26. ISABELLA

The helicopter touches down at a small airstrip in Winnipeg. I barely remember being in the air, my mind consumed with seeing Andrey again and worrying that Konstantin won't keep his promise not to hurt them. He said he would catch up with us as he wanted to take care of Andrey and James personally.

As the helicopter blades stop thumping above us, Pavel and Boris, who have traveled with me, Stacy, and Lev, open the door and jump out to help us.

We're escorted to a waiting black SUV by another one of Konstantin's men I haven't met before, Timur. He seems to know Boris and Pavel well enough. However, I notice that Boris doesn't seem to like him. He barely looks at Timur or acknowledges him.

"Boris, you need to sort out the helicopter," Pavel instructs. "We need it ready at short notice. Make sure you put Nickolai up in a hotel close to the airstrip so he's ready at a moment's notice."

Boris nods. "Of course, Pavel. I was going to do this anyway. I will have it secured. I'll go over the maintenance check with Nickolai and ensure it's secured."

"There is a vehicle waiting for you in the hangar," Timur tells Boris, who gives Timur an icy look and a slight nod.

"We'll see you at the compound," Pavel tells Boris.

My eyes meet Boris's, and he smiles a little—a promise that we'll have our unfinished conversation about my mother soon. I smile back and wave.

As we climb into the SUV, an uneasy feeling clutches my stomach, and I start to feel anxious. I take small gulps of air, trying to calm this feeling building inside of me, and I wonder if I'm having my very first panic attack. We've gone through a lot in one day.

We start to drive toward the new safe house—Headingley, I think Konstantin said. The tension is thick, and my thoughts are a whirlwind. My heart squeezes, and my breath seems to stick, trapped between my lungs and throat.

Images of what I did to Donald Whitman flash in my mind and then swirl into everything that happened with Andrey and James. I gulp for air, starting to feel dizzy. I can't breathe, and my head starts to feel like it's about to explode.

"Isabella?" Stacy's soft voice tickles my ear, and I feel her hand on my back, rubbing it. "Breathe with me." She takes in a long breath.

"I… I… can't."

"You can," Stacy encourages. "Pavel, do you have a bag or something for Isabella to breathe into? She's having a panic attack."

"I don't… I don't… have… panic… attacks," I say through gulps of air.

"Then congratulations, you're having your first." Stacy's inappropriate sense of humor makes me smile and starts to relax the tension in my lungs. "Now, breathe with me."

"No bags," Pavel tells her. "We'll stop at the small mall on the outskirts of St. James-Assiniboia. I'm sure you ladies need the bathroom, and we can pick up some supplies you might need."

"Do you think that's wise, Pavel?" Timur asks.

"As far as I can see, no one has followed us," Pavel reasons and glances around. "That mall is small, discreet, and out of the way."

"A perfect place for an ambush," Timur points out.

"There are only seven of us who know we've arrived in Winnipeg," Pavel points out. "Only six of us know where we're heading. If we are ambushed, that means one of us six is a traitor, and I can assure you, I know who Konstantin is going to point to as a traitor." He glances at Timur. "And it's not going to be me or the three in the back."

"I got that," Timur tells him. "But trust me, Pavel, that mall is not the safest place to stop."

"Are you questioning an order again , Timur?" Pavel's voice becomes cold with a warning. "You've been given a second chance. Konstantin will not be so understanding if anything happens this time. Especially if anything happens to his sister and two best friends."

"Understood." Timur nods. "But I do need it to be said that I still think an unscheduled stop is a bad idea, especially at that small mall. I'd wait for the bigger center, which is just a few minutes away in Assiniboia Downs."

I don't think I can wait a few more minutes. As my breathing starts to calm down, my bladder starts to alert me that it's time to pee.

"Please, Timur, I need the bathroom." My words are barely a whisper between the deep breathing exercises I'm doing with Stacy.

"I need to walk a bit," Lev adds. "I've had my robotic braces on for too long. I usually take them off if I'm going to sit or not walk for this long as they start to hurt."

"Timur," Pavel orders, "stop at the mall."

Timur nods, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I need to get out of here for a few minutes, go to the toilet, breathe, walk, clear my head, and try to shake this awful feeling of dread that has me in its grip.

We pull into a small mall. Lev is in visible pain from his leg braces, which have been on too long. He hasn't had his physio in two days, but he insists on coming with us. We pile out of the car, and I stand, taking a few breaths of air.

"Wait at the vehicle," Pavel orders Timur.

