We all sat kind of in an awestruck shock, wearing masks of disbelief on each of our faces. Christian and I had been working here a while, we should have been used to this kind of thing but we were as surprised as Lissa was.
The only one who wasn't surprised was Rose.
Kirova just sat back knowingly in her chair thinking, plotting.
"I can't say I'm not surprised it happened. I'm a little intrigued on how it happened," she said leaning back. She stared up at the ceiling, pondering.
"My father…Abe," Rose said correcting her self. "If he wants something he gets it."
"Especially if it means getting rid of a betrayer," Lissa said coming out of her state of shock.
"I wonder if it was Jesse who did," Christian muttered, leaning against the wall. Kirova checked to see if the office door was closed to make sure we weren't being overheard.
"I wouldn't be surprised. I've had a few undercovers following Jesse and they things they report back to me that he was doing were appalling," she said disgusted.
"Drug dealing?" I asked.
"More than just that. Drug dealing, using, prostitution, and now murder," Kirova listed.
She handed me the yellow folder with the crime scene pictures.
It was gruesome and a little nauseating to look at, even if it was Ambrose.
When Abe Mazur wanted someone out of the way he went all out, to every end, to be sure that it was done.
"We're not even sure if it's Jesse. Maybe there's another mole in the building," Lissa tried, sounding hopeful.
Christian, curious, asked,"Why are you defending him?"
"Because, if someone who has had easy access to Rose and I is really someone who can do something like that," she explained gesturing to the crime scene photos. "What's the point of being here and helping you guys? He can come after us at anytime!" she shrieked.
She rested her hand against her forehead from exhaustion and worry.
"He won't be coming after you because tonight is the beginning of the end of all of this. I want this mess cleaned up and this case closed. I want every dirty cop behind bars and I want Abe Mazur and Eric Dragomir right in there with them," Kirova demanded. "I want anyone associated with those two in a prison cell of their own. No phone calls and complete isolation."
Rose looked up from her saddened stupor.
"Anyone associated? Even…even my mother?"
Kirova stopped her ranting and moved around her large wooden desk to sit before Rose.
No one could resist that sad note in her voice.
"Your mother's made her choice and you've made yours. You're both on separate sides of the law and unfortunately her side entitles her to jail time."
Kirova had never spoken gently to anyone in her life. It must have been the effect Rose had on people.
"But we don't know if our mother's really broke the law," Lissa tried sitting up straight and forward.
"They're breaking the law just by staying with them. They're accomplices and aiding and abetting your fathers, L," Christian told her.
She slumped in her chair again.
"How do you know that they're not just scared of our fathers?" She tried, sitting up again.
"Miss Dragomir, we have photo's of your mother making a few of her own deals, hiring kidnapped illegal immigrants to sell into sex rings just so she'd make money," Kirova told her.
"My mother would never-" Lissa started, her words turning into, sobs. Christian lowered his head to not see the tears falling from her cheeks.
"Liss, we both know she would and she did," he said solemnly.
"And what about my mom?"
"Miss Mazur, we don't have direct proof of your mother breaking any laws but I'd like for her to do time just for being world's worst mother. I intend to arrest her on abandonment charges, abuse, neglect and anything else I can think of until something comes up," Kirova said looking Rose in the eye.
Rose just nodded.
"This isn't fair," Lissa cried, standing up. "My family is being torn apart! We were fine before I decided to help you guys! My parents would rather kill themselves than do jail time! My brother would do the same! We weren't even born here, you can't arrest them!"
"They became U.S. citizens years ago and they broke U.S. laws as citizens," Kirova explained.
"I don't want to do this anymore! This has to stop! I already feel guilty for going behind their backs and-"
"Lissa calm down," Christian tried moving toward her.
"No! It's not fair!"
She kicked her chair back and ran out of the office, slamming the door behind her.
Rose stood up and put up a hand to stop Christian.
"I'll go get her."
She met my eyes briefly, closing the door behind her.
Kirova sighed, her shoulders slumping.
This case was taking a heavy toll on all of us. I tried not to look at the crime scene photos again but it was like watching a car accident happen and you just can't look away. I didn't even recognize Ambrose. His face and body were so distorted and out of place I wouldn't have even known it was him unless Kirova told me.
I couldn't keep the thought away that if this is what happens when someone betrays Abe Mazur, what would happen to Rose who they already treated badly?
RPOVLiss was passing on the stairwell.
We were too afraid to step outside away from the comfort and safety of the FBI building. Although it couldn't be that safe if their prisoners were dying and they had dirty cops working in there.
"How did things get this bad?" Liss asked. She ran her hand through her hair tangling it. "I had a nice, beautiful vacation with Christian and we come back and this happens!"
"Lissa calm down-"
"NO!"
I stepped back. Liss was frantic. I'd never seen her this way before. I tried consoling her again.
"Lissa, think about what Ambrose was going to do to you. Think about all of the terrible things he's done to me. Think about how everything our fathers have done is ten times worse."
"I don't care. I just want things back the way they were. I want to forget," she shrieked with a shaky voice.
I moved toward her again, wrapping my arm around her shoulders.
"Lissa, you're scared. I get that. I'm freaking out too but I think that the sooner they're in jail the sooner we'll feel a little bit safer again," I tried reassuring.
"But I'll be alone!"
I pulled her back from me to get a good look at her with what I'm sure was a confused expression.
"Is that what this is about? You're afraid of being alone? You have Christian and you're better off without and away from your family.
"How can you say that? They're all I have! I'm not like you I'm not used to being alone!"
