This story has been pretty flat lately. I read through it before submitting to see what I can add or delete. I am almost satisfied with how this chapter came out. Towards the end of the chapter, it gets pretty intense. It's becoming a bad habit.
Chapter 30
"The past caught up"
To my surprise, Niko was fast asleep beside me. It was so adorable how he was sleeping. He was on his back with a pillow over his head. He must have been bothered by the light that was creeping closer to his face. The thing I found odd was his groaning deeply. He must have been having a nightmare. I examined his body and saw he had an erection. I giggled at him. He was having an erotic dream. I got the idea to please him while he slept. The blankets went to the foot of the bed. His shorts did nothing to hide the erection. I eased him out, whispering to his sleeping body. My mouth teased him as I sucked lightly on his head. He moaned deeply at this. In a rush to please him more passionately, I took him in as far as I could take him. I gagged a little when I went too far. What I didn't realize was him waking up and slapping both sides of my face with his hands, prying me off and throwing me off the bed. He looked horrified as he moved over to me and began to attack me.
"Niko! What are you doing?!" I coiled myself into the fetal position to block his punches. They were very painful.
"Niko! Stop it!" I cried.
I saw his eyes. They looked like he was going in for the kill. I rolled out from under him when he wound up for the finishing punch.
"Why are you attacking me?! That hurts!" I already had bruises forming on my face and arms. He didn't stop his assult.
I ran for my phone and called Roman. He'd help me. Ethan heard me screaming and he found me in the corner of the bedroom with Niko slowly approaching me. He lept on top of Niko from behind and wrestled him down to the floor. I used my body to hold him down as well.
Roman eventually answered his phone. I told him I needed him to help me. Unfortunately, he was busy with Mila and couldn't come. There was only one other way I could get him to calm down. He squirmed underneath us as he tried to get his attackers off. I used my voice to get inside his head. Shouting wasn't helping.
"Niko. I know you're in there. Wake up." I whispered. "It's tvoj slatki anđeo sa neba."
He listened, but he still was trying to get up. Ethan pushed down harder to keep him from attacking.
"Ethan, get off. I think I can get him to calm down faster if you stop fighting him."
"He's going to attack you!"
"No he won't. Let him up."
He hesitated at first for a few minutes. Then, he slowly lifted his body off. It was all it took for Niko to grab Ethan by the arm and swing him around. I caught him when he threw Ethan at me. Both of us crashed into the wall, putting a hole through it. Thankfully, it was the other side where the neighbors weren't.
"Niko. Relax." I said as I stood up.
Ethan was ready to defend if he charged again. He was breathing hard and he was still tense. From past experiences with his terrors, he looked like he was gradually coming back to himself. I approached him cautiously as he stood upright. It wasn't an opposing posture, but one that looked like he was warning us to stay away.
"Zar se ne sećaš, Niko?"
"I can't recall who you are."
His reply scared me. Could his terrors be giving him memory loss? I prayed it was temporary.
"It's me, Niko."
He looked at me. Not recognizing friends or foes. I think he was remembering. If we didn't attack him, he'd see us as friends.
"I remember you." He whispered after a while.
We stood where we were and waited for his next move. I know he noticed my bruises on my face.
"Did I hit you?"
There was no use lying to him. It only would hurt him more.
"You did. But it's okay. You had another night terror."
"This is getting out of hand. Out of control. It is happening more frequently." He said just after I spoke.
"What was your dream this time? Do you remember?"
"A little too well. It still burns in my head."
I moved to him and grabbed his hand. His body was numb as I asked him to sit on the bed. I wanted to make sure he didn't run again.
"I was basically being raped."
"Basically? What happened?"
He looked to the floor. Not trusting what he should say for it was feeling real.
"It happened yesterday."
"I know. You had a nightmare last night."
"Yes. But it really happened."
He brought me into his embrace and rested his head against my belly. My arms wrapped around his head while he spoke.
"I was supposed to come home like I said, but I was kidnapped. By the cab driver. I tried to escape. It was no use." He paused his story. He took a deep breath and waited for my questioning. I wanted the whole story first.
"I cracked the glass and lept out of the car." He lifted his leg to show me his wound. The bandage was removed, and there was a long deep gash streching from his knee to just above his ankle.
