Fractured (The Volkov Mafia Series Book 3) (20 page)

Malc

The ground is damp as I look around and take in my surroundings; we waited until darkness fell, to ensure we had the cover of the night.

From what we have gathered, their meeting started about an hour ago.

As we wait for the ok from Anton, his skill in turning off the power and phones are what we are waiting for, it gives us an advantage against them.

The day was tense today I had heard Damien and Anton shouting in his room. Though I couldn’t make out the words it has shaken Damien, I tried to ask him if he was ok and all he said was that it will keep till this is over. I look across at him now and his eyes are cold and dead, this is the look he wore after he killed his father. He was detached from everything in life for a while.

“Right team, everyone in position to go, the lights will be going off in thirty seconds. Be ready.” My dad’s voice declares through the ear pieces. One by one we hear the, “ready” response coming through to our ears.

In an instant I see the light fade from the compound it looks more like a Russian palace than a compound. It’s huge and the colorful architecture is like nothing I have laid eyes on before, the building closest is at least 100 yards away, it’s a good job we have an excellent sniper on that roof.

We move closer to the building, using hand signals to communicate with each other. We see the back glass doors just where they’re supposed to be. Trying the door first to see if it’s open, we should be so lucky. I hear the soft click of the handle and give a slight pull. Dumb fucks must think they are really untouchable if they go around leaving doors unlocked. I glance at Damien who nods for me to proceed, stepping inside. I hear the murmurings of confused voices, all talking about what made the power go off. We walk through the library, glancing from side to side with our rifles raised, ready to drop anyone we see.

Stepping into the corridor I see a guard coming around the corner quickly approaching us. This is it, time to dance. He fumbles with his belt trying to draw his weapon, I aim and pull off the shot before he has time to get his gun out of the holder. The only drawback is that they will have heard the shot. The size of the guns we have, even if we had silencers on them it wouldn’t mute the sound and anyone who works with guns would know what has just happened. As we come across more of his people now they will be ready and on the lookout for us.

We head towards the meeting room, it’s towards the front of the house, we have memorized each little nook and cranny of this place.

I glance to the side and see a woman cowering in the corner head ducked down. With all of the commotion, Vlad and Paul will be in the house now, with Nikos on the roof. Damien and me are coming around from the back and they know we’re here. They’re probably holding up in that room waiting for an attack.

“Idti.” I tell the scared woman to go, not thinking she would understand English so I use the Russian that I know so well. She nods her head and scurries for the front door, she keeps checking back at us, probably making sure we are not going to shoot her in the back.

The closer to the room we get, the more we can hear the deafening sound of gunfire and undeniable sounds of shouting. I quicken my pace so that I can see the commotion playing out around me, I can’t plan when I can’t see.

The doors are closed; our two men are tucked behind a corner wall, their eyes on the door but keeping back from the range of the bullets through the doors.

I grind to a halt on the other side of the men keeping myself hidden.

“What’s going on?” I demand. Vlad and Paul share a look with each other, and it’s Paul, who starts talking.

“As soon as they heard the first shot they started firing towards the door.”

Fuck, this is our way in we don’t have time to try and go round the back.

“Nikos.” I say it to my throat mic. “Do you have a view, into the room, if so distract their fire to the windows.” I give him his order and wait for him to respond.

“Roger.” I hear his reply, and wait for him to act.

“Anton, can you get close enough to let a couple of grenades off in that room.” The only time I call my father by his given name is when we’re on a mission.

“Will do but be prepared to enter quick it won’t draw their attention for long.”

“We’re ready.” I let go of my mic and address the guys. “Right lets get in and get this done.” They all nod raising their guns, we hear the bang of the first grenade tucking ourselves further into the corners, last thing I want to do is get taken out by flying debris.

The second pop and we know it’s time to move, they will be wondering which way the attack is coming from. They have grenades being thrown into the room and bullets flying in through the windows.

We approach the door guns raised, they’re open now as people try to run away from the attack but they don’t realise they are walking right towards us. Their coughing and spluttering is all we can hear, the shouting of a man barking his orders in Russian, trying to tell them what to do, is falling on deaf ears.

We walk in a line of four to the double door entrance to the room, firing at any man that leaves the room, we shoot to kill not injure.

“If you see Ivan, I want him alive. He will not have a quick death.” Damien tells us, shouting loud enough to be heard above the noise.

I aim at the men, bullets hailing around us, it’s deafening. Only looking at faces to make sure it’s not Ivan then, squeezing the trigger and dropping the targets to the floor.

The polished marble floor quickly turns red. I have to dodge and crouch between the shots I let off, hoping to avoid oncoming gunfire.

We’re inside of the room there are about eight men left standing and right in the middle of them is Ivan.

We pick them off one by one, the amount of bullets flying is astounding, out of the corner of my eye I see Paul drop down to the ground, I don’t have the time to stop and check on him until we have secured the room.

I feel a sharp pain then burning in my shoulder, my stance falters, as the gun feels heavier all of a sudden. The intense pressure I feel in my shoulder is indescribable, the warmth coming from the wound is seeping down my arm, I hope that it has gone straight through and it’s a clean exit, I continue to let off my shots despite the crippling pain.

We are down to the last man standing on their side, Ivan. The three of us are lined up in front of him aiming everything we have at him. Waiting for him to make the smart choice and lower his weapon.

