Is this destiny?

~ the main base of the Voronin family ~

The street where the warehouse exploded was in chaos.

People were running around and shouting, some were pouring water on nearby buildings to prevent them from catching fire… Dead, injured, and limbs were littered on the street and it looked like a scene from an apocalypse.

To make everything worse, their electronic devices (cell phones included) didn't work, and computers and every other electronic device were useless. It's like their own signal jammers turned against them, but more powerful than before.

People who were not in visual range of this mayhem had no idea about the calamity that struck the base.

In all that mess, Maksim was on his knees, staring incredulously at Vasily's lifeless body.

Maksim choked on air and he could still hear Vasily's words: "People do all kinds of things for family... My life is not thrown when it's exchanged for someone I care about."

Images from Maksim's past resurfaced in his mind and he was unable to understand what is going on.

The environment he grew up in was harsh. Always full of training, and tests, and punishments, and violence. His reward was when his father left him alone and he didn't get a beating.

And this… just what is this?

How is it possible that an Elder gives up his life to protect another?

Maksim is aware that Vasily coming out with hands up slowly and chatting was all a set up to buy enough time for the explosion. Sarah, Aiden, and everyone else escaped. There is no other explanation as to why Vasily delayed them.

And Vasily killed himself in order to avoid torture. Simeon would never let go an Elder of the Lebedev family easily, and if Vasily didn't take his own life, he would be subjected to gruesome torture before they kill him.

Maksim can't believe that this body in front of him is Vasily, the man whose reputation ran before him. He was the most powerful Elder of the Lebedev family, with the status and resources and influence, and… he gave it all up to save someone else.

For Maksim, that was an unbelievable experience.

His whole life he watched people scheme and kill for a fraction of what Vasily had, and Vasily let it all go in order to save someone… In order to save Sarah.

Maksim wondered, is that a fault with Vasily, or maybe that is Sarah's influence? Even Maksim, a man who always cared only about his own survival and pleasure, was ready to defy his father and put himself in danger in order to protect Sarah. She is truly an amazing woman.

…

By the time Sarah, Aiden, and the others emerged from the tunnel, JoAnna and Sophia calmed down from the shock of Vasily's death and they welcomed Sarah and Aiden back.

JoAnna and Sophia were still shaken up and their eyes were red and puffy, but everyone was nervous, so no one paid much attention to the two of them and they all assumed that their sad smiles are due to stress.

Jeff was happy to see his brother back. This was the first time Jeff seriously worried that he might turn into a single child and the possibility of not having Aiden in his life, made Jeff realize that he relies on his younger brother a lot. Jeff told himself that going forward he will make sure Aiden is aware of how much he means to Jeff.

None of the 'extra prisoners' made it through the tunnel, and from the original rescue team, Corey and Jamari were grazed by the bullets and they lost Vasily while others are fine.

They didn't linger or talk about what happened.

Everyone got busy collecting the drones and any equipment that was lingering around the helicopters, eager to leave this place as soon as possible.

Within a minute, they boarded helicopters and headed to the main base of the Lebedev family.

When all of them were airborne, there was a collective relief that this is over. Or maybe it's just the beginning of something else. However, the nightmare is over, and they didn't want to think beyond that… at least for today.

In one of the helicopters, Merve was bandaging Corey's arm that was grazed by the bullet.

"I will stitch this when we land, so that it heals faster and you don't end up with a scar…", Merve said while gazing at Corey lovingly.

"Leave it.", Corey said. "I will keep this scar to remind me to be faster next time… and it will make me more manly."

Merve smiled. "You are very manly. No need for a scar."

Corey liked that she called him manly. He leaned closer and kissed her on the lips, ignoring the eye-rolls from Imani, Jamari, and a few others who were in the same helicopter.

Imani took care of the injury on Jamari's calf swiftly. She is learning by JoAnna's side for many years and taking care of a scrape done by the bullet is child's play.

Jamari has no need to use a wound to get some compliments and kisses from Imani… she saw him do all kinds of things during their missions. If he whines about this wound, she will think that he is a weakling.

Most of them rejoiced a successful rescue, but several people had a bitter after-taste in their mouths due to losing Vasily.

In another helicopter, Sarah, Aiden, JoAnna, Jeff, Sophia, Felix, Owen, Stella, Igor, and Aaron were sitting with a heavy mood lingering between them.

Igor and Aaron knew who Vasily was in the Lebedev family and even though they never interacted with him, they saw that the other eight people in the helicopter are not looking well, so they kept quiet.

Sarah took the laptop and played the security video to see what happened to Vasily after they left.

"Can that wait for later?", Aiden asked, fearing that Sarah already had too much stress.

Sarah blocked Aiden's hand that was about to grab the laptop from her. "No. I need to know."

Stella and Owen scooted close to Sarah because they also wanted to see.

They saw Vasily closing the trap door, pushing a box on top of it… he checked his pistol before placing it in his belt, under his t-shirt… Vasily took a deep breath with his eyes closed and when his eyes opened, his gaze was determined, and he stepped outside with his arms up in the air.

Sarah pressed her mouth with her fingers at the sight of Vasily falling on the ground.

Through her clouded vision, Sarah saw Maksim fall down after Vasily… and then Maksim stayed like that on his knees, staring at Vasily without moving as the pool of blood around Vasily's head increased.

Sarah's whole body shook as she sobbed.

Sarah didn't know why she is crying. She is supposed to hate Vasily. She wished for his death so many times before… and now Vasily is dead, and she didn't even need to lift a finger. Shouldn't she be happy? He did so many bad things, and at least his last act was to save someone. Why is her heart aching so much? Why does it feel like someone is ripping away a piece of her soul forcibly?

"Waaah!", Sarah let out an ear-piercing cry, unaware that Aiden is holding her, or that her mother and sisters are crying next to her, and she didn't hear what Aiden was saying.

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