by Cara Carnes
Kristof firmed his grip on the weapon and nodded. If he made a precision shot Olaf might survive.
“Drones will take Spade out. We’ve got two kill shots in the incoming drones,” Edge said.
“Wait! No!” Zoey’s voice sounded in the com. “Don’t!”
“Z, he’s not Arsenal anymore. He’s an enemy,” Jesse said. “We thought he’d gone to the Mandrake organization but he’s clearly with the splinter cell.”
“Either that or the splinter cell isn’t really broken off from Mandrake like they want us to believe,” Edge said.
“He’s not. Please. You have to trust me. I-I didn’t know he was there, or I would’ve told you.”
“Told us what?” Edge asked.
“He’s undercover. He got called by Mandrake after we got back from Cuba. They knew about Donovan’s surgeries. Fallon’s. Spade didn’t know how they knew so he agreed to take the job with them to work undercover for us. He told me. He didn’t want anyone knowing so they’d react without hesitation. Please. He’s one of us.”
Silence.
“Shift closer to Addy, Shep. You and she will take Spade and the other Mandrake down. Keep them breathing if possible,” Edge said. “The rest are going down.”
Shep sidestepped his way forward until he was near Addy, but the distance was still farther than Kristof liked—especially for the second Mandrake who was farther back. Spade’s eyebrows rose as his gaze swept from Addy to Shep. Amusement swept across his face in a slight smirk.
“It’s time,” Edge said. “On three, Kristof.”
Kristof focused his breathing as the countdown on the com began. He focused on his father and fired.
Addy launched herself forward as Shep attacked Spade. She jumped over the small table separating her from the Mandrake operative, whose widened gaze was on Kostya as he fell backward.
He shifted his aim at Addy as gunfire exploded around her. She landed on the other side of the table and kicked the man’s gun arm. Movement from her side drew her attention as someone impacted with him.
Maksim.
He punched the Mandrake operative and snapped his arms behind his back as he flipped him over onto his stomach. How the hell had he gotten there so fast?
Addy kept her weapon trained on the man but glanced over at her shoulder. Shep had Spade kneeling on the ground, hands behind his head.
Johnny approached. He’d dispatched one of Kostya’s men while the drones eliminated the other two.
Olaf.
Addy jumped over the table and knelt beside Kristof as he pressed his hand against his cousin’s throat. Blood oozed between his fingers. She pulled the backpack off and grabbed the medic kit. Although she wasn’t the best medic on her team, she could do a good enough patch job to get him stable.
Hopefully.
“Let me take over,” she whispered to Kristof.
“No. If I let go, he’ll die.” Pain filled his voice.
Addy swallowed the emotion in her throat as the two men looked at one another, locked within a silent conversation.
“Maksim, Shep. One of you needs to help get Kristof out of the way,” Jesse ordered.
Addy touched Kristof’s face and dragged his attention to her. He blinked. “Let me help Olaf. I need you to let go.”
“Kristof.” Maksim placed one hand on Kristof’s shoulder and reached down from behind him. He gripped his wrist and squeezed.
Pressure point.
Addy sighed her gratitude and got to work. “Tell me what I’m doing here, Jesse.”
“Okay, the blood isn’t coming from the jugular, so that’s good. You should have Combat Gauze in the kit.”
Addy rifled through the kit with one hand but stopped when Johnny crouched beside her. He pulled out the gauze and helped her apply it to Olaf’s wound. The man kept his gaze on Addy as they worked.
“You’re going to be okay,” she said.
Cuts and abrasions and bruising in varying shades of healing covered his face, arms, and exposed torso. Skin hung loosely from his emaciated frame. Burns and brandings scarred his body.
“Forgive me,” Kristof said as he took Olaf’s hand and knelt on his other side. “I should’ve found a way to get you out sooner. I’m sorry.”
Olaf tried to shake his head, but Addy and Johnny kept him held in place. “This will wait. Let us get this wound stabilized so we can move out. Okay?”
