Alina

69 - Third Person pt.2

The black SUV speeds far away from the burning vehicle; rising smoke can be seen over the treetops while the Ivanov siblings flee the scene.

Dmitri Ivanov drives as blood oozes from the cuts on his brow, but he does not care. The pain only makes his boot press down on the gas harder.

Alexei Ivanov, the new Pakhan of the Bratva, holds the unconscious Alina tightly in his arms. Her face is pressed into the small of his neck as he subconsciously plays with her soft hair, the thumb of the other hand rubs her back in a circular motion.

He's still confused about why he did what he did with Bianca and if he made a mistake by leaving it behind.

I wasn't in my right mind because I didn't have Alina. He thinks, excusing his actions.
I can never let Dmitri find out about this. Ever.

The car is silent, the only sound is the soft noises of Alina's breath. It's the only sound that could ever give them comfort and they had to hear it. They almost lost their most precious possession again, and it scared both of the brothers to their very core.

"I want to change her name," Dmitri suddenly says, "I don't like how they screamed it."

"Hmm? Oh yeah. Me neither. No one should be able to say it but us," his brother replies.

"Fayina?" Dmitri suggests with a chuckle.

"What's so funny about that?"

"It means free one, quite the opposite of what that little one will be. Don't you think?"

Alexei's hold on the girl tightens, almost as if he's protecting her—I don't like that.

"Zaya," Dmitri says.

"Little rabbit?"

"A bunny is fitting for her, no?"

"I suppose so."

Zaya, a term of endearment. However, it did not feel like one to Alexei. It felt wrong.

Alexei simply nods his head as his thoughts drift back to the young boys in the car miles behind. He did not regret dropping a flare.
Allie would be proud of me, he thought.

"Zaya," Dmitri tests the name on his tongue again and grins.

It really did suit her. He thought. Bunnies are all cute and fluffy but so keen to hop away. That's why they must be kept in a cage at the mercy of their owner.

They continue to drive east, constantly checking the mirrors to see if another car comes; no vehicle ever does.

The brothers only ever stop to transfer to a new car, leaving the old one burning on the side of the road. Other burning cars would be placed on streets they never drove on to throw off any people in search of the sleeping girl.

"This plan better work, we—"

"It will work, Dmitri. They shouldn't find her out here."

"Ever," Dmitri says in a correcting tone. "They won't ever find her."

The car eventually pulls up to a two-story house seeming to be made of logs and stone. It has a traditional yet cozy feel to it, with its wooden exterior and a sloping roof. The fresh, powdery snow covers the top, helping it to blend into the surrounding snowy landscape of the eastern woodlands of Russia.

The interior matches the outside. It has vaulted ceilings and everything in the open plan space is either made of wood or stone besides the distressed brown leather couches. A large balcony and deck overlooks a frozen pond in the back, only adding to the beauty of the picturesque environment.

This was the hiding place of their great uncle. He fled the estate to escape their grandfather who killed all his siblings in the fight for power. The house bought him only a few months of extra time before he was murdered in the woods gathering wood for the fire and it's been abandoned ever since. The house is not on record nor is it large enough to stand out from above, the perfect place to keep their treasure.

"We need supplies," Alexei states, "there's jack shit for her here."

"I know. But it's too dangerous to leave for town."

"There's a small village a few miles away. I can find a local to go for us."

"Good idea. I'll hunt something for dinner. I don't trust a single thing left behind."

"I'll stay with her. Supplies can wait for tomorrow."

Dmitri nods before heading out the door, gun in hand.

"It's just me and you now, Zaya." Alexei sighs as he sits on a couch, his eyes never leaving his sister's face.

Alexei has yet to let her go in the hours of travel since the crash, too afraid that she'd disappear or get hurt if he did.

Alexei examines her sleeping face, gently tracing his finger over her features, already beginning to forget his strange emotions and actions from just hours before.

"You're going to be here for a long time, little sister. You won't have to worry about a thing anymore, your big brothers will take care of it for you. All you have to do is stay here where only Dmitri and I can find you, alright? This is your home now Zaya.
I fear I may end up regretting leaving behind that clue..."

The treasure has been hidden, now the hunt is on.