To everyone who read and reviewed, you are just fantastic! I try to respond to everyone so to my anonymous reviewers: Cheernbhappy, Anastasia, and Max, thank you too. Now, on with our story…
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Esposito, Ryan, and Castle ran over to Nostrand Ave and Avenue X in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn. A couple of miles away from the club in Brighton Beach, it was still their best lead. That van had stopped on this block; now to figure out why. With quite a few storefronts they narrowed down their options in order to save time. The Laundromat, pizza, Chinese, or food markets seemed unlikely although they'd check them all if they needed to. That left the pharmacy and Active Atom electronics. They started with the electronics store.
The manager cooperated showing them the security camera footage. Being an electronics store the digital video was crystal clear. When the footage hit 10:11pm a large burly man walked through the front door and Castle practically jumped out of his skin.
"That's him! That's…" He closed his eyes, snapping his fingers and flipping through the case files in his mind. "Viktor. Viktor Porchenko. He's one of Zukov's enforcers. Came over from Russia with him. A couple of assault convictions and suspected for more but never convicted. That's him." The words came flooding out in one breath as he pointed to the screen.
Esposito looked from the monitor to Castle. "You're sure?"
"Absolutely. I've done nothing but look at case files all day. I know that face." His jaw set, Castle didn't take his eyes off the screen.
The store manager printed out photos of the man while they looked at the rest of the video. Viktor bought two prepaid cell phones. Esposito's heart started hammering. This was their break. "We need the serial numbers and information for those phones."
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"Is everything done?" Zukov asked as Viktor walked in.
"Da. If it was her, she won't be talking to anyone." Viktor spent the night trying to unearth the identity of their second cop. Although Katya was a possibility, she had only been around a couple of days. It made more sense that it was someone else. Zukov mentioned Marina. Just the idea made Viktor paranoid.
Marina had been his girl for a while. Of course she wasn't his only girl but Zukov knew about their relationship. If Marina were a cop, he'd certainly look bad. It could even make Zukov question his loyalty. He couldn't let that happen.
When he went to find her he remembered the last time he was at her apartment. He was drunk when he ended up on her doorstep. They'd broken up over a month earlier and she wouldn't let him in. "You weren't any good in bed sober," she'd yelled loud enough for the neighbors to hear. "Why would I take you back drunk?"
How dare she embarrass him like that? "You stupid blyad! Open the door or I'll break it down." That's when Nick called his cell saying they had a job and he was needed at the club.
Nick. Marina had been sniffing around Nick for months. As Viktor pulled up in front of Marina's apartment his blood boiled. He wouldn't let her make a fool of him. Let her ruin his place in Zukov's eyes. She denied everything, of course. Cried and begged him to stop. He hadn't intended to kill her. Once he started hitting her, her pathetic tears just fueled his rage. A blind fury took over until he ceased to hear her feeble sobs. Noticing the blood streaking her blonde hair, his fist finally ceased in its assault but the crumpled body on the floor had stopped moving.
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"What else do we need?" Viktor asked as he rechecked the bullets in his gun clip.
"Nothing. I need to make a couple more phone calls and then we'll leave." Zukov nodded towards the cellar door. "Finish things up downstairs. Make it quick and make sure the neighbors can't hear. Leave her body down there. We won't be coming back."
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Castle sat in the back of the car as Esposito called the Captain and Ryan checked on the cell phone records. This was it. He could feel it. His heart was pounding in his ears. He swallowed hard trying to steady his breathing. They were going to find her. Hang on Kate. We're coming. He sent up a silent prayer. They had to find her.
"They got it! The phone's in use now!" Ryan blurted out as he scribbled down an address. "Ozone Park, Queens. Go." He flipped on the lights and sirens as Esposito slammed the gas pedal to the floor.
Castle didn't say a word. He just held on to the side handle as Esposito barreled around a corner, tires squealing. He found his feet pushing against the floorboards silently willing the car to go faster.
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The voices above continued as Kate pulled against the restraints with all she had. It was close, so close. She angled her foot against the post and drew back using all of her body weight. She winced against the burning pain searing through her wrists. A little more; a few more pulls and it just had to give.
Then the cellar door opened and she quickly stood up straight, pushing the loose hook back into the hole hoping no one would notice. As Viktor came lumbering down the stairs she froze. The cocky sneer on his face made her stomach tighten. Nothing about this was good.
"Katya, have you been waiting for me?" He actually walked past her and she had to turn to see what he was doing. Taking his gun out of his waistband, he laid it on the ground next to the wooden post across from her. Her eyes locked on it. At least she knew it was there. It was an option if she could find a way to get to it.
"Oh, you'll have no need for that Katya. Besides, we have something to finish first."
That's when she realized he was undoing his belt buckle. Oh God. She turned back to the hook that held her. Could one more pull do it? Bracing herself for one last try it was already too late. He'd moved quicker than she'd expected. Viktor's body pressed up behind her, gripping her hair, forcing her head back to look at him. His hot breath on her cheek and neck, she swallowed hard as her stomach lurched. His free hand fumbled with the button and zipper on her jeans.
"You think you're better than the others. You're no better. No better than Marina. No better than that coward Nick." He let go of her hair but his thick, rough hand grabbed onto her throat instead and squeezed.
Kate was gasping for breath. Tears that she couldn't stop pricked at the corners of her eyes. Her arms flailing, desperately fighting the restraints that kept her hands from breaking free. All she could hear was Viktor's voice in her ear.
"No reason why you shouldn't have a little fun before you die." With that he plunged his one hand inside her jeans. He finally released her neck, his hand now grabbing her hip.
A wave of nausea threatened to overtake her. There was nothing left to lose. She took a deep breath in, pulled her head forward and sent it careening back straight into Viktor's nose.
"You stupid bitch!" He spat and pulled back from her. He put a hand to his face feeling as much as seeing the blood dripping down. The obviously broken nose sending him into a rage, he clenched his fist, pulling back to strike her.
Without pausing to shake off the throbbing in the back of her head Kate put her foot against the post and heaved backwards with all the force she had. The metal hook finally broke free sending her spiraling to the ground just as Viktor's fist flew forward. The lack of contact sending him off balance and landing on top of her.
Her hands still fastened together, Kate fought to get him off of her. She was able to bring her knee up to his groin but not with nearly as much power as she hoped. It was enough to get him to roll to one side.
Viktor groaned and stumbled trying to get up, tripping on the shovels behind him they clattered to the ground. That's when Kate realized he was going for his gun. Struggling to get to her feet, she was on all fours as he reached down and grabbed the weapon. With his back still to her, Kate laid hands on the long handle of a shovel knocked to the floor. Getting to her knees she swung and hit the back of his legs.
A gunshot rang out hitting the back wall as Viktor toppled to the floor, the weapon still held in his grasp. Kate saw him turn back towards her in what felt like slow motion. Gun gripped in his bloodied hand, the look in his eyes was chilling, equal parts ice and fury. He was going to kill her.
Kate got back up to her knees, gripping the shovel with both hands she swung with every ounce of strength left in her body. The metal shovel connected with his skull making a sickening crack just as he pulled the trigger.
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*I know. Another cliffhanger. Don't hate me. But please write a few words and let me know what you think. Thanks.