“Incoming team,” Cord said in the com. “Teams Four and Red are clear. Minimal injuries. Secondary target acquired. Third objective neutralized.”
Addy glanced over her shoulder and smiled up at Beast, Thunder, and Cracker as they halted a few feet behind her. Cracker gripped his side as Thunder knelt beside one of Kristof’s injured men.
“Is he okay?” Kristof asked.
“He’ll be fine,” Thunder said. “Our man here took one to the leg and saved Beast in the process.”
“If he hadn’t drawn fire, I would’ve been in a world of hurt,” Beast said. “Great job out there. All of you.”
He offered the comments in Russian and earned smiles and nods from the men. Maksim approached the huddled group and knelt near Thunder.
“Edge, status on new objective?” Addy asked.
“In process,” Jesse said. “We’ll need your team to loop around and take custody of the other freed prisoners.”
“Understood.”
By the time Addy and Johnny had Olaf’s wound stabilized, Thunder and Maksim had the other operative ready. Shep had Spade and the other Mandrake asshole restrained with duct tape across their mouths.
Addy approached both. “If you so much as twitch in the wrong direction, you’ll eat a bullet. Please give me a reason.”
She watched as Johnny and Kristof helped Olaf stand. The man teetered backward, then forward. He leaned heavily on his cousin.
“That’s not going to work,” Beast said softly.
“No.” Addy regarded her second-in-command. “You or Thunder will need to carry him out. That a problem?”
“No.” Beast scowled. “That bastard Kostya needed a painful death for this shit.”
“He did.” But he was dead. Kristof was finally free. As was Olaf. “Coordinate Olaf. I’m going to have a quick chat with Mary and Jesse.” And Zoey.
What the hell had happened with Spade?
Addy took a few steps away from everyone and clicked the privacy setting on her wrist display. “I’m thinking we need a conversation about Spade.”
“That’s been tabled for now,” Mary said. “Keep him secure for now, but from what Zoey has explained and shown us, he’s been undercover with her as his handler.”
“And you knew nothing about it?” Addy asked, too surprised by the new info to mask her shock.
“Fallon’s team worked mostly with Z. He trusted her more than anyone and was worried by how much Mandrake knew about The Arsenal’s current status,” Mary said. “We know now a lot of that likely came from Bob or someone he entrusted the information to. That’s our current assumption, but we can hopefully get more from Spade once we’re clear from the zone.”
“Understood.”
“We need to let Spade go,” Zoey said. “I just found a communication he sent to me in the operative portal we created. He uploaded it right after this attack started.”
“Letting him go isn’t an option,” Jesse said.
“He has to be freed,” Zoey argued. “He has intel hidden at a safehouse near Mandrake’s headquarters here in the U.S. He was close to having everything mapped out. Names of the people within the main organization tied to these assholes.”
“Do you trust him to finish what he started and establish contact once it’s complete?” Mary asked.
“I do,” Zoey answered quickly. “Separate Spade from the other operative during exfil. Release him. He’s good enough to find his own way out and get back to the States.”
“That’s going to be a steep hill to climb as to how he’s the only one who got away from this compound,�
� Jesse said.
“We all want this Mandrake shit finished,” Zoey said. “Spade’s the solution. He will get us that intel.”
“Shep, once we exfil from this area, separate from the main group and release Spade. Make sure he’s sufficiently armed and instruct him to remain in contact with Zoey,” Mary said. “We’ll hunt him down if he betrays us.”
“Roger,” Shep said.
“Okay, that’s decided. Let’s refocus on the others we need to exfil. The other prisoners are in better shape than Olaf, but not by much,” Jesse said.
“And the new location? Does Nolan’s team need an assist?”
“They’ve cleared the area,” Mary replied. “Primary target is off-site. The helo is returning for a secondary pickup.”
So they’d found another cache of some sort where Olaf had indicated. The details would wait. All that mattered right now was getting the other prisoners and exfilling. The two-click trek they’d planned to the transport vehicles wouldn’t be possible of the newly rescued folks were in poor shape.
