This might be the last super quick update for a hot minute. Work is forcing us to go back into the office so my already limited time, is about to get extremely limited. I tried to cram as much as I could into this posting. It sets up the second act perfectly and moved things forward. So I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I did writing it!
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"You know I've been thinking of leaving Liberty. Move away and start my own life. I'm just so tired of it all." Packie shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and took another long look at Derrick's grave. He wanted to express his thoughts to his sister, but he also didn't want to ruin her relationships between Niko and Francis. He had so many suspicions on who had killed Derrick, and while sober, his mind kept telling him it was Niko. But his heart told him there was no way.
"You really want to leave us behind? Is that even possible to just leave?" Kate shivered against the wind, it was definitely colder down by the water and the jacket only did so much to keep her warm. Now that she had found her brother, alive and well, she was starting to dread having to get back into the apartment without Niko getting mad at her. The consequences were beginning to press down on her shoulders.
'I did the right thing. I know I did… But why do I feel scared?'
"I don't know. But I need to talk to Gerry. I don't think I could handle having to bury another member of our family." The sounds of footsteps over the cobblestone pathways forced him to look up in time to see several people moving their direction and at a hurried pace, "Shit Kate, we gotta move!"
Kate nearly stumbled over her own feet when her brother grabbed her arm and started to pull her up the path and toward the entrance of the cemetery, and where Gordon had been spotted. Something whistled past her head, and she ducked down. Packie yanked on her arm and shoved her behind a large obelisk styled grave marker. Gunfire erupted around them, and they both sank down to the ground, hearts racing, and panic settling in.
"I only have a pistol, Kate. I need you to call Gerry for help." Packie pulled out his handgun and paused for a second before leaning out of cover and taking aim at one of the men shooting at their location.
"On it." Kate pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and with shaky hands scrolled down to Gerry's name. She covered her other ear with her hand and tried to drown out the sound of bullets smashing into the granite stone they were hiding behind.
"Kate? You find him?" She had to press the phone flush against her ear to try and hear her brother's voice.
"Yes, and more. We need help. Some people are shooting at us. We are where Derrick and Ma are buried." She flinched down as several pieces of stone rained down from a stray bullet.
"Stay in cover for as long as you can. The calvary is on the way!" Gerry ended the call and Kate immediately went to Niko's name.
She knew he would be pissed at her, more so now that she had gone and found trouble, but she could use his help. Packie lowered down next to her and ejected the empty magazine from his handgun and loaded another one in. Their eyes met and she knew he was getting worried about protecting them. She reached behind her and removed Darko's pistol from its resting place. All her brother did was shake his head and took the gun from her.
He stood back up and returned fire, dropping one of the men that had started to flank them. He adjusted his hold on the unfamiliar pistol and fired, not liking the way his less dominate hand struggled to keep control of the kickback. He shifted between targets and only took a shot if he had a clear opening, he was running too low on ammo, and would need to conserve what he could. Another enemy charged them from the other side and caused Packie to spin around in order to kill them before they could shoot Kate.
The head snapped sideways, and the body crumbled down to the ground, the echoing sound of the shot caught up to the movement, and both Kate and Packie looked around trying to figure out where the shooter was.
Gordon shifted out from his cover and took out another two men as they approached the siblings, "Move! Head toward me!"
Packie lowered down to Kate and handed her back the strange pistol, before grabbing her hand and guiding her to get up. Together they ran off toward Gordon's location, hunched over to try and use the larger tombstones as cover. Bullets shot past them in both directions and Kate wanted to cry out when a patch of grass near her foot somewhat exploded from the impact of a stray bullet.
Niko followed along their escape path and took out the shooters. One by one he targeted heavily armed men and pulled the trigger. His normal rage that comforted him during situations like these was nowhere to be found. There was genuine fear that trembled his hands, constricted his lungs, and unfocused his vision. There were so many people coming up from the lower section of the graveyard and he knew he would run out of ammunition long before everyone was dead.
The empty magazine clattered to the stonewall as he reloaded as quickly as his hands would allow him. He was down to his last thirty rounds.
Gordon grabbed the back of Kate's jacket and tugged her behind another large granite tombstone, "Stay down and if we tell you to run, take the other path back to the entrance!" He knelt down and used the edge of the stone in order to shoot at the person targeting Patrick's hiding spot.
Kate covered her ears and tried to make herself as small as possible. The noise was so loud every time the guns would fire. It was like taking cover at the funeral. It was running through the halls of the yacht. It was fleeing across Happiness Island all over again. Her eyes scanned the area around them to make sure no one was trying to sneak up behind them. Darko had been adamant she watch his back and tap him should she see someone he didn't. It never happened, but it had been terrifying scanning the hallways and rooms for people that wanted her dead as they made their escape.
"Don't supposed you brought extra ammo for that gun of yours?" Gordon halfway yelled at her as he was forced to take cover to reload his own weapon. He was down to his last spare magazine. It was a grim situation and he wondered where the backup was at.
"No. I just took the pistol. Packie fired some, but you're welcome to use what's left." Every time a bullet struck their hiding place she jumped and closed her eyes for a split second.
"Might have to. But I need to get you out of here. Can you run?" He cupped her face and forced her to look back in his direction and gently shook her to get her to answer him.
"Ye-yes. I can run." His touch reminded her of how Darko constantly kept her within reach and almost never let go. But this was Gordon, and the texture of his fingers were all wrong and nothing like Niko's or Darko's. It skewed her memories and tilted her world sideways.
"I'm going to give you the best chance to make a break for it," Gordon turned slightly and pointed down a path that led away from all the gunfire, "Take that up the hill as fast as you can and call Gerry. We need his help." He searched her eyes to make sure she understood and would do exactly as he said. She never listened to him before, but he hoped she would in his instance.
"I understand. Let me know when." She nodded her head and fixed her eyes on the darkened side path. It was one she would take when coming to visit Derrick shortly after they buried him. It was steep, and had a couple of steps here and there, but she could manage it. Her whole body felt like it was shaking, and she took several deep breaths to try and calm down.
"Hey. It's going to be okay." Gordon felt bad that he couldn't do more to help give her the courage to do what needed to be done. He watched her give a sharp nod, eyes still fixated on the path he pointed out to her. Without thinking he grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"Gordon!" Packie yelled from a short distance away, behind his own headstone cover.
Gordon turned in time to shoot the person who was too close for comfort, "Get going Kate!"
Kate took off in a sprint. She covered her head with her arms as a few bullets hit trees and the stone wall close to her. The edge of the wall came into view, and she put all her willpower into getting there and getting away from all the gunfire. She could barely hear the shouting of her brother and Gordon as she put more distance between them. Her foot slipped as she grabbed the edge of the wall and she slid down behind it.
Niko followed her movement and held his breath as she made it to the safety of the stone wall. He only had one or two bullets left in his rifle, then it was going to have to be the pistol he had tucked away. Not ideal for long distance, so he would have to make his way down to Gordon and Packie. He didn't like leaving his vantage point, but he couldn't let them die. He shifted his rifle back down to his friends and attempted to count how many shooters were left.
"Too many…" Niko whispered in Serbian as he counted at least ten within view. But there was bound to be more hidden below the opposite wall, close to the water's edge.
"Where do they keep coming from?" Packie shouted at Gordon as he ran out of ammo in his pistol and slid down the towering headstone to stay in cover. He was truly a sitting duck now.
"Not sure. But probably from the pier at the low side of the graveyard." Gordon's gun clicked as he pulled the trigger and he swore under his breath, "I'm out."
The gunfire ceased suddenly, and they both looked up toward where Niko was to see if it was clear to come out from behind cover. They could hear footsteps close by so clearly not all the men were dead. Something was happening and they weren't sure what to do.
