75

CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE

LUCIAN

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It was too late, there were already inside the building.

Fuck!

The cold rational part of my mind registered one thing, there was nowhere to run!

They were no doubt searching for us across all the rooms right now!

"We need a plan now!" Devin spoke.

There wasn't much time to think but the last thing I wanted was for Vladimir to use my sister as leverage against us, or worse, she could end up injured or dead.

I met Loretta's panicked gaze, she shouldn't be going through this all over again. I doubted she would ever forget this event and had never been so thankful that I had found out Brie just in time and sent her home.

A mixture of rage and panic filled me as I suddenly thought if I didn't make it out of here, I would never get to see Brie ever again, never hold our baby in my arms.

No!

All the more reason I had to get out of here alive, I couldn't break my promise to her.

I grabbed Loretta's hand, pulling her towards the location of the nearest window. The window was tiny but large enough for her to be able to make it through.

"Everything is going to be fine, listen to me, you both have to jump down quickly!" I stared at her and Phoebe who was gazing at her father who was lying dead.

It was Devin who pulled her away from him and walked towards me.

The window wasn't that high, they both would make it without suffering injuries.

They would be safe, Vladimir wouldn't go after them, his target was me.

"I'm scared, what are you going to do? you're going to come with us! You won't..." Loretta started but I cut her off.

"No time for questions! Just do as I tell you, there's a car parked outside, ensure to leave this place as fast as you can!"

"But what about you..." I shoved her forward. The footsteps were getting closer, I think Vladimir and his men were getting closer to locating our spot.

"Go now!" I barked. "Take this just in case." I gave her my gun, it didn't matter if she knew how to shoot, but I knew holding a weapon would make her feel less afraid.

The urgency in my voice compelled them to comply quickly.

The second they left, I turned around to stare at Devin. There was no telling how many men Vladimir has with him, I could only be convinced of one thing, If Vladimir came here in person, it meant that he thought I was vulnerable and that he could easily take me on.

Perhaps this was the plan I needed, to make him think I was at a full disadvantage and all alone.

I whispered the plan to Devin who immediately wore a hesitant look in his eyes. It was dangerous I knew but there wasn't a second option if we hope to make it out of here alive.

I stared at the three dead bodies across the room, the air stank with the metallic smell of blood.

Devin laid down in their midst, playing dead, no sooner than that, men burst inside the room.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of automatic gunfire vibrated the room and I dived for the floor.

"Well well well, what do we have here? Who would have thought that Castiel would be reduced to this state?" A thickly accented voice spoke from above me, the first thing my eyes saw was a well-polished pair of shoes that kept on advancing. Slowly, I lifted my gaze to meet the smug smirk of Vladimir Petrov.

He stopped walking, and I also mentally took note of the four men behind him who were heavily armed.

I watched as he took a glance across the room and stared at me in mock sympathy. "It seemed that you're the only one left, I should finish what he started." He stared at the almost unrecognized body of Derek, when he stared at Marcus, I saw the surprise flash in his eyes, perhaps he had no idea that Derek was the person who had abducted him.

"How did you know that I was here?" I spoke and his attention flickered to me. "I must say that he created quite a scene when he took your sister, I just had to secretly follow him to know that he wanted you in exchange, he has quite the spirit, a little too bad he's no more and soon will you." He grinned.

"Your partner just died, you should worry about how it will affect your business, Even if you kill me, you stand to gain nothing!"

He only laughed and suddenly, one of his men fired at me, at first I thought it was a bullet, slowly I looked down to see the injection stuck in my shoulders. Only a few seconds passed by when I started to feel the pain, spreading across the wires of my veins like lava.

I had been drugged.

Fuck!

The pain grew worse, it felt like something was drying inside of me, I was rapidly growing weaker as though all my strength was being drained by a tube. I panted heavily, fighting hard to concentrate, my blurry vision saw Vladimir approach further until he was mere inches away from me.

"You will die alright, but first, you will give me the location of your explosive factory, your trade secret, and security details, I want them all!"

My lack of response seemed to make him even more agitated as he produced a knife, he leans so close that I could see the distinct colors of his eyes.

"I can make your death less painful if you comply, but if not..." Using every bit of my strength, I slammed my head against his as hard as I could.

"Bastard!" He cursed, backing away and the next thing I felt was the painful slash of his knife on my lower jaw.

"I see you're not willing to speak, No, I won't kill you just yet, it doesn't matter how long it takes, I will torture you until you tell me what I need to know! Take him to the van!" He barked the order to his men.

It would be a more difficult task to escape if they succeeded in taking me with them. Two of his men dragged my shoulders, dragging me towards the door.

"Now!!" I yelled.

Devin acted immediately, their backs were turned and they never expected it.

He fired two shots and I broke free from the clasp of the men. They quickly reached for their weapon. I wasn't as quick as I would have wanted to grab the gun on the floor when something sharp prickled my abdomen.