“We’ll look for alternative transport to the primary vehicles,” Addy said.
“We have a few marked,” Jesse offered. “The helo will be weighed down with the second payload.”
“Understood. We’re moving out.” Addy switched the com back to its primary position.
Kristof approached. He reached out and caressed her face. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Are you?”
“I am, thanks to you.” He swallowed, glancing back at Olaf. Or maybe farther to where his father was.
Addy tried putting herself in his position. Could she have taken a kill shot on Peter?
Yes.
Maybe.
She didn’t know. As much as she loathed the bastard for what he’d done to her, Mary, Vi, and everyone else, he was family. A part of her still loved him. She touched Kristof’s face. “We’ll get through this.”
“We will.” He rested his forehead against hers. “I have to admit seeing you in action was hot.”
“Open mic,” Zoey said. “Why does everyone forget that?”
“Like you didn’t,” Mary commented.
20
The door opened behind Kristof, but his attention remained on Olaf. Both doctors he’d brought to the safehouse had come to the same conclusions—his cousin would recover fairly well but there would likely be irreversible consequences from the long-term captivity. More testing would be required.
“You should rest,” Maksim said as he dragged a chair toward the bed and sat beside Kristof.
Olaf slept through the commotion. He’d slept for twelve hours so far without waking. Kristof had remained at his side except for a brief shower. “I’m not leaving until he’s awake.”
“You can’t help him if you collapse from exhaustion.”
“We should have rescued him sooner. Maybe paid the guards extra to feed him more.”
“They wouldn’t have accepted. We tried several times. They feared your father’s reaction too strongly to take the risk.” Maksim pressed a bottled water into Kristof’s hand. “Drink.”
He uncapped the bottle and took a sip as his gaze swept to the IV. He didn’t know what all the stuff hanging from the pole was, but the nurse switched them out every few hours whenever she entered to check on Olaf. Severe dehydration. Infections. The list of problems was astounding.
Kristof should have done more. Moved quicker.
“This isn’t your fault,” Maksim said. “He’s free. Kostya’s dead. Olaf and your mama are avenged. It’s over.”
It’s over. Kristof took another drink and rubbed his chest as he leaned back in the chair. His gaze cut to Maksim for a moment, then slid back to Olaf. He couldn’t handle the intensity in the man’s gaze right now. Maksim saw too much, as always.
Kristof had intended to take Olaf to the United States and wirework a reunion with Stacia through Zoey and The Arsenal. But he wouldn’t be traveling anytime soon, which meant neither would Kristof. Assuming he wanted to leave Russia. The remnants of the Sidorav syndicate would have to be dealt with.
“Have you heard from Gavriil?”
“He has the situation under control for now, with a bit of help from those you’d intended to call in,” Maksim said. “A couple of your father’s most trusted men got away, but Gavriil expects to have them taken care of in the next few hours.”
“I owe him a tremendous debt I’ll never be able to repay. Without him…”
“Without him, your father would’ve still gone down. We would’ve simply had a longer fight to control the syndicate.” Maksim leaned back in his chair. “The Arsenal razed the compound.”
“Good.” Kristof hoped there was surveillance footage he could watch. He’d likely raze every property his father owned once Olaf was awake and stabilized. Maybe watching the bastard’s empire burn to ash would assuage some of the rage and guilt.
Kristof pulled out the small phoenix Addy had given him. He rubbed the intricate wings and smiled. Perhaps he was the mythical creature. He’d rise from the ashes of his father’s tyranny and…
Then what?
He’d spent more than half his life solely focused on taking his father down. Now that it was over…
“Have you given any thought to what I suggested a few weeks ago?” Maksim glanced at him. “For the operations.”
Kristof sighed heavily. “I don’t give a damn about our network or operations.”
“I know, but abandoning them isn’t an option. We wouldn’t control what became of the underground if we did that,” Maksim said. “And dividing up the Sidorav assets and businesses won’t wait. We made too many promises that must be fulfilled immediately.”