I gasped at the sight of it. It was bleeding again from the fight. I ran to the bathroom to bind his leg before more blood got on the floor.
"I ran away, but I didn't get too far. Some Russians had me surrounded with rifles. I blacked out after that. I woke up in a warehouse in a walk in freezer." He winced a little when I continued to wipe the blood from his leg.
"Why did they take you there?"
"Do you remember that day we were attacked at the beach? It was the same group of Russians who attacked us who got me. They were watching and waiting for me to be alone. The opportunity came when I hailed a cab."
"Yeah, but why are these Russians after you? Is this about your trial?"
"This has nothing to do with the trial. This has to do with what I did after the war. I was in charge of a lot of money being transported to a man called Ray Bulgarin. The ship sank and the money was lost with it. I swam for my life. It should have ended then. Most of my life was spent running away from him. He followed me the whole time. Just when I thought I was safe, he found me. He had a network of people working for him. It was only a matter of time when he'd find me next."
"You told me this when we started dating. You said these Russians were killed. Including this Ray Bulgarin."
"They reformed under a new boss. Remember Mikhail Faustin?"
"You mentioned him."
"His daughter reformed the Russian mob. She was Bulgarin's niece. These Russians were all related in some way. She was going to torture the information out of me about the lost money. She was getting a little hot and bothered when her men stuck electrode pads on my chest. I can't believe she was enjoying the idea of torturing me." He gathered himself again before he continued. "I was thinking of a way out when she commented how attractive I was. I used that to my advantage."
"Don't tell me you fucked her."
"No. But she tried to get me in bed. I wasn't sure where there was a bed in a warehouse. Any chance I had to get out of that building, I took. I was trying to get her alone. Taking on multiple people was too difficult."
"So, what did you do?"
"I wanted to decoy her. Once she saw my erection, I knew she would be easy to trick. I didn't want her at all. "
"She saw you?! Why did you even have an erection?!"
"She was rubbing on me. I didn't want her, but she was getting me turned on."
"Niko!"
He looked away. He just dug himself deeper.
"I'm sorry, but if I worked on her, she'd let her guard down. I promise you, she didn't touch me after that."
"But she saw you!"
"Alright. I am a typical man. I swear I didn't want her. I love you. You have to believe me. What I did was to get out alive."
I tried to understand his reasoning for his plan.
"Once she was distracted, I was going to run. It didn't work because she said there were men outside and they'd shoot me down. I managed to get the gun she had and I used it against her. I got past the men inside. There was one last guard outside, but he got too suspicious and went with us in a car. I drove the car off into the river and stole the Primo to get home."
It added all up. Not one word was a lie. I still didn't like the idea that this chick was able to see him erect. I guess he did what he had to do. Which he has been saying all this time when we were together.
"Alright. I understand."
He nodded his thanks, but I told him he didn't need to thank me just trying to survive. He was an expert at getting out of those hostage situations after all.
"But now, they are regrouped and out for me again. I can't be alone anymore."
"What if Karen arrests them? She's got the power to."
"With her in the hospital, they are bound to strike again. I don't think they know where we are yet."
"What if we call the agency to send another to protect us?"
"My phone was taken. I'm sure they hacked it by now."
"All the more reason to call immediately!"
I began to get nervous. The threat of these Russians finding out where we were hiding was never greater than this. Niko told me he doesn't remember the phone number and Karen would be the one to make the call. That meant we needed to take another trip to the hospital. We were sitting ducks in the condo, so Niko gathered some "essentials" and sat in the car he just stole. He said the Russians would recognize Karen's Calvacade since they were watching the home. Plus, it wasn't as flashy and it kept a low profile as we snuck up to the hospital.
Once inside, Karen was caught up on the situation. It was a good thing she was awake. She called her employers and informed them we needed another place to stay.
"Perhaps it is safe for you to stay here for the time being. They won't attack in public." She said after her long phone call.
Her connections were working diligently to find us another place. We were going to be flown in by helicopter to another house far away from the city. The trial was next week and that meant we all needed to be in the courthouse to prevent being picked off. It sounded foolproof, but I was expecting anything to happen.
"Why did you go off on your own?" Karen asked.
"I don't know." He looked away. He was angry at himself. "I just wanted to be alone. I wanted to see Kate. I didn't want her to think I forgot her."
