Fearless

by Nicole Coverdale

  “Elena, you’re the strongest girl I have ever met. You’re so smart and never afraid of anything. I envy that about you. You have so much hope, and you’re so full of dreams. Don’t you ever let anyone take that from you. They’re important, Elena. They define who we are, and you my girl, are meant for great things in life. I love you. I love your sisters. And I will never forget about any of you.”

  Her mother had loved her.

  She had been there for her.

  There was no way she would have ever turned her back on her.

  She rose to her feet.

  And the sound of a gunshot sounded from the house.

  What the hell?

  She turned.

  And bolted towards the house.

  Her feet slid in the sand.

  She lunged forward, her feet and arms pumping faster and faster.

  Se rounded the corner of the house.

  Her hand wrapping around the handle of the door.

  And entered the house.

  It was so quiet, she thought to herself, as she walked down the hallway.

  Stopping in the doorway of the kitchen.

  And gasped, when she saw Kieran wedged between the table and the countertop. His eyes were closed. His body slumped. And blood seeping from the side of his body.

  “Kieran!” she screamed, stepping into the room, turning her head. Watching as Kiana raised her hand. Pointing the gun at Kieran.

  “No!” Elena lunged forward, her hands wrapping around Kiana’s waist and slamming her against the wall

  “Elena…” Kiana gasped, her eyes widening.

  “What are you doing?” Elena screamed, her hand wrapping around Kiana’s wrist and slamming it against the wall. “What the hell are you doing? Why are you hurting him! He’s done nothing but help me. He’s been there for me. He’s been kind! Why are you hurting him?”

  “Oh, Elena, you still have no idea what part you play in this game yet, do you?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Kiana smiled. And for the first time, Elena found herself really looking into the woman’s eyes. Her mother’s eyes had always been a dark green. Almost emerald. But this woman, her eyes were a pale green. She was not her mother.

  “You’re not my mother.” Elena whispered. “You’re nothing like my mother.”

  “You’re right. I’m not.” The woman whispered. “I mean, who would ever want to be a mother to a worthless brat like you?” the woman smiled, her crooked teeth showing. “But you were so quick to believe that your mother was really alive. You were so quick to believe that you might still have someone in this world who loves you. But let’s face it, no one will ever love you Elena. You’re a soldier. You will always be a soldier. It’s the foundation your father and I built years ago, and no one is going to destroy it not even you.”

  “You are as evil as he is.” Elena whispered. “And you’re wrong. I’m not just a soldier. I’m a person too.” She stared into the woman’s face. “Who are you?”

  “Someone who hates your mother just as much as your father does.” The woman shook her head. “You know, I always wondered what your father saw in Kiana all those years ago. She wasn’t a strong woman. I mean, the woman was studying psychology of all things! Isn’t that the weakest science of all? But then again, Kiana always did have a way of getting whatever she wanted. When we were growing up she had always been the favorite around the house. I remember hearing she words, “Why can’t you be just like Kiana?” so many times that it made me sick. She was always so perfect! She got the good grades. She went out and got a job. She had a big group of friends. She dated the most popular guys in school. She had the perfect life. And then there was me! I was the one who didn’t give a rat’s ass about school. I didn’t care about my grades. I thought the people who surrounded me were complete idiots, so I was the loner. I was the complete opposite of Kiana.”

  “You hated her.”

  “I despised her.”

  Elena stared at the woman.

  “You’re Diana.” She suddenly whispered. “My mother’s sister. I thought you died years ago.”

  “That’s what everyone thought.” Diana whispered, smiling a little. “Everyone knows of sweet little Diana. Actually not so sweet. The girl who loved her drugs. The girl who enjoyed cooking her own meth. And whose home ended up blowing up because of it.” Diana laughed. “You know, the first time Kiana saw me even doing drugs she told me that it would be the death of me. Only she was wrong. It didn’t kill me. It made me stronger. And it was so much easier making everyone think I was dead. It’s not like anyone would miss me. Kiana thought I was a waste of space. My parents, well they thought I would never become anything. So after the explosion. After I was thrown from the mess, broken leg, broken arm, burns on my arms, I called a friend. He came and picked me up, and I disappeared. Until about twelve years ago.”

  “What happened twelve years ago?”

  “I wanted to see what my sister’s life had become. And boy, did she have the life that she had always dreamed of. She had the husband. She had the ten children. She had her college degree. She was even teaching classes online. But the moment I saw who her husband was, I knew her life wasn’t so great after all. The son of a wanted terrorist. The man who was trying so hard to get out from underneath his father’s shadow. Only, it just wasn’t meant to be. I was there, watching, as Abel left home that day. Pulling a suitcase behind him. Kiana thought he was going to a conference. Only, he was going to see his father instead.” Diana smiled. “That’s when everything fell apart. I followed Abel all the way to New York. I was sitting at the bar in the hotel when he came back from visiting his father and behold he sat next to me. We talked, and eventually we ended up in his room.” Diana smiled. “I fell in love with him instantly. And when he found out who I was, he didn’t even care.”

  “You slept with my father?” Elena’s eyes widened.