Pavel, you have two women and a man who can barely walk," Timur points out. "We can get another vehicle if it's compromised. You need someone else with you."

Pavel stiffens and turns to Timur. "I gave you an order. If I need you, we're on comms, and you'll hear."

Timur looks like he's about to argue, but Pavel's stern look makes him stand down and nod. Something is going on here, but I'm too desperate to pee to ponder on the inner conflicts of my brother's small army.

Pavel starts directing us toward the bathroom. He offers to help Lev, who is trying not to limp, and I can see there is pain in his every step, but he pushes through. I make a mental note to ask my brother about Lev's injuries.

"You two go ahead of us," Stacy calls. "Lev and I will follow."

Pavel nods, but we don't walk too far ahead of them.

"What's up with Timur?" I ask Pavel as he makes his way to the information desk. "He doesn't seem to take orders too well, and Boris didn't seem to like him."

"Timur once held my position," Pavel tells me. "He was Konstantin's second in command alongside me but had rank over me. Like I am with Boris."

"Oh!" My eyes widen. "What happened?"

"Timur got his sister, Valentina, killed," Pavel tells me, stopping at the information desk. "Where are the bathrooms?"

"Around the back," the woman tells us. "You have to go through that door." She points to the right. "Then around the building. Follow the yellow footsteps."

Pavel thanks her and directs us.

"Why doesn't Boris like him?" I ask.

"He's Boris's older brother," Pavel answers, and my brows shoot up. "Timur is lucky that Roman intervened on his behalf, or your brother would've killed Timur."

"That's a bit harsh. I mean, Timur's sister died."

"It's also Timur's fault that we didn't get to Lev in time," Pavel explains. "I think Timur is fortunate that Konstantin didn't have the time to kill him that night as he nearly lost two people he loved that night."

"What?" I gasp, my mind trying to take in the implications of Pavel's words. "My brother loved Timur and Boris's sister?"

"Yes." Pavel nods, stopping to let Stacy and Lev catch up with us. "Valentina was Konstantin's third in command. They were in love, but your brother never let his emotions ever belittle Valentina's abilities, if you understand."

"I think I do." My brow furrows. "He treated her fairly and never tried to protect her or give her special treatment."

"Yes." Pavel nods. "Exactly. Your brother knows every one of his soldier's strengths and weaknesses. He makes sure they are in a position that empowers their strengths and teaches them to strengthen their weaknesses. Konstantin is a brilliant man and statistician. Since he commanded the Zhukov Special Forces, we have become five times more efficient."

"You really admire Konstantin."

" All Konstantin's men admire him. We would gladly walk through fire for him." Pavel's eyes and voice reflect his loyalty to my brother.

"Except Timur?"

"Timur, me, and your brother grew up together. Or at least from the time Konstantin came to Russia when he was twelve," Pavel explains. "We've been best friends most of our lives. But we've always known and respected Konstantin's position amongst us." He sighs and shakes his head. "Timur is fiercely loyal to your brother. But he is also a family man who loves his siblings. He was responsible for them when his father was killed, and his mother withered from the pain and died of a broken heart."

I push my legs together and start doing kegels to try to keep myself from wetting my pants. I glance back to see Stacy helping Lev adjust something on his brace. I need to get to the toilet, but I also want to hear the rest of the story.

I know that Pavel won't continue it in the car and will probably not answer again if I try to get him to talk at the compound. This is perhaps the only chance I'll get, and I have to find out more before Stacy and Lev join us.

"What happened?"

"We were in America setting up to… uh…" He purses his lips. "To rescue you."

"Two years ago?" My brows raise.

"It takes a lot to play out a rescue. We had to plot the perfect plan to make sure we had safe houses. There is a lot more going on than you know," Pavel tells me before going back to the story. "Lev threw the first spanner in the works by eloping with Stacy. Konstantin had a feeling it wasn't going to go down well with Stacy or Lev's family."

"I'm going to ask you why when we're at the compound because right now, I really have to pee," I tell him. "So move up to how Timur got his sister killed."

"It was just me, Timur, Konstantin, and Valentina." Pavel continues the story. "We were following Lev and Stacy that night. As we pulled up at Belov Towers, Konstantin noticed some men lurking in the shadows, also following them. I got out of the vehicle to silently investigate." He runs a hand through his hair. "Konstantin ordered Timur and Valentina to back me up. He was going to watch Lev and Stacy."

"Pavel, I'm going to pee in my pants here if you don't get to the point."

