Page 109 of Maxim

“You shouldn’t trust anyone. So what will it be?”

“You go save Olena. She is the only mother we have ever had. I can get Daryna out of here. I’ll get us into the woods outside the property. Come get us when you get Olena.”

“No. I won’t leave you. I made a promise.”

Alek chuckles. “I can get us out of here safely. You won’t fit.”

Before I can ask what he means, he kneels. “Daryna it’s time to use the escape hatch.”

I watch as the little girl opens a panel in the back of the closet. It’s barely big enough for her. She crawls through, waiting on the other side for her brother. Alek has a more difficult time but makes it.

“Put this back up and get Olena. I will get Daryna out safely. I’m trusting you,” Alek tells me.

For such a young child, he is wise beyond his years. I can see how much it hurts him to trust me, but he’s doing it anyway. I hate Jan even more for whatever he has done to his son.

“I will. If you run into anyone and they claim to be with me, ask them for the code word. It is?????. If they do not say that, they are not with me.”

He nods, turning to lead his sister through the walls.

I put the panel back in place and shut the closet door. Then I take out my phone and send a text to Alexei.

M: Package in woods. Code word three.

A: Received. Will obtain package.

Knowing Alexei will send someone for the kids, I head back to the door. I listen for a moment before I open the door. The hallway is still empty. I make my way down the hall back to where I saw Olena last.

I don’t make it three steps past the room next door when I hear the door click open. Spinning, I swing my gun up. It’s too late, though. I’m disarmed and knocked to the ground.

“Well, what do we have here? A rat in our midst. I knew there was something off about you, but I really hoped I was wrong. You showed such promise. Who are you working for?” Jan steps out behind his men.

“No one,” I tell him, refusing to admit that I’m with Nikolai.

“Now I know you aren’t here to help me out. You had the gate call up, then I watched you kill two of my men. I held them back, wanting to see what you were planning to do. I didn’t expect you to give up Olena and go for the kids. If they were more your taste, I could have gotten you some sweet ones at auction.”

The man disgusts me. I want to tear him to shreds, but I don’t. I bide my time.

“Where are my children? Still in Alek’s room, I bet. He wouldn’t leave with you?”

“Don’t you know. I don’t see you not having a camera in his room as well,” I spit back.

“Yeah, well, it seems someone took my security system out after you entered the room,” he sneers.

I send up a quick thanks to Alexei. He’s the only person who could have taken down his system, but it wasn’t remotely. That means he is on-site somewhere.

It means my team is here. The men I personally chose to serve under me in the shadows.

“Go find out for yourself,” I tell him.

“Alek. Get out here. Bring the brat,” he yells.

When there’s no movement, he huffs, heading into the room. I sit still as I hear him calling for Alek. Then something hits the wall.

When he comes back out, he looks at two of his men. “Find them.” Then he turns to me, “Let’s go to my office. I’ll have Szymon bring Olena so you can see what I do to those who cross me.”

The insinuation has me ready to fight, but I keep my cool. I let them lead me down to the office as I hear Jan call out to Szymon down the hall.

“Szymon, bring my daughter to my office.”

---