  “And good thing I did too. Because when your father returned home, he found your mother in bed with another man. Do you have any idea how hurt he was? How betrayed he felt? After he threw the man out of the house, he came running to me, and we devised a plan to get back at Kiana. Only, I was the one who was going to kill her.”

  “Wait.” Elena stopped her. “You’re telling me you and my father kidnapped my mother, and then you killed her?”

  “It was for her own good.”

  “But it was a man behind that mask.”

  “You thought it was a man.” Diana told her. “But you’d be amazed at all the technology that can help you alter your voice.”

  “But what about what you said? About that man’s family? About my father killing them? His son. His daughter. His wife. Were they all just lies?”

  Diana laughed. “Oh, no you silly girl! Those were all true. Shortly after your father found Kiana in bed with Simon, your father went off the deep end. Went to Simon’s house in the middle of the night and killed his whole family. It was quite impressive if I must say so myself.”

  “Then why did you pretend to be him? Why did you pretend to be someone else?”

  “So your mother would believe that I really did hate your father. That I might really actually kill you. Her children. She needed to believe in order to come with me. So I could kill her.”

  “And did you? Did you really kill her?”

  “Well, I was supposed to. Only the damn bitch managed to fight me off and escape. She knew it was me too. She saw my face. And she hit me right here.” Diana held a hand to her cheek. “She was so pissed at me. Wanting to know how her own sister could do something like this to her? After all she had done for me.” Diana snorted. “She just didn’t know when to quit I tell you. Then she grabbed the letter opener from the desk and hit me on the side of the head with it. I fell unconscious and when I woke up she was gone. I had failed, so I had to think quickly, before Abel came over here. But it was too late. He was at the door before I could even blink. He saw the blood on the side of my face, and told me we
had to do something else. We had to find a body and pretend it was Kiana’s. That’s when we dug the body up from the cemetery. We needed something to motivate you girls. Something to make you believe that your mother was really dead.”

  “You kidnapped my mother? You helped my father build that organization? You helped him turn us into monsters?”

  “Not monsters. Soldiers, for the greater good.”

  “You’re as sick as he is!” Elena shouted, her fist slamming into Diana’s face.

  Diana’s head jerked back.

  She shoved Elena back.

  Elena stumbled a couple steps back, watching as Diana raised a hand. Wiping the blood from her mouth.

  “Well, well you definitely are your mother’s daughter.” She whispered. “It’s too bad she’s probably dead by now. She would never survive out here by herself. And soon, you and Kieran will be gone too.” She shook her head. “You were such a good soldier, Elena. You and Kieran were two of the best. The one thing I never understood though, is how the two of you believe that you can take down the organization. That you can destroy the very thing Dominic and Abel tried so hard to build.”

  “Because we believe.” Elena whispered. “We believe, Diana.”

  Diana snorted. “Horse shit. But soon you’ll both be dead.”

  “We’ll be dead?” Elena raised a brow. “That might be a little hard to do, Diana.” She whispered, holding out the gun Diana had had in her hands just moments ago.

  “You!” Diana lunged forward, grabbing her by the waist. Slamming her against the wall. “You ruin everything!”

  “No, you ruin everything!” Elena screamed, stumbling back. Her back hitting the wall. “You took away my mother! Leaving her out there, just to die! You helped train us! You brainwashed my father, even more than he already was! You took away my life! You ruined my life, Diana! You ruined my family!”

  “It was already ruined! And now you have no one! No one at all.”

  “You’re wrong. She still has somebody.”

  Kieran

  Elena raised her head.

  She saw Diana’s head spin around.

  The sound of gunfire echoed in the house.

  She watched as Kieran shoved the table away from him. His gun in his hand.

  The bullet crashed into the wall next to them.

  Diana’s hand loosened from Elena.

  Elena shoved her back, lunging forward, her head slamming into Diana’s stomach.

  Diana gasped, stumbling back.

  Elena brought her knee up, striking her in the midsection. Her fist slammed forward, slamming into Diana’s face. And she straightened, raising the gun, out of the corner of her eye watching as Kieran slumped to the ground.

  “Kieran!” she screamed, just as she pulled the trigger.

  Diana dropped to the ground, rolling and jumping to her feet. Stopping in the doorway of the kitchen.

  “You’ll never get out of here alive, Elena.” She whispered. “Men are surrounding the house, ready to take you out at my signal. And trust me, I will take you out.” She smiled, turning and racing out of the house.

  Elena raised her hand, pulling the trigger.

  The bullet hit Diana in the leg.

  She saw her stumble.

  Then she was out of the house.

  And she heard her yell one single word.

  “Now!”

  The glass behind Elena shattered.

  Her head spun around.

  And she watched, as a canister rolled on the floor next to her. Smoke starting to fill the room.

  “Kieran!” she jumped to her feet, reaching for him. Her hand wrapping around his arm. “Kieran, we have to get out of here now!”

  “Downstairs.” He gasped, struggling to rise to his feet. “There’s an underground passage that leads to the tunnels underneath the house. We can get out that way.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Of course I’m sure.” Kieran muttered.

  Elena wrapped her arm around his waist. “Okay.”

