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She nods and I know she believes me. We've been through so much; trust is no longer a question.
"Everyone ready?" I call out, pulling away from her, my eyes scanning the room. The nods and grunts of affirmation echo in the room, filling the space with a renewed sense of purpose.
"Then let's move out. Today, we show the Chechens what happens when they mess with us."
Samuil takes point with Dimitri as they head toward one of the fortified strongholds we're targeting. I make my way to the SUV, Valentina at my side, both of us mentally preparing for the task ahead.
The ride is silent, the tension building with every passing mile. But there's also a sense of rightness, a feeling that this is exactly where we're supposed to be. When the warehouse comes into view, shrouded in the darkness of the night, I kill the engine a safe distance away.
"Remember, we're going for maximum damage," I say, checking my weapon one last time.
Valentina nods, her eyes fierce, her posture ready. "Let's do this."
Slipping out of the SUV, I give Valentina a nod, silently signaling for her to follow my lead. The night is our ally, shrouding us in shadows as we navigate toward the warehouse's back entrance. This side of the building is less guarded—a tactical error on their part.
Stealth is key as we make our way closer to the building, our steps muffled by the soft earth beneath us. Reaching the entrance, I pick the lock with practiced ease. We slip inside, the darkness swallowing us whole.
A lone sentry leans against the wall, idly scrolling through his phone, oblivious to what’s approaching him. I signal Valentina to wait, and like a wraith, I glide toward the man. Just as he lifts his head, perhaps sensing something amiss, I clamp my hand over his mouth while my other arm snakes around his neck. The chokehold is quick, efficient, and he slips into unconsciousness without much struggle. I lower him to the ground gently, trying not to make a sound.
Valentina gives me a nod of approval, her eyes flickering with the same intense focus filling my veins. We proceed, me in the lead, picking the lock of the side door with swift precision. The tumblers click into place, and we're in.
Inside, the warehouse is a maze of crates and barrels. The air smells like oil and cold metal—the scent of impending violence. Valentina and I move stealthily between the stacked boxes, making our way toward the central area where the most destructive weapons are stored.
A low conversation reaches my ears; two guards are chatting, their voices tinged with boredom. They're unaware that their routine night is about to take a disastrous turn. Gesturing for Valentina to take the one on the right, I prep my taser gun. We edge closer, hearts pounding but hands steady.
We strike as one—two pops from the tasers, two men crumpling to the floor, incapacitated but unharmed. With a nod, Valentina starts placing the C-4 charges, her movements methodical and precise, just like she's always been in everything she does.
"Three minutes," she whispers once she's set the timers. “Let's get the hell out of here," she says, her voice tinged with urgency.
"Hit it," I whisper, my eyes meeting Valentina's one last time before we step into a new chapter of our lives. But that's for later; right now, it's time to watch the old world burn.
We exit the building just before a deafening explosion erupts behind us, the shockwave lifting us off our feet. The ground shakes, and the night sky is lit with the orange glow of destruction. The warehouse is gone, taking with it the Chechens' chances of a well-armed counterattack.
Chapter 32
Valentina
Watching the warehouse go up in flames, I feel a strange sense of triumph mixed with something else —relief? Satisfaction? It's hard to say. Roman is watching me, a self-satisfied smirk gracing his features.
"What are you grinning at?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.
"You. You look breathtaking with the fire reflected in your eyes. Like some warrior goddess," he says, and it's so cheesy, but somehow he makes it work. I chuckle.
"That's a new one. Usually, I’m told I’m intimidating or too intense."
He leans in, his lips meeting mine in a searing kiss that takes my breath away. "Well, you are those things too. But you're also beautiful, especially when you're conquering the world."
I can't help but smile back. "We make a good team, you and me."
The moment shatters with the screeching of tires. I snap my head around to see a convoy of black SUVs roaring down the road, their headlights like the eyes of predators in the night. My blood runs cold.
"Chechens," Roman says, almost inaudibly. "We need to move, now."
The spell is broken, and we're back to being soldiers, warriors, whatever the hell we are in this twisted world of ours. We sprint back to our own SUV, parked strategically out of sight, and Roman fires up the engine before I've slammed my door shut.
As we peel away, leaving behind the smoldering ruins of the warehouse and the arriving Chechens who look equal parts confused and furious, my mind races. We're not out of this yet, not by a long shot. My brother won't stop until he's drawn blood, and now, it seems he's out for both Roman and me.
But as I grip the handle tightly, my knuckles turning white, I glance at Roman and see him focused, his jaw set but his eyes calm, calculating but not panicked. And despite the chaos, despite the danger, it hits me that if I have to be at war, there's no one else I'd rather have by my side.
