Page 55 of Alexei

My cellphone in my pocket buzzed and I dug it out, while Puma refused to leave my side. I worried they’d realize she was missing, but I didn’t want to send her back into their den.

It was a text from Luca.

*Yo. Where are you?*

I rolled my eyes. Luca probably wanted to go hunting for someone and place a bet who’d get him first. I readied to put the phone away, when another message from him came in.

*We just blew up a compound in Turkey.*

I cocked an eyebrow. He must have been bragging. It was their third attack on the compounds in Turkey, and it had all started last May.

Another message came in and this one was from Cassio. I didn’t realize Luca made it a group chat.

*Any places in Russia that are safe for women that have been trafficked?*

Fuck.

It was the worst place and time to bring them to Russia. Even worse would be to connect them to me. For months now, Cassio and Luca had made it their business to save women from trafficking. Initially, I thought it was their way to say ‘fuck you’ to Benito King, but now I wasn’t so sure.

I debated whether to ignore the message, but if they were saving someone, I couldn’t just pretend I didn’t see it.

*Don’t bring them to Russia.*I typed fast.*Shitstorm coming. I have secured a place in Portugal.*Though I meant it for whoever I would save from this frozen hell on Earth.

Bubbles appeared.*Fuck, will you need saving?*

Of course it was Luca, the little shit. I probably would need saving, but I wasn’t worried about me. I wanted to right the wrong and save as many as I could in this process.

*Take them to Portugal.*I quickly typed in the address. Then added.*If you can show up here by tomorrow then fine. Going into Ivan’s compound.*

Bubbles showed up again.*Fuck, Alexei. Wait for us.*It was Cassio. He was the sound of reason among his friends.

*Don’t hog all of the fun, cold Russian bastard.*Of course, that would be Luca.*Wait for us.*

It was wiser that I waited for them, but my resources indicated Ivan would be back the day after tomorrow, and then this place would be a fortress.

*Tomorrow.*I had to atone for my sins. Save him at all costs. There hadn’t been a day that went by where I didn’t think about the little girl who slipped her hand into mine to offer comfort and the terror on the little boy’s face whose only concern was to save his little sister.

*Drop your goddamn location pin.*It was Cassio.*So we can find your ass.*

*Stop talking about his ass, Cassio.*God, Luca could drive a saint to drink.*Not the image I need in my head.*

*Fuck both of you, asses.*Fucking Luca.

I dropped the pin. And another message beeped. This one from Cassio.

*Shit, man. You couldn’t have picked out a better place. Fucking Siberia?*

Luca’s message came in next.*Fuck, I’m on R&R. Siberia will freeze my balls this time of year.*

I didn’t have time for this shit.*Didn’t ask you to come. And what balls, Luca? You got peanuts.*

The next day, I had never been more grateful for Luca’s peanuts. Carrying a battered body over my shoulder, I fought Ivan’s men.

“Blyat,” I cursed as I emptied the clip of my gun into another round of men. I killed five, ten more showed up. The battered body of the boy needed medical attention; otherwise he’d die within the next hour.

I rounded up the other boys and directed them to wait for me in the library of this fucking castle. Ivan had a dungeon for those that were used for sex, a housing section for his minions, and a luxurious castle for himself. If I got out of this alive, I’d blow up the whole motherfucking place.

Kingston’s body started convulsing, and immediately, I lowered him onto the floor, ignoring the pain in my shoulder and torso. Some motherfucker threw his knife at me, like some goddamn acrobat using me for a target practice. I shot him dead, though not before the knife lodged itself into my torso.