74. Max

Bodies fall as I fight my way through to Natalya. She's clutching a small metal hairpin while Kolanski writhes on the floor, blood and fluid leaking from a ruptured eyeball. My little malyshka fought back. I'm proud of her.

"Max!" she screams. Someone fires at me from the left, but the shot goes wide and takes out a camera operator. He falls, pulling a lighting rig with him and it smashes on the floor.

A massive beast of a man charges at me, his face contorted with rage. Just as I raise my Glock, Sasha shoots him in the head. The hulk goes down like a sack of rocks.

When I reach Natalya, she falls into my arms.

"I didn't think you'd come," she sobs. There's blood all over her and I pull back, trying to work out what injuries she has, but she shakes her head. "Not mine."

Thank fuck. Looks like we got here just in time.

My earpiece crackles. "Uriov's leaving via a side entrance," Mickey tells me in a calm voice. "I shut down the live feed, by the way. You're welcome."

Fucking Uriov. I need to put that bastard down before he escapes and this horror show starts all over again.

"Go with Sasha, baby, I'll be with you shortly." She nods and I pass her to my second. I trust him to protect her with his life.

He reads my intentions and nods. There's a black robe hanging over a chair and he uses it to cover my malyshka. Then he carries her out of the room. Now Uriov has left, his remaining men are surrendering without a fight. Those that aren't dead anyway.

"Uriov is heading back in my direction," Mickey says in my ear.

Not wanting him to get too much of a head start, I run back up the stairs and outside, Kolya on my heels. We sprint toward the trees. The moon disappears and the entire area plunges into blackness.

Since we came this way earlier, I am less cautious about potential booby traps. Up ahead, I hear pounding footsteps. It has to be Uriov. He must have a getaway vehicle stashed somewhere nearby.

"You can't run forever, asshole!" I yell. He fires in my direction but the shot is way off. All it does is show me where he's heading. I fire back and there's a muffled grunt followed by an almighty scream.

When we reach him, I'm delighted to discover he's stumbled into the bear trap. The rusty metal jaws are firmly locked around his calf. He's well and truly trapped, and to make matters worse, he's lost his gun.

Kolya laughs as my nemesis writhes in pain.

"Want me to put him down?" he asks with amusement.

"No, that's my job. Go make sure my malyshka is OK, then call the doc to come and check out any injured."

"Sure thing, boss." He disappears into the gloom, leaving me alone with Uriov.

"You should have left my woman alone," I tell him.

"Why? You took mine from me!"

"I didn't take her, she wanted to leave."

"The bitch was carrying my son!"

I nod. "She was, and now he's a happy kid with a kind stepfather who loves him. All thanks to me. If she'd stayed with you, she and the kid would be dead."

Uriov loses it. He crawls toward me, dragging the metal trap with him. Spittle flies from his mouth as he begins to rant.

"I will kill you for—"

I've heard enough, it's time to find my malyshka and take her home. The original plan was to lock Uriov in my torture room and make him suffer for as long as possible, but my priorities have changed since meeting Natalya.

She's more important than exacting revenge. She needs me and I need her.

I fire one last shot. The bullet hits him right between the eyes, snuffing his miserable life out instantly. Honestly, it's more humane than I would have liked, but needs must. I'm a changed man since I met Natalya. There is some satisfaction to be gained from spitting on his corpse, however.

"By the way, the site is now permanently offline and I've emailed a list of all the subscribers to you," Mickey announces in my ear. He chuckles and I smile. The kid is odd but I can't help liking him. It's just as well. We'll be family shortly.

Once we clean up the mess here, everyone who signed up to view the site will get their just desserts.

Karma's a bitch, motherfuckers.