(APOV) Abe
I was sitting in my office waiting for my little girl, although she wasn't really a little girl anymore. We have a meeting in Russia in seven hours, and the flight will take five. It was a meeting I wouldn't normally take Rose to, but with me grooming her to take over the business, I have no choice. I had always felt bad at not having been able to have raised her with Janien. But Janien died in child birth, so it wasn't something that could be helped. But I didn't have to raise my little Rose alone. When Rose was five I met a wonderful woman whom I fell in love with and later married, her name had been Alberta Pertova, she was of Russian decent. And Rose loved her as much as I did, as the years progressed they grew closer and closer, almost inseparable. Until five years ago when Alberta died of cancer, that was a very difficult time for both Rose and I, and most days were still difficult. Given my work and the fact that I had many enemies, my little princess had to be schooled at home, and she is the smartest person I've ever seen. But she was never locked away from the world. I always tried to make sure she had friends her own age. There was her best friend who was also like her sister, Vasilissa Dragomir or Lissa as she preferred to be called. There was also Mason Ashford, whom had a crush on my Rose from a young age, although Rose only saw him as a brother. There was also Mason's cousin Eddie Castile who loved Rose like a little sister, also his girlfriend Mia Rinaldi. There was Andrea Dragomir, Lissa's brother, who also loved Rose like a little sister. Then there was Christian Ozera who was Lissa's boyfriend and now fiancée. Finally, there was Adrian Ivashkov, a womanizing little insect, who fancied himself in love with Rose. But Rose had never seen him as any more than an annoying friend, that you couldn't throw off a bridge enough times to get him to leave you alone. I reflected over our lives for the past twenty-one years, and with the exception of my sweet Janien and Alberta's deaths we had been very happy. And what mattered most to me was that my little girl was happy. The only thing missing in her life was true love and the family that would follow it. But I hoped that one day soon my baby would meet the man of her dreams. Finally, there was a knock on my door.
"Come in." In walked my little girl.
"Hey baba, are you about ready to go, we have to be in Novosibirsk in seven hours, and you know the flight will take five hours."
"Yes, kiz I'm ready when you are. Is that what you plan to wear to the meeting?" She was wearing a black t-shirt about two sizes too big that hung off of one shoulder with a tank top under it and a pair of black track pants with a pair of Purple Merrell Bare Access Arc 3 Trail Running Shoes.
"No baba this is just for the plane ride. You know I wouldn't be comfortable going to a meeting without my babies." And by babies she meant her weapons, to which there were quite a lot of. She lifted her had showing me her weapons bag as well as the one with her fighting clothes in it.
"Alright then let's go." We left my office and went to the armor plated stretch limo that was waiting for us.
Once inside Rose turned to me and asked, "did you call and tell them to bring my Bugatti to the airstrip?"
"No, I need you to ride with me today."
"Alright. What do you have planned for after this meeting?"
"I thought we could go to the house in Baia for a few days and relax."
"That sounds nice. It's been a while since we were in Baia." From then on there was silence, once we got on the plane Rose took out her IPod and put in her earbuds. I watched amused as she bobbed her head to whatever music she was listening to. When we landed Rose went into the larger than normal, for a plane, bathroom to change. When she walked out she was wearing blood red leather pants, with a matching blood red leather halter top, and her matching red leather six-inch stiletto heeled boots. I swear I will never understand how women wear those things, much less how Rose fights like a pro in them, but she does. She wore duel hip holsters with silver six shooters as well as hip scabbards for three daggers and a huge bowie knife. Then there were her shoulder holsters again duel, but these were for her Glock's, which for some reason were gold and black. On each of her gun belts were six clips and six reloaders, as well as throwing knives and throwing stars. On her back was a samurai sword of course it also had its own scabbard. And over all of that she wore a red leather duster, which had several hidden pockets. All of which held more knives, clips and reloaders, even some grenades. All in all, once my little girl was ready she was a walking talking weapon of mass destruction. And that didn't even take into account her goddess good looks. Which is why that stupid Ivashkov kid followed her around like a sick dog. I swear on of these days he's going to follow her into hell, and she's going to leave him there, that thought made me smile. I knew as well as everyone else did, that it would take Rose an hour to get ready, what with getting her clothes changed and her weapons on, as well as doing her hair and makeup. Not that she ever needed makeup. Without it she brought men to their knees, with it they would gladly follow her into the depths of hell itself just to do her bidding. Which is why we came two hours early, it's only a fifteen-minute drive to the warehouse where we are holding the meeting. But we always arrive early so my people can scope the place out and set up snipers, just in case. After she was finally ready, we disembarked and got into the waiting armored SUV. On the drive I informed Rose as to what the meeting was about.
"Rose this is an important meeting for many reasons. One, is the man we are checking on is a vile bastard, who beat his wife and four children nearly to death repeatedly for years. He also raped his wife probably hundreds of times in the span of twenty-years. Thirteen years ago his son had enough and turned the tables on him. Beating the man, Randall Ivashkov, over half to death. Dimitri was thirteen at the time, and was taking up for his mother, three sister and grandmother. Afterwards he contacted me because he didn't know what to do. I had men meet Dimitri at the family's home in Baia, and take possession of Randall. I buried him in Tarasov prison, and have continued to check on him over the years, to be sure he did not escape and cause more problems for the Belikova's. The second reason for this meeting however is, it will be the last, because I don't want you to have to deal with him so I am ending him." I looked for any signs of recognition to the names I'd mentioned, unfortunately there was none.
