She pulled the trigger.
“No!”
Kiana flew across the room. Tackling Diana to the floor.
The bullet flew across the room. Hitting the wall behind Elena.
Elena jerked her head around. Staring at the wall behind her. Gulping.
“Elena, go!” Kiana screamed. “Go get the president! Save him before it’s too late!”
Elena stared at her mother. Watching as she and Diana rolled on the floor fighting.
“You ruined everything!” Diana screamed. “You destroyed him! You destroyed the man I love!” She threw Kiana to the ground. Sending a punch to her face.
Kiana’s head reared back. Blood spurted from her nose. And a smile spread across her face.
“You two aren’t capable of love.” she whispered. Grabbing Diana by the shoulders, and head butting her.
“Damn, it’s a fucking family meltdown.” Elena muttered to herself. Cutting through the rest of the rope, and jumping to her feet. Rounding the counter and racing across the room towards the president and his family.
“Jesus, who are these people?” the president asked as she crouched down in front of him. Staring to cut through his ropes. “Who are you?”
Elena laughed. “You know, I really do get tired of hearing that question.” She smiled. “I’m here to help you.” She told him.
“And these people? They’re your family?”
“Yes. Unfortunately they are.”
“That man over there.” He nodded to where Abel was lying on the ground. “I know him. He’s Dominic’s son. Dominic and I went to high school together. We were once close friends.” He stopped, staring at Elena. “Is this where all of this started? Am I to blame for all of this?”
“I wouldn’t blame yourself for this, Mr. President.” Elena told him, cutting through the last of the rope. “No matter what you would have done differently all those years ago, Dominic would have still found some reason to hate the world. To want to destroy the world. These people. Dominic and Abel. They have a darkness that neither you nor I can even begin to understand, but what we can do is stop them. And the key to doing that is getting you the hell out of here!”
“Over my dead body.”
Abel’s voice whispered in her ear.
Elena froze.
Feeling his hand wrap around the back of her neck, and suddenly she felt herself lifted into the air. Her feet leaving the ground.
“Abel.” She whispered.
“Did you really think you could cut him loose without me ever knowing?” he asked. “Did you really think you could cut the man who ruined my father’s life loose? Who ruined him! Who ruined his future loose? Really, Elena, did you really think that you could get away with it, without me ever knowing?”
Elena turned her head. Staring down at him. Suddenly remembering back to eight years ago, when she had first been brought into the organization. Remembering the moments after she’d watched Irena get raped. When she had seen her father for the man who he really was, and remembered how he had grabbed her by the neck just like this. Throwing her to the ground as if she were nothing more than a rag doll. She’d been just a frightened, little girl back then. She was no longer that girl. She was no longer afraid of him. She wasn’t afraid of anything anymore.
“I was counting on it.” She whispered, kicking her leg forward.
Her heel caught him right in the throat.
He gasped. Stumbling back. His grip around her tightening.
Elena grabbed him by the shoulders. Kicking forward again, breaking free of his grip, and dropping to his feet.
“I’m going to kill you!” she screamed. Lunging towards him. Throwing him to the ground. Punching him in the face. “I’m going to fucking kill you!” she screamed. “I’m going to kill you for all that you have done to me. To my sisters. To all the people you have hurt. Who have killed. I’m going to kill you if it is the last thing I do!” And she slammed her fist into his face.
“But can you really do it?” Abel whispered. “Can you really kill me, Elena?”
“Why wouldn’t I be able to?”
“Because I made you who you are today.” Abel whispered. “Remember, I’m your father. I raised you from that little baby you were all those years ago. I told you how to act. I told you how to feel. I made you, and if you kill me, well you’ll just end up killing yourself too.”
“You never made me.” Elena whispered. “I made myself!”
“Think what you need to, Elena, but just know. If you kill me. You’re no better than that monster you were under the influence of that drug.” He stopped. “By the way, how are you alive?”
Elena smiled.
“With a little help from my sister.”
“Arianna.” Abel scowled. “I knew I should have killed her when she failed the organization.”
“But you couldn’t, could you?” Elena whispered. “You couldn’t kill her.”
“I could have.”
“No you couldn’t have.” Elena whispered. “Because, deep down inside, you still love her.”
“No I don’t!” Abel shouted, his hands wrapping around her shoulders, shoving her away.
Elena stumbled backwards.
“Love is a wasteful emotion!” Abel screamed, rising to his feet. “Wasteful, and I’ll show you that, by killing you!” he withdrew his gun, pointing it at her.
“No!”
She heard a scream.
She felt her body get pushed away.
And the sound of the gunshot echoed in her ears.
And she lifted her head, watching, as her mother crumbled to the ground.
“Mom!” she screamed, jumping to her feet, racing towards her mother’s prone body.
Diana lunged forward, grabbing her by the arms.
“No!” she screamed, fighting against her grip.
“You have to live with this, Elena.” Diana whispered in her ear. “If you hadn’t broken free of the organization. If you hadn’t rebelled against us, your mother would still be alive. She would still be here for you.”