"Niko, there is a time and a place for things like that. I am sure Kate understands why you haven't visited her. She lived with a bunch of criminals. She knew what sort of trouble you ran into."
"That doesn't excuse me from visiting her."
All this talk about cemetery visits made me realize it's been a while since I visited my grandmother. I could just hear her now. Asking me why I decided to throw myself into this way of life. She was underatanding, but she always wanted what was best for me. This was certainly what was not best for me by any normal standards.
Karen and Niko exchanged words for a long while. Ethan and I sat out of it in the corner of the room. We held close to each other.
"Thank you for saving me from Niko." I whispered.
"You're welcome. Are you alright? He was hitting you pretty hard."
"I'll be fine, but my heart hurts."
"Your heart?"
"I don't know how long I can keep being with him. All I wanted to do this morning was to please him. To surprise him."
"You know you shouldn't wake him up. He's told you to not wake him up."
"I didn't know he was having a bad dream. He-" I didn't want to give too much information about his personal business.
"He what?"
"Nevermind. You don't want to hear."
"No, I do. What did he do?"
"He was having a dream. A dream he was being raped."
"What?"
"He must have thought we were the ones raping him."
"You keep saying you can't date him anymore. You two are so happy when you're together. Why do you keep doubting what you have?"
"Did you see the way he looked at me? At us? He looked crazy!"
"Sharon, he doesn't mean to attack you. If you leave him, you'll crush him. You're his last chance at happiness. True happiness. He wants to hold onto you."
"He said that?"
"He told me when he talked to me. He said he can't imagine life without you. Stop pushing him away."
"I'm not!" I said a little too loudly. This gained the attention of Niko and Karen. They were in their own conversation to listen to ours.
"Not what?" Niko asked.
"I'm not...hungry."
"Oh, well that's good."
Ethan looked at me. He suggested with his eyes I should tell him how I really feel instead of keeping it to myself. It would lead to relationship problems if I kept sweeping conflicts under the rug.
"I'll tell him later." I whispered.
The nurse came in and checked on Karen. She asked if she can get us anything. We all declined offers again. Then the doctor came in and handed Karen some papers. Niko glanced over the papers. They were working on discharging Karen tomorrow. Someone believed she recovered.
"This says someone wants her discharged. Can't we refuse that?"
"It's okay, Niko. I'm sick of being here doing nothing. I want to leave."
"But you've been here a few days! There's no way you're well enough to go home!" He yanked the papers from her hand. "Let me see these."
He turned away from her to avoid her snatching them back.
"It says your employers want you discharged! This is bullshit!" He tore the papers to shreads and used Karen's phone to call the agency. The display of anger frightened the doctor and nurse away.
"Hello! I need to speak with one of Karen Daniel's contacts!" He demanded.
"Niko, don't say anything stupid!"
"What's stupid is forcing your discharge when you're still not well."
He was put on hold as he paced back and forth in front of her bed. We all watched him as he glanced repeatedly at the clock.
"Those fucks hung up on me!" He said after ten minutes.
"Because they know my number. I'm fine, Niko. Really." She moved to the side of the bed. He watched her grimace a little and she put her feet on the floor.
He shook his head at her stubbornness. He knew hers because he was just as stubborn.
"Alright. We will see how you do."
We apologized over and over to the doctor as he re-wrote the discharge papers. This time they were under Karen's power and not her employers. This made Niko feel a little better. She was to he discharged tomorrow in the afternoon. She packed up her hospitality bag and soon, dinner was served. The staff shooed us away, having no patience left after Niko yelled at them before. We left her alone again and rushed home.
"Wait here. I'm going to scope this place out. Don't you dare leave this car until I say so." He said when he pulled up in the driveway.
He had no weapons, but he bravely went in without looking back. He searched for anyone hanging out inside the condominium for us to return. Both of us waited at the edge of our seats. Eyes glued at the front door. It seemed the coast was clear. There was no movements inside.
He waved us inside almost twenty minutes later. He really did a thorough search.
"Who's this guy?" I asked when I met eyes with a new man. He had on a suit. He looked much older than the men Karen's contacts have been sending.
"I am Jared. I've been sent to protect you."
"You're the guy Karen is talking to all the time about relocating us."
