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"Lev," I bark out as soon as the line connects. No pleasantries are needed between brothers. "Anoushka needs you. Stay by her side until she's through with her recovery."
"Got it, Boris," Lev replies. “But I’ve got some bad news.”
“What is it?” I say through gritted teeth.
“I never left our sister’s side. She’s got a swelling in the brain. The doctors are putting her in an induced coma today.”
I freeze, not knowing what to say. “Lev,” I whisper at last. “Make sure the doctors do everything right.”
“Damn sure, I will,” he says before ending the call.
“Is everything okay with Anoushka?” Robin asks. I don’t want to worry her, so I lie. “She’s fine. Damien and I will look for your uncle. You stay here until we return.”
“But—” she insists.
“But nothing, Robin. You’re six months pregnant.”
My reasoning requires no counter-argument, and she simply nods. I give her a quick, fleeting kiss before rushing out the door.
***
The driver navigates the fastest route to Ivan’s. On the way, I dial Damien to explain the situation. “Brother, please meet me at Ivan’s.”
Minutes later, Damien and I knock on Ivan’s door.
Ivan opens the door, his expression a mix of surprise and concern at our unannounced arrival. Without preamble, I lay out the situation before him, not mincing words.
"We need help," I state firmly. "I believe our enemy has taken Robin's brother, and we cannot let this slide any longer. The boy is only ten, Ivan. He is family. "
Ivan's gaze hardens as he processes the gravity of the situation. He nods once, decisively, before turning to shout orders to his men. “Come,” he invites Damien and me inside. We head to his study, where his men set up a war room.
In moments, the Zolotov family—Ivan, Mikhail, Sergei, Damien, and I—are mobilizing, ready for action.
"Tell me everything you know," Ivan demands, his eyes locking with mine.
And so, I recount every detail we've uncovered so far—the uncle's betrayal by calling Robin and Anoushka into a trap under the pretense of being in trouble with her mother’s debt collectors, the Abatos involvement, Adam’s disappearance, the uncle’s lack of communication, and the urgent need to retrieve Adam before more harm befalls him.
“Alright,” Ivan nods at last. “What’s the plan?”
"We need to find the uncle," I grit my teeth, the words tasting like venom on my tongue. "He betrayed Robin last night, and something tells me Adam might have fallen on the same fate.”
“We need more intel,” Ivan urges.
Damien flicks open his laptop, his fingers a blur over the keyboard as he hacks into government CCTV footage. He's the brains where I'm the brawn, and together, we're a force the Abatos will wish they'd never crossed.
"Got something," Damien announces, his eyes laser-focused on the screen. “I tracked all the CCTV footage from The Crescent Inn’s surroundings last night and mapped the route through which the Abatos men, and probably her uncle, fled.”
"Show me," I lean over his shoulder, watching the grainy images come to life, revealing a group of Abatos men rushing to a hideout—a nondescript warehouse that screams suspicion.
"Zoom in there," I point to a shadowed figure at the entrance, recognizing the slouch of cowardice anywhere. "That's her uncle. Craig"
"Got it." Damien enhances the image, and with a few more clicks, we've got a location.
Without wasting another second, we're in the car, tearing through the streets toward the heart of darkness that might be holding a ten-year-old boy.
“Once we arrive,” Sergei instructs. “We can’t be caught. We have to sneak in and find Craig alone. He might be their prisoner, a true victim. Or, he might be involved.”
We park our cars a significant distance from the location, not wanting to tip off the Abatos men who might be surveying the surroundings. We split up, Ivan with his men, and Damien, Sergei, and I. We walk toward the location from different directions, making sure we have eyes on all exit points.
