Evident

43.

I comb my fingers through my knotted mud depreciation Afro, wincing from the prick it left behind in my scalp, my body shadowed from the sun as intertwist hanging trees hovered just above my frame, protecting me from the heat that walked across my skin.

I withhold a threatening yawn that wanted to slip out through my open lips, I hungered. I hungered so much that it left a pained deep within my guts from my lack of food absorb.

I counted down in my mind, making it an official twenty four hours since I've gotten sleep.

An official twenty four hours since I've left Aureliano. A twenty four hours that has me seated, pretending, lighting up weed of smokes with these fuckers who celebrated their so called victory..

A victory that had me patiently waiting to see the man who is called my father.

I wanted to map out each of their strategies, study them and when it was time for me to kill, I'd make my aim perfectly.

Shaking my head as sleep tried to prevail, I couldn't let it as I heard the men shouting while they directed the boat towards the layout of a wooden dock that led out to the entrance of a track which had thick trees on either side of the long distance.

The weather was hot against my dirty skin, donned in the same clothes that I was in when Amerio and I went to the river that was still slumped to my frame, marred with dirt and sweat.

They worked together around me as they tied the rope around the dock cleat to steady the swaying boat.

My eyes took in the area, committing each direction that Hades and his men took to get here, the boat that I was in, each faces of the men that came back with us on this journey. I perfectly made sure to keep them to the back of my head for later use.

"Welcome to our hide out little bird, father is expecting you..." I slid off the seat of the boat, stepping over the edge towards the docks where I walked beside Hades.

"Do you think he'll turn his back on me?" I worriedly asked to my brother, a huge contrast to what I was truly feeling on the inside.

I didn't give a fuck if he considered me his daughter or not, I just wanted to convinced the man that I was on their side. And what better way to act like a desperate daughter who wanted to have a relationship with their father.

Hades glanced down at me, a soft smile gracing his face that if I wasn't disgusted by his attitude, I'd think about giving him an actual chance to become my sibling.

To know him as my big brother.

I trusted Achille with my life, that man had saved me, gave me a new purpose after I left the life of an explorer.

At one point I considered him my father, he gave the best advice.

I knew that Achille would not harm or hurt his business partners unless they rubbed him the wrong way...

One thing I know for sure was that the Russians benefited hugely from child trafficking, a business that they had recently invest in.

Something that Achille despises.

I always wondered what was the true reason as to why Aureliano and his father didn't have a great relationship. He reminded me of Mato, calmed and humble.

What could have strained their relationship to the point that Aureliano didn't want to leave here to go back to Italy with me?

I had all the time in the world to asked Aureliano this when I was in his arms back then but now, I didn't even know if their was an us anymore.

I knew him.

I knew of his personality. Once you hurt him it'd be so hard for him to forgive and I knew he would not forgive me of my betrayal. He was stubborn.

"No little bird, to be honest, father have waited long enough for this day to happen. Don't stress yourself, cестра."

I toss him a smile, silently walking beside him as he took me to the camp they were staying.

His men were trailing behind us as they kept the journey quiet.

"We've made it."

Just as I was about to take a step, I paused and looked around as I notice that we were still surrounded by trees. No form of their camp or anything related to civilization were in sight.

"I don't see anything."

Hades grinned. "Take one step back little bird."

I frowned then took one step back, watching as he walked right at the space that I was at a few seconds ago, he stomp at the ground three times until that specific part of the ground crack apart with dirt and revealed a large circular steel plate.

He stomp again and then the lid, automatically slid apart, revealing wooden steps that went down into an underground tunnel.

He motioned for me to follow, his men behind me as I walked down each steps, my body transitioning into alertness as I walked within two space behind Hades, taking in the tunnel that had a wooden flooring which showed the rippling of the river underneath.

On either side of me, there resides stone walls which ran from the wooden floor to the stony ceiling. The walls had lanterns which hanged on the surface as it glowed a golden lighting through the long passage way.

"How long have you guys been staying here?"

Hades looked over his shoulder as he stopped in front of a steel door with a biometric scanner embedded on the side of the door.

"Twenty one years after the jet accident, we motioned for some of our men to stay here and made sure that Aureliano was actually dead, after we set the jet to flames. When they reported to us that he was missing, we advised them to stay here and find him."

I committed every code that he punched in to memory, watching as he scanned his finger then walked through the door as it mechanically opens and gave us entrance.

"Amerio, one of our trust worthy men was close in finding the location of the tribe when he was just eighteen but unknown to us, I still do not know where he is. We believe he died while searching for the tribe and this allowed us to become desperate..."

"This is why I came to you three months ago for your help because father knew of your past passion and knew that you would helped us."

All this time I thought Amerio was working with the enemy but he wasn't, he was actually protecting his people...

This fact stunned me as I walked behind Hades into a passage way that led out to a large river boat's deck, the boat consisted of three levels with a canopy bridge walkway attached to the side of the last level we were currently on.

I took in the long course of the river that was below the boat, it surrounded us with its muddy surface which was a result of the harsh rain that fell twenty four hours ago.

Just before me, I stared far out at the skyline, the large region had an orange pink hues while the sun set at his post.

The muddy waters reminded me of an event that left a pained in my heart when I thought about the sadness that he showed me when I left him...

Swallowing down my misery, I slipped my eyes from the skies and turn towards Hades who took off his beanie and toss it to a long couch on the deck, his men filling in the area as I fell in steps behind the brother who I despise.

"I am happy to help, the dearest father in need." I mocked.

Hades grunted then pushed opened a door to his left, a cloud of thick smoke flowing out as deep voices resounded through the room and based on the heavy Russian accent that husked out in a strong air of dominance, I knew that I was now in the presence of Arseni Kuznetsov.

The Don.

The man that I came to kill.