Chapter Two

Oleg and I are sitting on the steps of my home as we wait for Ilya to show up. He has a lead on Ivan's movements. Since returning to work this past week, he has only gone from his apartment to the medical office. He made a quick stop at a store before leaving Moscow. Ilya's car pulls up to the house. "He is on his way out. I have a feeling he is heading to wherever Lina is being kept. If we hurry, we can catch up to him."

We pile into the car and take off, following the red moving dot on Ilya's phone. About ten minutes into the trip, Ilya points him out. "There!" We follow a few cars behind, to keep hidden and off Ivan's radar. I sit silently, but inside, I cannot control the inferno that is burning.

Ivan will die.

It's not until twenty minutes have passed that I realize where we are. The changing scenery from the city to the countryside gives it away. I straighten in my seat. "I know where he is going."

Oleg turns around to face me. "Where do you suppose he"s going?" he asks with a confused look on his face.

"Look around," I tell him. He takes a minute to take in the surroundings.

In unison, Ilya and Oleg say, "The dacha."

I never considered checking the dacha, as we only used it to kill people for my father. As I sit here now, I cannot imagine a more perfect place. It's secluded. The lake and the forest, with their isolated location, offer an ideal opportunity to dispose of bodies without being detected. Our dacha is on the lake"s outskirts, with no neighbors for miles.

We keep a suitable distance behind Ivan's car as he makes the turnoff to head towards the dacha. To remain unseen, we wait on the side of the road. Ilya parks the car in a hidden area off the main road. "Let"s finish the rest of the way on foot. That way, we can scope out the house," Ilya suggests. I nod in agreement and we exit the car. Oleg pops the trunk and we gear up.

I try to keep my mind on Lina and the baby. The three of us huddle in front of the trunk, strapping bulletproof vests on. Loading spare mags onto our belts. Ilya grabs a backpack that has smoke bombs, ropes, and other miscellaneous items. Oleg closes up the trunk and turns to me. "Khorosho Brat (Okay brother), let's go get your zhena and syn back." He pats me on the back. We turn towards the direction of the dacha. In the profound silence of the forest, our breathing reverberates through the trees.

The dacha comes into view from our position. Ivan parked his car on the side. My father's car is nowhere in sight. I will get at least one of them tonight. Seeing that Ivan is here gives me hope Lina is still alive. We seek shelter by the house"s side, making our way around to the backdoor facing the lake, and ascending the stairs. Ilya grabs the doorknob. It turns with ease.

"Ser'yezno!(Seriously!) When will people learn to lock doors?" Ilya mutters, shaking his head in disbelief.

He pushes the door in, making his way into the kitchen, Oleg following behind him, then myself. My heart beats wildly in my ears, and I send up a silent prayer that Lina is here. The sound of something scraping against the floor catches my attention, and I turn to the cellar stairs. Could it be so simple? I look down and notice the cellar light on through the cracked door.

I motion to the twins, pointing to the stairs. Ilya moves ahead of me and takes the lead. We stalk down in a single file. Once Ilya is at the door; he pushes it open with his foot. My eyes scan the room and my heart drops. No Lina. I spot Ivan tidying up the bedding and gathering any stray clothing in the room. His back is to us, so it hasn't registered that we are here.

I push past Ilya and quietly make my way behind Ivan. I dig my gun into the back of his head. "Sukin ty syn! Gotovy li vy umeret'? (You son of a bitch! Are you ready to die?)" Ivan's breathing stays steady as he puts down the linens. He slowly turns around to face me.

"Leonid, if you are going to kill me, at least give me the honor of looking me in the eye. I want to see your reaction when I describe how sweet it was claiming Kalina"s pussy. How she took me so well. How she screamed for you to save her. Until I watched the hope fade from her eyes. You are too late, Lev. She is gone."

The look in Ivan's eye sends a surge of rage through my veins. I tighten my grip on the gun, my fingers trembling with anger, causing me to readjust. The mention of Lina's name ignites a fire within me, fueling my need to make him pay for what he's done. But I can't let my emotions cloud my judgment. I need to stay focused on uncovering the truth behind Ivan"s words. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself and force a calmness into my voice as I respond.

"Where is she, Ivan?" I demand, my voice laced with a mixture of anger and desperation. "Tell me where Lina is now!"

Ivan smirks, a twisted grin spreading across his face. "You think I'll just hand her over to you? Oh no, Leonid. You'll have to work for it."