"Yes. If you'll come with me, there is a helicopter waiting to take you all to another location for the time being."
"What about Karen? She can't fly in her condition."
"She'll have to stay here. You three are in danger. The Russian mafia are on to you and know where your condominium is. They plan to attack soon."
We gathered up our things again, leaving nothing behind. Jared was nice enough to help us load up a white Declassee Moonbeam in the back of the condo. Jared took the wheel and drove off with all three of us inside.
"Where are we going?"
Jared looked around as if he was planning to set us up for an ambush. I still was really nervous.
"Hello?" Niko asked again once he didn't get an answer.
"I am looking for the helipad. We landed away from any main streets in a field. We're almost there. I am looking for an orange flag."
It was getting dark as we continued to search for the flag Jared mentioned. I saw Jared try and look at landmarks as if to recall where the helicopter was.
"I remember this, but it wasn't where we left the chopper."
"What's going on? Are you lost or trying to set us up?"
"I understand your distrust. Believe me when I say there was a chopper near here."
The open field where Jared claimed the chopper was suspiciously empty. We heard the wind blowing around and nothing else.
Jared got on the phone and called the employers as to where the chopper went. I stood in front of Niko for warmth. He instinctively wrapped his arms around my body to share his heat.
"I think this is a set up." He whispered in my ear.
I raised goosebumps at this. My mind was elsewhere.
His arm went searching for something as I watched Jared get very animated during the phone call. He did start approaching us with his phone still up to his ear. In a flash, Niko turned a gun on Jared, causing him to drop his phone.
"Hold on! I am not trying to set you guys up. You have to believe me."
"Who were you talking to?!" Niko demanded.
"I was talking to Frank. He was in charge of dispatching a chopper. Apparently it was stolen."
"How could someone steal a helicopter?"
"You've stolen plenty. I'm sure."
Niko threw his arm down and made a grunt of anger. He got him there.
"So, what is the plan now? We're sitting ducks."
"Frank is calling the pilot know to see if he's okay. We should just head back to the condo."
"In case you didn't know, there is a bunch of angry Russians after us who have an idea where we are."
"We have no choice. Unless you have a pile of wood you can pull out of your ass to build a hideout, I suggest you chill the fuck out."
This man was mild mannered up until now. Whatever buttons that needed to be pushed to piss him off, Niko sure found one.
"Okay. Let's all chill the fuck out. We're still on edge." Ethan spoke up.
We soon found ourselves back at the condominium with Niko sitting on a barstool, taking night duty voluntarily. With a pistol from his duffel bag in hand, he wearily waited for the Russians to strike. I checked up on him throughout the night every two hours. He passed me off, telling me he was okay and I should be asleep. I didn't really tell him I couldn't sleep at all. I was sure he could read it on my face. The night was cold, and for some reason, Jared wanted it to be cold. He said if we kept the furnace on, it was a give away that we were home. I was covered in two fleece blankets as I crawled back into bed.
(Niko's POV)
The morning came with no sign of any disturbance. The only noise was Sharon checking up on me one last time to give me one of her blankets to keep me warm. The clock on the stove showed that it was a little after 8 am, and I heard noises from the other room. Jared was awakened as well as he crept into the room where Ethan slept. Somehow, a raccoon made its way inside by gnawing at the window. The racoon was easily shooed away and I scolded Ethan for leaving the window open.
"I like fresh air when I go to sleep."
"We can't afford to make stupid mistakes, Ethan. Please be more careful." I pleaded.
"Okay. Sorry."
I found my post and continued to watch for any movement outside. Jared's phone beeped with a message and he answered it immediately. As he read the message, his face drew to a frown.
"What happened?" I asked after he sent a reply message.
"The pilot has been killed. His body was left in the field where we were."
"Who killed him?"
"No doubt the Russians. They stole the helicopter for some reason."
"Probably to watch us from the air. We're in deep shit now."
"We need to move as soon as possible. Wake everyone else up."
Before I even moved a muscle to either room, gunfire erupted. Breaking glass, shattering the wood doors, and ricochetting off the floor. I was familiar with the repeating fire and the bullets that remained on the floor. My pistol was no match. The only choice was to run.
