The Carmichael Sunshine

Chapter 17

I wake up god knows how much later. It's pitch black out, but the moonlight shines bright. My head is killing, aching, awful. I'm tied to a chair. Unsurprising. I'm also being gagged. I feel something hot and wet on my head, knowing it's blood. I can smell it. I'm disoriented from someone hitting me across the back of the head, but I have the foresight to take in my surroundings.

It looks like some kind of warehouse.

Clearly abandoned.

There's nothing in here. Nothing but me in a chair and a table in the corner with a small gas lantern lit. A phone sits on a tripod, pointing at me.

I first move my toes and feet. They're tied together, but only with cloth. Whoever did this wasn't smart enough to use zip ties. My hands are tied similarly. I would be able to break out of this easily.

It must be Pavel.

I can think of no one else who would want to harm me right now, want me dead. I thought he was no longer a problem. Clearly, I was mistaken. Connor was right. And I'm pissed for so, so many reasons.

I struggle against the ties, remembering what Connor taught me. Not to panic in these situations. It's almost impossible not to. But I'm alone right now. Which gives me a slight advantage. I use my fingers to pick at the cloth tying my hands while simultaneously moving my ankles round and round to loosen the cloth tying me there.

"Ah! You're awake!" A familiar voice drawls.

Sure enough, Pavel makes his appearance. He walks in with two other men – both of whom I recognize from the meeting at Finn's club. He nods at them and they step back outside. My cousin approaches and I stop moving, breathing in and out with purpose through my nose.

I can handle this.

I can handle anything.

Calm. Collected. Positive.

"Hello dvoyurodnaya sestra."

Pavel grins and leans forward to remove my gag. I cough as I inhale the air.

"davno ne videlis'," Long time, no see, I tell him.

He laughs lightly. "Glad you see you keep your sense of humor in the face of death."

"Will I die tonight, Pavel?"

"You can count on it," he grins, getting out a knife. It's similar to the ones Connor trained me with. I just have to figure out how to disarm him. I am not going to die like this. No. Not after everything. I am determined to get the fuck out of here. "Say hi to your boyfriend, Ava!" Pavel waves at the camera.

I look at the phone sitting on the tripod.

"Am I live?" I smirk. "Hi fans!"

Pavel slaps me across the face so hard I see stars. "Don't be cute, you bitch!"

I straighten up, smiling lightly. "Pavel, have you been sleeping?"

He twitches. There's definitely something off about my cousin. I need to keep him talking though. He looks pale, thin, and there are dark circles under his eyes. I remember what Connor and Finn told me about how Pavel is losing his power, losing his men. He has nothing left in this city. The bratva don't like failures. He's been so blinded by his rage against the Carmichaels that he's lost his mind.