Beneath The Surface

Chapter 38: Rescue Plans in Motion

--- Marco's POV ---

My grip tightens on the phone. "Tell me."

I put the phone on speaker, glancing at Ace. The tension between us was almost tangible, a shared dread that made my chest tighten. When Sergei's voice came through the line, I felt the blood drain from my face.

"You won't like what I'm about to say," Sergei began, his tone grim.

"Just say it," I snapped, unable to hide my impatience.

"She's being held in Moscow," he continued, and then hesitated before adding, "She's to be married to Ivan Volkov."

The moment he uttered that name, I lost whatever tenuous hold I had on my temper. I grabbed the glass of whiskey and hurled it across the room, watching as it shattered against the wall, mirroring the chaos inside me. "Goddamn it! That bastard!" I roared, my voice echoing through the kitchen. "Fuck! Of all people, Ivan fucking Volkov!"

Ace stayed silent, his eyes following the fragments of glass that scattered across the floor. I knew he was feeling the same mixture of anger and helplessness.

Then, almost like a light bulb flickering to life, an idea sparked in my mind. My pulse quickened, and I could barely contain the surge of adrenaline. "When is the wedding, Sergei?" I asked, trying to steady my voice despite the storm brewing inside me.

"In three days' time, at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow," Sergei replied.

"Sergei," I said, my voice sharp with urgency. "Get all your men and as many allies as you can muster. We're going to 'attend' a wedding in Moscow in three days."

"Understood, Marco. I'll mobilize everyone immediately," Sergei replied, his tone equally serious.

I ended the call and turned to Ace. He was already anticipating my next move. "Ace, we’re going to Moscow, but we’re not just storming in. We’re going undercover, attending this wedding as guests. Get our people ready, armed, and disguised."

Ace nodded, already pulling out his phone. "You got it. We’ll blend in, get close, and when the moment’s right, we’ll strike."

As Ace began making the necessary calls, I couldn't help but think about the enormity of our plan. We had three days to prepare for the most critical mission of our lives. I pictured Raven, her face pale with fear, and the thought only fueled my anger.

"Ace," I said, interrupting his calls, "we need intel. Find out everything about the venue, the guest list, and the security. We need to know every detail."

Ace nodded again, already dialing another number. "I’ll get our best guys on it. We’ll know everything there is to know."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. "We’ll make our move when she reaches the altar. That’s when we’ll take them all out and get her out safely."

Ace gave a grim smile. "We’ll get her back, Marco. This ends now."

The plan was audacious, but it was our best shot. Disguised as wedding guests, we’d infiltrate the ceremony, armed and ready. When Raven stood at the altar, we’d make our move, ensuring her safety above all else.

As the night wore on, the weight of what lay ahead pressed down on me. The next three days would be critical, every second a step closer to our showdown. We had to be meticulous, precise, and ruthless.

The following morning, our preparations began in earnest. Ace and I met with our top men, discussing the plan in detail. We reviewed the layout of the wedding venue, identified key entry and exit points, and assigned roles to each member of our team.

Our disguise specialists worked on creating convincing identities for us as wedding guests. Tailors were brought in to ensure our suits could conceal weapons without arousing suspicion. Our weapons experts selected the best equipment for the mission, small, easily concealed, but deadly.

Meanwhile, our intelligence team gathered information on the rival don, Ivan Volkov. They learned about his connections, his security detail, and his schedule. Every piece of information was scrutinized and analyzed.

The rest of the day was a blur of activity. Ace and I were on our phones, making calls and coordinating with our men. The plan had to be flawless, there was no room for mistakes.

"Ace, did you get in touch with Dmitri?" I asked, pacing the length of my office.

"Yeah, he's already gathering intel on the venue and the security details. We should have a full report by tomorrow morning," Ace replied, not looking up from his phone as he sent a flurry of messages.

I nodded, feeling a bit of relief. Dmitri was one of our best operatives, and if anyone could get us the information we needed, it was him.

"Good. And what about the guest list?" I asked, stopping to pour myself another drink.

"Still working on it. We've got a few names already, but I want a complete list. Every person attending that wedding needs to be accounted for," Ace said, finally looking up. His eyes were as determined as mine.

We spent hours going over every possible scenario. Who would be at the wedding? How would we blend in? What weapons would we bring, and how would we conceal them? Every detail had to be considered.

As the evening wore on, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Our men were being briefed, given their roles and responsibilities. We were preparing for war, but we had to do it under the guise of attending a wedding.

"Ace, make sure everyone knows the plan. This has to be executed perfectly. No slip ups," I said, my voice hard.

"Understood, Marco. We'll be ready," Ace replied, his confidence reassuring.

The weight of the mission hung heavily on my shoulders. Raven's life depended on us. If we failed, the consequences would be unimaginable.

I looked at Ace, seeing the same determination in his eyes. "We're going to get her back," I said, more to myself than to him.

"We will," Ace replied, his voice unwavering.

The night crept on, but there was no time for rest. We had two days left to prepare, and we couldn't waste a single moment. The clock was ticking, and Raven's fate lay in our hands.