By the second round of gunfire, which was only seconds after the first, Sharon and Ethan were panicking. No amount of words could calm them both down. I told them to go one by one into the Moonbeam when the chopper was making its rounds. I kept watch and signaled when it was going around the front and the occupants were reloading. First was Ethan. He crouched low and stayed on the opposite side of the pilot's sight. He opened the door just wide enough to get in and shut the door. The interior light turned off just in time as the chopper was making its way back. A third barrage of bullets struck the house.
"Sharon, you're next. Wait for my signal." I said, looking above to calculate where the chopper was headed next.
"What about you?"
Her eyes were on me. I felt them. I didn't look at her back to watch.
"Are you coming with me?"
"Go!" I shoved her to the door. The chopper was turning around and they were reloading again for another wave.
"Come with me!" She screached over the chopper.
"I said go!" I shouted.
Jared moved her away from me to lead her out. She struggled against him a bit, but he did get her out. The chopper circled around again. I was timing it.
"What are you doing?" I asked to myself trying to figure out their plans.
There were no more bullets, and the chopper remained stationary in the air. I squinted my eyes to see what was going on, but with the bright morning sun, it proved more difficult.
"Bellic! Get out of here!"
My focus was at the door where Jared stood.
"They have a rocket launcher on there!"
"Fuck!" I shot up and darted inside the van just as the rocket was fired.
Jared started the van and backed up far enough to dodge the explosion. It was just enough, but the windows on the van blew out and spun us around. Jared maintained the van, keeping it on the wheels. We were being chased from above. There were no more bullets, but they had something more destructive aboard.
"Watch my ass! They are trying to blow us up! Bellic, tell me what to do to evade those rockets!"
I crawled in the back as another rocket was headed our way.
"Right!" I shouted.
The van threw me around as he evaded the rocket.
"Left! Left!"
A rocket got a little too close and pushed the van forward.
"Left again."
"I can't! She's cut out. We need to stop!"
"You want us to run!?"
Soon, the van slowed down enough for Jared to look around.
"We're near a freeway. We'll have to borrow a car."
We all took off on foot and headed to the freeway. It was busy already with people headed to work. The rockets stopped for the time being to not hit any innocents. There was a blue PMP 600 headed our way. The driver was pulled from the seat, and we all sat inside. The chopper was watching our every move.
"We gotta find cover. I know just where to go." Jared said as he floored it.
I was on the edge of my seat as we had a few close calls with traffic. Had I been driving, we wouldn't really have to worry. I still kept my eyes on the chopper as it taunted us by flying low and increasing altitude. They were trying to get us to fight back. It worked. I fired the pistol back at them, and the chopper went out of range. It still managed to keep us on point with the other cars.
"We need back up! Send back up!" I heard Jared say over the helicopter that was now at its lowest point.
"We only want you, Bellic! You're risking the lives of your loved ones! Give up!" The pilot called over the radio.
I stuck my head out the window and looked at the four bodies in the chopper.
"I'll give you this!" I threatened and shot back with my middle finger in the air.
"You're not making this easy!" The pilot called back.
"Easy, Niko! We have back up on the way. We need to hold out for a few minutes."
"Who's coming?"
"Kevin. He's our other pilot and he has our protection on the way!"
"Where are you taking us?"
"I'm going to take us under the street. We're going on the tracks."
"This is the LCPD! Stop your vehicles now!"
"Great!" Ethan said. "Now the bacon is after us!"
"No. They're after the chopper. They are shooting at them!"
"They think they are attacking people?"
"Looks like it. I'm sure we're on their list too, but we aren't threatening right now."
The PMP 600 was pushed to the maximum speed as we looked for a place to bail. The chopper was busy dealing with police and that allowed us to slip away. We found a parking garage and parked underground and stayed for a while.
"It's a bummer all our stuff was blown up." Ethan said.
"The Moonbeam blew up?" Jared asked.
"Yeah, man. Didn't you hear it? There was a fire in the engine. We have nothing again."
"Shit. I guess we'll rely on the PMP now."
We sat in the car for the time being to give us a cool off period. I suggested we grab another car to allow us more secrecy. The Russians were sure to be looking for a blue PMP now. My eyes found a Turismo. It was fast, but it only had two seats. Jared found a grey Karin Intruder. Granted it wasn't as fast as the Turismo, but I guess we didn't need speed. Jared asked me to smash open the window. Apparently he hurt himself during the get away and asked me to drive around while he made more phone calls.