  They hurried down the hallway, and Elena reached for the door leading downstairs.

  Behind her, she heard men bursting into the house.

  “Don’t look back.” Kieran whispered in her ear. “It’s not worth it. It’s not worth our lives.”

  Elena pulled the door open, pulling them both inside.

  They quickly descended the stairs.

  “In the middle of the room. There’s a rug. Move it.” Kieran told her, letting go of her hand.

  Elena left him behind, racing across the room, shoving the rug out of the way. And she stared at the door that lay in the middle of the floor. “You’re prepared for anything, aren’t you?” she whispered.

  “Always.” Kieran informed her, stopping next to her, reaching for the door.

  It pulled open, revealing a ladder underneath.

  “You go first.” Elena told him, as an explosion sounded from above them.

  “Elena—“

  “You’re injured.” Elena muttered. “Go down the ladder, Kieran, now.”

  Kieran stared at her.

  “Now, Kieran! It is not time to be a freaking gentleman!”

  Kieran blew out a breath, then disappeared down into the darkness.

  Elena shoved the gun that she held in her hand, in the small of her back, and started down the ladder.

  Above her, the ceiling started to cave.

  And she watched, as it suddenly burst open. And she stared above her, at the men racing into the house.

  A scream escaped her mouth, her hand wrapping around the handle. Slamming the door shut, before making her way down the rest of the ladder.

  A second later, she felt Kieran’s arms around her waist.

  “We’re in the tunnels.” Kieran whispered in her ear, grabbing her by the hand. “Come on, let’s go!”

  The hurried down the tunnels.

  She saw a rat scurry by, and she jumped, a squeal escaping her mouth.

  “Seriously?” Kieran turned, staring at her. “We’re being chased down by men with big guns, and you’re scared of a tiny rat?”

  “They are not tiny. Have you ever heard about what they do with rats? How they used to use them as a torture method?” She shuddered. “They are not innocent.”

  Kieran laughed, pulling her forward, and stopped at the wall.

  Elena raised her head. Staring at the ladder above her. And watched as Kieran started climbing it. Swallowing, and following him up the ladder.

  A moment later, Kieran threw open a door above him. Climbing out into the brightness of the day. Reaching a hand down, and pulling her out of the tunnels.

  “Where are we?” Elena whispered.

  “Only a couple miles from the house.” Kieran told her, closing the door. He looked over his shoulder. Watching in the distance as his house blew up right in front of their eyes. “Guess everything’s gone.” He whispered.

  “I’m sorry.” Elena whispered, covering his hand with hers. “I’m so sorry for everything.”

  “Don’t you dare blame yourself!” Kieran told her. He turned his hand over, linking his fingers with hers. The only thing that matters is that we are alive. Now come on.”

  He pulled her forward, weaving in between the trees.

  Then he stopped at a large building, extracting a key from his pocket, opening the door.

  They stepped inside, and Elena watched, as the lights suddenly came on and she found herself staring at three rows of cars laying inside the building.

  “Kieran, what is this place?”

  “My own private sanctuary.” Kieran whispered. Running his hand over the hood of the car next to him. “I have an addiction to buying cars.” He whispered. “Now, pick one, before they find us. We gotta get out of here quick.”

  Elena walked forward.

  Her hand sliding over the hood of a black Mazda.

  “This one.”

  “Get in.”

  They got in the car, and Elena sat there. Staring at th
e wheel in front of her. Gulping.

  “Kieran, I’ve never driven before.”

  “It’s easy.” Kieran informed her, closing his eyes. “Turn the key in the ignition.”

  Elena lifted her hand.

  The engine came roaring to life.

  Hit the button above you, it opens the garage door.

  She hit the button.

  She watched as the large door opened in front of them.

  “Hit the brake, and slowly, push that lever to your right into drive.”

  Elena blew out a breath.

  “Which one’s the brake?”

  “The one on your left, on the floor.”

  She pressed her foot to it, pulling the lever next to her.

  “Now ease off the brake. Press your foot on the accelerator. And go. Turn the wheel as you navigate so it stays on the road, and watch your speed. The last thing we need is to be pulled over.”

  Elena lifted her foot off the break.

  She pressed on the accelerator.

  And the car zoomed out of the building.

  “See. Not so hard.” Kieran muttered, as she hit the road, and reached over her head. Pressing the button to the garage closed again. “Now just continue driving.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Luis has a cabin, about sixty miles from here. We’re going to go there. No one knows about it. Luis shouldn’t be anywhere near the place. We should have the place completely to ourselves. A place where we can rest, and take care of this gunshot wound of mine.” He turned his head, opening his eyes. “By the way, your aunt, is a royal bitch.”

  Elena laughed.

  “I know.”

  “Good.” Kieran turned, resting his head on the window, and closing his eyes.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Where was Elena?

  She turned her head, staring down the length of the facility, blinking as her head started to clear.

  Around her, she heard the grunts of the other women, as they punched and kicked the punching bags next to her.

  But all she could think of was Elena.

  Her sister.

  Her head jerked up.

  And she suddenly felt as if she had woken up from a very long slumber.