"Pete," I barked, losing patience.
"Right. Sorry, it took me a while, but I had to get into the chief's office when no one was looking. They have this marked as Bratva. It's the Russian mob, man. You sure this girl is worth this? These are some serious..."
I cut him off, "I know how serious this is."
"Right. Well, here's the thing. They had a picture, and it looked like they were doing surveillance of Hades and this guy. I don't know who he is, but I took a picture on my phone. Where do you want me to send it? I need to get this off my phone right away."
“Give me your phone.” He handed it over, and I quickly sent it to an email I used that couldn't be traced, and deleted any history that it was done from his phone.
I handed him a wad of cash, not even caring how much it was; whatever was in my wallet, I gave him. His eyes momentarily widened, and I figured he'd made out.
"Thanks, man. I got to hang low, but if I hear something else, I'll let you know."
I lifted my chin to Pete and went back to the waiting area of the hospital. Charlie held a sleeping Gun while Gunner paced, and Shane stared out the window, looking lost in thought. The rest of my brothers were here as well. Every one of them. Some of their old ladies were here too, and a few women were passing out coffee around the room.
I sat down and pulled out my laptop. Gunner sat down next to me. "You got anything."
I kept my voice low, even though I knew most of the men in the room would be trying to overhear what was happening, but the wives were here, and I didn't want to freak them out more than I was sure they already were. "Bratva was meeting with Hades. I don't know much else, but I do know that motherfucker was involved in this. I got a picture. Running it now."
"I'm going to kill him once and for all," Gunner hissed.
I stared at the man I'd never seen before, and I wanted to rage. Ten seconds more and my facial recognition software would tell us who he was.
Ten seconds seemed to go on forever, and with each passing second, the fear only intensified. Shane joined us and watched over my shoulder as the image on the screen changed, and the information came through. Antonio Sokolov. Former KGB. Suspected as a boss to the Bratva, information unconfirmed. Location last known, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Gunner, Shane, and I locked eyes. I'd be headed to St. Petersburg.
The entire room froze, and I looked up from my screen as the surgeon walked in.
"Is the family here for Reginald DuPree?"
Shane spoke up. "We're his family."
"I need immediate family only."
"We're as immediate as you're going to get, and each and every one of us is his family. You got a problem with that," I watched Shane grab the doctor's name badge in order to intimidate the man. "Doctor Schwartzki?"
He looked taken aback for a moment. "No, Sir," he said. "He's out of surgery. We were able to remove the bullet from his head. How he made it through without flatlining is a miracle. There was extensive damage to the occipital part of the brain. We have him in a medically induced coma while we hope for the swelling on his brain to reduce. When he wakes, he may lose vision in one, or possibly both eyes. We won't know for sure until he wakes, which may be several days."
"So, he's going to be okay?" Charlie asked in a quiet voice, not wanting to wake up Gun. She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
"Unfortunately, the only way we will know is with time. He's strong. I honestly can't believe he's made it this far."
"Thanks, Doc." Shane shook the surgeon's hand and turned to the room as the doctor left. "Sorry, ladies. I need a meet with the brothers in the stairwell, now."
A few wives looked ticked. A few softly cried. I wished I could do something to make this situation better than it was, but I couldn't. It was fucked. I followed Shane and Gunner out of the room, and I nodded to the cop in the hall that was assigned to us when Reggie came in with a gunshot. He was a beat cop, but he was also a club hang-around. It wasn't known that he was one of us, but with him outside, we could be sure that this stayed within the MC.
The men in the stairwell took up nearly two floors. We had men stationed at the doors so no one could enter. Once inside, Shane began, "You all know Hades Runners have been at war with us for a long time. We got confirmation that the people who shot Reggie were working with them. We also know who took Alex. It was a Bratva boss by the name of Antonio Sokolov."
I cut in, "I'm going to confirm it, but it looks like he's possibly taken her to St. Petersburg."
"Florida?" Donnie asked.