“No!” Elena screamed. “This is not my fault!” she turned her head, staring into Diana’s eyes. “How can you just stand there? She’s your sister!”
“She betrayed me. She lied to me. And for that, she will pay for her sins.”
“And so will you.” Elena whispered.
A gunshot ripped through the silence of the room.
And she found herself falling to the ground, turning her head, watching Diana’s body fall hard to the ground just behind her. A single gunshot wound embedded in her forehead.
A cry escaped her throat.
She scrambled back a step.
What the hell?
She turned her head.
And watched, as Kiana fell to the ground, the gun sliding out of her hand.
“Mom!” she jumped to her feet racing across the room, falling to her knees next to her mother. “Mom, you shot her!”
“I had to.” Kiana whispered. “She was going to hurt you. I couldn’t let her hurt you, Elena. I can’t let anyone hurt my girls.”
“You saved me.” Elena whispered. “You saved me twice.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. She gathered her mother up in her arms, staring down at the blood that was leaving her body. “Please don’t leave me!”
“Oh, Elena, my sweet girl.” Kiana reached a weak hand up, touching her cheek. “You still don’t get it, do you? I was a horrible mother to you girls.”
“No you weren’t.”
“Oh, Elena, don’t lie for me. We both know the truth. I was a terrible mother. I wasn’t there for you. I made you think I was dead. You found me, only to think that I had teamed up with your father, and now, you’re going to lose me again. I am so sorry for everything I have put you through, Elena. So sorry.”
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for, Mom.” Elena whispered, a sob rising up in her throat. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for, because I finally understand. I understand that everythin
g you have done has been for us. You have always thought about us, and now, you’re going to die for us.”
“I can’t think of a better way to die.” Kiana whispered.
“Mom, no!” Elena shook her. “Mom, don’t die! I have to ask you, about what you said. The drug. Did you really change the drug?”
Kiana smiled. “No, Elena. You were right all along. It was love. The drug was meant to erase all traces of your past. Any feelings, other than carrying out your mission. But when you went to Chicago to carry out your mission, you saw that family. And your heartbeat kicked up a couple beats, letting you see past the darkness. Letting you see past the hatred, and you were able to remember who you really are. You were always the key, Elena. You have always been the strong one and it will be you who will bring this family back together. I love you, Elena.”
“I love you too, Mom.” Elena whispered.
A click sounded in her ear.
A dark laugh filled the space around her.
She turned her head.
And stared up at Abel, as he stopped next to them.
“This is just so touching.” He murmured, a smile spreading across his face. “And just so perfect. Now the two of you can live together, forever, wherever you might end up.”
He raised his gun, cocking the trigger.
Chapter Forty-Three
“Kieran?”
Arianna jerked her head up, watching as Kieran stumbled up the steps with Irena in his arms. “Oh my God! Is that…”
“It’s Irena.” Kieran muttered, dropping her in one of the seats. “Run to the room in the back. Grab me some rope from that cabinet.”
Arianna jumped to her feet, racing down the aisle, and a second later she was back.
“Is she—“she cut herself off as she handed the rope over to Kieran.
Kieran shook his head. “No. She’s just knocked unconscious. Look, Arianna, I need you to keep an eye on her and Eliot for me.” He turned his head, pointing to the boy who was standing just inside the plane. Looking around with wide eyes.
“Eliot?”
“He’s the president’s son.” Kieran told her, rising to his feet, and withdrawing his gun.
“Where are you going?”
“I have to go find Elena. She’s in there, alone.”
“Luis and Torianna?”
“I think they’re on their way back. Listen, I don’t have time. Just whatever you do, don’t untie Irena when she wakes up.”
“Kieran, I’m not a little kid.” Arianna muttered. “Go. Go help Elena.”
Kieran nodded, and turned, racing down the steps.
He sprinted across the lawn, through the garden.
And the roar of a helicopter filled his ears.
He stopped, slowing his steps, raising his head to watch as people started falling from the helicopter, parachutes opening from them.
The FBI.
A smile spread across his face.
They’d found him.
Behind him, he heard a car door slam.
And he turned his head, watching, as the Director of the FBI came running towards him.
“Gloria.” He whispered.
“Dammitt, Kieran, you should have told me what was going on!” she cried, stopping next to him. “You have no idea what I thought when I saw your house like that! How did they find you?”
Kieran laughed. Shaking his head. “Gloria, they didn’t find me. I found them.”
“What?”
“You should have told me what Victor was looking into. I had a right to know!”
“I was trying to keep you safe.”
“You don’t have to keep me safe, Gloria! You just have to be honest with me. Then I ran into this girl.”
“Black hair?”
Kieran raised a brow.
“She was at your place.” Gloria whispered. “Who is she?”
“Her names Elena. She was part of the organization, but she’s not anymore.” He turned, staring towards the white house. Watching as part of the house fell, the flames engulfing it. “She’s in there, Gloria. She’s in there, trying to save the president. I need to find her. I need to find her, now!”
“Let’s go!” Gloria withdrew her gun.
Kieran raised a brow. “You’re going?”
