Chapter89 Aliya's Been Kidnapped
Nikolai POV
The phone rang at exactly three in the afternoon, cutting through my office quiet like a blade. I was reviewing quarterly reports when an unknown number flashed on my screen.
"Nikolai Volkov."
"Is this the Alpha of the Northern Pack?" The voice was electronically distorted, completely unrecognizable.
"Who are you?"
"Who we are doesn't matter. What matters is that we have someone very important to you. Your fiancée, Aliya Rowanwood."
My blood froze. I gripped the phone tighter, every instinct screaming at me to stay calm. "What do you want?"
"Thirty million dollars. Cash. You have three hours to get the money ready. We'll call you back in two and a half hours with delivery instructions. No police, no backup, no tricks. Just you and the money, or this beautiful little princess dies."
"How do I know you really have her? How do I know she's alive?"
"Good question. Hold on."
I heard rustling, then the sound of tape being ripped off something. My heart pounded as I waited.
"Nikolai?" Aliya's voice came through weak and scared.
"Aliya! Are you hurt? Where are you?"
"I'm okay, but my face..." Her voice was barely a whisper. "They hit me. Nikolai, please don't give them anything. This isn't worth thirty million."
Before she could say more, the phone was yanked away.
"There's your proof," the distorted voice returned. "Three hours, Volkov. Don't let us down."
The line went dead.
It had only been one day since Aliya met with Sarah, and now she's been kidnapped?
I didn't need to guess who was behind this. It was Marcus!
I immediately called Anton. "Get to my office. Now. Emergency situation."
"On my way, boss. What's going on?"
"Someone kidnapped Aliya. They want thirty million in ransom."
"Get the cash ready and find out where Marcus is right now."
Thirty minutes later, Anton tracked Marcus to a downtown hotel where he was giving a speech about pack unity and leadership.
How ironic.
I waited in the hotel parking garage, leaning against a concrete pillar. When Marcus finally appeared with his security detail, I blocked his path.
"Marcus."
He looked genuinely surprised to see me. "Nikolai. This is unexpected. What brings you here?"
"We need to talk privately."
"I'm afraid I have other appointments. Maybe we can schedule something next week."
"It's about Aliya Rowanwood."
That got his attention. His eyes sharpened, and I watched his face carefully for any signs. "What about her?"
Before he could react, I signaled to Anton. Within seconds, my men surrounded Marcus's security detail while Anton and I grabbed Marcus himself.
"What the hell are you doing?" Marcus shouted as we forced him toward a waiting car.
I didn't bother answering. Time was running out, and I needed answers fast.
Twenty minutes later, I had Marcus tied to a chair in an empty office space, construction plastic covering the windows. I rolled up my sleeves and picked up a wrench from the scattered tools.
"She's been kidnapped. Someone wants thirty million dollars for her safe return. Interesting timing, don't you think? Right after she had that meeting with Sarah yesterday." I tossed the wrench in my hand.
"Kidnapped? When? Have you contacted the authorities?"
Looking at Marcus's innocent face made my anger spike. I grabbed the wrench and smashed it right into his face.
Two streams of bright red blood shot out of his nose. Marcus screamed in pain. "What the hell is wrong with you!"
"Cut the act, Marcus. We both know you're behind this." I punched him in the face again.
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about." Marcus lifted his already bruised and swollen face. "Why would I kidnap Aliya? What possible benefit would that give me?"
I studied his expression. Either he was a much better actor than I'd given him credit for, or he was telling the truth. "Because you want to control me. Because you know I care about her."
"You think I'd risk everything, risk exposure, risk my entire political career, for thirty million dollars?" Marcus shook his head. "Nikolai, I may be ambitious, but I'm not stupid. Kidnapping brings too much heat, too much risk. It's not my style."
"Watch me." I backhanded him across the face, hard enough to snap his head to the side.
Marcus spat blood and glared at me. "I told you, I don't know anything about Aliya being kidnapped!"
"Then who does?" I hit him again, this time with my fist right in his eye. "Marcus, if anything happens to Aliya, I'll torture you until you wish you were dead!"
"I don't know!" he gasped.
Before I could continue, my phone rang. Unknown number again, but I knew who it was.
"Volkov."
"Having second thoughts about paying up?" The electronic voice was cold, emotionless.
"I need more time. Thirty million isn't something you can just withdraw from an ATM."
"You've had an hour and a half. You've got ninety minutes left. Don't test our patience."
"Let me talk to her again. I need proof she's still alive."
There was a pause, then muffled voices in the background. Finally: "You get thirty seconds."
"Nikolai?" Aliya's voice was weaker than before, and I could hear the exhaustion.
"I'm here, sweetheart. Are you okay?"
"I'm trying to be. But Nikolai, don't pay them. Whatever they want, it's not worth it. Find another way."
"I'm going to get you out of there, I promise. Can you tell me anything about where you are? What you can hear?"
"It's dark. I can hear traffic, but it's distant. And there's a smell, like old machinery or..."
The phone was snatched away.
"Time's up," the kidnapper said. "Ninety minutes, Volkov. Don't make us wait."
The line went dead.
I looked at Marcus, who was too beaten up to speak anymore. I knew continuing to interrogate him would just be a waste of time.
I ordered my men to follow me out.
Marcus, still tied to the chair, kept cursing: "Come on, untie me!"
I ignored him because my phone was ringing again. This time it was a number I recognized, and my heart sank.
"Mr. Volkov?" It was Gregor Rowanwood, Aliya's father. "I'm sorry to bother you, but we haven't heard from Aliya since yesterday. She was supposed to come home for dinner last night, but she never showed up. We've been calling her phone all morning, but it goes straight to voicemail. Do you know where she is?"
I could hear Elena's voice in the background, asking if everything was alright.
I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the hardest conversation of my life.
"Gregor," I said quietly, "sit down. I have something to tell you."
"What is it? What's wrong?"
I could hear the growing panic in his voice, could imagine Elena moving closer to listen.
"Aliya may have been kidnapped."