Page 123 of Crimson Flames

She and Rick got into a big fight just before we left, and he decided to stay back. I wonder how he will feel now. While I know Rhea can defend herself, the idea of her going in makes me even more sick with worry.

“If she’s going with them, I’m going to need extra eyes on the monitors,” Lev informs us, pulling me from my thoughts.

I nod, settling in and getting the screen set up just the way I like. I arrange the feeds so the hallways all sit at the top and the exits at the bottom with the rooms in between. I can track whatis happening faster when my eyes know exactly where to look because everything is organized. Alexi, aka Batman, taught me how being prepared can give you the advantage you need during these missions.

No one will tell me the story behind his nickname still, but I feel like he actually enjoys it when I call him that. The man I once thought of as cold and calculating has actually been an amazing big brother.

Two arms wrap around me from behind just as I pull up the trackers on my phone and set it in front of me.

“You okay?” Nessa asks quietly.

I squeeze her arm before turning in her embrace to hug her. “I’m good. Just nervous. I can’t explain it, but I feel like he has something else planned and we are missing it.”

When we separate, she bobs her head. “He could be planning something, but I trust our family.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask if she trusted them when she got shot, but I don’t, because I wouldn't bring that up to her in a moment like this. Or really ever.

So instead, I hug her again, trying to show instead of telling her that I need my mom to stay safe out there. I need her to come back to me.

“Together?” she asks under her breath.

“Together,” I agree. “Always.”

Chapter 47

We make our way inside the building effortlessly. This mission is different because along with our normal guns, we also have tranquilizer guns. The plan is to sedate the kids while taking out all of the guards, and then transfer them to the institution Dr. K has worked hard to set up on short notice.

There was a lot of debate about the location, but we ultimately decided that we needed to keep Russia as our home base, so the facility is just an hour outside of the city where we live.

Our time will always be divided between Russia and Norway, but at least this way, Dr. K can be back home more often. I don’tthink she has grown to love Norway as much as we have. So as soon as we have a solid replacement for her, we plan to let her know that she can stay in Russia.

Cillian and Damien exchange a glance as we round the corner in the building, something they have been doing a lot since we arrived, and I can’t help but wonder what they are up to.

“Killer,” I whisper. “What did you do?”

When all I get is a wink in return, dread builds in my stomach. We make it to the cafeteria where five of the nine kids are. However, instead of going in quietly and trying to sedate them before we cause too much stress or create a panic, Damien and Cillian walk in like they own the damn place.

Boris glances at me with wide eyes before turning his attention back to Cillian and Damien who walk right up to the table the kids are eating at and sit down with them.

Evie and Alexi nearly have an aneurysm, and Laney and Arrow stare while Havoc shakes his head. “I knew they were up to something,” he murmurs.

“How do you want to do this?” Damien asks the group. They take in his appearance, and we all stand there because what the feck else are we supposed to do?

“We told you it was your call. You can walk out of here with us and we will defend you along the way, or you can pop some bullets in a few of the guards, and we will hand you the weapon to do it.”

“I want a gun,” the boy beside him says.

“I want one I can take my time with,” the girl next to Damien says.

The other two are quiet as Damien and the girl begin to discuss which guard she would prefer to flay open.

How do they have this kind of rapport with them already?

“You two aren’t saying much,” Cillian says, handing the boy at his side a gun. No one moves as the boy flips off the safety and places the gun to Cillian’s head.

My heart drops into my gut, knowing there is nothing I can do to save him. Panic consumes me, every part of me wanting to fire at him. But I won’t. Not even if he pulls the trigger.

No one raises a weapon as we wait with bated breath to see what the boy is going to do.

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