"Is that the best option, baba?" She asked, that's my girl always thinking and analyzing everything.
"It's the only option kiz. As I said I don't ever want you anywhere near this sick bastard. And when you take over the business, if he is still alive you will have to check on him several times a year."
"If that's what you think is best baba. This Dimitri Belikov, what has he done with his life?"
A flicker of hope jumped to life in my heart, maybe she did remember. "He has become a guardian. He guarded his best friend, Ivan Zeklos, for years, until Ivan was killed by the strigoi mob, which is run by Vicktor Dashkov. Dimitri wasn't with him at the time, his babushka was sick so he had taken some time off, but he still blames himself. That was three years ago, since then Dimitri is worried about letting himself guard again."
"So what does he do?"
"He works at a karate studio, teaching."
"He should probably get back into the business, or he may not ever be able to."
"I had thought of asking him to be one of your guards, your personal guard actually."
"Well, I don't personally see a problem with that baba."
"Good, good I'm glad to hear it." As we pulled to as stop I said, "we are here, are you ready little girl?"
"Always baba, always."
"Pavel, are the snipers in place?"
"Yes sir they arrived two hours ago, just to be sure they were ready when we arrived."
"Very good, let's get this over with." I got out of the SUV followed closely by Rose, but proceeded by Pavel, Sergei and Mikhail while Rose and I were surrounded by Nickoli, Arthur, Emil, Yuri, Celeste and Dennis. As we walked in I saw Randall chained to a chair, he looked like he tried to put up a small fight, because he was bloody. "Well Randall we meet again. How have you been the last few months?"
"You know very well how I've been you bastard, you've had your people watching me for the last thirteen years."
"True I have, but as you know there is a good reason for that. Well let's not postpone the inevitable any longer than we have to, we do have other things to do today." Turning to Pavel I say, "do it and get it over with." As I said this Pavel pulled out his gun and shot Randall right between the eyes. Then all hell broke loose, gunfire erupted from every direction.
(RPOV)
Suddenly we were surrounded by gunfire. I will never know exactly how many people I killed that day. I do know I reloaded all four of my guns at least six times and used seventeen of my throwing knives and twelve throwing stars. Then I saw something I never thought I would see, I watched as my father fell. His body riddled with bullets, he jerked again every time he was hit. My body was on automatic, so I reacted very little, all I could do was scream. "Baba!" Suddenly all of my father's guards surrounded me, trying to pull me out of the building before I was either killed or the cops showed up.
"Rose, we have to go!" I heard Pavel scream.
"NO! I won't leave him here, for these bastards to do God knows what to him."
"I promise you, Sergei and Mishka will get him out, we won't leave him here. But we have to get you out too, now let's go."
"If my father is not in that truck we will not be leaving until he is. Do you understand me?!"
"Yes. Rose he will be there I promise you that." With that the others covered me as Pavel, Emil and Yuri got me to the SUV. A few minutes later, true to his word Pavel helped Sergei and Mishka put my father's body in the back of the truck. On the way to the airport I listened as Pavel tried to find out what happened to our pre-posted men.
"I want to know what the hell happened. Where the hell were our snipers?"
(PPOV)Pavel
"They are all down, throats slit."
"Who the fuck attacked that meeting?"
"It was the strigoi." Came Jacques voice over the earpiece.
"Gather up our people and get them home. Their families will want to give them a proper burial."
(RPOV)
"What happened Pavel?" I knew now was not the time to lose it, no matter how badly I wanted to.
"Strigoi."
"Isn't that the same group, baba said was responsible for killing Dimitri Belikov's best friend?"
"Yes."
"Send two dozen guards to the Belikova's tell them to pack their things then get them to the house in Turkey. If Dimitri is there, tell him I would appreciate it if he would accept the job as my personal guard. That is after all, what baba wanted."
"Yes, ma'am." I listened as Pavel carried out my orders.
"Pavel, once we get to the airstrip get a jet ready for the Belikova's, so they can get to safety as soon as possible. I don't want to take any chances that the strigoi mob will go after them. I don't know if this attack had anything to do with Randall or not, but I'm not taking any chances."
"Yes, ma'am."
The next eight hours were pure hell, once we arrived at the airstrip we boarded the plane and headed home. When we arrived back home, I held a meeting with the heads of, what was now my, security teams.
"I want any and all information on Victor Dashkov on my desk by morning. I want to know his hang outs, his contacts, his friends and family, any and all weaknesses he has. I want to know everyone that works for or with him or ever has. I want each and every location of his businesses, homes, hideaway's, stash houses, drug houses and safe houses. If he has mistresses or girlfriend's I also want their addresses, as well as that of their families, friends, acquaintances, and all contacts. I want ever little minute detail of his life and the lives of anyone and everyone that is now, ever has been in the past and could be in the future connected to him in any way. Not just business but personal as well." Everyone although sad about baba and the others, understood my directions and nodded their agreement to carry out my demands. "Good. Thank you, please get that done now. Pavel please stay back." With that said they all understood it was a dismissing of the meeting. After everyone left I went and sat at my father's desk, as Pavel sat across from me I began. "Do you have an update on the Belikova's and Dimitri?"