“Everyone will get their cut. We’ve never broken a promise. We won’t start now.” Kristof wrapped his fingers around the phoenix. “Gavriil gets first pick. Whatever he wants, however much he wants.”
“Agreed.” Maksim motioned toward Olaf. “You will take him to America.”
“When he can go, yes.” He offered the reply even though the words hadn’t been a question. They’d been an order, a reminder of the plan they’d formed long ago, when Kristof had entrusted a stranger meddling in their system to safeguard the most important treasure Olaf had left in his ravished life. “I hope they agree to let me speak with her.”
“Have you not asked yet?”
Kristof shook his head. “Too many unresolved problems and perceived animosities were between me and The Arsenal. They had no reason to trust I mean her no harm.”
“Now they know who she is. Why you did what you did.”
“That might not be enough,” Kristof whispered. “I underestimated our hummingbird when I entrusted her with safeguarding Stacia. I thought she was like any other do-gooder we’d come across.”
“You expected her to rescue Stacia then abandon her like others would have.”
“I did.” Kristof pounded his fist on the chair arm. “I also didn’t predict Olaf’s wishes when this was over. I assumed he’d want to reunite with her.”
Olaf’s signed words in transit to the safe house haunted Kristof.
“You’re safe. You’re free. Soon you’ll be with Stacia.” Kristof signed the assurances and smiled down at his cousin.
The man’s eyes widened as he shook his head and signed frantically. “No. Never. I am dead to her. She must never know I’m alive. The man she loved died long ago. Leave her be. Let her live without me.”
“She loves you. She’d want to see you, to have you in her life once again.”
“No.”
“He’s dead. You’ve been avenged. Stacia has been avenged. Your father and my mama, too. Don’t let that bastard take her from you.”
Olaf shut his eyes and looked away as the vehicle continued down the highway. Anger and determination settled in Kristof. He’d signed the words to offer his cousin some privacy despite the clustered Arsenal operatives around them, but he needed to know he deserved to get his life back.
&nb
sp; “I won’t let you give up, Olaf. I won’t stop until you’ve gotten the life you deserved to live, the one my father stole from you,” Kristof said. He looked across at Addy, whose gaze swept between him and Olaf. “He stole too many years from us both.”
“He’s scared,” Maksim said. “You both are. You’re starting over with no boundaries and limitless possibilities.”
“This isn’t about me.”
“It is. Lead by example. Chase the life you want, and he’ll follow. You were always the one he looked up to. That hasn’t changed.”
“I failed him,” Kristof whispered. “In so many ways. I am just as guilty for what was done to him as Father was. I should’ve…”
“Don’t.” Maksim gripped his arm. “Don’t taint all you’ve accomplished with guilt that isn’t yours. You aren’t that weak. I won’t allow it.”
“Admitting a failure isn’t weak.”
“No, but taking the easy road is. Going after what you want, what your heart and soul desires, will be a hard battle. Show him you are strong enough to fight for what you want. He will do the same.”
What did he want?
Addy.
Her name echoed in his mind. His thoughts constantly returned to her.
She’d leave Russia soon. Too much remained unresolved for Kristof to give chase.
Right?
He grunted and took another sip of water. None of that mattered right now. Olaf was his primary focus. Everything and everyone else would wait until his cousin was awake and stabilized.
Maksim stood. “At least rest in here if you won’t leave his side. I’ll bring food in a couple hours.”
Kristof waited until the man was near the door. “Maksim.”
He turned.
“Thank you. For everything.”
“It’s been my honor.”
Addy sat in the living room with her team huddled around her. Arms drawn around her legs, she smiled at Zoey and Gage as they entered and sat. Nolan and Marshall followed. Neither man seemed pleased with how their day was progressing if their grim expressions were any indication.
They’d secured the missiles and gotten them safely out of Russia. Levi’s team was, once again, coordinating their transport. Lexi had joined her brother’s team.