I staggered from the pain of being shot when I heard Vladimir scream.

"Keep that gun or I promise my next shot will kill him!" His voice trembled, he had only one man left, clearly, our plan would have been successful if I hadn't been drugged and became a weakness to Devin instead of a support.

"Do it now!" Vladimir yelled again, his hands tightening on the trigger. My eyes ordered Devin not to do it, we would lose whether he surrendered or not, I wanted him to at least make it out alive.

He was the only one I could trust to protect Brie if I died.

Much to my disappointment, he let go of the weapon and allowed it to drop to the floor.

"Slowly kick it towards me." Vladimir spoke and Devin did even though I growled at him not to.

"You should have just complied Castiel. My best men died because of you! Maybe I don't need you, I will find my way to get my hands on the documents, or maybe your wife will be the one to hand it over to me, I hear she's a pretty one after you die, I can take good care of her for you."

His words made my blood boil with fury, but that was his intention.

With Vladimir's gun focused on me and his man directed at Devin, they were prepared to shoot, and then a gunshot echoed the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

GABRIELLE

Vladimir had entered inside with his men, there were four of them. I thought about if Devin had the chance to warn Lucian, but even still, they would be outnumbered. I gnawed at my lips worriedly wondering if I should go, but what if I ended up being a nuisance instead of a help?

I was still contemplating when I saw two familiar figures staggering towards me.

Oh my god! It was Loretta and Phoebe! Thank goodness they were safe. I jumped out of the car motioning them towards me, and before I could ask any of the questions, Loretta threw her arms around me sobbing.

"He's going to die! Oh god, they are going to die!"

Alarm and fear buzzed through my system, making me tremble as she explained the inside situation as short as she could why crying.

"Father is dead! your ex-boyfriend killed him! Hope you're now satisfied knowing that he died because of you!" Phoebe spat at me, without another word, she ran into one of the cars.

She was leaving.

I was shocked by the news, it left my bones numb. Derek had killed our father? But why was she blaming me for it?

I didn't want to waste any time on her, I couldn't lose Lucian as well, it didn't matter if I had to die for it.

"You've suffered so much, you can go home please, but I have to go inside, Lucian needs help!" I grabbed the gun that Devin had given to me.

"I'm coming with you!" She spoke and for the first time, I noticed the gun in her hand.

"No Lore..."

"Don't stop me! Lucian saved me, what kind of a sister will I be if I abandon him? I will never be able to leave with myself, don't think about stopping me, you'll only be wasting the time which we could have used in helping them!"

I nodded, she was so brave. I only pray that we succeed.

We sneaked into the warehouse, Loretta led the way until we could hear the sound of voices in a conversation.

I met Loretta's stare before walking as quietly as I could until I could peep inside of the room. They were two men, both were pointing a gun at Lucian and Devin, their backs were turned to us, unaware of our presence which was complete to our advantage.

My fingers tightened around my gun as I signaled to Loretta.

We aimed, both of us hadn't done this before, I would be lying if I said that I wasn't scared as Loretta was too, but loving Lucian in our different ways meant we were ready to kill for him.

One...

Two...

Three...

BANG! BANG! BANG!

I watched as one of the men dropped to the floor from my bullet, Loretta had missed her aim but it didn't matter as Lucian used the distraction to dive towards Vladimir, they struggled with it for the shortest seconds before Lucian succeeded. And then several shots vibrated the room. Vladimir drops to the floor dead.

Lucian stared in our direction, shock registered in his features, he blinked as though he couldn't believe that I was there and then his eyes suddenly turned distant. I raced towards him to throw my arms around him.

"We did it! You're saved!" My voice was muffled by his chest.

He neither hugged me back nor said anything and the hairs on my body prickled with the sharp sensation of fear and anxiety.

I pulled back slowly and for the first time noticed the blood that soaked his shirt, mostly above his stomach area.

"Lucian...what happened to you?" My voice cracked.

"Lucian!!" I screamed out in horror when he dropped to his knees and then to the floor.

"Please get help!! Please!" I yelled at Devin, grasping Lucian's hands in mind, I didn't want to cry, I didn't want to feel that this was the point where I lose him.

"Don't leave me! Didn't you say that I am going to be stuck with you forever? Don't you dare die, I refuse to raise our child without you!"

His eyes shifted and I thought he finally saw me. His hand lifted, shaking as it traced my cheek and the tears running down my face.

"Our baby...I love you...and him" He whispered softly, regret filling his eyes spreading panic through me.

"Lucian..." I said urgently as his eyes grew dim, the hand on my face slowly slipped away but I caught it, not allowing it to touch the floor.

His eyes closed.

"Lucian don't you dare leave me!"

As much as I cried and screamed his name, his eyes never opened again.