56

Petrik

The drive back to the safe house was tense, the air between Lia and me charged with everything we couldn’t yet say. She clutched the folder tightly, her knuckles white against the leather binding, as though it might slip away if she didn’t hold on. I kept my eyes on the road, but my mind was already spinning through possibilities.

Diana was planning to eliminate her opposition—not just politically or financially, but physically. It was a line even she had avoided crossing openly before. If the names in that folder were her next targets, then she was more desperate than I’d realized.

“You’re too quiet,” Lia said suddenly, breaking the silence. “What are you thinking?”

“That this changes everything,” I admitted. “She’s not just consolidating power anymore. She’s escalating. If we don’t act quickly, people are going to die.”

Her expression hardened. “Then we act.”

The determination in her voice was unshakable, but I could see the worry in her eyes. Lia was strong, but even she couldn’t ignore the gravity of what we were walking into. This wasn’t just a corporate war anymore—it was something darker, something more personal.

“We need to move carefully,” I said, my voice steady. “Diana will retaliate the moment she realizes we have this. And she’ll retaliate hard.”

Lia nodded, though her grip on the folder didn’t loosen. “Then let’s make sure she doesn’t get the chance.”

Back at the safe house, Nikolai was waiting for us, his laptop open and several screens filled with maps, documents, and communications intercepts. He looked up as we entered, his expression grim.

“Tell me you found something good,” he said.

Lia handed him the folder. “This isn’t just good—it’s everything.”

Nikolai’s eyes widened as he flipped through the pages, his brows furrowing with each new revelation. “Holy shit,” he muttered. “She’s building a kill list.”

“Exactly,” I said. “And if we don’t stop her, she’s going to take out anyone who stands in her way.”

Nikolai set the folder down, running a hand through his hair. “We can use this. Get it to the right people—law enforcement, media, even some of her allies. If they see what she’s planning, it might be enough to turn the tide.”

“It won’t be that simple,” Lia said, crossing her arms. “If Diana catches wind of this, she’ll spin it before we can even get the word out.”

“Then we control the narrative,” I said, leaning over the table. “We don’t just leak this. We make it public, undeniable. Force her to answer for it.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” Nikolai asked. “You can’t just hold a press conference and say, ‘Hey, look, Diana’s a criminal.’ She’ll bury it before it gains traction.”

“Not if we hit her where it hurts first,” Lia said. “The people in that folder aren’t just her enemies—they’re her leverage. If we warn them, protect them, we cut off her ability to manipulate them.”

I nodded, the plan forming in my mind. “We split up. Nikolai, you coordinate with Elena and our other allies. Start leaking this to trusted contacts—people who won’t hesitate to act. Lia and I will start reaching out to the people on the list, warn them before Diana can act.”

“And when she comes after you?” Nikolai asked.

“She will,” I said simply. “But that’s a risk we have to take.”

The first name on the list was Viktor Volkov, the very board member who had been trying to undermine me. The irony wasn’t lost on me as we approached his penthouse, the glittering lights of the city stretching out behind us. Volkov was a snake, but even he didn’t deserve to be caught in Diana’s crosshairs.

“This should be fun,” Lia muttered as we stepped into the elevator.

“Volkov’s a pragmatist,” I said. “If he sees Diana as a threat to himself, he’ll flip. But we need to be careful—he’s not exactly trustworthy.”

The elevator doors opened to reveal Volkov’s opulent penthouse, all glass and marble and expensive art. He was seated in the living room, a glass of whiskey in hand, his sharp eyes narrowing as we entered.

“Well, this is unexpected,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“We need to talk,” I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Volkov raised an eyebrow but gestured for us to sit. “By all means, enlighten me.”

Lia handed him a copy of the documents from the folder, her expression cold. “This is what Diana’s planning. You’re on her list.”

Volkov’s smirk faltered as he scanned the pages, his face paling slightly. “This is... unexpected.”

“It’s real,” I said. “And if you don’t act now, you won’t get a chance to later.”

Volkov set the documents down, his hands trembling slightly. “Why are you telling me this? You’ve been trying to shut me down for months.”

“This isn’t about us,” I said. “It’s about stopping Diana before she takes us all down. If we work together, we can end this.”

Volkov leaned back, his expression unreadable. “And what’s in it for me?”

“Your life,” Lia said bluntly. “And a chance to come out of this on the right side.”

He studied us for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “All right. I’m in.”

Volkov was the first of many. Over the next two days, Lia and I worked tirelessly, reaching out to as many people on the list as we could. Some were skeptical, others outright hostile, but most understood the danger once they saw the evidence.

By the third day, we had built a coalition strong enough to rival Diana’s crumbling network. But as our allies grew, so did the risk. Diana wouldn’t sit back and let us dismantle her empire without a fight.

And when her retaliation came, it would be swift and merciless.

But for the first time, I felt like we had the upper hand. Lia’s determination, Nikolai’s precision, and the cracks in Diana’s foundation were all working in our favor.

This wasn’t just a battle anymore—it was a war. And we were ready for whatever came next.