His words infuriate me, but I know I need to keep my cool. I can't let him manipulate me. I press the gun harder against his forehead, a silent warning that I won't hesitate to pull the trigger.

"We don't have time for games, Ivan," I growl. "Tell me where she is, or I swear to God, I'll fucking kill you right now."

Ivan's laughter fills the room, echoing off the cold, stone walls of the cellar. "Oh, Leonid, your father said you always were dramatic. But I suppose I can give you a clue. By now, she's probably somewhere freezing."

His cryptic words confuse me, but I refuse to let him play mind games with me any longer. I push the gun harder into his head, the cold metal pressing against his skin, my finger on the trigger.

"Ivan, I'm done playing your sick fucking games," I say, my voice dripping with malice. "Tell me where she is, or I will let Ilya here torture you. You know him, don"t you. They call him Ubiytsa(The Butcher) ."

Ivan's eyes flicker with fear and defiance, but I can see a glimmer of doubt in his gaze. He knows I'm capable of following through with my threat. With a sigh, he finally relents.

"Fine, Leonid. You'll just have to kill me."

My heart sinks at Ivan's words, but I refuse to let despair consume me. I release my grip on the gun, stepping back from him. I motion to the twins. They both move forward and grab hold of him. Ivan laughs as the twins drag him towards the stairs. "Zhdat'(Wait)," I say and the twins stop, turning to face me. I draw my fist back and punch Ivan in the face. His head snaps backward and blood gushes from his nose. "Now you can go."

Just as I turn to leave the cellar, I stop and listen to the eerie silence that surrounds me. Lina"s last whereabouts were here. My eyes linger on the bed as I imagine her lying there, trapped and helpless. A rope remains secured to the sturdy iron frame. "Where are you, Tsvetok (Flower)? Give me a sign, malyshka (baby). I'm so lost without you." I crouch down and ponder Ivan's words. "There is only one place that is freezing right now, and it's..."

Blyat (Fuck)! Siberia.

With the realization of where she must be in mind, I make my way back up the cellar stairs. Time is running out, and I won't rest until Lina is safe and Ivan pays for what he has done. Outside the dacha, Oleg already has the car pulled up, ready to go.

"Siberia," I say, sharing my realization with them. "He is either taking her through Siberia or they are hiding somewhere in the tundra."

"Blyat (fuck)! The only way to go that entire distance is by train, I'll look into if they took one." Ilya says, pulling out his phone to shoot off a series of texts.

I get into the backseat of the car, and I can hear Ivan whining in the trunk. Silently, I bow my head, begging God to show me mercy. Mercy, I don't deserve, but my zhena and syn do.

Ivan's begging turns to laughter, "I told your precious zhena how you would never want her now. How she was all mine. Every time I filled one of her holes with my cum, oh how she would cry. Such delicious tears, Leonid. Her ass was magnificent, untouched by you, so thank you for that gift."

My stomach turns at his words. It takes everything in me to not get out of the car and drag him to the lake's edge and drown him. I bite back the words I want to say, balling my fits I swallow my rage. Lina needs me to find her. Ivan might hold more clues as to where she is.

The twins climb into the car, and we start the journey back to Moscow. My heart is breaking and I can feel the emotions welling in my chest. I look out the window, my hands clenched as a tear sneaks its way out of my eye. Stay strong Lenya, Lina and your syn need you to be strong. Facing forward, I wipe the tear from my eye, letting the rage set back in. Once we are back in Moscow, Ivan will beg for death, but I will not be the one to deliver it to him. I will torture him, but I will leave him alive.

As much as I want to watch the life drain from his eyes. That honor will belong to my Tsvetok.

Moya l'vitsa, srazhaysya. Ostavaysya v zhivykh, chtoby ya mog nayti tebya. (My lioness, fight. Stay alive so I can find you.)

"I have told you everything I know," Ivan screams as I pull another one of his fingernails off.

My sinister laugh echoes through the little room. I use my arm to push my hair from my eyes, "I'm sorry, were you under the impression that I would stop? Net, Ivan. I"m sure Lina begged you to stop, but you continued to rape her like the scum you are. Net, ya nameren pytat' tebya do tekh por, poka ty ne okazhesh'sya na grani smerti. Togda, kogda ty budesh' umolyat' menya ubit' tebya, ya vse ravno ne budu. Kogda ya vernu zhena, ona tebya ub'yet. (No, I intend to torture you just until you are on the brink of death. Then when you are begging me to kill you, I still won't. When I get my wife back, she will kill you.)