Chapter 24: Chapter Twenty Four.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Xena asked, her voice filled with hesitation as she zipped her suitcase and stood it upright on the floor.

She turned to face Nana, who had just entered the room with Diego trailing behind her. The boy’s expression was a mix of sadness and confusion.

"You want me to travel all the way to Croatia?" Xena repeated, her tone uneasy as she tried to process the sudden turn of events.

Diego’s small voice broke the tension. "Are you going away from us on a vacation again? Can I please come with you this time?"

His words hit Xena like a weight on her chest, tugging at her heartstrings.

She glanced at Nana, searching for reassurance, but her grandmother’s stoic expression offered none.

Xena sighed and knelt, opening her arms to Diego, who ran into her embrace.

Diego’s little arms wrapped tightly around her. "Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon." Xena whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

"Just like when I came back from New York, okay?"

Diego nodded, though his reluctance was clear. He pulled away from the hug, his small hands fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

Nana placed a comforting hand on Diego’s shoulder.

"Diego, why don’t you help your sister take her luggage downstairs, hmm?"

The boy managed a small, sad smile and nodded.

Xena ruffled his hair, trying to lighten the mood.

"Be careful this time, okay? Don’t spill my clothes all over the stairs like last time." she teased gently.

Diego giggled at her words, his smile finally reaching his eyes, and grabbed the suitcase. He began dragging it out of the room, his small frame struggling slightly with the weight.

Once Diego was out of sight, Nana’s expression turned serious. She pulled a ticket from her pocket and handed it to Xena.

Xena frowned as she inspected it. "You want me to take the train?"

Nana nodded firmly. "It’s the safest option right now. We can’t afford to take any risks."

Xena opened her mouth to protest but stopped when Nana handed her a slip of paper with a number scribbled on it.

"When you reach Croatia, call this number." Nana instructed. "They’ll come to pick you up and take you somewhere safe."

Xena hesitated before taking the paper, her fingers trembling slightly.

"Oh, my little flower." Nana murmured, pulling Xena into a warm hug.

Xena melted into her grandmother’s embrace, feeling the comfort and strength she so desperately needed.

"I know you’re confused." Nana whispered, her voice filled with emotion. "But trust me, you’ll understand everything soon. Right now, it’s about keeping you safe—keeping you away from them."

Xena pulled back slightly, her brows furrowed. "*Them*? Who’s ‘them,’ Nana?"

Nana shook her head gently. "It’s not the time yet, my dear. But please, trust me on this."

Xena sighed, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on her. "In as much as I really want answers, I’ll listen to you, Nana. I just hope I’m making the right choice."

Just as Nana was about to respond, a loud thud echoed from downstairs.

Both women froze, their eyes meeting in concern.

"I’d better go check on Diego." Xena said quickly, breaking the tense silence. "I swear, if he’s dropped my suitcase again—"

Nana chuckled softly, the sound a brief reprieve from the tension. Together, they left the room, their footsteps hurried as they made their way downstairs.

They hurried down the stairs and were greeted by the sight of Diego standing in front of Xena’s suitcase, glaring at it as if it were his mortal enemy.

His small face was scrunched in frustration, his arms crossed.

"What's the matter?" Xena asked, biting back a laugh at how serious Diego looked.

"Your bag has a mind of its own." he muttered, still glaring at it as though it might jump up and walk away.

Nana chuckled softly, and Xena covered her mouth to stifle her laughter, but a small giggle escaped. Diego looked up at them, clearly unamused.

"Don’t laugh! It keeps tipping over!" Diego grumbled.

Before Xena could reply, the doorbell rang, interrupting the moment.

"I’ll get it!" Diego declared, his expression shifting from annoyed to cheerful in an instant. He hurried toward the door, leaving the suitcase behind.

Nana followed him, glancing back at Xena as she passed. "That must be Leonardo."

Xena frowned, crossing her arms. "Leonardo? What’s he doing here?"

"He’s taking you to the station." Nana replied matter-of-factly, as if it were obvious.

Xena blinked in surprise. "Oh. When did you set this up?"

Nana turned to face her. "He called me the other night." she explained. "He was the one who told me about the man who... took you away. I called him back last night and asked him to do me a favor—to make sure you get to the station safely."

Before Xena could process this, Diego opened the door, revealing Leonardo. He stepped inside with a warm smile, ruffling Diego’s hair as he entered.

