Undaunted - Shirleen Davies Page 0,69
Yury take over.”
“It’s the damned Russians,” Gunner bit out. “Wrath reported they were taken out by Ghost and his team.”
Fuse’s jaw tightened. “We can’t wait. You with me?”
Gunner raised his Glock. “Lead the way.”
Returning a terse nod, Fuse raised his Sig. Slowly making their way down the stairs, thankful the carpet muffled their steps, they stopped midway down, hearing muffled angry voices.
“Are you sure the tranquilizer darts worked, Yury?”
“They’ll be paralyzed at least thirty minutes, Viktor. We don’t have much time.”
Fuse shot an intense look at Gunner, mouthing Viktor Gelonkin. Using his Sig, he motioned for them to continue down the stairs. Before they got far enough to spot the intruders, the room erupted in chaos.
Breaking glass and splitting wood preceded stern shouts. Fuse recognized the voice belonging to Deke.
“Drop your weapons and raise your hands in the air.” Deke’s stern voice bounced off the walls of the basement. “Now!”
Fuse and Gunner took the final steps to the basement, their weapons pointed at Viktor. Fuse’s gut clenched. The Bratva leader held Brittany in front of him, a gun wedged against her neck. His men took cautious steps away from him, their pistols trained on Deke and Mitch.
“It seems we are at a standoff.” Viktor shoved the barrel of his gun farther into Brittany’s neck. She whimpered, her panicked gaze darting around the room to land on Fuse. The lone tear running down her cheek might’ve broken a lesser man. Instead, it galvanized him.
Fuse pointed his Sig at Viktor’s head. “You don’t stand a chance of getting out of here alive, Gelonkin. No matter how this ends, you’ll be dead.”
Two of Mitch’s men appeared on the patio outside the basement.
“It’s six to three, Viktor. Pretty good odds…for us.” Deke took a small step to the right, seeking an unobstructed shot. Brittany’s position posed a significant problem. Fuse and Gunner were in a much better position to take down the Russian without hitting Brittany.
“You kill us, and the Bratva will impose a reign of terror on you such as you’ve never known. I die?” He shrugged, a sneer twisting his lips. “I am nothing. The Bratva will survive without me and my men.” He glanced at his compatriots, whose expressions remained impassive.
Mitch motioned for his two additional men to move forward before shifting his aim toward one of the Russians. “Your death will be for what? You had one job and you’ve already failed. Is that how you want to be remembered?”
A slight ticking appeared in Viktor’s jaw, otherwise, he gave no reaction. “This is how it will be. You will allow me and my men to leave with Ms. Blackmore. If you don’t, not only will she die, but more men will come. They will destroy those important to each one of you. If you believe we do not know about your families, you are proving your stupidity.”
A feral grin tipped the corners of Deke’s mouth. “To be truthful, I’m tired of your threats. Intimidation doesn’t mean much if we’ve eliminated the world of a brutal killer such as yourself.”
Viktor’s nostrils flared. Deke had finally hit a weak spot. Shifting his feet, his gun dug farther against Brittany’s sensitive skin. She gasped, another tear forming. Before Viktor or anyone grasped her intent, her elbow jammed into his side. His hold loosened for a second. The critical second needed for her to drop out of his embrace.
Fuse and Gunner shot several times, Viktor’s head exploding. Fuse was aware of other shots, but cared only for the man who crumbled to the floor. There was no look of shock, no stunned recognition of his death. The face of one of the world’s most vicious killers was gone.
Shifting his attention to the other Russians, he wasn’t surprised to see both on the floor, as motionless as Viktor. Mitch’s men moved forward, grabbing weapons and checking pulses before shaking their heads.
Taking the few steps to Brittany, Fuse ran his hands over her arms, legs, her head, emotion causing his entire body to shake. “Are you hurt?”
Sucking in a trembling breath, she shook her head. “No, I’m not hurt, Scott. Except…” Her voice trailed off as silent tears streamed down her face.
Sliding his arms under her back and knees, Fuse stood, carrying her to the sofa, settling her on his lap. “I’ve got you now, Brit. No one’s going to get this close to you again.” His thumb brushed away the tears as he rocked her in his arms. “No one.”
Five hours later, the bodies had