Arbitrary driving on random streets gave us the time we needed to have the agency locate us another place to stay. It was practically in the ghetto. The apartment towers looked weather dated and there were a bunch of bricks missing. Another charming place.
The keys were handed to us when we got there, and we made our way inside on the 13th floor. The agency had already started the leasing. It was going to be a temporary place. The agency told us they were looking for a new place farther away from Liberty City. I wondered why nobody ever questioned where this money was coming from, or how the hell they were even able to accept the leasing agreement when there was no one around to sign. I didn't think too much into it. I figured as long as someone flashed money in someone's face, it was all it took. I know, I was the same way.
"Yeah?...You found somewhere?...Where?!...Ohio?! That's too far away!...I guess you have a point. I'll tell everyone. We will be waiting for the private jet." Jared hung up the phone and slowly looked over to Sharon and I.
"Good news and bad news. Good news is; We have a new place to hide. Bad news; It's in Ohio."
"Ohio?"
"More specifically, Cleveland. The Russians won't find you three there. We are waiting for things to settle. It should take abour a week. Then, we are going to move. The private jet will be waiting for us at Francis International Airport, so when I say we need to go, we need to go."
"Why Cleveland? Isn't it worse than Liberty City?"
"In some ways, yes. The only thing that seems to he good about it is the fact the Russians won't find you. But that's enough about them for a bit. I suggest we all rest for the time being."
"Why is it going to take a week to get the jet?"
"The jet is flying in by another pilot. The jet was stationed in France for an operation. We left it there to keep it out of sight. We need to plan our flight route as well to avoid any towers from getting in contact with us. This jet isn't exactly legal."
"What do you mean?"
"It has secert equipment the government only has access to and weapons for defence. We can't screw around now knowing the Russians have a chopper."
The night calmed down eventually. The four of is were starving, but we were all too tired to get anything. Somehow we fell asleep with empty bellies. Jared took the night watch. Sharon and I cuddled close together for warmth. The heater in the apartment didn't work. It was worse than a ghetto apartment. I preferred the motor home over this place. This was the lowest of low. During the night, Sharon and I recieved another body. Ethan sat himself between us.
The morning came with the three of us still huddled together. The September morning felt crisp and it rained hard last night. The ceiling was caving in from the collected rain water. I hoped there was no mold up there.
"How'd you guys sleep?" Jared stretched.
"As good as we could sleeping on the couch. Anything happen?"
"Got a call from the agency. Karen is discharged and is on her way back. She is doing okay. I was worried about her."
"I was too."
"You know, between you and me, I had feelings for her at one point."
"Shit. Really?"
"Yeah. I helped her with a few things of her own one time. She was a new recruit at the time. She had asked me for a few favors, and I saw to it that they were done. It was because I liked her. Then, I find out she was only using me. I lost interest in her months later."
"She is rough around the edges. I know from experience what she is like. I found out how she is the hard way."
"Your buddy Ethan better make sure he knows what he's in for. She could play him too. She manipulates almost anyone she talks to."
"That's from her years of being a prostitute. Looking for a quick fuck buck and hurting those men she slept with. Not physically, but mentally. She's told me how many men fell for her when she worked the streets. She'd show interest in a guy, have this guy buy her what she wants, and basically disappear."
"Now she works for the government playing more than just guys on the street. She plays everyone."
Jared's phone rang just as Sharon slowly awoke on the couch next to me.
"Did I wake you?" She stretched her arms high above her head and wrapped them around my neck.
She sighed contently and pressed her body against mine more. "It was a nice way to wake up with your sexy voice in my ear."
"Now is not the time to get frisky."
"It always is when you're near me."
"Sharon. No. Settle down."
That earned me a frown as a response. She was stubborn and was used to getting her way. I knew I had to make this up to her.