"No, dipshit. Russia," Gunner said, then added. "I want Hades."
"I know you do, brother, but we need to get your sister back first. She takes priority," Shane said.
"I'm going," I told the room with no uncertainty.
"And so are we. Like we did to get Charlie," Shane ordered, telling everyone that it would be Shane, Gunner, and myself. "I need around the clock men at the hospital in shifts, and I want eyes on Hades at all times. If anything happens to Reggie, you contact us. If anything seems amiss with Hades, I want to know. I want to know where he's going if he leaves his clubhouse, and I want to know what kind of game he's playing. Something isn't sitting right with me. He gets intel to rescue Alex and then tells her she has to spy on her brother, and at the same time, is meeting with the Russians who now have taken Alex... It just doesn't make sense."
"I agree," Gunner said. "He's working some angle. I think we should go in heavy and strong, and beat it out of him until we find out exactly what."
"Know you all want vengeance for Reggie, but that's not the way. Feds have already been here with eyes on the Russians. And Hades is on their radar. We go in strong—we risk everything. No, we need to learn all we can, not go in blindly."
I had to agree with Shane, "I'm with you, brother," I told him.
Gunner gritted his teeth, "Who else has an opinion?"
The men began to talk out the pros and cons, and I was listening to each side but becoming increasingly irritated because time might not be on Alex's side
My phone rang, and even though we were in a meeting, I had to look at it. What if it had something to do with Alex?
"Talk," I answered.
"I must be quick, but I have information. It's going to cost you." It was one of my Colombian contacts.
"How much?"
"Ten."
"Done."
"Sending you wiring info now."
I waited for a second for the ding to come in. "Got it."
"Mr. Santos was found murdered this morning. Don't know who it was, but there are rumors it was the Russians. They said it looked like he'd been dead for a couple of days."
I gritted my teeth, "Sending now." I hung up the phone, and the room came to a pause, all waiting to hear what it was I had to say. "Juan Santos was murdered, and they think it's the Russians. It appears he's been dead a few days too."
"Fuck," Gunner said.
"How quick can you get us to Russia?"
"Let me do what I do."
It was as if that new information made it clear that was where we needed to be. Shane gave orders on who was to be where and when while I pulled up every bit of information I could on my computer. I had a few contacts that I knew had been heavily involved in Russian ops, and I immediately reached out to them. It didn't take long for me to put our plans into action, and when I was finally done, I closed my laptop and noticed it was just the three of us left in the hallway.
"We leave in three hours. Taking a boat from Cleveland to Canada and flying out of there. Dress warm."
"Weapons?" Gunner asked.
"We'll get them in Russia. Meet off Euclid Beach."
"Got it. I got something I have to take care of first, so I'll see you there." I looked at Shane for a second, and it dawned on me that maybe he was seeing someone, and I didn't know anything about it. He'd let us know if she was worth knowing.
I nodded to him, and we all went our separate ways promising to reconnect in a
few hours.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Alejandra
I shifted, switching from laying against my left hip to my right. We'd been on a plane for some time, and it hurt too bad to sit on my bottom. I winced as the aircraft began to descend, Sokolov noticed and patted my hand. I couldn't help the slight flinch from his touch, which turned into a tight squeeze.
"You do not flinch away from me. Perhaps, I was a little hard on you."
You think?
I wanted to glare at him, but I knew my insolence would have repercussions.
"Sit up and buckle your seatbelt. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you." Making me sit on my behind was another way to punish me.
I did as he told me and was shocked to see him do the same. Whenever I had flown with my Uncle Enrico, he acted like the landing was nothing to him, and taking necessary precautions was beneath him. Sokolov was proving to be smarter than my uncle.
I gripped the armrest as the plane hit the tarmac. The door opened on the small plane, and the chilly air immediately assaulted me. Sokolov noticed and took his jacket off then wrapped it around my shoulders. I despised this. It was something a lover would do; something intimate, and what we had was not intimate.
