The Dead May Rise ✓ (GxG)

Sixteen

After upon finding out that Bear was missing, Aedona pondered day in, day out what she'd do.

    I have to find Bear, Donnie had thought to herself. …For our child. And upon seeing Valeryan and Dagmar speaking with each other, Donnie corrected herself; For our children.

    Ultimately, after much contiplation, Aedona decided to arrange a meeting with Boris Artyomov himself. This Boris guy must know something about where Bear is.

     As Donnie continued to push her way through the busy Moscow streets, Pyotr and Roman lingered behind her, conversing with one another.

     The meeting was at seven in the afternoon, which was weird to Donnie.

      Aedona almost had to recalibrate herself to the sun as she slept through the day all the time now—-sirens were a nocturnal race of peoples.

     Before setting out, Donnie had applied heavy make-up to her face to hide the burns on her face from the chlorine gases. She urged Pyotr and Valeryan to do the same.

      Valeryan was walking in sync with Aedona, while Dagmar was holding Donnie's hand.

      "You know," Pyotr started to call out. "It's really weird being in the city again…"

      "Tell me about it," Roman responded. "I haven't been in this city for over a hundred years."

       The group continued on, trying not to draw attention to themselves; after all, Aedona wasn't sure who was working with Ebner and who wasn't.

      Finally, they reached the building that the meeting would be held in.

       Donnie exchanged a glance with Roman before entering the building the rest of the group following behind her.

     Aedona made her way up to the desk a secretary was at. She smiled. "Hi. Um… I'm here to see Mr. Boris Artyomov."

     "Down left corridor… Sixth door," the secretary told her. "You can't miss it."

     Donnie continued to smile at the secretary. "Thank you." Then, she led the way down to the room.

    The whole group stopped in front of the door.

    "I'll wait outside," Pyotr spoke up. "Otherwise, it might look too suspicious if we all go in."

     "Me too," Roman added. "Pyotr's got a point. Boris is a dangerous man and the last thing we want to do is tip him off."

     Aedona nodded to them. "I'll be quick." She turned back to face the door before knocking on it. She held her breath for a moment.

       "Come in," Boris's sinister voice sounded from the other side of the door.

      Aedona inhaled deeply before opening the door, Dagmar and Valeryan trailing behind her.

      Boris gazed upon Donnie and then to the kids who were with her. "Well, I didn't know you were bringing the whole family! If I would've known, I would've brought along a few candies for the kids."

      "Mr. Artyomov…" Donnie began.

     "Please sit, Miss Stavayeva… I insist," Boris said.

     Donnie hesitated before taking a seat.

    "Or… is it Mrs. Kryvichyn now? I don't think I'm fully caught up on all of your affairs," Boris said, reclining a little in his chair.

      "Mr. Artyomov," Donnie said once again, calmly. "I'm here to-" She was cut off.

     "Ask me about your boyfriend Amvrosiy?" Boris yawned. "Da. Da. I'm well aware."

      "I-" Once again, Donnie couldn't finish what she wanted to say.

      "You want me to release him even though I already have big plans in mind." Boris kicked his feet up onto the desk. "You want me to release him for a reason… Love, perhaps?" He paused, standing and making his way over to Donnie on the other side of the desk. "No… I don't think that's all." He leaned down, aggressively staring Donnie down. He reached forward, playing with Donnie's hair the same way Aaron had done before.

     Aedona froze, almost holding her breath. Her hands began to shake. "Valeryan. Dagmar. How about you go find Pyotr?"

    Valeryan nodded in response, grabbing Dagmar's hand and exiting the room as quick as he could.

     "Could it be because of your child with Amvrosiy?" Boris wetting his lips pulling himself closer to Aedona.

     Aedona could almost feel Boris's breath on her cheek.

     "...Could it be because of the baby siren on the way?"

    Donnie questioned, "How do you know about that?"

"You seem to forget that I have eyes everywhere," Boris explained still stroking Donnie's hair before placing a kiss on her cheek.

     Aedona pushed away from Boris as she stood up from her chair. "Mr. Artyomov, thank you for your time, but I think this meeting was a mistake."

     Boris straightened his tie, heading out the backdoor in his office. He waved his hand. "Fine. Be gone with you then."

     Aedona inhaled deeply before opening the door right to an armed soldier.

   As the soldier lunged at Donnie, she tensed yet again.

    Suddenly, a bullet pierced through the soldier's skull, making him collapse—-revealing none other than Epifan Gryymyko with a gun in hand. "Glad to see me?"

   Donnie gawked. "Epifan?" She questioned. "I thought you died at Osowiec Fortress."

     "I thought so too," Epifan responded. "But thanks to that siren of yours, Aedona… I'm good as new."

     "What are you doing here?" Donnie asked as she blinked a few times.

     Epifan grinned at her. "I'm here to take you to Bear."