ve covered the whole floor. Every room is empty.”
I shake my head. “There’s a trap door somewhere. Has to be. He’s got her here. I can feel it.”
I start pulling at the paintings and mismatched hangings that decorate the walls in odd places. I hit the jackpot when I reach a long burgundy carpet that’s been nailed to the top of the wall. Tearing it down reveals a narrow, rickety wooden door that opens to a staircase winding down.
More darkness.
More caves.
More unknown creatures beyond.
I pull my gun out and creep down the stairs. It’s all silent on the way down, but the moment my boots hit the floor of the basement, a thumping sound echoes between walls. A woman in nurse’s scrubs with jet black hair spins around and gasps. She opens her mouth to scream but Nikolai takes her out with a bullet to the throat.
I step over the cooling corpse and towards the last door set in the wall. I kick it open to reveal a blindingly white room. It takes a long time—too damn long—for my eyes to adjust to the change in brightness. But I don’t have to wait for my vision to fully clear to realize that this whole situation is fucked.
Beneath the razor-sharp white lights is a bed.
In the bed is my fiancée, with her feet in stirrups and abject misery imprinted on her face.
And beside her… is Boris Sobakin—with a gun to Alyssa’s head.
I freeze, but she doesn’t seem remotely aware of anything that’s happening. I’m not sure if she even knows I’m here. She’s still pregnant but it looks like that won’t be true for long.
“Get the fuck away from my woman, you bastard.”
Boris only laughs and cocks his gun. “I was wondering when you’d show up. Now, the fun can begin.”
57
URI
“You hurt her and I’ll fucking destroy you,” I snarl. “That’s a promise.”
Boris just shrugs. “You can certainly try. Then again, you have tried. Where has it gotten you, hm? I’m still here, standing next to your woman with a gun to her head—and you’re over there, unable to so much as lift a finger.”
He smiles at me before his eyes flit to Dimiv and Nikolai at my sides. “Ouch, that looks like it hurts, Niko,” he laughs. “Wonder who did that to you.”
“Fucking bas—”
I throw my hand out, preventing Nikolai from going any closer. “Don’t.”
Boris laughs calmly. “See? You may have come with manpower, Uri. But a true pahkan doesn’t need manpower. Not when I know how to get the upper hand. Not when I have all the leverage.”
He drags the tip of the gun down the side of Alyssa’s face as she writhes around on the bed. Her face is drenched with sweat, her hair matted against her cheeks. She looks like she’s in pain—silent pain.
“When this is all over, this shadow war will become legend. Uri Bugrov, with all his power, all his money, and all his men couldn’t take down the lowly, lonesome Boris Sobakin. One against the universe, and the one is who came out on top.”
His gaze twists to the side and for the first time, I notice Grigory standing there in his white lab coat. My eyes go wide as I stare at the sniveling traitor. “You will pay for this, too,” I promise him in a low snarl.