A black limousine was waiting for us.. Men, dressed in black, held large rifles across their shoulders. This was the life I was used to. Being carted back and forth behind guards was second nature to me. I raised my shoulders and did my best to walk without pain.
The limo ride was long, and after a grueling flight, I was exhausted. Still, I stared out the window at St. Petersburg. The city was old and not at all like Colombia. Some of the buildings, faded in color, had large turrets in various shapes and sizes. Although I knew from my studies that St. Petersburg was a large city, it wasn't as busy as I would've expected. It began to rain, and I thought maybe people here all knew something I didn't.
We pulled into a parking garage, and the limo stopped in front of two double glass doors. Men opened doors for us and led us onto an elevator that was mirrored and beveled with gold, all while their guns were strapped to their chests. The elevator stopped and opened up directly into a large suite.
"Welcome home, Alejandra." Sokolov patted me on the arm and then pointed to a closed-door off to one side of the room. "That is our bedroom. Go get relaxed."
"Do you mind if I shower?" I asked, even though what I really wanted was to sleep. I was exhausted.
His hand gripped my arm. "You do not shower without eyes on you. You do not do anything unless I can have someone watching you. Do you understand?"
I wanted to explain to him that I needed sleep, but he didn't care what I needed, and I knew it. I was only an expensive possession.
"I understand," I answered.
"The door stays open," he reiterated.
I understood the game he was playing. It was all about him controlling me and pulling my strings. "I need to use the restroom. Which one do you want me to use?" I knew there had to be many. The whole place screamed of ridiculous wealth. I wasn't impressed. I'd been around that all of my life, and all this showed me was what a waste. I understood that people wanted to surround themselves with finer things, but all this screamed was money and bad taste.
"I'm going to make a call. You can use the one off of the sitting room." I didn't know what he was talking about. There were couches and a dining table, but the entire room was open except for several closed doors.
I moved away from him, but he didn't let go of my arm. "Remember open," he ordered and released me. I moved to the restroom, avoiding my reflection in the mirror. I didn't want to look at myself. I didn't like how I felt or who I was. There was an ache in my chest that I couldn't get rid of, and I couldn't let my emotions out. I knew if I saw myself, I would only be reminded of who I am and what my face has cost me.
I did my business with the door open, and when I was finished, I noticed Sokolov on a phone call. I didn't go to him. Instead, I moved to the bedroom and opened the door. I knew what he meant by relax. I undressed and laid down on top of the silky sheets. It actually felt a little better to not have clothes touching my battered skin.
I could hear him talking in the background. He spoke in Russian, but I didn't care. I could understand that all day long.
"Good, he is dead. I would not want him coming for her. Send me pictures. I want to see it."
My entire world crumbled. Could he have killed Ace? Or my brother? Agony rippled through my chest. Those were the only two men I knew who might even consider coming for me. I wanted to sob. I had to hold it together. The pain was so deep, I couldn't help a tear that seeped from the corner of my eye. The idea that Ace could be gone hurt more than I could even comprehend. I had to figure a way out of this. More than that, I wanted revenge. I hated Sokolov. I hated every single thing about him.
MY EYES FLEW OPEN. Sokolov was on top of me pushing inside.
"There you are. I wanted to wake you with my cock buried deep inside of you. You like it there. Don't you?" He cooed, moving inside. I hated the way he felt. I hated how all of this felt. And then I remembered, he killed either Ace or Gunner. I instinctively thrashed and cried out, "No."
It wasn't even about the rape that was happening, was just another man taking. It was the thought of Ace being gone that made me scream.
Sokolov's hands gripped me around my throat as he pushed in and out of me. I couldn't breathe, and I found myself clawing at his hands to release me, so that I could take a breath.
"You think to deny me?"
Spots danced in my vision. I couldn't stay conscious much longer, he was going to kill me. Then, as soon as I didn't think I could hold on for another second, he released me to let me catch a breath only to start all over again. He moved inside of me, cutting off air. Hate burned through me. That Was the last thing I felt before it all went black.