Diego giggled and ran off to fetch Xena’s suitcase, leaving Leonardo to look up and meet Nana’s gaze.

His eyes then shifted to Xena, and for a moment, they lingered on her face.

Despite his composed demeanor, Xena couldn’t help but notice the faint bruise near his left brow and the small plaster covering it.

She bit her lip, guilt and worry swirling in her chest as she remembered the blow Viktor had dealt him.

"You’re ready?" Leonardo asked, his voice gentle but direct.

Xena looked at Nana, who gave her an encouraging nod. Taking a deep breath, Xena nodded in return. "Yeah, I’m ready."

Without another word, Leonardo stepped forward to grab the luggage Diego had finally wrestled into submission.

"Thank you." Xena said softly, her eyes darting to his brow.

As they walked outside, Nana stood by the doorway, watching Xena closely. There was a heaviness in her expression that Xena didn’t miss.

Xena turned back and forced a smile. "I’ll be okay, Nana." she said, waving.

Nana nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. Diego appeared by her side, waving enthusiastically despite the sadness in his eyes.

Xena waved back at both of them, her heart aching as she climbed into the car.

She gave them one last look before the door closed, sealing her inside.

As the car pulled away, she leaned back in her seat with a sigh. The weight of everything that had happened felt almost suffocating.

Leonardo glanced at her from the driver’s seat, breaking the silence with a quiet throat clearing.

"You okay?" he asked, his tone soft but concerned.

Xena turned her head toward him, her hands fidgeting in her lap. "I don’t know." she admitted. "Everything feels so... overwhelming."

Leonardo nodded, his eyes momentarily flicking to her before returning to the road.

"I get that. But you’re doing the right thing, you know. Your Nana just wants to protect you."

Xena gave a small, sad smile. "I know. It’s just... I hate leaving them. And I hate that you got hurt because of me."

Leonardo shook his head, his voice firm. "Don’t blame yourself for that. What happened isn’t your fault. You didn’t ask for any of this."

Xena stayed quiet, her gaze drifting to the window as the familiar streets of her town blurred into the distance. She wanted to believe him, but the guilt still gnawed at her.

"Hey." Leonardo said after a pause. "Whatever’s going on, you’re not alone, okay? Your Nana, Diego, me... we’re all here for you."

His words brought a lump to Xena’s throat, but she managed a nod. "Thanks, Leonardo."

The rest of the ride was quiet, the weight of unspoken worries hanging between them. As the train station came into view, Xena felt a knot tighten in her stomach. This was it—the first step into the unknown.

And running away from what she didn't know of yet.

◇◇◇

"Sir, she left already." the man assigned to watch Xena reported over the phone.

Viktor stood by the large window of his luxurious penthouse, the city lights casting shadows across his chiseled face.

A crystal glass of whiskey rested in his hand, the amber liquid catching the faint glow of the moonlight.

Two of his trusted men stood at a respectful distance, silently awaiting his next command.

Hearing the update, Viktor’s lips curved into a sinister smirk.

His sharp blue-gray eyes remained fixed on the horizon as if he could already see where she was heading.

"And she’s with that same male friend. It seems he’s dropping her off." the voice continued cautiously.

At those words, Viktor’s expression shifted. His smirk vanished, replaced by a cold, dangerous glare. The grip on his whiskey glass tightened until his knuckles turned white.

"Looks like he didn’t learn his lesson." Viktor growled, his voice low and threatening. Without another word, he ended the call abruptly, tossing the phone onto a nearby table.

He turned slightly, his piercing gaze now fixed on the two men in the room.

"Get the jet ready." he commanded, his voice like ice.

The two men exchanged brief glances, nodding in unison before hurrying out of the room to carry out his orders.

Left alone, Viktor took another slow sip of his whiskey, savoring the burn as it slid down his throat.

"I despise when what’s mine is touched." he muttered to himself, his jaw clenching with restrained fury.

He placed the glass down on the sleek black table beside him, the faint clink echoing in the quiet room.

Straightening his suit jacket, he cast one final glance out the window, his mind already calculating his next move.

"She’ll learn soon enough." he murmured, his voice a dark promise.

Then, without hesitation, Viktor strode out of the room, each step deliberate and unwavering, leaving behind an air of menace that lingered in the silence.