ADAM
- Mr. Adam, what shall we do? - the head of my security service is waiting for orders from me.
- We're going to the apartment. - I don’t know if Amanda is there, but I can find the person who kidnapped her, as well as deal with Lantsov. Maybe it’s somehow connected. In any case, it should be connected because I have no other version.
We leave the guys' office and head to my apartment. The whole way, I can think of only one thing - the most important thing is that nothing happens to Ami. I just won’t survive that. It doesn’t matter what they want for her safety. I’m ready to give everything. Even my own life.
We arrive quickly, rush into the apartment. The door is open. The guys pull out their weapons and hand one gun to me. We enter very slowly. There’s no one in the living room or the kitchen. I head to the office, go in, and there’s some stranger sitting behind my desk.
- Mr. Adam, you found us quite quickly. - I don’t know who he is, but his face will definitely suffer soon.
- What the hell are you doing here? - to be honest, that’s not so important. I’m more interested in whether they have anything to do with Amanda’s disappearance.
- We decided to meet you on your territory. Please, take a seat. Why stand? - this scum stretches into a smile as I sit down on the leather sofa.
- So what do you want from me? Where is Amanda? - there’s still some thought that Amanda might be with them.
- Mr. Kelly, we told you, we have nothing to do with Amanda’s disappearance. But what we want from you, you already know. - he stands up and hands me documents.
I start reviewing them and realize that they are not only rights to part of Korniyov's business but also to all of mine.
- Mr. Lantsov has decided that his grievance is too deep, and therefore he wants all your business. I look at him and think, "Does this idiot really believe that I would just transfer everything to them?"
- That won’t happen. - my voice sounds calm. I haven’t even considered any other options.
- Mr. Adam, don’t rush. How can I put this, you have no choice. - I look at him and see the man's hand slowly reaching for the weapon on the table.
- Actually, you do have a choice. Either you lose the business or your life. - he probably doesn’t know that I'm not alone here. Or maybe he’s a suicidal who’s been ordered to eliminate me at any cost.
I hear some sounds behind me, indicating that a fight is clearly taking place. The man sits back at my desk and smiles.
- It would have been better for you to come alone, or innocent people will suffer. - I stand up and approach the door, open it, and see all my guys tied up: some injured, some just lying unconscious. My apartment is filled with men in black masks. I turn back to the office and look at this bastard.
- You decided to scare me? - I sit back down on the sofa. In principle, there are no hopeless situations, well, except for this one.
- Not at all. We want to talk to you as businessmen. - he seriously thinks that’s how business is conducted. Maybe in their years that was the rule, but not now.
- So you clearly started the conversation the wrong way. - I gesture towards the door, he smiles and starts typing a message to someone.
- Actually, Mr. Adam, I won’t be talking to you. - he shifts his gaze to the door when it opens.
- Good day, son. It’s been a long time since we've seen each other. - Lantsov comes in with a satisfied smile, surrounded by security. I see they’re all well-armed.
- And it would be good if we hadn’t seen each other for so long. - I try to maintain my calm. Emotions won’t help me in this case. Lantsov walks in and sits down on another chair by the table.
- So, what's up, Adam? Ready to sign the documents or say goodbye to your life? - how I wish I could shoot this man in the head right now, but then I would have zero chance of getting out of here alive. Although I seriously doubt that I’ll manage to do it. Because I definitely won’t give them my business. And what other options do I have when I’m in a twelfth-floor apartment surrounded by enemies? None. Jump out the window and die because I decided to, not because of their gun.
- As I already said, it won’t be in your closet. - The man tenses up and clenches his fists, but doesn’t remove the smile from his face.
- Son, you might have misunderstood. This question was rhetorical. You are going to take these documents and sign them now, or you won’t have long to live. - He’s genuinely trying to scare me, but doesn’t understand that my life means very little to me personally now. I’m more worried about Amanda.
- I already said no, and it's clear you’re not getting it at all. - My calm starts to fade away. Anger and aggression arise. I want to grab them and tear them apart with my bare hands.
