Chapter 70 Nikolai
The wall exploded inward and debris flew everywhere. Dust filled the room and my ears rang from the blast.
Through the smoke I saw Dmitri leading a team of armed men all dressed in black tactical gear.
"Dmitri!" I shouted and my voice was hoarse and broken.
He saw me tied to the chair. His eyes darkened with rage.
"Kill them all!" He ordered his men. "Leave no one alive!”
Gunfire erupted and Viktor's guards tried to fight back but they were outnumbered and outgunned. Within seconds all six guards were dead.
Dmitri ran to me and started cutting the ropes.
"Where is she?" I demanded. "Where is Anya?”
"She's safe. I got her first and she is in the van outside.”
Relief flooded through me. "She is alive?"
"Barely but yes she's alive."
The ropes fell. I tried to stand but my legs gave out.
Dmitri caught me. "Easy. You're in a bad shape."
"I don't care. I need to see her."
"You can barely walk."
"Then carry me! I need to see her!"
He slung my arm over his shoulder and helped me to my feet. We stumbled through the destroyed factory past bodies and blood and smoke.
Outside a black van was waiting with the back doors open.
And there she was.
Lying on a stretcher and a medic was working on her bandaging her wounds and starting an IV. She looked worse than I imagined. Her hands were wrapped in gauze and blood soaked through. Her face was pale and her eyes were closed.
Her hands were bandaged. Blood soaked through. Her face was pale.
"Anya!" I pulled away from Dmitri and crawled into the van.
The medic tried to stop me. "Sir you need treatment too.”
"I am fine."
I touched her cheek.
Her eyes opened. "Nikolai?"
"I am here my love."
Tears streamed down her face. "You found me."
"Always."
She winced in pain.
"Do not move," I said.
The medic spoke. "We need the hospital now. She lost a lot of blood."
"Then go!"
Dmitri climbed in. "You should get treated."
"No. I stay with her."
He sighed. "Fine."
The van moved fast. Another medic cleaned my wounds. I watched Anya.
"Is she okay?" I asked.
"I do not know. She needs surgery."
My hands clenched. "Viktor did this."
"I know," Dmitri said.
"Where is he?"
"He escaped. A hidden door. He vanished."
Rage boiled in me. "He escaped?"
"Yes. We will find him."
"How did you find us?"
Dmitri looked away.
"Tell me!"
He met my eyes. "I had help."
"What help?"
The van doors burst open. We were at the hospital.
Medics took Anya inside.
"Wait!" I tried to follow.
"Sir you need treatment. You have broken ribs."
"I need to be with her!"
"You cannot. Let us treat you."
They put me on a gurney. I saw Anya disappear into surgery.
I woke hours later in a hospital bed. Mikhail sat beside me.
"Mikhail? What happened?"
"I am sorry Pakhan. I was tracking leads. Dmitri found you first."
"Where is Anya? Is she okay?"
"She is out of surgery. Stable but critical."
"I need to see her."
"You will. First we must talk."
"About what?"
"About Dmitri. How he found you."
I sat up and winced. "Tell me."
Mikhail took a breath. "He made a deal with Alexei Ivanov."
My blood ran cold. "What?"
"Dmitri went to Ivanov for help. Ivanov has resources. He found you."
"In exchange?"
"Dmitri goes back to him. As his slave. For five years."
"No. That cannot be true."
"It is. The contract is signed. Ivanov is outside waiting."
I threw off the blankets. "I will not let him."
"Nikolai stop. You can barely move."
"Dmitri saved us! I will not let him pay!"
The door opened. Alexei Ivanov walked in.
"Nikolai Markov. You are awake."
"Get out."
"Is that any way to greet the man who saved you?"
"You did not save me. Dmitri did."
"With my resources. Without me you would be dead."
"You made him sell himself."
Ivanov smiled. "He agreed. Five years for your lives. The contract is binding."
"I will pay you. Name your price."
"This is not about money. Dmitri gave his word. I will collect."
"Where is he?"
"Outside saying goodbye. Then he comes with me."
"No!" I tried to stand. Mikhail held me.
"Pakhan you will tear your stitches!"
"I do not care!"
Ivanov looked at me. "You care about him. Interesting."
"Dmitri is family. I protect my family."
"Family. How touching. A deal is a deal. He is mine now."
He left.
I collapsed. "No."
Mikhail put a hand on my shoulder. "I am sorry. Dmitri said it was the only way."
"We must break the contract."
"It is iron-clad. If we try he will come for all of us."
I closed my eyes. Dmitri sacrificed himself.
"I want to see him before he goes."
"I will get him."
Mikhail returned with Dmitri.
He looked resigned.
"Nikolai."
"Why did you do this?"
"I had no choice. You were captured. Anya was dying."
"You did not have to sell yourself!"
"Yes I did. Ivanov has connections. He was the only one."
"Five years Dmitri."
"It is worth it. To save my sister. To save you."
"You barely like me."
"Anya loves you. That is enough."
I grabbed his hand. "I will get you out. I swear."
"Do not. Do not risk Anya. Just take care of her."
"Dmitri..."
"Promise me."
"I promise."
He nodded. "Good."
A knock. One of Ivanov's men stood there.
"It is time."
Dmitri stood. "I must go."
"Can I see Anya? To say goodbye?"
"She is still unconscious. It may be days."
His face fell. "Then tell her I love her. And I am sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for."
"I made her choose. I made her life hell. I make it right now. She will not worry for me."
He walked to the door and stopped.
"Take care of her Nikolai. Or I will haunt you."
"I will. I swear."
He was gone.
Taken for five years.
All because he loved his sister.
I sat in silence broken.
We won. Anya lived. Viktor failed.
But the cost was unbearable.
And Viktor was still free.
Still planning.
This was not over.
Not by a long shot.