I groggily awoke, and my hands flew to my throat. Breathing hurt.
"You've been out for several days. Mr. Sokolov will be very pleased to know that you're awake."
My eyes darted to the woman speaking; it was then that I noticed an IV in my arm. Everything felt cloudy like my brain was in a haze. My eyes darted to the IV and then the woman again, and then I took her in. She looked middle-aged. Her hair was in a tight bun at the nape of her neck, and she wore a white nurse's uniform that was decades outdated. Her skin was so pale, it looked almost luminescent.
"Who are you?" I tried to ask, but my voice was cracked and hoarse.
"Shh. Don't talk. Your vocal cords need rest. You must've really made him angry. I haven't seen him in that state in quite a few years."
Great. So, she was one of his employees if she'd been with him for years.
"I've given you pain medication, fluids, and vitamins. I've been pumping fluids regularly, so you will probably have to use the facilities."
I didn't even think about it, but now that she said something I really had to go. I nodded several times, indicating I did indeed have a very full bladder.
"No time like the present. Sit up and swing your legs over the side of the bed."
It was then I noticed I was still in Sokolov's bedroom. I did as she instructed, and I tried to stand, but my legs felt weak and wobbled.
"Wait for me, dear. I'll help you." Her arm swept under mine, and she hauled me upwards. I was surprised at how strong she was.
We moved into the bathroom, and she whispered. "Hang in there. I'm going to help you get out of here. Be strong."
I was more than shocked that she was going to help me, and hope bloomed in my chest. I nodded to her that I understood, and she helped me onto the toilet.
"I'm going to lower your dosage of pain meds because I want your wits about you. I'm sure you'll be in more pain, but it will be necessary," she whispered again.
Could this be? Could I actually have another shot at freedom? Then, I thought of Ace and Gunner and the realization that if I was freed, it would be different because one of them wouldn't be there. If I was the
reason that Gun and Charlie were without Gunner, I didn't know if I could forgive myself. I didn't know what I'd do without Ace, which was strange because we'd only known each other for such a short time, but during that time he had given me more than I'd ever had in my entire life. He brought me to a real family, and he gave me safety and security. He was getting through to me and putting in an effort that had already begun to change me.
She helped me back to the bed, and I noticed that my legs weren't as bruised as they had been. There looked to be a few newer ones, but besides that, most of the bruises on my legs appeared to be fading in color.
"Rest, if you can, I'm going to see about getting you something to eat." She walked away from me, and I noticed that the door was open. I overheard her with Sokolov. "She is up, Sir. She cannot talk yet, and it's too soon to tell if she'll have lasting damage to her vocal cords. But I'd like to get her something to eat. Perhaps, a soup?"
"Fine," he barked. "I'll make a call."
The more I listened, the more I could hear several other voices. I had no idea how many of his men were here, but we were far from alone. I was tired, and I tried my best to relax, hoping that she would be able to help me, but I also knew that Sokolov was who he was, and he wasn't an easy man to beat.
I wasn't sure how much time had gone by, but Sokolov walked in carrying a tray. Every time I looked at him, hate coursed through me. I knew I needed to do my best to not let my eyes give me away. The last thing I needed to do right then was flinch.
"Sir, let me help her sit up." The nurse followed him in, and she grabbed several pillows and placed them behind me as I scooted upwards.
Sokolov stood over me, not setting my tray down. "Did you learn your lesson, Alejandra?"
I nodded.
"I want to hear you say it."
I willed my voice to work, but it was useless. All I got out was a scratchy garbled, "Yes, Sokolov."
He winced, hearing my voice and set the tray down over my lap. He began to walk away when he turned at the last second. "You're no good to me like this. Don't piss me off again. Once there is no use for you, there is no need for you."
Explosive (A Bleeding Scars MC) Page 16