Page 42 of Night Shift

I was half-dragged out of the room, my battered body aching with each step.

Viktor led us into another room, this one starkly furnished with a long table and several chairs. He motioned for his men to set me down on one of the chairs. Despite the throbbing pain, I forced myself to focus, to understand their plan, to find some way to regain their trust.

Viktor began outlining their strategy with clinical precision. “We need to do this quietly, no mess no fuss. We can’t afford to draw attention.” He scanned the room, ensuring everyone understood the gravity of the situation.

One of his men, a burly figure with a nose that had been broken too many times to count, spoke up. “We’ll need to watch her, learn her routines. The best time would be when she’s alone, vulnerable.”

It made me sick to my stomach to hear them talk about Sam like she was just another target. My bruised and swollen hands clenched into fists under the table.

Another one of Viktor’s goons, a lean and wiry man with cold, calculating eyes, suggested, “What about when she’s leaving the hospital? Late shifts, fewer people around. We can grab her, sedate her, and get out before anyone notices.”

Viktor nodded. “Good. We’ll need a clean vehicle, untraceable. And arrange for immediate transport out of the country. We can’t keep her here long.”

The conversation turned to logistics, and they meticulously planned the kidnapping. Routes, timing, contingencies—they discussed it all as if they were planning a business meeting, not the abduction of an innocent woman.

Viktor turned to me, his gaze icy. “You’ll stay out of sight, Mac. If you try anything, if you warn her or the police, you both die. Understand?”

I nodded. There was nothing I could say; I was hollow and empty inside. I had become the architect of my own daughter’s destruction.

Soon the meeting concluded, and some of the men dispersed to set their plan in motion. The pain of my beating was nothing compared to the agony of my betrayal. I had sentenced Sam—my bright, beautiful daughter—to a fate worse than death. What kind of monster had I become? Or perhaps I’d always been this way…

The conversation among the remaining men shifted from the kidnapping to broader Volkovi Nochi operations. In a relaxed manner, they began discussing drug trafficking routes.

Viktor leaned back in his chair and regarded the men across from him with sharp and calculating eyes. “We need to ensure the new shipment moves smoothly. The ports are getting more scrutiny lately.”

One of his lieutenants, a tall, burly man with a thick beard, nodded and said in a thick Russian accent, “Aberdeen and Tacoma are still our best bets. Aberdeen’s smaller, less attention. But Tacoma has better infrastructure for larger shipments.”

Another thug added, “We’ve got contacts in both ports. But we should consider diversifying the entry points. Maybe smaller, more frequent shipments through Aberdeen to avoid drawing too much attention.”

Viktor stroked his chin thoughtfully. “True. Aberdeen’s lesser security makes it ideal for the more…delicate parts of our operation. But Tacoma’s capacity is invaluable. We’ll need a good mix of both to keep the supply chain flowing without hiccups.”

“The key is in the timing and the routes within the States,” said the burly man, unfolding a map on the table. He pointed at several highways and back roads that connected the ports to major cities. “We’ve got to avoid the major checkpoints. I-5 is always crawling with patrols, but if we take the longer routes through the back roads, we can minimize the risk.”

Viktor nodded in agreement. “Good. Keep the shipments smaller, and vary the schedules. We can’t afford a pattern. And ensure the local operations are ready to receive and distribute quickly.”

A sense of dread was building within me. This wasn’t just about Sam anymore. I was entangled in a web that spanned far beyond anything I had imagined. The scale of their operation was staggering, and the casual way they spoke of smuggling drugs through these ports was disturbing.

Viktor’s scrutiny fell on me then, sharp and assessing. “Remember, Mac, you’re part of this broader operation now. Your…contribution has bought you some time. But we’re watching you. One wrong move, and it’s not just you who pays the price.”

I was in too deep, a pawn in a game where human lives were played with as if they were mere commodities. And now, with Sam’s life in the balance, the stakes were higher than ever.

The beating had taken its toll on me. I slumped forward onto the table as the lights faded. I had one final thought before seeing darkness…

What have I done?

Chapter twelve

Acouple of days after Friendsgiving, I was leaving the hospital tired. It had been a particularly grueling shift, and my feet ached. I trudged through the dim parking lot, lost in thought. The chilly November air nipped at my exposed skin, and I pulled my coat tighter around me. The parking lot was still and calm, the gravel crunching loudly under my boots. As I was fumbling with my keys, a powerful hand clamped over my mouth.

“Make a sound and you’re dead,” a gruff voice hissed menacingly in my ear. Panic surged through me when another figure, brandishing a knife, appeared in front of me. My heart raced as I realized there were two beefy men, both wearing black ski masks, assailing me.

I squirmed and tried to scream, but the man’s grip only tightened around my face. When I twisted my body and managed to land a knee to his groin, he momentarily loosened his hold. Seizing the opportunity, I bit down hard on his hand, tasting blood.

He recoiled in pain. “Stupid bitch!” he growled, releasing my mouth. I screamed, fighting back with all my strength, adrenaline coursing through my veins.

“Leave me alone!” I shouted, trying to sound confident. The man with the knife lunged at me. Without thinking, I jerked my arm up, trying to protect my face. The knife sliced into the underside of my forearm. Instinctively, I dodged and tried to fight back, but they were too strong and well-coordinated. Dealing blow after blow, they beat me down. My vision began to blur, and I struggled to stay conscious.

“Get her in the car!” one of them barked as the other lifted me by an arm and dragged me toward a black SUV. I fought against his grip and managed to fall to the ground.

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