I ignored that and went on.
"What about Christian?"
She sighed and wiped her face of unseen tears.
"I love him. I'm just not used to someone being there and I'm afraid that if it doesn't work out, I'll be alone again and my family won't be there," she whispered staring up at the ceiling.
"You'll have me, your best friend and I'm sure Christian will always be there for you and Dimitri if you ever needed anything. We have our own little family," I said happily. It had taken me a while to realize it but I did have a family.
"Its just…change. I don't like change. I can't stand the thought of my entire family being taken away fro me."
I sighed, defeated. I don't think there was any way to convince her.
"Lissa, Kirova was right when she said that they made their choice-"
"Kirova doesn't know anything about us! How can you condemn your mother like that!"
I nibbled on my bottom lip.
"She doesn't want me Liss," I started, voice shaky. "She told me she wished I was never born or that I was dead."
"She's still your mother," she retorted.
"That's easy for you to say. Your parents treated you a hell of a lot better than mine treated me."
Lissa sighed and slid down the wall of the stairwell, her head in her hands.
"What am I going to do?"
"Lissa, it's already happening. Just let it happen. I like the way things are now. Why are you being so difficult and trying to take this away from me?"
"I'm not. Christian is really special to me but… I'm not sure if he's special enough for me to forget about my family."
"I give up," I muttered standing above her. "I'm sick of trying to help you and convince you. I thought you wanted something better out of life but if you want to go and throw everything you have right now away and return to your family's criminal arms, go ahead. I'm done trying to save you."
Lissa stared down at the tiled floor beneath us.
Tears brimmed at the edge of her jade green eyes.
"Rose, I'm sorry." She stood then and straightened out the sundress she was wearing, a determined look on her face. "But I can't do this. Dying scares me…especially at the hands of Victor or anyone else our father's hire for betraying them. I have to warn them. I have to save them."
"Lissa! Don't!"
She moved to the exit standing under the neon sigh.
"I'm sorry Rose. This life isn't us…we're better off on the wrong side of the law. I don't think they can protect us here."
Why was this happening? Things were fine and going great. Every time I feel happy or I escape from the nightmare of my reality, it's taken away from me. Something is always there to stop it.
I had Dimitri and that meant more to me than everything in the world.
I thought of the hurt on his face when he realized I was leaving with Lissa. I couldn't let her go by her self. I could let my best friend die. Even if I hated her at the moment.
I glanced over my shoulder at the door that led back into the office building and then I turn back to a waiting Lissa.
I didn't know if she was expecting me to stop her or if she knew that I would go with her.
I'd never abandon her.
"Let's go," I muttered.
She pushed the exit open and we walked outside toward who knows what trouble.
DPOVAlmost fifteen minutes had passed.
The three of us were putting up a plan together on how to bring the Mazurs and the Dragomirs in with as few casualties as possible.
"We know that they're all at the Mazur home since the Dragomir house has yet to be released as a crime scene," Kirova said. "The bust will happen there. Here is a list of all of the officers I cleared of any wrongdoing. I want every available officer on this list there with us. No one escapes unless they pose as a threat. No one shoots unless they're shot at. Understood?"
"Yup," Christian and I said together.
"Good. We should go and get the girls and they are to stay here."
"I'm not sure if it's as safe here as we thought," Christian said.
"That's true, "Kirova said thinking about it. "Maybe we need an unofficial hiding place."
"My family home is safe and out of the way," I offered. "It's at least a couple of hours out of town. We could have a trusted patrol office drive them, watch over them and then bring them back when the air is clear."
"That's good. I like that idea," Christian said.
"Yes but I want all of the available officers making the arrest with us. We don't know how many men those to mob kings have. Isn't there anyone else we can have drive them?"
"What about Natasha?" I suggested. "She's not an official officer and no one would really notice her absence."
Kirova eyes brightened.
"I like that. I'll go and get her and all of the available trusted officers on that list to inform them. You two check your weapons for the raid and bring the girls back upstairs. I don't want anything to go wrong. I want this to go down perfectly," Kirova ordered.
We nodded and made our way down the stairway where we saw the girls go.
"I hope this works as easily as it sounds," Christian confessed sliding his gun back into its holder at the waist and pulling his jeans over the one at his ankle.
"Same here."
We walked up and down the stair way and there was n sign of them.
"I doubt they went outside," Christian said.
"Let's check anyway."
We circled the building, called every floor but we couldn't find them.
When we walked up the stair way again I noticed a side door propped barely open, easily missed the first time we went around.
"They didn't," I m uttered opening the door wider. It led to another hallway that went down to the street.
"They did," Christian said. "What do we do now?" he asked messing his hair.
"Does Lissa have her cell phone?"
"No, it was logged as evidence after the attack and she never got a new one. She didn't need one since she was with me," he explained. "What about Rose?"
"I never bought her one either. I was going to for her birthday but I don't think it matter now."
"They can't be too far ahead of us. We can go after them," Christian proposed.
Before I could say anything, Kirova burst through the door from inside the building.
"Jesse was spotted lurking around the building and he may have been tipped off to what's happening. Where are the girls?"
Christian and I looked at one another and then turned to Kirova.
"We don't know. We searched the building. They're not here."
"You don't think that Jess…" Christian let the thought trail off.
"Goodness, I hope not," Kirova, murmured, her hand at her chest.
Christian pouched his fist through the wall.
I was trying to ignore the image of what they had done to Ambrose and the fear of what they'd do to Rose.