"Come out with your hands up." Someone spoke up with a thick Russian accent. The English was difficult to comprehend, and the two Irishmen looked at one another confused.
Niko took the break in gunfire to make his way down the hillside, using the deep shadows and randomly placed tombstones to stay out of sight. He could probably throw a knife at the one closest to Gordon's location and shoot one or two others before having to take cover. But it should be enough of an opening for Packie and Gordon to move to a better hiding spot. He pulled his knife loose from his belt and twirled it around in his hand to get a better grip.
"We didn't kill Kenny's men! So I don't know why you are trying to kill us!" Patrick yelled from his position on the ground. He spotted Niko working his way toward them and figured he would stall them as long as he could, "We have a deal with him, and we did not go against it."
"Not our concern. Now come out or we will kill the Albanian girl."
Again, the heavy accent made it difficult for Patrick and Gordon to understand what was being said, but it sounded like they were going to kill someone Albanian. Packie shook his head and mouthed 'what the fuck' toward Gordon and got a similar response. They had no clue what they were talking about or why they had stopped trying to kill them.
"Weeeee doooonnnnn't kkkknnnooooww aaannnyyyy Allllbaaaaniiiiaannns duuuuuudddeeee. I think there is some misunderstanding. Maybe a translation thing." Packie didn't talk as loud and slowed down his words as if talking to a kid who wasn't getting the point.
Gordon smacked a hand over his mouth and stifled his laughter, Patrick had a way of making light of the most abysmal situations. Then it hit him. Albanian. Kate was wearing… "Fuck!"
A barrage of gunfire went off forcing them to cover their ears as it sounded closer to them. Gerry moved into their line of sight with Niko and a several of the Irish crewmen. In only a matter of minutes silence once more blanketed the graveyard.
"That should teach you to try and kill my family." Gerry kicked one of the dead bodies and looked around for anyone else, "There more of you fuckers out there?" He yelled into the night sky, daring someone to come forward and challenge them.
The thunderous clap of a single gunshot reverberated around them and collectively everyone took cover, dropping to the ground to be hidden from view.
"What was that?" Packie leaned out from his cover to see who had been shot. Or if it was someone that was trying to warn them of someone else in the area.
"Sniper. Had to be…" Niko stood up and checked the men around him for injuries or if one of them had been hit. His eyes landed on each one of them and then he paused his movements. 'They are all fine… but where is…'
"KATE?" Niko yelled out and took off up the path she had used to get out of the area. He could hear everyone else chasing after him, but he didn't care. He needed to lay eyes on her and make sure she was okay. He rounded the corner, pistol at the ready, assault rifle slung from his shoulder, and started to search the immediate area for a body, "Kate? Can you hear me?"
"Over… Over here." Kate weakly called out from her huddled position against the wall a few feet away. She couldn't remove her eyes from the body that lay motionless at her feet. They had just collapsed before her, blood spray emitting from a large hole in their head, and within a split second she heard the gunshot. The scream had gotten caught in her throat as she frantically looked around for who had saved her.
Niko dropped down at her side after kicking the assault rifle away from the dead body, "Are you hit?" He cupped her cheeks and turned her away from the grisly sight of the person.
"No… Someone- Motorcycle. Street level." She blinked her eyes slowly and tried to focus on her boyfriend. Her whole body felt like a lead weight and like she held no control over it. The gun pressed into her lower back did nothing to provide her comfort.
"You want us to track them down?" Gordon spoke up as they fanned out some to make sure no one else was lurking just out of sight.
"If they killed someone about to take out Kate, no. They can get away. They saved my sister's life. No need to hunt them down." Gerry lowered down on the opposite side of Kate from Niko and took her hand in his, "Katie?"
"I'm okay. In shock maybe." She held his hand back and reached up with her other one to cup the back of Niko's hand that still cradled her face, "I'm okay. Close call."
"We need to figure out where they came from. And if they are Kenny's men." Packie grimaced at the sight of the open wound on the guy that had almost killed his sister. It was beyond similar to how Derrick had been killed. He had been there with Kate to identify his body, and while the doc had done what he could to make Derrick presentable, it was still hard to stomach.
"Kenny's men don't talk to their targets. They just complete the job and leave. Talking only gives someone the chance to ID them later if they survive." Gordon walked back over to the group after checking behind a few headstones.
"He has a point. They also would've called you by name." Niko pulled Kate closer to him and kissed her forehead. She was alive and unharmed. They would talk later about her sneaking out and going against his word. But for now, his heart was overjoyed at seeing her breathing.
"They also wouldn't have shot at Sargent." Gerry gave her hand one more squeeze before standing up, "Alright guys- reload, spread out, and call out when you find something. Let's make this quick. I need to get back to the house before sunrise. Or before the damn cops show up." There was no way someone nearby didn't hear the gunfire and call the cops.
"Come on Niko, let's check the pier. I have a feeling they docked there, and this was some stupid drug route they were exploring." Gerry waited till most of the guys walked away before addressing his sister's boyfriend, "Doesn't feel like a hit from Petrovic."
"No. It was sloppy and appeared unplanned. I think they weren't expecting to find people out this late." He helped Kate to her feet and returned the hug when she worked her way under his chin and wrapped her arms around him. Her shaking was concerning, and it brought back memories of their time in her bedroom just after he saved her.
"Well now it makes sense." Packie scoffed as he got to see the back of Kate's jacket, "What the fuck sis! Where did you get your hands on a high-ranking Albanian riding jacket?!"
Niko met Gerry's eyes and narrowed them in warning, Kate did not know about the job he did playing the role of Albanian gangster. He ran his hand down her back and could feel the smooth texture of the quality leather. He didn't want to think she had gone through his closet back in the apartment, but he could feel how loose the jacket was on her body. It most certainly wasn't hers.
"I needed something to disguise myself." Kate mumbled against Niko's chest. How was she supposed to know what a piece of clothing meant? It was dark in color, and she had taken it without thinking about it having some kind of ulterior meaning. Especially one that would bring her harm.
"Some disguise. You're damn lucky someone didn't spot you out on the street and approached you. Or worse, shoot you on sight. My orders are very clear about the Albanians on my turf." Gerry sighed and scrubbed a hand over his eyes, "This whole thing is a fucked up mess. We can talk about it later, but time is ticking, and I've been out in the open too long."
"The docks it is." Packie tucked his empty pistol away and shoved his hands back into his pockets, "And before you get all mad at her, it's my fault she even came looking."
"Oh- We gonna talk about you just abandoning us like that." Gerry glared at his brother before trudging off down the path that would take him directly to the nearby boating dock.
"No one said I couldn't leave and come back. I just needed some fresh air!" Patrick followed after him and felt his anger return at why he needed to get away for a minute.
"I said, you idiot! This is what happens!" Gerry flung his arm out and pointed at all the dead bodies lying around, "Now I gotta call the body collectors to get rid of it all."
They continued to bicker as they kept walking off toward the docks. Kate listened to some of it before she found the courage to lean away from Niko's warm arms. He was watching the street with sharp eyes. Her fingers splayed over his back remembering how it felt the first time she had put her arms around him. He had removed the handcuffs from her wrists, and she immediately wanted to throw her arms around him. But he had been the gentleman and zipped up his jacket that hung around her smaller frame.
"You two need a minute… Or…?" Gordon awkwardly shifted his weight from foot to foot and couldn't make up his mind on what was going to be worse to be around. Gerry and Packie fighting, or the murderous look Niko was sporting.
"No. We will check out the pier with your brothers, Kate, then we are going home." Niko took a deep breath and released his hold of her. There was so much he wanted to say, and he didn't trust himself to not yell or say something that couldn't be taken back. He was angry, hurt, relieved, and everything in between. He just needed some time to process it all and collect his thoughts. The rifle on the ground caught his attention and he picked it up, dislodging the magazine.