“Drop your gun Ivan, we have you surrounded. You won’t get out of here!” Damien commands, he doesn’t flinch at his tone, we hold fast waiting for the shot, but it doesn’t come. The clang of the loaded gun, hits the floor at the side of him. Dejectedly he sags in defeat. He knows when he is out manned and out gunned.

“Secure him.” Damien says and Vlad steps forward, pulling the cable ties from his belt. He pushes between his shoulder blades forcing him to his knees; taking hold of his hands he wraps the ties and binds them behind his back.

We lower our weapons Damien keeping his trained on him, I rush forward to go and check on Paul, crouching down at the side of him, I see the blood pooling out of his neck it covers the floor, all down the front of his clothes.

I check for a pulse, my fingers pressing against his neck, I pull them away after finding nothing, I shake my head at Damien, letting him know that he’s dead. I look down to see my comrades blood all over my fingers, the bright redness of the blood is a stark contrast to my skin, I can’t even make out the tattoo on my hand there is just so much of it.

“Find a chair and put him on it. I want him to understand who I am and why I am doing this.” He tells me and Vlad. “Anton, I need your bag of goodies.” Damien tells my father his tone harsh. I don’t know what happened between them, but I have a feeling it’s not good, they have hardly spoken a word to each other all day.

My father strolls in carrying the infamous bag. This bag is legendary, he has taken down so many people with his tools, and never does a man walk away when the bag comes out to play.

“Boys go and make sure the building is clear, that we have no one hiding or trying to be a hero by saving this scumbag.” We nod at his command and go checking all the rooms downstairs again, making our way upstairs; we walk along the corridor as we check each room.

The last room on the left, the door closed, when I try the handle it’s locked. I get Vlad to bust down the door, as my shoulder won’t hold up if I try right now, I go in behind him gun raised. I glance around quickly, looking straight to the woman restrained on the bed, the balding fat man above her heaving in and out, as he slobbers all over her unwilling body. I see red. I don’t think, I don’t care who he is, I just aim and fire. The bullet hits him straight in the head, the impact spraying all over the girls face and upper body, he drops on top of her, but before I can get there Vlad is there shoving the dead man off her, he quickly follows my train of thought and unties the girl, wrapping her bruised naked form into his arms, pulling up a blanket from the bed and wrapping it around her.

She is crying and in shock with everything that has just happened. Her body is shuddering with fear against Vlad’s chest.

“What’s your name and are you here willingly?” I ask her, trying to make sense of what my eyes are seeing. In front of me is this woman, naked and bruised and her hair full of whatever vile fluids they have doused her in.

“Emma, and no I was taken when I was on holiday.” She whispers her voice is quiet, mouse like.

“Look we’re not going to hurt you, ok? Vlad here, is going to carry you downstairs.” She nods her head and closes her eyes as we make our descent back down stairs.

Damien looks up as we enter back into the room. He has a puzzled look on his face.

Ivan is bleeding from the mouth, the deep lacerations to his face are distinctive of a blade.

“We found her upstairs tied to a bed, with some fat guy over her.” I explain about the woman in Vlad’s arms. He just nods his head in understanding; we don’t need to say anything more. I can’t help but let my thoughts drift to how I found Camilla, the circumstances aren’t quite the same but the context of what was happening to this girl is. It angers something deep and primal inside of me, the thought of any woman being hurt is abhorrent to me.

“Vlad take her to the car, and stay with her while me and Malc finish up here.” Vlad spins on his heal with the girl still in his arms; he heads out of the front door cradling her close to him.

“Nikos, you take out anyone who’s not one of ours that’s trying to get into this building. Vlad is on his way out carrying a girl, she is ok, leave her be.” He says in to his throat mic, communicating with the man that is stationed on the roof across the way.

“No problem, it’s all quiet out here. Anton has finished setting all the charges so it’s ready to go when you give the ok.” Nikos replies, the relief that runs through me, the thought of this being nearly over, is immense. The quicker we get out of here and safely on a plane back to London, the better.

“You know who I am Ivan, I’m the brother of the man you tried to kill in the UK the last week. Did you honestly think that I would let you get away with coming after one of my own?” His tone is cold and calculating, he will have planned what he wants to do to him.

“You think I care if I die, there will always be somebody else that comes.” He chuckles seemingly thinking he still has the upper hand in this conversation.

“Nobody else is coming.” Damien booms, his voice fills the air ringing out loud and clear.

“I will destroy every trace of you today, then this country will be free from your clutches. The balance of power will shift back to where it belongs. Your hold over everyone will die with you.”  His face visibly pales with Damien’s words, obviously seeing the conviction in his eyes.

“Malc get the hammer out of the bag, I want to have a little fun with him first.” I walk over to the bag and pass him the hammer out of the dull black bag.

“How are your knees my friend?” He says just as he brings the hammer down hard against his kneecap. The crack of bone is distinctive. His screams fill the room as he bellows in pain, tears spring to his eyes as he realises this is worse than he first thought. No one is coming to save him, he doesn’t have the respect or loyalty for anyone to risk their life trying to save him. Damien quickly lands another blow to his other knee. The cries can be heard throughout the house; I suppose I would be the same if both of my knees had just been shattered.