My senses go on full alert, and I retrieve my gun as my steps become careful. Uncle Albert wouldn’t have brought Babushka here. It’s not a place that’s fit for an old woman or a child like Mike.
There must’ve been some sort of a mistake in the coordinates he gave me—
“Sasha.”
I spin around, and sure enough, my uncle is standing there in the snow. But he looks…different.
My peaceful uncle is dressed in combat boots and has a firearm slung over his shoulder.
And he’s not alone. A few other men appear, all dressed in fighting gear and black masks.
Mercenaries?
“What’s going on?” I ask, my finger still on the trigger. “Where’s Babushka? Who are all these people?”
“All in good time, Sasha.” My uncle wraps his arm around my shoulder. “You did so well.”
“I still haven’t done anything.” I stare at him quizzically.
“Oh, but you have. Here, put this on.” He hands me a mask that’s similar to the ones the others are wearing.
“Uncle Albert, can you tell me what’s going on? I thought I was here for Babushka.”
“Oh, you’ll see her eventually.” He puts the mask on me, then dons his own and hugs me. “I’m so proud of you, Sasha. You know that, right?”
I nod, even though my chest is tightening with every passing second.
He’s saying I did so well, but why do I feel like I made a terrible mistake just by showing up here?
A noise echoes in the air before a snowmobile appears. I pull back from Uncle Albert, thinking this is one of their companions.
“You managed to get him to come alone,” Uncle Albert says in a proud voice.
“Who…” I trail off as the rider of the snowmobile comes into view.
My heart drops. My legs shake, and the world starts spinning.
I would recognize that build anywhere. In a crowd. Or even in snow clothes.
“Uncle Albert,” I whisper. “What…what are you planning?”
“Revenge, my darling. That man was the mastermind behind our family’s massacre.”
I watch in horror as my uncle opens fire on Kirill.