Around 2pm, Karen and three other people came to the apartment. She was heavily bandaged, but she looked like she was on the mend. The other men with her introduced themselves. There was Mark, one of the men responsible for helping me in getting Brevic and a computer programmer. Chris, another client who had been selling cocaine on the streets in Bohan and was recruited not long after myself. Chris was one of the brains at the agency. He was an expert planner and tactical assult planner. Ryan, Chris's brother, who had been discharged from the Army. He was so beligerant that the only use the government had from him was a hard core killer. Not like myself. This guy had no heart at all. Atleast I had some conscience when I killed or spared someone. This guy was our defense if the Russians attacked again. The guy had a truck full of weapons. During the week we were in this apartment, he was "programmed" to protect us. He asked a very heavy price as well. A price the government had no problem paying if they wanted to continue to have his services and to continue to help me.
Karen sat on the couch still recovering from the hospital. She looked at her phone for any updates. Things were basically day by day as the jet was inbound to Francis International.
We remained silent for days with no updates at all. From the jet, to the plan, and about the flight route. The only thing that happened that threw us off was Karen accidentally tearing open one of her stitches when she bent over to pick up something from the floor. Luckily, Ryan knew how to stitch up wounds.
On the fifth day, on a September afternoon, the call came in. The private jet had landed and we had to haul ass to the airport. The eight of us took two cars that were provided for us. We thought it would be a good idea to take two different routes. We arrived first at the hangar and body guards with high powered pistols protected us from any attacks. A few minutes later, the second convoy arrived with no word of attack. I was waiting. Any second and we would be under attack. The tower confirmed our take off and the coast was clear. No signs of any unidentified aircraft, say for one, and we were off to Cleveland.
The flight was peaceful. We all clustered together in our respectable areas of the jet. Ethan, Sharon, and I passed the time whispering amongst each other. Ryan, Chris, and Mark were no doubt planning the arrival into the city. Karen and Jared were sitting close to the cock pit looking over a map of Cleveland.
It was up until close to landing did beeping sounds within the jet alarmed us all and the pilot paged in the cabin.
"Folks, we've been spotted. A black and white Maverick is en route to our location. Prepare for evasive maneuvering."
We all did as the pilot asked and buckled in. Sharon clung to my arm and hid her face in my sleeve, thinking if she didn't see anything, they wouldn't see her. The jet spun around and swung wide as well as tight to lose the chopper. I heard Ethan lose what contents he had in his stomach. I was close behind him. The swift twists and jerking around was throwing everyone into stages of nausea.
"We've been hit! Prepare for emergency landing! There is an open field. Ready the weapons!"
The engines were smoking with dark clouds. The jet powered down and we were gliding down into the Earth with an uncertain outcome. It was minutes that the pilot tried to line up a semi graceful landing. The rudders on the wings provided a little control and we soon made a violent impact. Ryan, Ethan, and Karen were knocked out. Sharon, Jared, Chris, and Mark were shook around in their seats, but they remained strong. I unbuckled my seatbelt and ordered Jared, Chris, and Mark to take up a weapon.
The door opened and a trail of destruction was the first thing we saw. Trees toppled over where they once proudly stood and wild fires threatening to engulf the jet. Sharon gathered the unconscious and drug them safely away from the wreck while Jared, Chris, Mark, and I held off the attackers. We fired back, causing the chopper to back off for the moment. It suffered major damage and was already smoking from the engine as it struggled to keep altitude.
"We need to find somewhere to hide!" Jared said as he continued to fire.
"Where do you suggest we go?! We're in a burning forest!" I said as I reloaded.
"We need to steal that chopper! Snipe down the pilot!"
"He will lose control and crash it! It will be no use!" I spoke from experience on that part.
"What the fuck do you suggest we do, Bellic!? Since you're the ambush and run expert!"
"We take these fucks out! There is no other choice! They want me dead!"
"Why just you?!"
"Now's not the time for stories! Get me that sniper rifle!"
Jared left the front line and searched through the jet. Mark and Chris created a distraction as I slipped away to hide among a few standing trees. Jared found me and handed me the suit case that contained the sniper. He joined in the distraction as I pieced together the rifle. It took me only seconds to assemble. I took a deep breath to slow my heart rate and my adrenaline fuled mind to concentrate. One wrong shot and they could locate me.
The bullet struck true and the pilot was shot out of the chopper. The occupants inside tried to regain control, but the blades got too low to the trees. Shards of wood shot everywhere and the chopper exploded once it hit the ground.
I took another deep breath and looked through the scope to see if there were any lucky survivors. The helicopter held no life and I joined up with everyone else.
