Phoenix's Revenge

19.

Phoenix POV

The next morning, I head out for a run. It's been all too long since I've trained and I can feel my progress slipping. I throw on some running clothes and slip out of the penthouse, kissing Nikolai good morning before I do.

I walk out of the lobby and start a light jog. I jog down the street a ways before turning down a side road into a much dicier of an area. I reach behind my back to make sure my gun is still there and am flooded with relief when it is. I pick up the speed, wanting to get out of there quickly. I am stopped in my tracks when I hear an all too familiar voice around the corner.

Limp Wrist.

"Did you get it done?" He growls at someone.

"Y-yes sir. I did. They were still asleep in there when I set everything up. It should be going up in flames any moment."

"Good. Teach people a lesson about fucking with me." LW spits.

Fuck.

My blood runs completely cold as I turn around and sprint back towards the building. My feet slam the pavement as fast as I can make them go. The building comes into view and I will myself to go even faster. I'm so distracted that I don't see the body I run into. Tommy.

"Woah, there speed racer. Where's the fire?" He jokes. If only he knew.

"Nikolai. Retaliation. Real fire." I say as I try and fill my lungs with air. His eyes go wide and we both race for the elevator.

"Wait! If we take this, and it's already burning we'll be stuck in here."

Realization crosses his face. We turn towards the stairs and sprint up them, adrenaline coursing through our veins. Tommy bounds up the stairs in front of me with me hot on his heels.

It seems like forever, but we finally reach the penthouse floor. We burst through the door. We are met with a smoke filled hallway. We push forwards to the door. Tommy reaches for the knob, but it's too hot too touch. I bang on it.

"Nikolai!" We both scream. We hear a faint cough come from the other side. Tommy and I lock eyes as he reached for the knob completely disregarding the temperature of it. We burst through. Flames lick every inch of the place.

"Nikolai!" I call out again. We frantically look around as the air gets thicker and thicker. We both start choking on the smoke filled air as we search. I finally spot him.

Nikolai is hunched over against the wall. I move towards him and realize he's barely conscious. He fights to keep his eyes open. His face is covered in soot, burned and blistered skin cover his left side.

"Baby! Hey come on." I yell. "Tommy! Help me."

Tommy rounds the corner coughing and spluttering. We each take an arm and head out. I hear sirens on the street below.

Great response time guys.

We reach the stairs and begin the trek down. I finally get a good look at Nikolai and am rendered speechless. Around his mouth is completely black, indicating that he inhaled way too much smoke. His eyes flutter closed.

"No. Hey no stay with me man." Tommy says. His eyes open again, but barely. We half carry and half drag him down the stairs. We run into the fire crew about halfway down.

"Help him." I croak out. They take one look at him before picking him up and hurrying down the steps. The rest continue up, leaving me and Tommy making our way down. We both cough and heave when we get to the bottom. We rush outside and stop, taking the scene in before us.

"Oh my god." Tommy mutters in complete shock.

Nikolai lays supine on a stretcher with 10 doctored surrounding him. One places a bag valve mask around his mouth, manually pumping air into his lungs as another pounds on his chest. We're shoved aside as another medic runs up to them with an AED. They place the paddles on his chest.

"Still no pulse?" One yells in a heavy accent.

Solemn faces and head shakes answer his question. Tommy sinks to his knees beside me with his hands covering his mouth. I stay frozen, rooted to my spot.

No.

No no no.

Tears spill down my cheeks as I watch them desperately try to bring him back. Everything becomes blurry and moves in slow motion.

"CLEAR" someone yells. Seconds later, Nikolai's body jolts at the shock and everyone stops.

"Still nothing?"

More head shakes.

"Load him up now!" Someone else says and everyone jumps into action.

I watch unable to do anything as they load his body into the ambulance and scream down the street.

Please. Tell me he's not dead.

Love y'all.

❤️

Ohhhhhh to kill him or to not kill him🤔