The Beautiful Guardian: Vengence

Chapter Eighteen: Ivanova's Determination

Ivanova moves quickly through the lobby and enters the elevator. She fidgets nervously as the instrumental music plays in the elevator. She straightens out the short-sleeve red dress as she goes through her mind the message she received from her mother. Was there something wrong? Was her sister hurt by some accident during an MMA match? She hesitantly knocks on the door to her mother's room.

"Enter, it's open," Ivanova's mother, Illiana calls out from within.

Ivanova enters the room, and the sight of what awaits her catches her off-guard. Maxine is seated with her back toward her. Chloe in the chair beside Maxine, both unaware that it is Ivanova entered the room. Natalia stands with her arms crossed behind the couch sitting across the two women. Illiana is standing in front of the glass doors that lead to the balcony, with a pistol in her hand.

"Maxine," Ivanova breathlessly says, causing Maxine to turn quickly toward her.

Maxine and Ivanova rush to each other arms and embrace. Ivanova pulls back a little and holds Maxine's face in her hands and kisses her several times in quick succession.

"Maxine I was so worried when they ripped off the necklace and I lost the signal, I didn't know what to do!"

Maxine holds Ivanova's hands close to her chest, "It's going to be ok, just know that I love you no matter what."

Ivanova gets a worried look, "What wrong? What's going on?"

"I can answer that, why don't you have a seat here," Illiana says gesturing to the chair at the head of the coffee table close to Maxine's seat.

Illiana hands Ivanova a folder as she sits in the chair. Illiana then walks over and stands next to Natalia.

"A long time ago, while you were away to study with your scholarship, your father was killed, leaving me and your sister to fend off his creditors in the underworld, It was because of this your sister and I had to do... things to ensure that we survived, and you stayed safely away from the horrible life we had to live, Your sister was able to escape from that life by joining the military and later the Federal service, And it was while in there, she was processing intel from a CIA mole, she found that information in that folder, It was then we decided to hunt down all those who have been connected to this operation, this 'Artic Lance' if you will, We hunted down the pilots of the transport plane and recently the commander, Jullian Krane," Illiana explains as she walks around the group.

Ivanova looks over the folder, the details of the clandestine operation, the crossed-out pictures of the now-dead operatives, and finally the last two pictures of Maxine and Chloe, much younger in military fatigues. Ivanova looks over to Maxine as she is now and remembers the designation beside Maxine's picture, that of "sniper".

"So, you saying that Maxine is responsible for the death of my father, Alexander Stravinski," Ivanova says as she puts down the folder on the table.

"Yes," Illiana hisses.

Ivanova looks down for some time, trying to make out what she will do. She looks at her mother and sister, bitter about what has happened to them, and rightfully so, then to Maxine, possibly only doing what was required of her by her country, regardless of how wrong it was.

"My father was no saint, he has caused pain in his wake, I'm no fool to believe that he was some innocent bystander, he was an arms dealer and a bastard!" Ivanova states.

Illiana's face contorts with anger, "You don't know what it was like to have to do those things for those whom your father owed! So they wouldn't kill us, or you!"

"I would have preferred death than to be associated with him! His death was deserved!" snaps Ivanova.

Illiana looks back at Natalia, and motions to Chloe. Natalia moves and roughly grabs Chloe by the collar of her blouse and tosses her onto the couch on her stomach. Natalia plants her knee in the middle of the back of Chloe, causing her to squeal in surprise and pain.

"What are you doing!?" Ivanova shrieks.

"Showing you what it was like for us to survive!" Illiana snaps.

Natalia brings up the skirt of Chloe's dress, exposing her panties. Chloe begins to wiggle as she struggles to be free. Maxine begins to rise to help Chloe but Illiana aims her pistol at her making her give pause.

"Can't save her if you're dead," teases Illiana.

Natalia begins to sneer as her hand begins to disappear slowly in the back of the panty as Chloe struggles in vain and begins to cry.

"Maxine, I love you."

Maxine turns toward Ivanova to see her rise and collided with her mother, fighting for the gun. Natalia, seeing the new development, rushes to her mother's aid, only to be intercepted by Maxine.

As Ivanova and Illiana struggle for the gun, Maxine and Natalia fight tooth and nail, falling and destroying the coffee table. Chloe rolls off the couch fixing her skirt while dodging the stray fist and feet of the nearby combatants.

Maxine is thrown off and lands on one of the chairs followed by Natalia pouncing on top of her. Maxine struggles as Natalia manages to get her hands on her throat. She claws at the strong hands as she writhes in the chair. Her vision begins to fade as she begins to loses the fight.

*BANG*

All eyes turn to the two women near the balcony doors. Illiana steps back with a smoking gun in her hand and shock on her face. Ivanova slumps back onto the floor holding her hand on a growing dark red spot at her abdomen. Both Natalia and Maxine rush to Ivanova's side, Maxine cradling Ivanova's head.

"It's ok Ivanova, I'm here," comforts a worried Maxine.

Natalia rises from the side of Ivanova with anger on her face.

"You shot her, she wasn't supposed to be hurt! You bitch!" Natalia rushes toward Illiana.

Illiana panics, and fires shots at Natalia, but Natalia's momentum causes her to crash into her mother, and through the glass doors, over the railing of the balcony, and down the darkness of the alleyway below.

Maxine holds the injured Ivanova in her arms, holding pressure on the wound, "Chloe, hurry! Get help! Now!"

Chloe hurries out the door.

"Hang on Ivanova, you will be ok," Maxine reassures.

"Please be ok."