Chapter 85 Chapter 85
CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE
Irina's POV
After Dimitri left I sat alone with my thoughts.
My son was stable now but I was still scared.
What if someone tried to hurt him again?
What if Katya came back?
"Do not worry ma'am," the guard Dimitri left said as though he could read my thoughts. "We will protect you both."
I nodded but I did not feel safe.
A nurse came in to check on me.
"How are you feeling Mrs Volkov?" She asked kindly.
"Tired," I admitted. "And scared."
"That is understandable," she said. "You have been through a lot."
She checked my vitals and adjusted my IV.
"Try to rest," she said. "Your body needs to heal."
After she left I tried to sleep but I could not.
Every sound made me jump.
Every footstep made my heart race.
Hours passed slowly.
Then finally I fell into a restless sleep.
I dreamed about my baby growing up.
I dreamed about a life without fear and violence.
I dreamed about peace.
But then the dream changed.
It became a nightmare.
I saw Katya standing over my son's incubator.
She was smiling that evil smile.
She reached for him with her hands.
"No!" I tried to scream but no sound came out.
I tried to run but my legs would not move.
I watched helplessly as she picked up my baby.
"He is mine now," Katya said.
"No!" I screamed.
I woke up suddenly, my heart was pounding.
It was just a dream, just a nightmare.
But it felt so real.
I looked around the room, everything was quiet.
The guard was still at the door.
I was safe.
But I needed to see my son.
"Can you take me to the NICU?" I asked the guard.
"Of course ma'am," he replied.
He helped me into the wheelchair carefully.
We went down the hall to the NICU.
When we got there I saw my baby through the glass.
He looked so peaceful.
His little chest was moving up and down.
He was breathing on his own now.
"He is getting stronger," a nurse said with a smile.
"Can I hold him?" I asked.
"Not yet," the nurse replied. "But soon."
I watched him for a long time.
My tiny miracle.
He had survived so much already.
The accident, the early birth, the poisoning.
He was a fighter.
Just like Dimitri said.
My phone buzzed, it was a text from Dimitri.
"How are you? How is our son?"
I smiled and texted back.
"We are both okay. He is getting stronger. How are things with you?"
A few minutes passed and then he replied.
"Complicated. I will explain later. I love you."
"I love you too," I texted back.
I wondered what was happening with him.
What complications was he dealing with?
But I trusted him to handle it.
He always did.
Hours passed and I stayed by the NICU window.
I could not take my eyes off my son.
Then suddenly the lights in the hospital flickered.
Once, twice, then they went out completely.
Emergency lights came on but they were dim.
"What is happening?" I asked nervously.
"Probably just a power issue," the guard said. "The generators will kick in soon."
But something felt wrong.
The air felt heavy, tense.
Then I heard gunfire.
It was distant but clear.
"What was that?" I asked fearfully.
The guard's face went pale.
"Stay here," he ordered.
He spoke into his radio.
"This is unit five, we heard gunshots, what is the situation?"
Static came through then a panicked voice.
"We are under attack! Multiple armed men are in the lobby!"
My heart stopped.
"Who is attacking?" The guard asked.
"Unknown," the voice replied. "But they are asking for Irina Volkov."
They were here for me.
Katya had sent more men.
"We need to move you now," the guard said urgently.
"No," I said. "I am not leaving my son."
"Ma'am, it is not safe," he argued.
"I do not care!" I shouted. "I am not leaving him!"
More gunfire erupted. It was getting closer.
The guard cursed and spoke into his radio again.
"I need backup at the NICU now!"
"All units are engaged," a voice replied. "You are on your own."
The guard pulled out his gun.
"Stay behind me," he ordered.
We heard footsteps running down the hall.
Heavy boots, multiple people.
The guard positioned himself in front of me and my son.
"Whatever happens," he said, his voice trembling. "I will protect you both."
The footsteps got closer and closer.
Then they appeared.
Five men dressed in black, all carrying guns.
They looked at me and smiled.
"There she is," one of them said. "Katya wants you alive."
"You will have to go through me first," my guard said bravely.
The men laughed.
"That can be arranged," one said.
They raised their guns.
My guard fired first.
One man fell.
But then they returned fire.
My guard was hit multiple times.
He fell to the ground bleeding.
"No!" I screamed.
The men walked towards me.
I was trapped.
There was nowhere to run. I c
ouldn't even run.
"Please," I begged. "Please do not hurt my baby."
"We are not here for the baby," one man said. "Just you."
They grabbed my arms roughly.
"Let me go!" I screamed.
I tried to fight but I was too weak.
They dragged me away from the NICU.
Away from my son.
"No! My baby!" I cried. "Please let me stay with my baby!"
But they did not listen.
They dragged me down the hall towards the exit.
I screamed and struggled but it was useless.
Then suddenly more gunfire erupted.
The men holding me fell.
I looked up and saw him.
Dimitri.
He was here.
He had come for me.
"Irina!" He ran towards me, lifting me up carefully.
"Are you hurt?" He asked urgently.
"No," I said. "But the guard, he saved me, he..."
"I know," Dimitri said. "He was a good man."
More men in black appeared behind us.
"We need to go now," Dimitri said.
He carried me quickly back towards the NICU.
His men were fighting the attackers.
Bullets flew everywhere.
We made it to the NICU and Dimitri set me down.
"Stay here," he ordered. "Protect our son."
He turned to face the attackers.
But then something happened that shocked us both.
The elevator doors opened.
And out stepped someone I never expected to see.
Mikhail.