"Gordon, take Kate down to the pier, I'll catch up in a second." He didn't like the idea of her seeing him scavenging ammo off the person who almost killed her. His mind was reverting back to his old habits, and he figured he might as well see if he could identify any of the shooters. If Kenny really was behind it, this could be his way of hiring random people in order to keep his motives from being know. He squatted down by the body and trailed his eyes over the gaping hole in the head.
'High caliber round, semi close range, decent angle… Someone knew what they were doing.'
"Okay." Gordon waved to Kate to join him at his side.
"Here." Niko tossed the full magazine he removed from the guy's rifle to Gordon, "Load up in case you run into anyone else down there."
"Thanks man." Gordon reloaded his rifle and tucked it to his body in a ready position. Niko had a point. There could be more of them waiting around by a boat or had another boat on the way.
"Niko?" Kate refused to move from her spot and kept her eyes glued to her shoes. She didn't want to walk away knowing that he was probably livid with her.
"Not now. Okay?" He looked up from his position next to the body to see the tears forming on her face, "I need to search the body for ammo or other things that might let me know who attacked us. I'm trying to spare you from seeing that."
"I understand..." Kate wiped a couple of tears away and walked over to Gordon's side. Now that the shock, fear, and rush of the evening was wearing off, she realized just how close she had come to death. She had been told to stay put and she hadn't heeded the warning. Her hands fisted at her sides in anger. Why did these things have to keep happening to her? Or her family? OR better yet why couldn't people leave Niko alone?
'He has a dangerous past. You know this. You signed up for this. Now get a grip and face the music when it's time!'
Her mind chastised her, while her heart wanted to comfort her. But it wasn't what she was expecting when she fell in love. Gunfights, kidnapping, attacks, and crime… She had wholly fallen into his world now…
Niko was bound to keep his distance and need time to be okay with what she had done. And the space was going to kill her. Her chest tightened up and she felt the tears slip free from her eyelashes. All she wanted to do was go back to the apartment and have him hold her long into the night and keep the demons at bay. Now she wasn't sure he would be willing to do that for her. She had broken her word to him, and if there was one thing Niko wanted, it was honesty and loyalty.
A hand landed on her shoulder as they got further away from Niko, and it broke her thin resolve into pieces.
"Hey… Hey." Gordon pulled her to a stop and leaned down some to try and see her face better, "That was pretty scary, huh?"
Kate turned toward him and nearly fell down into his body as the sob broke free. She buried her face on his shoulder and hugged him best she could with him still holding the rifle on his side. The onslaught of emotions ran through her and left her feeling defenseless against the world. Darko had been forced to protect her. Niko watched over her daily and did everything in his power to keep her safe. Bernie had come to her rescue. Gerry had taken Jason to task for trying something with her. Packie ran off everyone in high school that tried to gain her favor in order to get close to her family.
Just how dependent did she have to be?!
Now she had dragged Gordon into danger because she refused to listen to reason.
"Woah! Everything is okay." Gordon panicked and looked around him to see if Niko or Gerry was watching them. He knew better than to get in her personal space or cross the line of friendly gestures to something else.
"It's not. It won't be for a long time." She sobbed and hiccupped with the force of agony that pressed down on her ribcage.
"You don't know that." Against his better judgement he managed to free his arm from between their bodies and returned the weird side hug she was giving him. He turned the rifle away from his body and made sure the trigger and semi/auto switch couldn't be accidentally hit by her hand, "Those guys didn't stand a chance against us. And with how we killed a decent number of them tonight, I don't think they will want to mess with us again. So, you have nothing to fear."
She laughed. It was so absurd to think this was it. Is that how everyone went about their day? That one gunbattle happened and it would go back to normal? The laughter turned into another sob, and she lifted her face from its place against his shoulder, "Gordon. Seriously. After everything you have done with my brothers, you think there is nothing to fear? I was so blind back then. But the whole fiasco with Natalya has definitely opened my eyes. This shit is never going to end."
"Kate. If you live so pessimistically all the time, then you are never going to see this through. I got my own shit hanging over my head every damn day. I owe Loan Sharks, I am Kenny's friend and part of his family, I am third in line for Gerry's place, and I'm loyal to Niko. I am fucked if I step out of line. Like epically, royally, screwed. But do you see me getting mad and pissed off at the world? No!" He sighed and let his rifle go to hang from his shoulder to be able to wipe away a couple of her tears.
"Look. I know my time will come. Could've been tonight. Could be tomorrow once Gerry corners me for not telling him where I was going when you called. Hell, I could drop dead right this second if Niko sees me hugging his girl and shoots me. I know I am going to die. The sooner you come to peace with the fact that no one gets out of life alive, the better. I used to spend a lot of mental energy comparing myself, and my accomplishments- err lack of, to those around me. It sucked and started to drain me. I began to hate myself." He tucked Kate back onto his shoulder and stroked over the beanie cap she wore.
"I had to make peace with the fact that this life is just one big game. You can pick the game, but you can't change the rules. And no matter how many points you rack up, it doesn't matter. So just live in the moment every day. Do what you can to help those you care about. And enjoy the ride." He let out a long breath and gave her a squeeze. It would be the last time he could get away with being near her, and he was determined to make her feel better.
"I used to love listening to you try and talk Packie out of bad ideas when we were younger. You have a way with words." She laughed lightly and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, "Probably should've become one of those poets that make inspirational quotes for posters and cards."
Gordon let out a surprised laugh, "Oh yeah. Gordon the Poet."
She hit his side for making fun of her suggestion, "Or a hostage negotiator or those people who try and keep people from jumping off the bridge."
"And I'll just take being friends with the McReary's till the day I die. I don't need nothing fancy out of life. I got everything I could want or need." He smiled and tried to not wince at how hard she had hit him.
She lifted up to smile at him and shake her head, "What makes you devote such loyalty to us? Honestly?" There was no reason for anyone to be so attached to her family, especially at this level.
"The truth? I don't think I'm ready to give that up." He rubbed her back and patted her spine, "Come on. Before Niko really does get the get wrong impression and kills me."
"I wouldn't let him do that." Kate stepped back from him and tucked her arm through his as they once more headed down the path toward the pier.
"You wouldn't be able to stop that. Don't blame him. I thought for sure he was going to murder Bobby in front of all of us last night. I could barely hold him back with Packie's help." Gordon tried to ignore the trickle of fear that cascaded down his spine as she took his arm. He wanted to look over his shoulder something fierce to make sure Niko wasn't standing there, rifle pointed his way, and that scary glint in his eye.
"I think we should have let him at this point. Bobby is certainly making problems for everyone." She sighed and shivered against the wind, "How were we all supposed to know he would turn into this level of- what would it be called? Hitman?"
"Something like that." He grew quiet as they approached the rocky shore off the Atlantic and mouth of the Humboldt River. He had to force her to let go of him as he spotted Gerry and Packie standing just on the other side of the pier. There was a large, pristine looking yacht shored at the very end of the dock and didn't have a single light on. At least from what he could see from his angle.
"Niko coming?" Gerry looked up from the ground and gave them both a once over.
"Right here." Niko jogged up to the group from the other lower path along the shoreline, "They aren't Kenny's men. Too many burn marks and tattoos for a group of people I wished would have stayed within their own territory back in Serbia. If I'm right, we have a much larger problem about to hit LC." He had been quick in checking the arms and necks of everyone they had killed looking for gang marks or debt circles. It wasn't till he started to see a familiar repeating tattoo that he felt his insides go cold.