- Okay, let's approach it from a different angle. If you don’t sign these documents, Ms. Vitvitska won’t remain whole. - I shift my gaze to him. Could this bastard be responsible for her disappearance?
- What have you done to her? - he sees that his threats are having an effect on me, so he relaxes and smiles again.
- So far, nothing. And fundamentally it’s not me who has done anything to her. Just one person wants revenge. Not so much against her, but against her father. She has been under Korniyov’s protection for too long. And now, when that bastard is dead, our hands are completely untied. We want to take his business, and no one is going to stop us now. - Lantsov’s smile becomes even more disgusting.
- You see, son, you just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. You and Amanda didn’t interest us much. We were interested in Korniyov's business. And it just so happened that you fell in love with his newly discovered daughter. And everything went to her, well, a bit to you too. And I just don’t like it when someone stands in my way. Korniyov kept us all in fear for too long, you understand? There are a few people who waited for this moment when the strong, indomitable Korniyov would just die. And we could finally get to work. And when we learned that his legacy was inherited by a girl who knows absolutely nothing about our business, about our methods, or about us, we naturally rejoiced. When Amanda started showing her teeth, we decided to act with harsher methods. Moreover, there was already someone who wanted to find her and destroy her. He naively believes that we helped him because we wanted him to take revenge. That moron doesn’t even realize that he’s doing our job for us. And then he’ll be removed, like all the unnecessary ones. - Lantsov stands up and approaches me, offering his hand again.
- You can shove it up your ass, - I push his hand away and look into the man's eyes. He clearly doesn’t like it. I can see it in the way his jaws tighten.
- Adam, don’t be foolish. You have no options. You are going to sign these documents now, and perhaps you and Amanda will stay alive. - I realize I won’t be able to save Amanda’s life now. I’m too far gone, and it’s not even certain that I’ll make it out of here alive.
- Screw you! - the man smiles, turns away, and pulls out a gun.
- Well, Adam, it seems our conversation is not going to reach a logical conclusion. - He raises the gun to my temple. There’s a chance I could knock the barrel from his hands, but how much longer would that extend my life? At least seven to ten armed men are in another room. The chance of getting out of here is zero. Unless, as an option, I take Lantsov down with me? Just to make that bastard die here.
- Kelly, will you say something before you die? - The man puts his finger on the trigger, but at that moment, gunshots ring out from another room, and again, there’s the noise of a fight. We don’t know what’s happening. I can see in Lantsov’s eyes that he is shocked, surprised, and even a little scared. The door bursts open, and Lantsov turns his gun towards it.
- Missed you, buddy? - I turn to the voice I know very well and can’t believe my eyes. In the doorway stands Korniyov, with Amanda beside him. Her cheek is swollen, and her lip is split. But what I notice most is the fierce anger in the girl’s eyes. She’s holding a gun in her hand. My Amanda is standing there with a gun in her hand. Or maybe she’s no longer mine, because looking at the woman, I see an exact copy of Korniyov. The man who has resurrected, even after death. Lantsov takes a few steps back but doesn’t lower his weapon.
- This can’t be happening, - he’s clearly in shock. His henchman, who was sitting at my desk, stares wide-eyed and quickly backs away against the wall. I can see he’s frightened by Korniyov's presence here.
- So, shall we settle our business, partner? - Korniyov approaches, not even raising his weapon, not reacting at all to Lantsov’s gun aimed at him. Amanda follows him, and then another ten to twelve armed men storm in. All the weapons are pointed at Lantsov. And he stands there, as if paralyzed, staring at Korniyov.
- Lower the gun. - Korniyov’s voice sounds too calm. As if it’s not his life hanging by a thread right now. He sits down next to me, and Amanda sits on the other side. I immediately take her hand, trying to pull her closer to me.
- Adam, everything will be fine, don’t worry. - She kisses me on the cheek and continues to look at Lantsov, who can’t seem to snap out of it.
- You couldn’t come back. - He still doesn’t believe that Korniyov is sitting right in front of him. Although, I understand him, because I myself don’t know how it all happened.