“This is my country.” Gloria informed him. “And I am damn well going to defend it against this organization that threatens to take away everything that I know.” She gestured forward. “Now, let’s go!”
Kieran didn’t even question it.
He turned, and raced into the house, jumping over a piece of log that had caught on fire.
“She was right here.” He whispered, stopping next to the statue, feeing suddenly very ill. Where was she?
“Did they find her?”
“God, I hope not.” He whispered. He closed his eyes.
And the sound of a gunshot sounded somewhere far below.
“The basement.” He whispered, turning, and racing down the hallway.
He jumped down the steps. His feet barely even touching the floor.
And he stopped, with a dozen agent’s right behind him, right in front of the door.
“Cover me.” He whispered, turning his head, looking over at Gloria.
She nodded.
He raised his hand, pushing the door open.
And he walked into the room.
And he stopped, staring at Elena, who sat in the middle of the room. Her mother was in her arms. Diana was on the floor, dead, and Abel had a gun pointed right at Elena.
“Drop the gun, Abel.” He whispered, raising his weapon. “Or so help me, I’ll shoot you right here, right now.”
“Kieran!”
Abel turned from where he was standing, a big grin splashed across his face. “So glad you could join us.”
“Drop the gun, Abel.” Kieran whispered. “It’s over.”
“Oh, it’s not over.” Abel dropped the gun from his hand. “It’s far from over.” And he stepped back a step, raising his hands above his head.
FBI agents rushed forward, slamming him to the ground.
“Elena!” Kieran rushed forward, dropping to his knees next to her.
“She saved me, Kieran.” Elena whispered, turning her eyes to him. “She was always there for me, even when I didn’t think she was. And now, she’s dying.”
“She did what she was supposed to do.” Kieran whispered. “She protected you.”
“Listen to the man, Elena.” Kiana whispered. “He’s right. And now, I expect him to take care of you while I’m gone.” Kiana lifted a hand. “Sorry you had to go through all this shit again, Kieran.”
“It’s alright.” Kieran whispered. “It was well worth it. Because if I hadn’t, I never would have met your daughter. And I would never have gotten the chance to ask her to marry me.”
Elena gasped.
Her head jerked to the side.
“I thought you didn’t remember!”
“I lied.” Kieran grinned.
“Just too bad I won’t be there to see it.” Kiana whispered, her voice going faint.
Her head rolled to the side.
“Mom!” Elena screamed.
“Elena, she’s gone.” Kieran wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“No!” Elena cried, tears running down her cheeks. “No! No! No!”
“Come on.” Kieran pulled Kiana’s prone body from Elena’s arms, lightly setting her on the floor, and helped Elena to her feet.
Elena stumbled to her feet. Leaning against Kieran. Her whole body shaking.
She turned, walking towards the door.
Her eyes catching her father’s.
“I’ll be seeing you, Elena.” He whispered.
Elena narrowed her eyes.
A piece of the ceiling fell to the ground.
“We have to go!” Kieran cried. “Now!”
“The president!” Elena cried.
“The FBI’s got him.” Kieran told her, lifting her up in his arms, and ra
cing out of the house.
Behind them, Elena heard the sound of the rest of the ceiling crumbling.
They raced up the stairs.
Down the hallway.
And they burst out, into the night, just before the whole building came down.
“It’s gone.” Elena whispered. “The white house is gone.”
“It’ll be rebuilt.” Gloria walked up to her, extending a hand. “I’m Gloria. The director of the FBI.”
“Elena.” Elena accepted her hand. “Thank you for helping.”
“It’s the least I can do. This is a mess, I tell you.” She turned he head, gesturing to Elena’s sisters as they were all escorted to a van. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all of this. And I am so sorry I couldn’t help save your mother.”
“Elena?”
Elena’s head jerked up.
Arianna and Torianna raced towards her.
Elena broke free of Kieran’s hold, racing forward, enveloping her sisters in a hug.
“Where’s mom?”
“She’s gone.” Elena whispered, pulling back. Staring at her sisters. “She died saving me. She saved all of us. She pretended to be a part of Abel’s plan, but she was really just faking it, to help us. She was always thinking of us.”
“How?”
“She snuck in food. Gave us blankets. She even made sure you were kept alive, Arianna.” Elena whispered.
“And Abel?”
Elena turned, nodding behind them.
They raised their head, watching as he was escorted towards another van. His wrists and ankles chained.
“Serves him right.” Kieran whispered, walking up to them. “He deserves to be locked up for what he’s done. To think about all he’s done.”
“But what about the others?” Luis walked up next to them. Laying a hand on Torianna’s shoulder.
Elena frowned, staring at his hand, and at the smile that was spread across Tori’s face. And suddenly smiled. Her sister deserved to be happy, and she couldn’t think of a better person to be with her then Luis.
“You think we’ll ever see them again?” Arianna whispered.
One of the FBI agents nodded, smiling at Arianna. “Of course, pretty girl.” He whispered.
Elena laughed. Arianna was not going to have a problem fitting into this world
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