Page 20 of Mafie Queen

The familiar prick of a needle under my skin wakes me, but what usually comes after is sleep. This time, I’ve never felt more awake. My heart is pounding in my ears as I sit straight up despite the fact that I should be so weak I can’t function. Lights burn my eyes, the cold concrete under my palm reminding me of where I am, but what I don’t understand is why I feel like I just did a line of cocaine.

“I just gave you some adrenaline,” a familiar voice says. I look over to see the broad-chested man who’s been staying with me when Rostya leaves.

He’s been giving me sedatives after Rostya messes with my head, but he always makes sure I eat first and helps me get comfortable on the small cot before he does it. I’ve had the feeling he was just biding his time for something, so I guess this is it?

“Why?” I croak, my mouth dry and voice hoarse. He hands me a bottle of water, and I guzzle it like a man trapped in the Sahara desert. I have gotten very minimal food and water lately, but this man always brings me something if he can.

“An army is coming for you and you need to be ready. Lizz will be here any minute. She will get you to the first checkpoint with Havoc. After that, he will get you to a helicopter and the Triad will get you to safety.”

My mind tries to wrap around that idea.Havoc found me? Lizz is coming?

The man hands me two syringes. “Take these. If you feel yourself fading, use them. This isn’t going to be a place we can carry you out of. You will need to rappel down the mountain a bit with Lizz. Then, you’ll have to walk down a narrow pass with Havoc.”

He throws a coat around me and forces my feet into new boots. My brain finally catches up to what’s going on as I tie them myself, thoughts swirling around in my head, trying to take in the gravity of everything he’s saying.

“How long do we have?” I ask, my mind snapping into mission mode so I don’t freak out.

The man smirks. “I just locked Rostya and Adrik in the office. It will take them at least five minutes to break the codes, maybe longer. There are only five other people inside, but there are too many triggers outside.”

Grabbing the syringes, I tuck them into the inside pocket of the coat before zipping it up. He hands me a gun, which I tuckinto my coat as well. A few seconds later, the door beeps with a code and I hold my breath.

I’m aware this could all be a fake attempt to get me out and some new mind game of Rostya’s, but I still have hope that some of my family is alive and trying to get to me.

Lizz's face comes into view and I let out a deep breath.

“Glad to see me again, E?”

I grin, racing towards the door to grab her for a hug when something the man said hits me. “Wait, did you say the Triads were coming to help me?”

He nods and gestures for me to run, but I stall because that doesn’t make sense. I don’t know any of them and they don’t know me or Havoc. I realize now is not the time to question the escape route.

For the first time in what feels like months, but was likely just days, I walk out of my cell. I have no idea how these two don’t vomit at the smell of me, but I appreciate them for it.

The relief I feel as fresh air wafts around me is immeasurable. It’s like I can actually take a full breath that reaches the bottom of my lungs. The room I was in felt so stale, and the constant temperature changes to keep my senses guessing didn’t help.

While the halls are cool, they feel freeing. Like I’m finally shedding some of the weight that’s been overwhelming me.

I look up at the man who’s now running with us through the corridors. I don’t remember him but that doesn’t mean much. We had outposts that trained independently in three countries. However, I find it strange that I don’t know anything about him. The red Celtic knot on the side of his neck would be something mentioned if he was anyone of importance.

“What’s your name?”

“Cil,” he grunts, jogging around a corner. As fucked up as it may be, part of me is thankful for the way Rostya forced me to use my muscles while he tortured me. At least my recovery won’tbe as painful as last time and my endurance is holding up alright, even if my left thigh hurts like a bitch for some reason.

“Why are you helping me, Cil?” I pant heavily.

Okay, maybe my endurance is not where I thought it would be.

We approach the door where his hand rests on the handle. “I was told you once helped someone I loved. Even though they’re gone now, I feel that debt must be repaid.”

Lizz ushers me forward and Cil opens the door. Just before we pass out into the freezing cold, I reach out a hand. “Come with us?”

“I’ll be right behind you guys. You worry about you, E. The rest of us have this handled.”

With a firm squeeze of my hand, he releases me and shuts the door. The moment I look around, I let loose a heavy sigh.

“He had to pick the damn mountains, didn’t he?”

Lizz grins back at me. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of heights? I thought you were our fearless leader?”

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