Chapter 159: The Trap Springs

Chapter 159: The Trap Springs
Time dilated. 

Six red dots bloomed across Anya’s chest and abdomen. Sniper locations. Close rooftop by the angles of the lasers.

Viktor saw them too. His hand reached for his weapon before he stopped. Any movement would bring a hail of fire on her.

“Freeze, everybody.” A voice boomed across the warehouse. Echoing. Amplified. “Hands on the ground. Drop your weapons. Now.” 

Dmitri’s men paused, weapons trained on each other, all eyes on their boss.

“Do it.” Anya said low. Her eyes darted to the speakers mounted on each wall. “This is not a coincidence.” 

“Very good, Anya Kozlov.” The voice crackled with a hint of laughter. “Or should I call you Petrova now? Hard to keep up with the different aliases you take.”

“Alexei.” She forced her voice to remain level despite the blood pounding in her ears. “This is quite a production even for you.”

“Alexei is a piece of the puzzle. As are you. As is our dear Viktor Orlov secured to that chair.” Pause. “Did you really think it would be that simple? That I would lead you here? Provide the breadcrumbs for you to follow me home?”

Chen shifted. Another laser dot moved onto his chest. 

“FBI Special Agent Chen. Welcome to the family.” The voice droned on. “I’m glad you could make it. Having a federal witness to the proceedings makes it all the more delicious. The life cycle of what happens when people interfere in our affairs.”

“What do you want?” Anya hissed. 

“What I always wanted. Control. But the old Syndicate was a blunt instrument. Too visible. Too easy to see.” The voice modulated. Darker. “I like to work in the shadows. Pulling strings others aren’t even aware exist.” 

“You’re re-building the Syndicate.” 

“I’m refining it. Sokolov trafficked enhanced operatives. Vulgar. Obvious. I’m trafficking something far more valuable. Information. Leverage. Fear.” 

Viktor gnashed his teeth. “You’re using the hits to compile data on every family. Their vulnerabilities. Their hierarchies.” 

“Very good.” Laughter again. “Even the Devil himself comes to the conclusion. Your every response to an attack tells me about your operational capability. Security measures. Strength of alliances. You’ve all been providing me with a comprehensive picture of how to tear you apart.”

“And Orlov?” Anya glanced at the man still zip-tied to the table.

“Sacrificial lamb. His electronic signals were meant to be tracked. His association with Alexei made intentionally obvious.” Pause. “But I needed you all here. The council leadership. The FBI point of contact. And enough armed muscle to make the next phase appear as a tragic firefight.”

Ice water coursed through Anya’s veins. “You’re going to kill us all. Make it look like we killed each other.”

“Not quite. I’m going to kill most of you. But someone has to live. To explain how the council fell. How the FBI agent got caught in crossfire. How chaos once again reigns in the streets.” Pause. “That someone is you, Anya.” 

“Why?” 

“Because you’re a tool. A useful one.” The voice deepened. Harsher. “You’ve built something amazing. A coalition that should never have been possible. But it’s brittle. Cemented by fear of you and loyalty to Viktor. Without him, it all falls apart. You become weak. Desperate. And desperate people make deals.” 

Viktor moved. Quick. Pushing Anya behind a support column as gunshots echoed through the space.

The laser sights disappeared. Replaced by flashes of muzzle fire from the catwalks above.

“Down!” Chen screamed. Rolling behind a nearby crate. 

Dmitri’s men returned fire. The warehouse was suddenly filled with chaos. 

Anya clutched the column. Heart hammering. Viktor fell to his knees beside her, his weapon trained on the shadows.

“We need to get out of here,” he said. “They have the high ground.” 

“Orlov—” 

“Is expendable to whoever’s broadcasting this.” Viktor clamped a hand on her arm. “You’re not.” 

More gunfire. One of Dmitri’s men went down. Then another. 

Chen was yelling into his cell phone. “Officer down! Federal agent under fire! Pier 47 warehouse!” 

“They’re going to jam the comms,” Viktor said. “Tactical protocol.” 

He was right. Chen’s face paled. “Signal lost.” 

Dmitri had hunkered behind an overturned table, firing upwards at the shadows. “Coward! You little coward! Show yourself!” 

“I shall.” A dark shape dropped from the catwalk. Landing in a crouch. Rising slowly. 

Anya gasped. 

The man wore tactical gear. Mask obscuring his face. But the physique was familiar. The gait. 

“Hello, little sister.” 

Pavel. 

Her uncle. The one beaten and left for dead by the Volkovs two years ago.

“That’s impossible,” Anya whispered. “You were crippled. Brain damaged.” 

“I was useful.” Pavel removed his mask. Skin was unmarked. Entire. “Amazing what one can accomplish when everyone believes you’re broken. When they stop watching you. Stop treating you as a threat.” 

“You’ve been at this since day one.” 

“Longer than that. Long before this even started. Since the night Marcus and Elena’s affair was discovered and I saw opportunity.” Pavel smiled. “The Kozlov family was dying. Dimitri was weak. Katarina delusional. Elena foolish. And you…” He studied her. “You were the wedge that split the foundation. The truth-seeker that undid everything.” 

“You wanted the family to fall.” 

“I wanted the old world to fall. The Bratva. The families. Everything.” Pavel stepped closer. Confident. “Sokolov had the right vision but the wrong execution. Trafficking in enhanced operatives was like a neon sign to law enforcement. Criminal. But trafficking in information? Selling leverage to the highest bidder? That’s sustainable. That’s power.” 

“You’re mad.” 

“I’m enlightened.” Pavel stopped ten feet away. “And you’re going to help me create it. Whether you like it or not.” 

Viktor raised his weapon. Pavel’s men immediately trained their sights on him.

“Oh, the Devil. Always the protector of his little sister.” Pavel’s smile broadened. “Tell me, Viktor. How many people did you have to kill to become who you are? How many bodies built your legacy?” 

“Enough.” 

“Then you know. Power is gained through sacrifice. Anya learned that when she broke her family for the truth. Now she’ll learn it again.” Pavel motioned to his men. “Take him.” 

“No!” Anya stood. Moving. Far too slow. 

Pavel’s men grabbed Viktor. Disarming him. Forcefully pressing him to his knees. 

“Last chance, Anya.” Pavel whipped out a pistol. Pressing it to Viktor’s temple. “Work with me. Build this new world together. Or watch the man you love die. Then work with me anyway.” 

Viktor met her eyes. Calm despite the pistol to his head. “Don’t.” 

“I’m not asking him.” Pavel’s finger itched on the trigger. “I’m asking you. Five seconds. Four. Three—” 

“Wait.” Anya stepped forward. Hands raised. “Wait. Just... wait.” 

“Anya, no,” Viktor grunted. 

“I’ll do it.” She met Pavel’s eyes. “I’ll work with you. Just don’t kill him.” 

Pavel studied her. Then grinned. “See? I knew you’d be reasonable.” 

He pulled the trigger.