Pretty long chapter! Enjoy.
After the plane landed in Moscow, they were given their train tickets and sent off to the station within the hour.
The train that would take them across ths Trans-Siberian Railway over the next eight days was incredible; luxurious even in the lower class cabins. For some reason, they were put in first class, surprising Nelya. When they took their seats opposite each other after putting away their bags, however, they soon grew agitated, now very fed up with sitting down.
Changing stops twice by the sixth day on the way to the station where they would catch the ferry to the island, the dining car opened for breakfast on the seventh day and the two thankfully got up to get some food, which, upon closer inspection at the start of their journey, was not as lavish as the interior of the train. Picking bits and pieces of cheese, bread and fruit, they made their way back. But something wasn't right.
Because just like before all of the little... situations they ever came across, it was far too quiet. Apart from a handful of people, the car was empty, and nobody was touching the trays of food laid out for them, the growing tension unmistakable.
"Now?" Blake whispered subtly into her ear, "Can't they wait until after we've eaten?"
"Whoever 'they' are." She muttered, eyeing a well-dressed woman approaching them from the left. He pulled her close to him, his arm around her waist.
She looked up at him in question, to which he answered, "If we keep together, they might not suspect who we are, just yet."
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Definitely."
Despite the roll of her eyes, she didn't push him away, focusing her attention on the other passengers. They screamed 'suspicious' yet they did nothing until ten minutes of glances to and fro had passed.
"Miss Clyne?" The woman behind them said.
Letting out a breath of relief, she answered, "Yes?"
"We take it you're here to assassinate our leader." Her accent was heavy, but it wasn't a Russian one.
"That's what I was told to do."
"But you won't."
"No, I won't."
Next to her, Blake had to make a concerted effort to suppress a grin at Nelya's 'alpha wolf' showing. It was what she was, he thought, why hide it? The woman blinked but maintained her composure, "Come with me." She said, turning and walking to the end of the car, opening the door there to another. Cautiously, they followed. Inside sat a truck, large enough to fit them all in, a driver already in his seat.
"Get in."
"May I ask why?"
"She knew you were coming."
"Don't they all? But you haven't answered my question."
"Everything will become clear when we get there."
"Cryptic," she turned to Blake, who nodded, and then back to the woman, "Let's go."
Blake assumed they would get off the train once it stopped at the next station, but apparently they were leaving now, driving-off-the-train-now. They had just had time to buckle up before the truck began to reverse, turning right abruptly and shooting out the car and onto the frosty plain of grass by the tracks, landing unceremoniously before speeding off south-east.
As usual, these kidnapping situations weren't much for conversation. For an hour and a half awkward glances passed between the seven of them, he and Nelya keeping their hands close together, the sun setting just outside the window.
But soon, they came up to an empty ferry port, devoid of any sign of life apart from heavily armoured vehicles on either side of a wooden dock where a dark boat floated on calm waters.
The ride took twenty minutes, but just as they were nearing land, flames erupted in the sky, crashing down on the island.
"No..." The woman said, watching the ground burn as it was hit with wave after wave of fire. She rushed to the head of the boat and took the controls, speeding up the boat to dock, jumping out as it swung to a stop and running up a path and into a patch of trees.
Momentarily frozen, Nelya came to her senses and followed suit, Blake on her heels. They found a trapdoor in the brush and went down the steps into a weave of catacombs. They would never have made it through if not for the sobs they heard ahead of them.
Soon, they were met with an antechamber, the doors at the back were wide open, leading into a large bedroom. The weeping had stopped but hushed conversation had replaced it. Slowly, Nelya entered the room as Blake remained at the threshold, taking in the high ceiling and the luxurious tapestries and silks lining the walls and hanging from the ceiling. A candle lit chandelier illuminated the four poster bed on the right side of the room and behind the iridescent curtain hanging from it, she could make out a figure.
"The island, it's under attack," the woman whispered urgently, "We can get you out, it'll be fine."
"No," came the weak reply, "You must go. I will be a burden."
Nelya's heart dropped. That voice.
"How can you think that? We can't leave-"
"That is an order." They cut off.
She circled round the bed to see for herself. Unsure of what she was praying for; her assumptions to be right or wrong. As it happens, they were right.
"Acacia?" She whispered.
The young woman lying on the bed propped up by large pillows was visibly fragile, her complexion pallid and cheeks hollow. But nobody could mistake the resemblance between them. The same chocolaty almond eyes and straight nose, the only difference being her hair was slightly lighter.
"Wh- How...?" She stuttered for words as she slowly crept nearer, still unbelieving.
A tear dripped down Acacia's cheek, "Nelya." She smiled, but it wasn't a happy one.
"I saw you die." Her voice shook, "Zirnitra, he killed you."
Acacia gave the woman to her left a glance and nodded, bidding her leave. When she was out of sight, Nelya came to her side, ignoring her sister's open hand, "He staged everything. He wanted to see who would come out on top. Me, or you." Another tear, "He told me you had died too. And I believed him. But I was a fool to stay with him."
"Why did you?"
"He said it wasn't him who wanted Mum, but Ra's. That he was the saviour of the League. Then, I saw you last year. With him." She indicated behind Nelya at Blake, who had come into the room quietly.
"You're, you're the assassin that fought me. The one in the mask." He said.
"That was when I saw you." She said to her sister, "You freed us both."
"You said nothing." The two of were crying now, silently, yet with a sadness such young people should never experience. A sadness all three of them knew all too well.
"I believed you were doing well without the knowledge that I was alive. You found somebody. I didn't want to take that away from you." There was a rumble from above, clashes of metal. Whoever was attacking was getting close.
"And now, we're falling. The great League reduced to hiding in a damp cave underground. A weapons manufacturer after my head and sent my big sister for it." She laughed without humour and it grew into a dry coughing fit, "I'm dying, Nelya. Cancer, my lungs are shot."
Nelya knelt and placed her hand on Acacia's shoulder, "Nan had cancer."
"I have Dad's genes to thank, then."
"He and Mum never got over what happened."
"I should have gone to them. I should have let you all know." She placed her hand on Nelya's arm, "And here we are. Fate's a bitch, innit?"
She chuckled, "You joker."
There were cries in the distance, getting closer by the second.
"You need to go." Acacia urged.
"What about you?"
"I saw you, Nelya, that's enough. I love you, kay?"
A harsh sob ripped through Nelya, "I love you too..."
"Now go, they'll never get the satisfaction of killing me." This, she directed at Blake, who understood straight away, taking Nelya by the waist gently and pulling her up.
"What are you doing?" She cried, struggling against his grip, "Blake!"
"Nel, don't. We need to leave." He answered, arms wrapped around hers and lifting her away, getting out the door.
"No! Acacia! Blake, let me go, or I swear I'll-"
"Do what?" He put her down but didn't let her go, "We know there is no saving her and you staying is not going to change that."
"She's my baby sister." She crumbled in on herself.
"I know." He hugged her, "All we can do now is fend these guys off until...you know."
Nelya took a deep breath, wiping her face and stepping back, "Lets do this."
They met the woman who had brought them here, whose name was Lana, again. She told them about the weapons manufacturer being the one behind the attack. The League hadn't been able to pay off their debt they owed him. Now he wanted a more personal type of payment.
Lana went back into the bedroom, locking it from the inside as Blake and Nelya went up to meet the intruders. This was one fight she would happily take part in.