Chapter 62

Hannah

They weren’t going to do the trade. They were going to let my sister die. I couldn’t let that happen—I had to do something.
I looked at Ivan’s blank, intense expression as he held Piter by the throat. He appeared to be considering something. Maybe planning something? Who could tell with him?
“How do we know that you’ll give her sister back, even if we gave you Katya, which I am definitely not allowing?” Ivan asked conversationally.
Piter, still struggling to breathe under Ivan’s crushing grip, wheezed out, “We make an even trade at the same time. I walk out with Katya and he sends out the other girl. When I have them both, I send the girl in to her sister and send Katya to Yuri.” I felt Katya shudder beside me, and although I desperately wanted my sister back, I could understand her repulsion at the idea of being in Yuri’s clutches.
Ivan laughed humorlessly. “So, I’m supposed to trust you to do this exchange? What’s to stop you from just taking off with both girls?”
Piter’s color deepened and Ivan’s grip tightened at his throat. “Or was that the plan?” Ivan hissed.
Piter, gasping like a landed trout, babbled on. “It wasn’t my idea! Originally, we were going to just use the girl to exchange for Katya. Yuri was sick of waiting and he knew the organization was turning on him. But he likes the new girl, wants to keep her, too.” I felt sick to my stomach. Poor Emmy, stuck with that monster. I felt even more urgency about getting her out.
“Okay, Piter, this is what we’re doing. You are going to help us get Emmy back, but you are not delivering Katya to Yuri. You are going to help us, because if you don’t, I’m going to personally break every fucking bone in your body. Do you understand?”
Piter nodded spasmodically. “Yes, I’ll help,” he breathed out pathetically.
“Where is Yuri? Is he driving right now, or in the back?”
Piter hesitated, and Ivan grabbed Piter’s forefinger tightly in his fist. “Do you want me to start with this finger? You must know how easily I can break it. Effortlessly, even.”
“No, no, I’ll tell you. He’s in the driver’s seat right now. He was worried he’d have to make a quick getaway if I was in here negotiating with you.”
I sighed in relief for Emmy. At least Yuri had to be somewhat alert, and perhaps less likely to be abusing her while they were waiting.
“The girl is in the back seat?”
“Yes, he was going to release the door lock to pretend to let her out.”
“Okay, Piter, apparently, Yuri thinks we are all morons and that you two were just going to be allowed to waltz out of here with the girls. That’s not happening.”
Piter looked anxious. “He-he doesn’t know you are here, Ivan. He thinks you’re dead. We all thought you were dead.” I watched Ivan’s jaw tighten at that. “He thought the girls were alone; that’s what he was told by one of the men who’s with Drago. He knows Drago is after him, but he was told they were focused on going after him, that Katya was vulnerable. He figured any men left here would still fear him enough to comply.” Piter’s anxious gaze flitted between all of us as he revealed this disturbing plan. “He thought it would be easy. He thinks he deserves the girls, like a parting gift, or something, for leading the organization and being forced out. I told him not to. I told him to just get out of town, to be happy he’s still alive, but he’s obsessed. I felt bad taking that other girl,” Piter finished with questionable sincerity.
Ivan shook his head in disgust and disbelief. “Well, this is what’s going to happen, Piter. You are going to walk out there and give him the signal that you are making the trade.” Ivan raised his finger to Piter’s face. “If you give him any, and I mean any, indication that anything else besides the trade is happening I will shoot you myself, but I won’t kill you. I’ll drag your body into this house and torture you for hours—days. Do you understand?”
Piter moaned slightly and nodded his head. “What-what are you going to do?”
Ivan frowned. “You don’t know need to know. Just walk out there and stand in the middle of the walkway.” Ivan released Piter and pushed him toward the door.
Piter breathed heavily, inhaling previously deprived oxygen, and grabbed at the doorknob. “Walk slowly,” Ivan commanded, leaving the door ajar.
Ivan turned to one of his men and whispered something in his ear. After receiving his orders, the man turned and ran to the back of the house. I looked at Katya, but her expression was dazed with shock and worry. I imagined I looked similar.
“What are you going to do, Ivan?” I whispered frantically. “You’re going to save my sister, right?” I half-begged.
Ivan looked at me stoically. “Yes.”
He looked at Katya, his expression altering dramatically. He gazed at her and, with a wealth of apology in his expression, he gestured her forward. Putting his hands on her face, he looked at her intently. “Sestrichka, you have to trust me. I just want you to stand here, in the doorway. I’ll be right here, just out of sight, and I will not let him take you. I have to let him see you, so he will let Hannah’s sister go,” Ivan explained gently.
I could see Katya bite her lip uncertainly. She looked over at me and must have seen my pleading look because she sent a sympathetic smile, turned to look at her brother and nodded her head. “I’ll do it.”