"Nice shot, Bellic."
"When you did what I did for so long, there was no reason for failure."
We stayed low for a while so the others could rest and those who were knocked out regained consciousness. We aided those who were injured. My focus was on Karen when she was the first to awaken. Her stitches were torn again and Jared patched her back up again. I ensured she rested and was the first to recieve any water. Such a horrific crash could send her into shock. Sharon was concerned I was paying so much attention to her.
"You have to understand, Sharon. She needs attention first above all. Everyone else is okay. Bumps and bruises was all they sustained. Those who are knocked out just need to rest. Karen, among us standing, is the most hurt. We look out for each other."
"I guess you're right."
"This is how it is for now. Go rest for a bit."
She nodded and layed under a tree for cover. Any one of us who sat in the open was just asking for trouble.
The second to regain consciousness was Ethan. We let him know what happened and to take it easy. His first worry was his sister when he didn't see her right away.
"She's napping under a tree. She's okay." I pointed to where she was fast asleep.
He calmed down and tried his best to care for Karen. He had a bump on his head. Fortunately, there were no broken bones among us.
Lastly, it was Ryan to come around. He attacked himself, calling himself a sorry excuse of a man for not being indestructible. Then he mentally and physically took his rage out on a sapling and tore it out from the roots. It seemed to do nothing to curb his anger. He grabbed his brother by the shoulders and began attacking him verbally. I lept between the two before more was said.
"Come on! Don't go turning on one another! We need each other. We are in the middle of a field with no transport and with injured people. We need to move out of here."
They soon apologized and we gathered the injured. I held Karen and acted as a human crutch. She claimed she could walk okay. Ethan was escorted by Mark and Chris. Ryan held his pride and insisted he was fine enough to walk. The bull headed ex Army soldier had a lot to prove to himself that he needed no aide.
"Anyone getting cellphone service? My phone is on roaming." Mark said as he tried to send out a distress signal.
"You'd think the government would have service everywhere." I said as I looked to see how many bars I had. "I have service. I'll call for some assistance."
"Maybe we should stay where we are so they can find us." Ethan said.
"We're only moving away from the wreck. The smoke could give us away."
Ryan used his survival instincts and disappeared to look for wild game. It wasn't a smart idea considering we would have to wait for him when help arrived. He wasn't one to be confronted about problems. And I didn't want to tell him to stay. A fight would break out for sure.
We saw a helicopter circling above about 3 hours later. The search light lit up the night sky in search of the wreck. The smoke from the chopper drew the rescue closer to us. It was the agency for sure and not the group of Russians who wanted me dead.
It landed nearby the wreckage of the jet. The trees were cut away enabling them to land with no difficulty. We all borded, including Ryan, who skinned a young buck for the meat and bagged it for himself. He was really strange.
The chopper lead us the rest of the way. It was packed inside. Some of us had to sit on laps. Sharon had no problem in sitting on mine. Karen sat on Ethan's, and Chris sat on Ryan's lap. We landed on the helipad. There was another Moonbeam waiting for us. This one was more designed as a civilian van as opposed to a government van. We were not attacked and we made it to the new apartment. It was located near the lake which was good. Some romantic plans formulated in my head.
The apartment was decent. It had two bedrooms and a bathroom. The back up we had made their seperate ways. There'd be no way we'd be able to fit all eight of us comfortably in this place.
"So, what next?" Ethan asked.
I thought for a few minutes just to catch my mind up with the time.
"We wait. I am waiting for a new trial. I guess it will be held at the courthouse down the street."
Ethan made no other conversation attempts and decided to turn in. It was after midnight, and after the day we had, I was thinking along that line as well.
"Niko?" Her voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Hm?" I wearily responded.
"Sorry I've been a pain in the ass before."
"Don't talk like that."
"I risked the evacuation of the apartment. I'm really sorry. And I almost got you killed!"
"How so?"
"A minute later, you could have been in that explosion."
I smiled at her. She was thinking about things that could have happened, but they didn't. She was beating herself up about something that didn't happen.
"And I didn't. It's okay."
She curled up to me on the couch just as I thought of the idea to go to sleep. She was making herself comfortable. I sighed and closed my eyes. It looked like it was going to be another night on the couch.