A/N: Thanks guys for the good response for that chapter! So, the last few chapters have been touching and emotional, but I've been building up something as well. Now, we are entering the main climax of the story. Hope you guys enjoy it! A lot of suspense, action and cliff-hangers to come!

-The Jordanator-

Chapter 10

The flight from Moscow to London had been painstakingly long, and she was glad she had made it to the destination on time. The destination, of course, was the Kabra Mansion.

Nataliya approached the eight men, as black as the night, hidden across the road from the Kabra's long driveway, which made them extra hard to spot. They were armed with various weapons, including semi-automatics, snipers and AK-47's, along with knives hidden in their bullet-proof vests. Their supply made Nataliya's weapon look puny — a dagger in the pocket of her black clothing.

"I see you've come well prepared." She said, greeting them.

The men nodded and even smiled. "We've been wanting to do this operation for months now, it was only you who could put it in action."

Nataliya gave a grateful smile, then turned serious. "Okay, here's the plan. We go through the front door, then—"

"That wouldn't be wise, Miss." One of the men said. "Guards patrol that area, as well as many other parts of the house. We'd want to go in as unnoticed as possible."

"Right." Nataliya said. "Are there any more ways we can get in?"

"A second storey window is an access to an unmonitored room in the East Wing. We can use our grappling hooks to climb up and into the window."

"Good. Have you got gear to safely break the window with?"

"Yes Miss."

"How far from the window is the Archives room?"

"Down the hallway, turn left and at the far end past the library is the Archives room. We can go back the same way when we are done inside."

Nataliya smiled at them. "This sounds far too easy. Let's go."

She led them across the road and came to the foot of the driveway. She was about to go further when a voice behind her said "Wait!"

She turned to see another figure approach her. The person pulled back it's hood to reveal who it was.

Nataliya gasped in surprise. "Irina!"

Her friend scoffed. "Of course it's me. I changed my mind. If you wish to have prior knowledge and KGB tactics, then you would thank me for being here."

The Madrigals, who had drawn their weapons, now lowered them and waited for the reunion to end respectfully.

Nataliya beamed. "You are the best, Irina! You really didn't have to do this."

Irina cupped her hands around Nataliya's face. "Dear, but I do."

Their approach was ever so silent, the guards on patrol couldn't spot them. Even the cameras were fooled. Eventually, they all crowded underneath the target window. Two men shot grappling hooks to the ledge, and offered them to Nataliya and Irina.

"Two of our men will stay out here." He murmured to them.

Nataliya nodded and both her and Irina began shimmying up, holding the cable whilst using the wall to walk up with. Nataliya's head pounded, her heart beating a nervous rhythm. She prayed that they wouldn't be caught. In time, they made it to the window. One of the men had given her the device used to break open the window. She pulled it out and handed it to Irina.

"You've done this before." She said, as Irina took it from her hands and set it up across the window.

And then it began to cut, an intricate laser moving slowly in an arc. Although it made little noise, it sounded as if it were a chainsaw to her. Nataliya felt a bead of sweat drop from her head. She glanced at Irina, but the night concealed her expression. She knew she felt just the same though.

And then the arc was complete. For a terrifying moment, the circle of glass shivered as Irina gently pushed on one of the sides. The edge of glass inched toward Nataliya, even as Irina pushed along the other side. Nataliya removed the glass with both hands and held it out so Irina could climb through the gap and into the room. After she had done so, Nataliya gave one of the men the glass circle as the next two reached the ledge. There was no room to put the glass, and no one dared to smash it.

Nataliya fell into the room, hardly making a sound as her body hit against the plush carpet. Irina helped her up. The room was dark, but she recognised a table and about four chairs. She realised that this must've been their interrogation room. She watched the two men behind her climb through the window and land on their feet. Waiting for them all to get through was like waiting for a bomb to explode. Who knows when they'd be caught? What took five minutes took forever, but they all got through.

"Are we ready?" She asked them.

