Phoenix's Revenge

31.

Nikolai's POV

We walk in with Phoenix in our ear, telling us how something's wrong. She's absolutely right. The minute I stepped in here I could tell something was wrong. There's no way that we walk in with no guards. We're strolling straight into a trap.

We look towards each other warily and then it starts. A sharp, high pitched sound hits our ears and drops us immediately. My hands fly up to cover my ears, searching for any relief but when I pull them away, crimson liquid covers them. I fall towards the floor and can't help but scream as I hear Tommy's join mine.

The sound is unbearable. Piercing.

I look up and see Gonzo standing over us with a dumbass grin on his face. Then everything goes dark.

Phoenix POV

Their cameras cut off so I jump into action. I strap my vest on and grab my guns and knives before racing out of the van.

My feet pound the gravel as all reason leaves my body.

This is not happening.

Of course it is. It's my life.

As I near the building and round the corner, a large body grabs me and pulls me to the side. My fight instinct activates causing me to whip around and punch my captor.

"I know you've got a harder punch than that, kiddo."

I focus on the face before me and see Calen's unmistakable scar. Relief floods my body.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper shout.

"You didn't really think I'd let you storm a stronghold by yourself did you?"

I chuckle and shake my head.

"But you could've just come with us." I argue.

"You'd let me?"

No.

"Yes."

Liar.

He laughs then grows serious.

"You're not going to like what I say next."

I steel myself in preparation for the news.

"Hit me." I say.

"They have them in cages. It'll be bad, Phoenix. Do not fall for their games do you understand? You can not let emotion cloud your judgement."

The news hits me like a ton of bricks.

Cages? Fucking cages?

Have that machete?

Absolutely.

Cut their heads off. Execution style.

Absolutely.

I ground myself and focus on my better judgment, allowing the primal side to take over.

I nod.

He understands and sets forward into the building. We wordlessly enter the building in stride with each other.

We scan the room and see a set of stairs leading up. We take them with Calen ahead and me bringing up the rear. As we near the top I see the cages. My heart stops as the boys come into full view. Each of them is strapped to a chair with some sort of medieval electrocution device strapped to their heads.

We finally reach the top of the stairs and look around with our guns drawn. My eyes meet Nikolai's and all of the blood drains from my face. His eyes are barely open as blood pours from a rather large wound on his head. He attempts a half smile and winces at the movement.

"I'll kill them for you, baby." I mouth. He winks at me.

"So fucking sexy."

"Really? You have to do this now?" Tommy rings out. Before any of us can laugh, a door opposite us swings open and Mr. Petrov and Gonzo enter accompanied by 3 other men. Calen and I snap back into serious mode as we raise our guns to them.

"Woah, now. Can't we be civil?" Gonzo sneers.

"Go to hell." We all spit out.

Aw. Family bonding.

"Why shouldn't I shoot you right now?" I ask.

"Look around, sweetheart. You're outnumbered."

I look around. I could take them.

"I like our odds." Calen says.

"Call her sweetheart one more time and I'll cut your tongue out, dad." Nikolai growls.

Footsteps echo through the room as Calen and I turn on our heels to see the new intruders.

Gasps fill the room.

No fucking way.

I love our odds now.

My mom and dad enter the room with their eyes ablaze and I'm reminded why they're so perfect for each other.

Both absolutely unhinged.

They scan the room with smirks on their faces.

"What, Gonzo? Surprised?" My mom says.

Gonzo desperately tries to fix the shocked look on his face.

"Too late now, big guy. We already saw that stupid fucking expression." Mom says with a smirk. 

Badass.

"Doesn't matter. None of you will do anything as long as you know I can do this."

He steps forward to the big control panel in the center of the cages as Nikolai and Tommy steel themselves.

"Stay strong." Calen whispers.

He turns a dial and the boys convulse immediately. Their eyes roll back in their heads as they scream and jerk.

I'm going to puke.

I look away and fight the urge to start shooting.

"Okay enough." My dad growls. 

The shocking stops and both men slouch forward catching their breath.

"What do you want?" I ask.

"You know what I want. Hand me over the undying loyalty of both the Russians and the Americans and we can all move on." He states. As if it's as easy as that.

"We don't do business with child molesters and pedophiles." My mom states bluntly.

"I think you will." He steps forward again and turns the dial. Their screams fill the room and I look desperately to my dad.

Our eyes meet and an understanding is formed. This won't end without bloodshed. These men need to die.

We both nod and turn towards the men. I take aim at Gonzo's shoulder and fire. Blood springs from his wound and then the room is filled with gunfire.