He had taken out the smartphone Bernard had left him and took photos of everything. He had been swift in sending it off in the secured email he had found. Every one of them had the Bulgarin mark. It was beginning to look like someone had taken over the old faction and was either coming for him or trying to figure out who had killed their boss. And while Niko wished he could have put a bullet in that man's skull, someone else had beat him to it by blowing up his plane.
"What kind of problem?" Packie crossed his arms and ignored the way his brother glared at him for 'speaking out of turn'.
"Ray Bulgarin."
"Fuck!" Gordon took off toward the yacht not bothering to explain anything. He had heard a rumor that the gang was coming for Kenny. Petrovic had been making moves and waves overseas to claim the other gang's territory. Kenny had been boasting that he had taken out the old man and was now overseeing the drug routes out of the Balkans. Which undoubtedly pissed off those thinking they were now in charge.
He jumped the small space between the dock and the boat, readying his rifle, "Boss?! You here?" The boat rocked as Niko joined him, "Come out slowly and we won't shoot!"
Niko shot him a look at the poor Russian Gordon had yelled out, "You want to explain to me when you learned Russian?"
"You spend enough time with Kenny, and you are somewhat forced to learn at least a few phrases." He shifted to look down the side of the yacht to see if anyone was creeping around to attack them.
"Bulgarin is dead. Your sanction is gone. I'm Niko Bellic, wanted for stealing from Ray. Come out now and claim your reward for finding me." Niko raised his voice and checked the opposite side like Gordon had done.
Gerry jumped the gap and lifted his own rifle, getting ready to help search the boat for anyone that wanted to mess with his operation, "Call it out Sargent."
Packie made to make the jump when he noticed his sister was frozen in place, "Come on. I can't just leave you here on the dock. You can stick with me. I'm just going to keep anyone from trying to escape. The others will do the searching."
"Packie, I can't. I can't get on that boat." She shook her head rapidly. The memories were trying to trap her as she stared at the upper decks. So much death, blood, and violence resided within those walls, and she couldn't go through it again.
"Yes, you can. You can stand right here, or sit, and I will not leave your side. Okay?" He tried to encourage her on and held his hand out to help her get across the space after he made the short hop.
"I will not enter the interior. That's not something I can do." She took his hand and used his arm to pull herself over the threshold of the ship. She had sworn to herself that she would never step foot on a boat again after going through what she went through.
"Movement!" Gordon shouted out as he opened fire on the person who stepped outside from a heavy door. Gerry rushed to his side and followed him down the narrow walkway to enter in the ship.
Niko hesitated as he watched them disappear from his view, "Packie, I would call everyone back over here. There should only be a few people left- just ones who operate the boat: captain, first mate, people like that. But I'd rather not risk another shootout with hardly anyone to help out."
"I'll make the calls. Watch their backs please?" Packie helped lower Kate down to the decking and pulled his phone out to reach the men that should still be patrolling the cemetery.
Niko glanced down at Kate and recognized the panic attack forming. She was back on a similar yacht. One that would drag her time with Darko front and center. He lowered his rifle and walked over to her and knelt down to be in her line of sight, "Kate?"
"I'm fine." She hugged her knees up to her chest and buried her face into them.
"You are not. Look at me." Niko shifted his rifle to his back and placed his hands over her knees, "This is not that ship. Natalya is dead. You are not going to be made to walk the halls and witness people dying. You are going to stay right here with your brother. I will be back as soon as I sweep the decks."
"Be careful." She looked up for a spilt second before going back to her huddled down position.
"Patrick-"
"Don't worry man. Go." Packie waved him on and dialed one of the guys he had seen earlier.
Niko didn't like leaving her like this. There was too much trauma involved with being alone with Darko on the yacht. And after nearly being killed again just moments ago? He could only guess how bad it was going to be when they got home. It would reset everything they had worked on. They would be right back to square one. He hated this. Hated every second she was meant to suffer for things out of her control.
"Волим те (Volim te)" He spoke the words he hoped would bring her comfort before going to the back exit of the yacht and opening the door, lifting his rifle to check his corners. He would kill anyone else on the ship and try to figure out why Ray's men were in Liberty. If they were really wanting to settle the score against him, he would remind them of why he had been in Ray's good graces for years. He would leave no one alive.
The tide outside started to change and he adjusted his footing with the new pitching. He opened cabinets along the walls that were large enough to fit a body. No one. He made quick work of the storage room before going out in the hall. He could hear Gordon and Gerry running around above him and slamming doors as they went. Did they not understand stealth? If there was anyone left on the ship, they would surely get out now knowing someone had boarded.
The double doors he came to lead to the dining room. The signage on the ship was all in Russian and he tucked his rifle into his shoulder and got prepared to shoot anyone inside. With a light touch he pushed the swing door open and edged his way inside. The lights were on, and all the furniture was shoved to the sides except for a lone dining chair with a bound person sitting on it. A tray table stood close by covered with bloody instruments of torture.
On silent feet Niko approached the back of the person and scanned the room for movement. Slowly he circled around to be able to see who it was that was strapped to the chair barely breathing by the looks of it. He dropped his weapon out of position as he saw Kenny Petrovic. His head was bowed forward, and a slow drip of blood kept up a rhythmic pace as it splashed to the floor. So many open wounds littered his body.
Niko turned and shot out the windows of the dining room knowing his voice wouldn't carry far enough to reach Gordon or Gerry. The loud firing caused Kenny to jerk upright to see who was there to cause him more pain.
"Kenny? Can you hear me?" Niko took off the shoulder strap for his rifle and placed it down on the ground. He took slow steps forward as to not alarm the man who was grievously injured. He spoke in a language that would be easiest for him to understand and respond in with the weakened state of his mind and body.
"My… My wife? Daughter?" He was wheezing and trying to look Niko in the eye from his swollen ones.
"Boss?!" Gordon shouted as he slammed open a side door to the dining room, frenzied look about him. His eyes landed on Kenny, and he sucked in a sharp breath, rushing forward with a renewed panic.
"He's hurt bad." Niko removed his knife from his belt and moved around him to cut his binds, "He will need medical attention."
"My… My wife? Daughter?" Kenny tried again to speak to the friendly voices he could hear.
"I'll call. I'll send Aleksei to the home." Gordon dropped down in front of Kenny and pulled out his cellphone to get someone to the compound to check on the Petrovic family. If his boss was asking about his family, it meant someone was threating him through them.
"My family… They will need protecting. Niko?" Kenny mumbled out his words in Russian and tried to find where the only man in the world he knew he could trust right now was at.
"Do you have a safehouse? A place to take them? I can send someone to help." Niko cut loose the zip-ties and caught Kenny's shoulders as he lurched forward with no longer being held back.
"They don't know. They are innocent." He slid to the floor with Gordon and Niko's help.
"Gerry, get someone down here you trust to help him with his injuries. A hospital is out of the question." Niko lowered down to Kenny's side and started to check his arms and legs for deep stab wounds where a vital vein was located.
"Is it safe?" Packie called out from behind the double doors.
"For the most part." Gerry answered him and pulled out his own phone to call the doc and see if he had anyone around the Steinway area that could help them.
Packie opened the doors slowly before shoving them open once he noticed that everyone was hovering over a body on the floor, "Come on Kate. It's okay."
Kate shuffled in after her brother and kept a firm grip on his hand. She didn't want to go inside the ship, but with the rapid fire and glass breaking, Packie had appeared worried. So she dug deep to go inside with him and check on their friends and family. What she wasn't ready for was to see the most powerful man in all of Liberty to be laying on the floor bleeding out.
Niko rose up enough to grab the scissors off the tray. He could use Bernie right about now. He was more medically knowledgeable than he was, but he would try to remember what he knew and try to save Kenny. He started to cut the shirt loose from the chest to check for other injuries.
