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I’m sure Anatoly didn’t. He mistook me for a blithering fool, and he will pay the price once that door opens.
And if I have to wait forty-eight hours, I will. Crouching in the darkness, I watch the door and listen to the footsteps pacing upstairs. It puts me in a trance, like the beat of a drum before battle.
I refuse to be the victim this time.
42
Pasha
There’s no fence surrounding Anatoly’s property like there is around mine. That was his first mistake, but I’m sure there will be many more to come. He’s not nearly as clever as I am, not as rich or prepared for an attack. I’ve let him get comfortable and lazy, which will soon be the cause of his downfall.
My men move into the woods in units of six, spread out in a wide semicircle that tightens as we approach the house. I’m in the second wave of units with Boris, following close behind the first wave to follow up on their initial attack.
Behind us, there are small armored vehicles idling around the edges of the woods, waiting to roll in and provide backup once we reach the house. I wanted tanks, but they couldn’t fit through the trees, and we don’t have time to level the forest.
We have to move light and fast. It’s the only way to strike without arousing suspicion from Anatoly.
The air smells of the recent rain and camphor trees, and my rifle weighs heavy in my hands like a burden. I can taste the tension in the air, but I also taste excitement and freedom. I think we all know that finishing off Anatoly will finally allow us to expand into the entire city and reap the rewards.
Up until now, I didn’t care all that much for the extra money, but with a bride-to-be and a baby on the way, I can’t stop thinking about what I’ll be passing down to my heir.
The entire city doesn’t even feel like enough. I need to expand further, to grow larger than no other man ever has so that Valerie and our child can have everything they ever wanted.
Furthermore, it’s my responsibility to be the best father and husband I can be. That’s not negotiable. From now on, it will be my main focus.
I smile to myself despite the bitter prospect of battle. Anatoly doesn’t have what I have. He has no reason to fight, and even less to continue until the bloody end. He won’t win because he doesn’t have the one thing that every man needs to truly succeed in life…
Love.
My heart beats faster at the thought of getting Valerie back and feeling that incredible warmth of love from her again. She’s generous with her love, totally unselfish in the way she rewards me with it when I’ve done nothing to deserve it.
My fingers tighten around my rifle at the thought of Anatoly trying to steal that kind of love from me. He won’t be able to pry even the faintest hint of love out of her for a million years. It doesn’t matter how long he has her locked up in his house, or how lavish his gifts are.
She won’t love him. She never will because her heart belongs to me.
Heat from my anger begins to build inside of me, until I’m sweating in the sticky summer air. Even though the sun has set and the rain recently passed, it’s hotter than usual outside. I think it might just be me until I look over at Boris and see him sweating bullets.
He sees me looking at him and nods, wiping the back of his sleeve across his forehead. I guess it doesn’t help that we’re wearing long sleeves and pants out here, but with the way our skin glows in the night, it’s better to keep as much of it covered as we can.
I look back toward the house as the trees begin to thin. We’re on our final stretch, and our semicircle has grown so tight that the units are almost walking shoulder to shoulder. Soon, it’ll be time to make a run for the windows on the ground floor, and that’s when all hell will break loose.
My plan is to make it to the top floor as quickly as possible. Valerie might not be there if she’s being kept prisoner, but it’s more important that I get to Anatoly first. Most master bedrooms are on the top floor, and his should be there as well.
Taking him out before I find Valerie is essential to her safety. He’s the only person in his group with any real interest in killing her. Everyone else will just be trying not to get shot.
I look at Boris again, and his eyes shine with determination. The final moment is upon us, and there’s no room for hesitation.
The first wave of men waits at the tree line, guns aimed at the various guards standing idle around the house. There aren’tmany compared to what we have, but it’s enough that we’ll want to take them out before moving in.
They settle into position as they await my command.
As soon as I’m certain everyone is in position, I take a deep breath and yell, “Fire!”
A hundred gunshots go off simultaneously, casting a brilliant half-circle of smoke into the air around the front of the house. Bodies fall immediately, but a few are left standing until the second round of bullets come flying toward them.
For a moment after, there’s silence, and then I hear a ringing sound. At first, I think it’s my own ears, but then I realize an alarm has been triggered from inside the house. If Anatoly didn’t know that we were here from the shooting, he certainly does now.
“Charge!” I bellow, planting my feet in the wet leaves as I prepare for my turn to run to the house.
