Awful Resemblance

XIX

                                

Moscow, 6:35 PM.

30 minutes earlier.

Sat on the toilet, Annika felt like cursing herself out at the sight of the red blots on her underwear. Her period had come two weeks in advance and saying that she wasn't particularly happy about that was an understatement. She sighed, knowing that she didn't have a phone on her in order to ask anyone for help but to her alleviation, she suddenly heard a sound that indicated that one of the restroom's doors had just been opened.

"Is someone there? I need a pad." She asked with a hint of shame.

"Oh, I already lent one to Rodion, sorry," A male voice casually exclaimed. "Perhaps, I can go borrow an other one from Kirill? It seems like he is also going through that time of the month given the blood that he is sleeping in right now."

Annika felt like her heart was about to escape from her chest. She kept silence as the man rambled :

"Enough chit-chat though, are you okay? I suggest you use toilet paper, we don't have all night."

"Who are you?" She cried.

"Now really isn't the time for introductions. You better open the door or I will break in myself." He urged her in a menacing tone.

She quickly cleaned herself and covered the surface of her underwear with some of the toilet paper before putting it back on. Mustering up the courage, she got up, rearranged her dress and turned the door handle, exiting the bathroom to come face to face with the man. Not recognizing him, she shut her fear and let out harshly:

"This is the women's restroom, you weirdo."

He was a dark-haired man her height with pale skin and dark blue eyes. He had a scowl on his face that accentuated at her sight. As he walked towards her, she flinched, but before she could take a step back, he grabbed her firmly by the arm and pulled her closer to him. Horrified, she attempted to scream but he blocked her mouth with his hand and threatened:

"If you scream or try to escape, you will lose all chance of ever seeing your father again, got it?"

Her eyes filled with tears as she nodded and he removed his hand, dragging her through the exit by her arm. She gasped when she saw Kirill bleeding on the floor of the corridor but the scream that threatened to escape her was stifled by a piece of cloth scented with chloroform that the kidnapper stuck to her nose. She struggled against his grip but her strength slowly left her and she passed out. He picked her up and carried her like a sack of potatoes towards the elevator, aggressively hitting the buttons. It opened with Matvei pointing a gun at the man, his gaze dark.

"If you shoot me, she will shoot your friend." The man stammered, pointing at Kirill whose head was against a revolver held by a woman in a suit.

Matvei's jaw twitched as he looked in his friend's direction to see him in a pitiful state. He took a look at Annika and, a weight on his chest, he slowly lowered the gun. He was about to walk towards Kirill until him and the man both heard a gunshot and saw the woman falling with blood coming out of her mouth. They turned to find Nikolai putting his pistol back in his pocket while he glared at Matvei. Behind him were Aleksander, Mikhail, Kazimir and Sasha, who had also assisted at the scene. Matvei proceeded to trap the kidnapper's head in his hands and drive it into the wall. The latter fell and Matvei took Annika from his arms but he was immediately punched in the nose by Aleksander, making him stumble. He went at it again and gave him another punch.

"Enough, Alex." Mikhail yelled, helping Kirill get up.

He didn't listen and kept on punching Matvei until he was brutally separated from him by Nikolai. Matvei's drops of blood landed on Annika's face and it slowly woke her up. His grip on her was tight, which maintained her in place and when she opened her eyes to his bruises, she felt her heart turn against itself. She immediately got on her feet and stood in front of him clumsily in an attempt to protect him from her brother's fury. Her eyes were narrowed at Aleksander and seeing her seemed to calm him down because he stopped fighting and began to breathe heavily. His eyebrows were arched as he contemplated every inch of her face but his wrath progressively returned when he realized the way in which she looked at him. With hatred and pure disgust. Suddenly, the memory of sticking a blade to her throat in Saint Petersburg rushed in and the wrath he felt was now directed towards himself. He looked down, no longer able to bear her stare.

Nikolai released him and he was the one who was now making eye contact with her. His heart thumping, he took a step forward but she took one back, fear visible in her eyes. By doing so, her back bumped into Matvei and the latter held her by the arms to keep her from losing her balance. Nikolai felt a pang in his chest but that didn't deter him from taking another step and grabbing her wrist. She removed her hand from his grip and spat:

"Don't touch me."

That stung even more and a vein showed on his temple.

"He chose his friend over you." Nikolai let her know.

"And you pointed a gun at me the second we met." She reminded him bitterly.

Kazimir frowned and his eyes, that had watered at the sight of his daughter, turned dark.

"I have all the time in the world to earn your forgiveness." He retorted, guilt discernable in his tone. "But come with us."

She shook her head negatively, tears streaming down her face. Seeing her like that broke Kazimir. Beside him was Sasha, who had kept silence the whole time. He decided to speak up :

"We should give her time to recover from the shock. For the time being, Matvei will stay with her."

At the mention of his name, she turned to him and looked up, examining his bruises.

"I am fine." He muttered, wiping off her tears with his thumbs.

She relaxed at his touch and he held her hand, walking her to the elevator. He clicked on the buttons and Annika spared one last glance to Kazimir before the gates closed on them.