"No. Don't. The cloth could be stuck to an open wound." Kate sank down next to him and placed her hand over his, "I can help. Done this more times than I can count with my brothers."
"You don't have to. I can do this. You don't have to get your hands dirty." Niko met her gaze and gave her the out he wanted her to take. She didn't need to get involved with saving Kenny Petrovic.
"Aleksei has eyes on your wife and daughter. The house was locked down the minute you didn't answer your phone after landing on LC soil." Gordon lowered his phone and took Kenny's hand, "What else do you need me to do?"
"Find the spy. Kill him. Get Vladislav on the phone. Lock down all product. Flush out anyone who is feeding info to Bulgarin Bratva." Kenny coughed after using his voice too much and reached up to grab Niko's jacket, "Protect my people. They are coming."
Niko grabbed the hand fisted in his jacket, "Make the pact."
"I swear on my life that if you protect my power and people, I will owe you. I will give whatever favor you need. Take my arm and make the mark. Kill these pests. Everything is at your disposal." Kenny removed his hand from Gordon's and lifted it best he could toward Niko, "Take my blood and hold my word. Have Gordon take you to the headquarters. My people will understand and know."
"Gordon, get his people on the phone. Find out who next in line is. Lock down everything in LC. Gerry, ask to get Roy down here. Now. And Kenny needs medical attention soon. Hospital might be his best option honestly. I don't think we can do much for him with what's present." Niko gave out orders and looked down to where there was a warm liquid soaking his knee. Fresh blood was coming from somewhere he couldn't see, "He won't last much longer."
Kate jumped up from her place and entered the attached kitchen to look for a medical kit or some kind of towel to be able to apply pressure. She would do what she could. It wasn't much, but she wasn't about to let someone die if she could help it. Gordon would be in trouble. Niko and her brothers would be blamed. That was not an option now. She jerked cabinets open and shoved things out of the way in her haste to find the tools she sought.
Gerry and Gordon moved away in order to make the necessary phone calls. Niko grasped the other hand that still hovered over Kenny, "I have killed your son. I do not need to accept favors. We are even. If you do this, you will owe me."
"I owe you more than you know. Please. Do not let my entire life's work go to waste. I'm begging you." Kenny closed his eyes and used what was left of his energy to firmly grab Niko's hands, "What is it you say? To my dying breath, I take arms with my brethren, to see the end of the storm."
"Stop. Don't do this." Niko lowered one of Kenny's hands to rest over his heart, "You need to be telling me your final words. Just in case. What do you want your wife and daughter to know?"
"I will be sword, shield, provider, protector, end all, I will grant you whatever it is you need. Just please." Kenny started to whisper as his strength plummeted, "Promise me. Niko. Swear to me."
"I will. I will watch over your people. I will protect your family as my own. I will kill the rat and I will finish this fight." Niko didn't know if he could do it, but he could not refuse a dying man's wish. Especially one who had been tortured for who knows how long in the worst possible ways. He had seen the skin peeler and fought off the shudder. He felt Kenny turn his hand within his grasp and he saw the ring flash in the light of the room.
"Take- take it. No one will question you." Kenny shakily lifted his fingers up to let Niko take his ring, "I owe you. Thank you."
Kate moved back into the room carrying a large bowl of supplies under one arm and a syringe full of epinephrin in her other hand. She placed the items down on the ground before kneeling down to start helping, "I'm going to give you this shot to get your heart moving. It's going to hurt, but it will keep you going. It will also let me know where your major injuries are. Which I will start to patch right away. I'm going to have my brother give you an IV of fluids and antibiotics."
"Doc will be here in five minutes. He has a medical team going to our house to set up shop. He will be safe within our walls. Roy said he would be on his way as soon as his kids are sound asleep." Gerry moved back over towards Kenny, "Don't worry Kenny. We are going to get you taken care of."
"Everything will be locked down within the hour. New code words have been given to those we trust and have authority." Gordon lowered back down next to Niko and blinked a couple of times as he saw Kenny trying to remove his ring.
"Take it." Kenny rasped out.
This was a point in his life that Niko never thought would happen. He looked toward Kate who was working on cutting away Kenny's sleeve to find a vein to give him lifesaving medicine and treatment. Then he shifted his eyes over to Gordon who looked back at him with a wide-eyed, open stare – over to Gerry who paced back and forth on the phone trying to get things in motion. Back to Packie who stood near the chair Kenny had been strapped to.
He was about to be the most powerful man in all of Liberty and he didn't want it.
"Niko. Take it. Take my ring." Kenny coughed horribly and turned his head in Niko's direction, "Save my life all you want. But please."
Niko slipped the ring off Kenny's finger and shoved it on his own.
'Fuck my life…'
"Thank- Thank you." Kenny tried to crack a smile before letting out a shuddering breath, going still.
"His heart just stopped. Remove his shirt!" Kate felt for a pulse and didn't like the limpness of the man on the floor.
Gordon ripped open the shirt and looked to Kate for direction.
She slammed the fairly large needle down into Kenny's chest and lowered the syringe handle to administer the drugs, "Start CPR!"
Gordon lifted himself up to start chest compressions and mouth to mouth. Gerry dropped down at Kate's side and started to get an IV started. Kate pulled out the AED and worked on getting the pads and cables attached to the machine. Everyone went into motion to get Kenny back to breathing and living. But all Niko could do was sit there staring at the gold and bloodied ring that rested on the ring finger of his right hand.
This was his ticket to having all of his problems disappear. Completely. He turned the ring around between his fingers and realized that it was a perfect fit. An emotion came over him that he had warded off for so long. He had wanted power and control for so many years- to be able to have Darko just brought before him and killed without having to lift a finger. He studied the crest and stones that made up the Petrovic coat of arms. It was intricate and detailed. Something like this would have cost a fortune.
Sputtering caught Niko's attention and he focused back on Kenny who was gasping for breath. The machine was telling everyone what to do for chest compressions and breaths. But there was a heartbeat now and Kenny resumed breathing shallowly. Packie helped Kate cut off more of the tattered shirt to start work on stitching and cleaning a large gash across Kenny's chest. Gerry managed to get an IV hooked up in the arm and was trying to find a place to hang the bag of fluids to keep it moving into Kenny's body.
Slowly he stood up from Kenny's side and took a short step back.
Just what had he accepted?
"Niko. You need to go outside. Get some air. See if the doc is here yet." Gordon stood up to go back into the kitchen for more clean cloths and water. He didn't like the somewhat ashen stare Niko was sporting. He also wasn't sure if other people had started to arrive. Kenny's inner circle were on their way. Roy would be bringing his crew. And the entire Irish family would be swarming the cemetery to make sure Gerry was taken care of and the bodies removed that they had killed.
Gordon made to walk away before stopping in his place. His eyes dropped down to the ring that Niko kept messing with on his hand, "My loyalty lies with you now. Your word is law. Do what you will with that knowledge." He narrowed his eyes at Niko hating the fact that Kenny had chosen him to take over for the time being. There was a chain of command. A process and hierarchy.
"Take care of Kenny. I am going to check for the doctor." Niko tilted his head slightly and sent his own warning glare. If he was going to be playing the role of head of the Petrovic family, he didn't want to be looked at with suspicion or disrespect.
"The Irish will back the new leadership." Gerry said from his place next to his sister as he helped her bandage the IV needle to Kenny's arm. He didn't bother to look up as he knew Niko didn't want more attention brought to him. Kate was focused and driven to help Kenny and he didn't want his sister to freak out about her boyfriend ascending to the highest rank the criminal underworld had.
"Thank you…" Niko stumbled over his feet before finding his way back into the hallway he had taken to get into the ship. He needed air. He needed to breathe. His hands connected with the wall, and he used it to keep him upright as he shakily walked down the hall toward the exit. Memories swirled around him as he replayed his trek out of the Platypus after killing Dimitri. He had felt no rush of getting his revenge then.
