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The light over my head flickers several times, and I look up at it.
“Please don’t go out,” I beg the world. But the world doesn’t listen. The light blinks out, leaving me in the dark. I stumble to the mattress, sure the critters I hear scurrying around will come closer now under the cover of darkness. I pull off my dirty shirt and tie several knots in it to use as a weapon to scare them away. I sit in the center of the mattress and wait. Scared no one will ever find me. Aware I’ll never see Andrei or Lennon again.
I’ll die here.
* * *
The darkness feels like walls closing in on me. It’s been days since the lights went out, I know it has. I talk out loud and scream for help, hoping someone will hear me. I’m starving and thirsty. The air stopped circulating. It’s hot in here most hours then becomes cooler, allowing me to determine when it’s day and night outside. I’m chilled. There’s nothing here to cover myself with but what I’m wearing. I feel like I’m getting sick.
The scurrying of rodent feet attract my attention. I look up and meet the rat’s eyes in the darkness. I swing my shirt as forcefully as I can, but I’m so weak. I haven’t slept since the lights went out. I’m afraid to sleep. The rats would eat me alive if they could. I pray that when I die it’s quick. I don’t want to feel their sharp teeth tear into my flesh.
“Leave me alone,” I scream at the rat. My voice cracks from dehydration.
I hear a bang and I roll toward the door. The door opens and bright light fills the room. I cover my eyes. I don’t care if it’s Brett or the man he’s saving me for, I just want them to kill me, end this torture.
“Please,” I beg, my tongue thick in my mouth.
“Ptitsa.” I hear his voice. No, it’s got to be a dream. I’m dying.
“I w-wish it was y-you.” I get the words out, then fall into a coughing fit.
“She’s burning up. Get a doctor to the condo.” His arms wrap around me, and I reach up to touch his cheek.
“Are y-you real?” I put my arm over my face as I cough again.
“Yes,ptitsa. I’m here to save you.”
“I’m ready.” My head lolls and the last of my strength leaves my body.
“Ready for what?” he asks.
“Death.” I choke on the word as I cry tearlessly.
* * *
Andrei
She falls into unconsciousness, but it doesn’t stop me from trying to reach her.
“No, Sparrow. You’re going to live. I’ll make sure of it.”
Dmitri, who is standing next to me, reaches his arms out. “Boss, let me take her for you,” he growls as he looks around at the dark room she’s been trapped in for three weeks. “I’ll kill him myself.” He looks down at her. She’s lost so much weight, and she’s sick from being left to the elements. He hands me a blanket that we wrap around her body to keep her warm.
“Nyet,” I growl in a deep timbre.
I carry her from the room as I keep a hand on her chest to make sure she’s still breathing. She’s in the scrub pants she was wearing the last time I saw her and a plain white bra. I saw her shirt on the floor twisted up. I don’t know what she used it for, but I’ll find out. Everything she’s suffered, he will too.
We’ve been waiting for Brett to screw up and show us where he had her stashed, but he disappeared a week ago. We finally caught a break when MacEvoy called. Brett had contacted him and said he could have her after the game if he would guarantee his safety against me. It was then that he accidentally mentioned he had called in a favor from a friend, or we wouldn’t have known where she was.
As I move through the barely standing warehouse, I turn to Dmitri. “Clear it and blow it.” I don’t explain more. He looks at me and sees the determination in my eyes.
“Da.” He rushes past me to make the call. One of his brigadiers will have the building destroyed. I don’t want Sparrow to ever see it and remember what she went through, but I mostly don’t want another woman to have to go through what she did. It’s obvious from what we’ve found that women were being secured here. However, the others were being cared for, unlike Sparrow. She was kept in a far back corner. It’s clear Brett must have stopped coming to take care of her.
I slide into the back of the SUV and wait for Dmitri. Mikhail is looking for Brett, who has gone to ground. Once we had a location for her, I decided to have him brought in. An idea hits me, and my lips tip up in a sinister smile.
I shift Sparrow around and pull out my cell phone.
“Mikhail, don’t find him. I have a better idea.”
