"Thirty seconds. That's all you have to stop the bullshit, or your son is dead."
~~~~
Six years ago, Chelsea Doherty lost everything when her husband disappeared without a trace and left her to clean up his past. Now living in Ireland, she has piec...
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Limassol, Cyprus
July 2024
~~~~
Find another way off the island.
Bastian's voice is as nonchalant as it can be, as if it weren't a big deal to be trapped on Icarus's turf. It's likely his attempt to keep Vitaly calm, but it's not fucking working for me.
I'm about to freak out.
"If you have another brilliant idea, now would be the time to speak up." The words come out harsher than intended and get me a raised brow from Vitaly.
Bastian squeezes my hand. "Don't panic, I got this."
His eyes beg me to take it down a notch and from Vitaly's should-I-bolt expression, I understand why. I take a deep breath and give him a brave smile.
Take the lead. I follow.
A few minutes pass in which we stare at the entrance to the cruise port where the border patrol officers still check the passports of every passenger entering and leaving the docking area. Unfortunately, they neither magically disappear nor give the impression that they are about to give up.
Bastian points at the taxi stand. "Let's grab a cab. A friend of mine lives close by and might be able to help."
I lift a brow. "And you think we can trust him?" Marcel had no friends aside from the Disciples; it's one of their safeguards to keep people isolated within the organization.
"It's a she and yes, I explicitly trust her."
So an old girlfriend.
Not ideal, but we also don't have an alternative.
The taxi ride only takes ten minutes and is spent in utter silence. Both Bastian and Vitaly brood in the backseat; with their lips pursed and their brows puckered, their resemblance is undeniable. Except for the bone-straight hair that is a little lighter, Vitaly is a younger version of his dad.
We get out in a residential area where villas line the waterfront. Boats of all sizes bob in the wind at private docks and the houses are well maintained. This is an affluent neighborhood well within Icarus's reach. Another big risk.
Bastian steers straight toward a house at the end of the row that is a little bit more secluded. We arrive at the door and his gaze cuts into me. "I'll do the talking, so please just go with the flow."
I nod a got-it. Vitaly chews his lip. Without a doubt, it won't take much for him to blow our cover.
Bastian rings the doorbell.
Steps approach from the inside. A woman opens the door, the smile dying on her lips. "Bastian? What are you doing here?" She hurries outside and closes the door behind her but for a crack. With panic, she glances over her shoulder.