Now?
There was a sickening level of wholeness that flooded him.
This shouldn't be what he needed in order to feel complete and happy.
He had found love, friendship, family. He didn't need power, authority, and security by means of controlling mass amounts of money, drugs, and people. But he had given Kenny his word that he would protect his people and family. Just as he did every day to keep his own family safe. He didn't like going back on his word. He wanted loyalty from those close to him as he was loyal to them.
The door to the outside was propped open, probably from when Packie entered with Kate. He shook his head at the way people left openings. He would need to talk to them about ensuring safety and being aware of what was around them and what could potentially lead to more danger. His body trembled as he smelled the fresh air that whistled through the small opening of the metal door.
He could hear hushed murmurs that were being carried on the wind and he regretted not bringing his rifle with him. He removed his pistol and got ready to shoot anyone who wasn't a friendly standing on the boat. Carefully he pulled the door open and peered around the exterior to see a large crowd of Irishmen milling about on the stern of the yacht.
"Hey Niko! Is Gerry okay? We came as soon as we got word. All of us are here to protect him and keep these Russians from boarding." One of the men Niko somewhat recognized talked to him. They pointed over toward the dock and Niko followed his movements to see a couple of men in finely pressed suits standing by, looking pissed off and ready to kill.
"Gerry is fine. Guard the door and when the doc shows up, get him inside to help. I will handle the Russians." Niko opened the door fully and stepped outside on the deck, tucking his pistol away. The air filled his lungs and helped calm some of his frayed nerves. The men within Gerry's organization gave him a wide berth and went about setting up a perimeter on the yacht. One of them pulled out a cell phone to let the other crew in the parking lot to be on the lookout for the doctor.
"The famous Niko Bellic. How good to finally see you in person-!" The man who stood before the other Russian's spoke up when Niko got closer, before his eyes dropped to his hand and saw Kenny's ring, "Forgive me Pakhan!" He dropped down on a knee and bowed his head. The rest of the men with him did the same almost instantaneously.
"It's fine. Stand up." Niko felt uncomfortable with the show of respect and apology.
"Is he…?" The man spoke in Russian and looked up to who Kenny had picked as his replacement.
"No. Not yet. I am waiting on a doctor to come help. My friends are helping him stay alive." Niko moved closer to the pier so his voice wouldn't carry, "Is his family secured and protected? He told me to make sure they were okay. And that everything was on lock down."
"Aleksei is at the house with a team. They check in every five minutes. His wife is mad that her book club had to be rescheduled." The man stood up slowly and made sure his hands were visible in show of no harm, "Our brigadiers overseas have started to sweep through their men for anyone that had been talking. We have moved all the money to new secure locations as well as product. If this is a start of a war against us, we will need to relocate assets soon. We have been having issues in Blaine County. Some insane man is trying to take out our allies that run the airport."
"Is it Sandy Shores Airfield?" Niko made a stab in the dark. He had seen the airplane key and card in the storage unit from Bernard.
"Yes Pakhan. The very one. We have The Lost operating it and they have been informing us about a man that keeps killing off people and blowing up cargo. It's the most annoying problem. And my name, Pakhan, is Georgi, I am his second. Now yours. Tell us, what would you like us to do?" Georgi lifted his hand out toward Niko in order to offer his introduction.
Niko grasped Georgi's hand and accepted the casual greeting most people did in Europe, air kisses to both cheeks. It was also a sign of loyalty and show of fidelity, "Right now my concern is his family, the empire, and our alliances. What do you know about Roy?"
"Walk with me?" Georgi gestured to the pier and signaled to his men to watch the pier and keep it secure.
"Sure." Niko followed Kenny's second in command down the dock and returned the nod to everyone that moved out of his way and bowed their head in respect. The power was almost intoxicating.
"There is someone who killed some of our men. We tried to let Kenny know. But without his permission we were unable to do anything about it. Roy concerns us. He is unknown to us. Kenny has us digging into his family and financials. But so far nothing is alerting us to something bad. We have also been monitoring the Albanian movements along the northern coast." Georgi leaned into a large rock along the shore and regarded his new boss.
"If you find a Robert Welsh, or Bobby, he is to be killed on sight. I'd like to keep him alive for information, but at this point he has messed up everything. He knows too much to be kept alive." Niko sat down on a smaller boulder and scrubbed over his face. There was a ton of information to take in, but all his soul wanted was to kill the man responsible for their current predicament.
"He took out our men who are trained in interrogation. We will not just simply kill on sight. He must be made to pay retribution." Georgi shook his head slowly and waved off more men that tried to keep watch over them.
"I understand. But he needs to be killed. He is more than likely a cleaner. Too dangerous." Niko folded his arms across his chest and watched as a couple of Gerry's men ran in their direction.
"The doc is here. A couple of the guys are helping bring down the stretcher." One of the men, in a large puffy gray jacket, huffed out as he came to a stop by Niko.
"Be sure they get the doctor whatever he needs. Do we have transportation ready to take him back to the headquarters?" Niko stood up from his resting place against the boulder.
"We have an ambulance- well. It's the M.E truck. LCPD is here too…"
"The fucking cops?!" Georgi leaned up and looked toward his men wanting to get them out of the area as soon as possible. They all had long wanted lists and he wasn't about to be sent to jail over coming to his boss' rescue.
"Where is HE?!" A familiar voice screamed out in the night air and caused Niko to move back on the main path from the parking lot to the pier.
Detective Rosen shoved a couple of men out of her way as she ran down the path, hair was loose from its normal braid, and a wild expression flashed through her eyes. She searched around her frantically before landing on Niko, "What are you doing here?!"
"You will NOT talk to the boss that way!" Georgi removed his pistol and aimed it at her, the rest of his men followed suit.
"Fuck off." Avia grabbed the pistol barrel of the nearest man and jerked it free from his grasp, stepping into his personal space and jabbing the side of her hand into the throat. She threw the gun at the next closest person and slid across the ground to sweep the feet out from under someone else. She leapt up and wrapped her arm around a different person's torso and used the movement to swing her body around the body and hook her leg up and over the head, continuing the motion in order to drop them to the floor. She rolled away and picked up the pistol she had thrown and clicked the safety off and took aim, twisting around to be face to face with someone she didn't want to kill.
Niko pulled his own pistol and dropped to her level to be able to point it in her face, "Stop. Right now."
"Where is Kenny?!" Avia fought back the onslaught of tears and jabbed the pistol against Niko's forehead.
Niko pressed his own against her head and grew serious, "Why do you care?" He removed the safety and firmed his arm to be able to fire the gun, "Tell me now!"
"Avia is Kenny's side piece." Georgi whispered as he moved to cover his new leader's back, pistol pointed at Kenny's girlfriend.
"Girlfriend!" Avia rose her voice, yelling in Russian, and glared at Niko, refusing to move from her position.
'That explains a few things…'
"He is injured badly. He is on the yacht." Niko gently removed the pistol from her head and moved it toward the grassy and sandy ground they rested on. He watched as she mimicked his movements and flicked the safety switch to her own gun.
"You wear his ring. Is he dead?" She stood up and brushed her long, curly hair over her shoulder, holstering her gun.
"No. But it's touch and go." Niko rose up and put his hand up, halting her movement, "Did you bring LCPD with you?"
"You think I would risk his life?! How dumb are you? Of course not. I brought the doc Kenny owns and his truck." She rolled her eyes and shoved past Niko in order to get onto the pier and enter the yacht.
"I thought she was by the books?" Niko spoke to no one in particular.