They all nodded. Two men took the lead, followed by Nataliya and Irina, backed up by three men. One man stood strategically at the window, on guard. The lead man opened the door slightly. At the far end of the hallway, a guard had just gone downstairs, the beam of the flashlight fading.

As terrified as they were, they crept out and into the hallway.

Isabel Kabra passed the guard on duty walking down the stairs. She was on her way to tell Vikram that she would be departing to bed for bed for the night. Another hard day was gone, and she deserved her rest.

Before she made it to the top of the stairs, she caught movements in the shadows, down the other end of the hallway outside the Interrogation room. She stopped and watched like a coiled snake as she made out armed men, as well as two lighter figures creep around a corner.

It looks like rest will have to wait, she thought, trailing behind them at a fair distance.

Nobody knew where Isabel and Vikram were, hopefully in bed. But who knows what they could be doing at 11:30 at night. They made little noise, which Nataliya was thankful for. They made their left turn cautiously. Nataliya noticed a faint light from one or the rooms to the side.

"That's Vikram's office." Irina breathed.

They heard a male voice. Everyone freezed. They couldn't make out the conversation, but it seemed as if Vikram was on the phone. If they waited, he might walk out and see them. If they kept going, they had a chance.

"Keep going quietly." Nataliya whispered.

The door was ajar, so they could go unnoticed if Vikram wasn't staring at the door. The two men edged past the room. Nataliya peeked inside the office and caught a glimpse of Vikram sitting at his desk with his back turned, before going past.

"We wouldn't do such a thing, Mr Kleister." He was saying into a telephone. "The Ekats must be the cause of the hacking, wouldn't it be..."

The conversation faded as they walked past. She wondered what they were talking about, but Irina had a knowing look in her eyes.

"He's talking to Ivan Kleister, the Tomas leader." She whispered. "It's about how you hacked into their stronghold, most likely."

Once they had all made it past, they continued on toward the Archives room. Excitement filled Nataliya. They were going to make it! They rounded a corner. Nataliya was sure she would find something that wasn't meant for her eyes to see. Tension rose. Her hand brushed against the bulge of her dagger, concealed in her pocket. It seemed she wouldn't be needing that tonight, but it was best not to get cocky.

And then there it was. The door to the Archives room. The lead man tried to open it. It was locked.

"Let me through." Irina murmured, shoving past the two men. She extracted a lock-picking tool and expertly picked at the lock. Nataliya watched with anticipation. Suddenly, the hair on the back of her head rose, as if something was behind her. She turned back and saw the three Madrigals stand resolutely behind her. Dismissing the idea, she turned back just as Irina had picked the lock. The door opened.

"You stay out here." Nataliya said to them.

Then both her and Irina entered the room, turning on their flashlights.

The first thing that Nataliya noticed were boxes and folders stacked against walls, filing cabinets lining another.

"What should we look for?" Irina asked.

"Anything to do with Anastasia or me."

The two began searching. Irina opened and flipped through filing cabinets. Nataliya opened a box and dug through files and folders. Some of the labels disturbed her. Such things as 'Caldwell assassination' and 'J F Kennedy shooting' appeared neatly on manilla folders. And then Nataliya realised she was searching in a box assigned to keep all assassination records. Disturbed, she moved to the next one. The next box turned out to be Massacres. Nataliya's face paled. The Lucians were more lethal than she thought they were. And then she found a box marked 'Lucian Murders'. Interested, she opened it up. Sitting on top of the pile, was a folder labeled with a familiar name. Nataliya gulped.

"Irina." She said, voice wavering.

Irina turned, and Nataliya held up the folder. Irina's eyes narrowed.

"Impossible." She muttered. But she came over anyway.

Nataliya opened the folder, and both their eyes widened. The truth was before them, the truth of why the Kabras were the leaders of the Lucian branch. In black and white.

"No..." Irina's eye twitched rapidly. Tears began to fall as she and Nataliya read the shocking report.

And then BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!

Startled, both Nataliya and Irina turned. The Madrigals slumped to the floor, all of them either injured or dead.

And out of the shadows came Isabel Kabra, smoking pistol in hand.

"You two are coming with me." She said.