"Long story short," Pavel says, "Valentina's pregnancy test stick fell out of her pocket as we were about to attack the men stalking Lev and Stacy. Timur freaked out, left his post, and attacked Konstantin. I got distracted because Valentina let down her guard because of Timur and one of the men stabbed her in the neck before I could get to her. I was overpowered, and by the time Konstantin pushed Timur off him, Lev and Stacy were under attack."

"Jesus!" I stare at Pavel. "This happened to an elite special forces team?"

"That's the first and last mistake Konstantin has made," Pavel explains. "As you've noticed, he doesn't discriminate against anyone. But he expects everyone to know their place and their limits. He also won't have any couples or siblings on the same team."

"You're right. Timur is lucky to be alive." My heart squeezes for my brother but also for Timur and Boris. "It also explains Timur trying to correct your plans." I frown. "Why does Konstantin have Timur and Boris on this mission?"

"Timur is only here because your Uncle Roman insisted on it," Pavel informs me. "Something about a promise he made to their mother, whose family has worked for the Zhukovs for generations."

"Okay. I have to pee." I'm now hopping up and down. "Stacy, are you coming?"

She nods.

"I'll help Lev," Pavel offers.

Stacy and I head inside as we enter. I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Something is off. I glance at Stacy, who looks equally uneasy.

"Do you feel as uncomfortable as I do?" she whispers.

I nod. "Yeah. One stall?"

"Definitely." Stacy and I piled into one toilet stall, allowing me to go first.

It's the longest pee I've ever had, but I feel myself relax as it drains out of my body. I finish and fix my clothes, waiting for Stacy to finish.

"How are you feeling?" I ask her. We haven't had much chance to talk since the thing with Donald Whitman.

"Like I'm in a dream, and I'm going to wake up to find he's not really here," Stacy admits, standing and pulling up her jeans before turning to close the seat and flush. "I'm still processing it, you know. It's a lot to take in." She smiles as we wash our hands.

"How are you coping with his disability?" I used that term loosely as I haven't been told the extent of it yet.

"He can walk, and all his bits work." She grins cheekily. It's the first time I've seen her smile since Lev reappeared in her life back from the dead. "You know, like his cock."

"Oh!" I say with a nod. "I guess that's a good thing for the two of you."

"He still has a long way to go with his recovery. The kick to his lower spine caused fractures in three vertebrae, which resulted in partial damage to his spinal cord." Stacy flicks water from her hands. "Fortunately, the damage was not severe enough to cause permanent paralysis, but it has affected his ability to walk. The robotic braces help him walk by providing the necessary support and stability, but he requires regular physical therapy to rebuild strength and coordination, along with ample rest."

"Geez, Stacy." I mimic her hand-drying actions.

"It wasn't that injury that nearly killed him, though," she tells me. "He was stabbed, and it punctured his lung, causing a pneumothorax. A collapsed lung. He still needs to monitor his respiratory health closely to ensure there are no complications from that."

Before I can reply, masked men appear out of nowhere. Panic surges through me, and I fumble for the panic button on my watch—the one Konstantin gave me before putting me on the helicopter early today. I press it just as the first man lunges at Stacy.

"Run!" I shout, but it's too late, and I manage to fend off one of the men coming for me.

I'm distracted by the sound of Stacy's scream that echoes in the small, tiled space. Spinning around, I see one of the men has her, and his hand is now clamped over her mouth.

I rush toward them, intent on freeing my friend, but I've left myself wide open and am apprehended. I start to struggle, trying to free myself as Pavel runs into the bathrooms. I hear a shot fired and see Pavel duck before my blood runs cold, seeing Lev behind him.

Lev flinches as the bullet grazes the top of his leg near the harness for his brace. It knocks him off balance, and Pavel pivots, grabbing Lev and pushing him into one of the toilet stalls. Another shot rings through the air and sends Pavel backward onto the floor.

"Pavel!" I scream through the hand clamped over my mouth, my stomach roiling as I see the blood stain darken his vest. "No."

I use all my strength to elbow the brute holding me in the solar plexus. But he just grunts and holds onto me. My fear grows when I see two men dragging Lev from the stall. His body is limp.

My head swivels around to see if Stacy's noticed, and my heart stops beating for a few seconds when I see her limp body dangling in the man who was holding her arms.

"Stacy!" My screams are muffled, and I bite down on the gloved hand covering my mouth.

"Fucking bitch!" the man hisses before I feel him squeeze a spot on my neck. Pain explodes as his fingers press where the carotid arteries are. My vision blurs and everything goes black and I slip into unconsciousness. The last thing I see is Pavel lying on the floor in a pool of blood.