"Unless it comes to Kenny. She is his Kosher girl. We have to make sure she is nowhere to be seen when Kenny's wife shows up. It's a rather challenging task at times. We aren't about to have to continue this process with you, are we?" Georgi informed him before holding his hands up at the murderous glare he received in return.
"Ah Niko! Good to see you lad. Can you point me in the direction of Kenny? I hear he is in the upmost need of care." The older doc that had shown up at the McReary house after Kate's assault and her Ma's murder hobbled down the path with a couple of the Irish crew pulling a stretcher behind him, loaded down with all kinds of equipment and tools.
"Dining room on the yacht. I'll show you where." Niko shook the man's hand and waved in the direction of the boat. Kenny's inner circle followed behind and kept up watch over the area as they moved. It was a little weird having other people giving him protection. He was used to always looking over his shoulder, now he had about six men flanking him and scanning for enemies.
"And how is little Katie? Did she ever reach out to the other therapist I suggested?" He gripped Niko's arm as he took the large step from the dock to the boat.
"She is well. I don't know if she did, but you can ask her." Niko escorted him down the hall and into the dining room where Kenny was still being tended to by Gerry, Packie, Kate, and Gordon. A pissed off Avia was resting on her knees by Kenny's side, holding his hand, and brushing his bangs away from sticking on his forehead.
"I see. Well. I got this." The doc gave Niko a thin smile and slowly made his way over to Kenny, immediately instructing everyone on what to do in order to get him lifted onto the stretcher. Gerry's men nodded to Niko as they walked past him, pulling the loaded down stretcher with them.
"Pakhan. Roy has arrived, but we have a bigger issue outside." Georgi lowered the cell phone from his ear and addressed Kenny's temporary replacement.
"What kind of problem?" Niko turned away from watching the doc tend to Kenny to focus on his second. The chilly exchange between Kate and Avia was hard to miss.
"The kind that requires Gerry to be present. As well has his second and Gordon." Georgi nodded at Gordon when they made eye contact.
"Best not keep this problem waiting." Gerry wiped his bloodied hands on a towel as he walked up to Niko and the impeccably dressed man in a suit that he assumed was part of Kenny's group, "Packie, Gordon? Let's go see what the problem is outside."
"Yeah alright. You got this doc?" Packie stood up from helping Kate put pressure on a large gash along Kenny's side, to help the doc kneel down in his place.
"I most certainly do, my boy. Have a couple of your men stay behind to assist?" The doc hummed once he saw the extensive damage done to Kenny, "Hello my dearest Kate, I see you have improved your ability at stitching!"
Packie ignored the conversation that picked up between the doc and his sister and grabbed Gordon's arm when he hesitated to move. If someone in Kenny's circle said there was an issue that needed everyone present, then they needed to get outside. And not keep anyone waiting. Roy struck him as someone who didn't like waiting. Gordon didn't look happy in the slightest and he gave him a weird look.
Niko made to go back out in the hall when Georgi held him back, "You are to walk out last. You out rank everyone."
"Their lives are no less important than mine." Niko glanced down to the hand that held his forearm.
"Forgive me. But you are more important. You provide for them now. They work for you." Georgi released Niko's arm and bowed his head in apology.
"Niko?" Kate looked up from helping the doctor to see where he was at. Her mind was ultra-quiet on her and she was scared that if she didn't get snapped out of it soon, she would have a complete breakdown.
"I will be there in a minute. Keep everyone calm till I get there." Niko jerked his head toward the exit to get Kenny's second moving and made his way over toward Kate. He held his hand out to her to help her stand up. Her hands and the sleeves of the Albanian jacket were covered in blood, but he didn't pay it any mind.
"What's going on?" She softly spoke as Niko moved her away from Kenny and toward the far wall. He didn't want Avia or the doc overhearing their private conversation.
"Everything is happening. Things I don't want to happen, things that will help us in the long run, things that will probably come between us, and things that put everything we know and love in jeopardy. I need to know right now if you are willing to stay. That no matter what we will figure this out together. That no matter how bleak and bad it appears now, that we won't turn on each other." He brushed his knuckle over her cheek and studied her eyes.
"Niko…" She sighed his name and glanced to the ring on his finger not understanding why he took it or was wearing it.
"I promised you. I promised myself. I will figure this out. But I need to know if you want to be with me." He cupped her face and tilted it to be able to read her expression. She may not want to voice her thoughts, but he knew how to read her, and he would do whatever it was she wanted.
"I love you. I've said so to you so many times. If I haven't left after all that we have been through, why would I leave now?" She reached up and held on to his wrists.
'Because I am basically Kenny Petrovic, and about to walk off this yacht with more authority than I've ever had in my entire life…
Because I killed your brother. Because I am endangering you. Because with just one word I can have anyone I want killed or hunted down.
Because I will be the one thing you've hated your entire life…
And I've gone and done the one thing you asked me not to…
I didn't give up this life.'
"Pakhan? You need to come see this." Georgi pressed the double doors open and kept his eyes trained to the floor, addressing the man that Kenny had been wanting to bring into the fold for so long.
"Swear to me Kate." He leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers, "Kate, promise me."
"I am with you. I won't leave." She whispered the words and closed her eyes. They would weather this storm together and get through it. They would be able to get to sunny skies and better times. They had four months of it. And there would be a time like that again.
'At least I pray there will be…'
"I love you. Remember that when this gets worse." Niko pressed a loving kiss to her lips before releasing her, "Stay with the doc and make sure Kenny gets taken care of. It's important."
"I love you too. And he is in good hands." Kate grabbed his hand and brought it up to her lips, kissing his knuckles just below Kenny's ring, "I may not know how Gerry demands people to show him loyalty or respect, but Pa wanted people to kiss his ring. I'm not about to touch that thing, but you know I would never intentionally hurt you or do anything to get you into trouble. I risked a lot running out into the streets to find my brother. I understand it better now- why you ask me to do things. It's not to punish me. It's to keep me safe."
"That's all I ever want to do. Is keep you safe, happy, and fulfilled. I worry about you every day. I care so much, and I am struggling to be the best version of myself for you." Niko threaded his fingers with hers and kissed the back of her hand where there was no blood.
"Just be you. I don't want a piece of you. I want all of you. If that means… If that means you take over the city and boss people around for a time, then okay. But…" Kate sighed and leaned into his body. She couldn't believe she was relenting and giving up the one barrier she held to protect herself.
"This is not forever. Once Kenny is awake and better, it goes right back to him." Niko hugged her to him and looked up at the ceiling wondering how he ever got so lucky… Or unlucky.
"Pakhan. It is important you come outside." Georgi pressed one more time, trying to keep from listening in and spying on his new boss with his woman.
"Avia will keep you safe while I am gone. I won't take too long." Niko kissed the top of her head and walked backwards from her, "I will always come back for you."
"Go be whoever you need to be. I'll be here waiting." Kate smiled softly and walked back over to Kenny and Francis' other detective.
"What am I walking into?" Niko joined Georgi out in the hall and fell in stride with him.
"I was told someone who knows you is demanding you come see who he has found. I believe this will be your first real test as the head of the Petrovic Bratva." He held the door open for Niko and cast his eyes downward as Niko moved out into the night air.
Immediately the entire Irish gang moved aside and lowered their heads as he walked past them, removing hats if they had one on. They stood around on the stern of the yacht and made sure their weapons were pointed down and away from the walkway they had created for Niko. Silently Niko jumped the short distance to the pier and noticed that all of Kenny's men raised a fist to their chest and kept their eyes downcast out of respect.
It felt weird being shown high praise and loyalty from people who wanted him dead at one point in time. He heard Georgi following behind him, as well as Kenny's men as they flanked them, making a wall of protection. He heard weapons being made ready to fire. They genuinely believed him to be assuming power and would do what they were paid to do.
He stepped down onto the sandy and grassy shore from the pier and witnessed Gerry, Packie, and Gordon step aside from a body that was huddled on the ground. Kenny's man shifted out to his sides and moved their weapons around to look for threats or enemies.
"I pledge my services and friendship to the new head of the Petrovic Bratva. May you keep us prosperous and well." Roy spoke up from his place against a large boulder, his own security team surrounding him, their weapons trained on the person bound on the ground.
"You will keep the same arrangements you had with Kenny, with me. You cross me and I will kill you." Niko glared to the man he didn't trust and lifted an eyebrow when Roy went to object, "Know your place."
"Understood. Forgive me." Roy gave just enough of a head tilt to show he was sorry and would honor his agreements with Kenny.
"Niko? What are these men talking about?" Bernie spoke softly in Serbian and had Niko snap his attention to him.
"I am doing Kenny a favor…" Niko started to explain before he saw who it was bound, gagged, and bleeding on the ground, "Good hunting?"
"I would not have found him, if it wasn't for these two lovely gentlemen." Bernie nearly beamed in pride and waved to the men next to him, "I don't think you've been formally introduced, but this is my friend Tony Prince, and his associate Luis Lopez. They own the club I was at tonight when I happened to mention needing to find a certain someone."
"This your man bro?" Luis trained his machine pistol on the person who tried to mess up a couple of regulars in the club. Tony had told him to tie him up and load him into the trunk of his car. Then next thing he knows he's driving Tony and his friend over into Dukes. "Oi, asshole, look up so they can see your ugly mug." He kicked the man over so his face would be visible in the low light coming from the moon.
"Thank you for bringing him here." Niko crossed his arms and studied how Bobby was shallowly breathing, "You kick his ass?"
"Between my friend and my boy, he didn't stand a chance. A female complained to a bouncer that he was harassing Gracie and her friend… Wait. You're the one who kidnapped Gracie!" Tony pointed a finger accusingly at Niko and then he caught sight of Gerald and Patrick McReary, "And you two arranged it!"
Luis pointed his gun at Niko, "That true? Do I need to set this man free and come at you now?"
Georgi and the entire collective Russian mafia moved in front of Niko and trained their weapons on the man that had just threatened their new boss. The Irish men also lifted their weapons and looked to Gerry to know if they had permission to fire if it came down to it. Even Roy flicked a finger and had his men come to attention. There was a wall of protection before Niko and his associates- well Kenny's business partners anyway.
Bernie scooted to the side and pulled his own gun, pointing it at the back of Luis, "You helped me get this rat to his extermination. But you do not get to talk to Niko that way."
"Woah, woah, woah, okay everyone! Let's settle down. Just who are you?" Tony stuck his hand out and forced Luis to lower his weapon.
"You will address the head of the Petrovic Bratva with respect." Georgi took a step forward, "And you will apologize for the perceived threat on his life."
"Kenny Petrovic? You took over for Kenny?" Tony lowered his glasses to be able to get a better look at the man who was surrounded by people armed and ready to kill on his word.
"For now, yes. You have found and brought me someone who killed Kenny's men and may have orchestrated the kidnapping and torture of Kenny. For this I will let you two walk free. But if I even feel you breathing in my direction, my men will not hesitate to take care of any issues we have between one another." Niko placed his hand to Georgi's shoulder and silently asked him to move out of his way, "Do we have an understanding?" He spoke to Tony but was studying the man with the gun. He had seen him somewhere before, but he was having trouble placing his face to all the people he had run into last year in Liberty.
"Oh I have zero quarrel with Petrovic or his friends. Come on Luis." Tony turned to leave and patted his friend's arm trying to encourage him to let it go and head back to the club.
"Thank you for being on Happiness Island back in October. Natalya destroyed many lives and I thank you for being there to keep her from escaping." Niko shifted his eyes off of Tony who was trying to retreat, and looked to Luis, "I will not forget that."
"Yeah. Well. Fuck that bitch, and Dimitri. Already had to deal with one crazy Russian- so it was nothing to try and take out another." Luis shrugged and tucked his pistol away. He was ready to get the hell away from all the guns and out of a dire situation that was getting worse the longer he stayed there.
"Wait. Crazy Russian?" Niko lowered his arms and looked at Georgi when he started to lower his weapon and look to him for what to do.
"Ray Bulgarin. Dude was a goddamn nightmare. Bro got what was coming to him." Luis paused and turned back to look at Niko, "He isn't part of your group, is he?"
"No. And I would watch your back. Ray's men were here in Liberty. I don't know why, but if they are coming after whoever killed their boss, I would surround yourself with protection." Niko waved his hand and let everyone know they could stand down. He had just found the man responsible for eliminating one large pain in the ass.
"Thanks for the heads up." Her jerked his head to the side and walked off with Tony. It wasn't something he was expecting- retaliation for blowing up Bulgarin's plane.
"You-You're a natural." Bobby coughed from his place on the ground and wheezed when he tried to laugh.
"And you're a dead man." Niko held his hand out and was handed a gun from one of Kenny's men.
"You don't have the balls."
Niko fired the gun and hit Bobby's leg, smirking at the scream that ripped from his throat.
"What was that? I don't think I heard you." Niko took the couple of steps closer to Bobby and used his foot to roll him over to look him in the eye, "I have had years of taking out the trash and killing rats." Kenny's crew spread out and enclosed their boss and the bound man, securing off any escape or way for someone to witness the killing that was about to take place.
Gerry, Packie, Gordon, and Bernie moved to be at Niko's back in silent support. Gordon didn't like listening to the whimpering Bobby was producing and it was making him feel sick. Bernie seemed to notice and patted his shoulder as if to say, 'if you need to leave, you can'. Gordon nodded slowly and made his way back to the pier, hoping the distance would drown out the noise.
Roy smirked from his place and enjoyed getting to see Niko be all he could be. The utter coldness, ruthlessness, and anger excited him. This was how to run a mafia. He felt Kenny was getting too soft in his old age- letting people live and escape to other countries, only to have it bite them in the ass later. No. This is who he wanted running things.
"You're about to learn a lesson, actions have consequences." Niko spoke the words he had given Dimitri before killing him on the Platypus. The parallels spun his world and if he tried hard enough, he could picture the bloodied face of Dimitri, knowing his time had come.
"People… People won't be happy if you kill me." Bobby took in heavy gulps of air and forced his eyes to focus on Niko who towered over him.
"You see? Dimitri said something along those lines too before I filled his face with a shotgun slug. Might make your freckles worth looking at." A few of the Russians around him chuckled and it spurred him on, "I tried to leave this life. I wanted to have a quiet, reserved, violence free life. But you had to show up and fuck all that up."
"Your life? Violence free? Don't make me laugh." Bobby spit some blood out of his mouth, "Is this how Darko looked bound before you? Gonna get all soft and sentimental on me like you did him?"
Niko fired the gun again and hit Bobby's shoulder.
"No."
"Fuck you man!" Bobby moaned in pain and rolled his head from side to side.
"You touched Kate. You attacked Ron. You killed Kenny's men. For that your life is mine." Niko moved to the side when Bobby tried to roll away from him.
"What? You… You plan on shooting me… in the head like Der-"
Niko fired a round right between Bobby's eyes silencing him instantly.
'Fuck.'
aaaaaa
Don't hate me if it takes me a week or so before the next chapter. I have it halfway written. But like I said, editing, planning, and all the things I enjoy as my hobby are about to be put on hold till my life resettles once more. But I will get this finished and updated as I can. I love this too much to just give it up. Let me know your thoughts or comments. It motivates me greatly. One Love!
Also thank you to the people who have commented and given me support through this. It's beyond words greatly appreciated. Thank you!
One Love.