V is for Violet (COMPLETE)

Chapter Twenty- Nothing as Expected

"Where?" I demanded into the radio, but the response came from behind me rather than from the speaker on my wrist.

"Here, Fierro," a man replied, and I spun to face a man not so different from myself; tall, dark, and ready to kill. The only difference was the accent.

"Why?" I snapped. I wasn't in the mood to let some pissed-off rival Family ruin my mission. We already had all the help we needed from the Gallagher's. However, what he told me then had me rethinking my agenda.

"They're not here," he began, ignoring my question, but catching my attention.

"What do you mean?" If they weren't all here, which seemed more and more likely based on the speed at which we cleared the house, then we had no idea where they really were, and that was a severe problem.

"Two thirds of them were between here and their south city safe house," the Vasiliev told me. "All dead now, of course, thanks to someone crashing their security."

"You're welcome," I quipped, before motioning him on.

"The rest we discovered making their way towards another Estate. We're heading there now."

I felt my blood run cold and straightened my pose.

"Whose Estate?" I dared to ask, though I already feared the answer.

"Yours."

---

Violet

I waited downstairs for the Salvaggi's return with the lights dimmed. All of us did. The dining room and foyer were riddled with pacing maids and Crew members instructed to stay behind. Cheridan and Shandy sat with me on the spiral staircase, but no one was talking. It was all too tense. One of the Crew members was in contact with Romano, but it wasn't very comforting, seeing as Romano was staying back in safety. So, instead of knowing our friends, Family, or loved ones were safe, we got to sit quietly hoping that they'd make it home.

Everything was silent for a long time. Cheridan kept rubbing her barely-showing bump, and Shandy was playing with Cheridan's long blonde hair. I just sat, enjoying the lack of sunglasses in the dimmed room and wringing my hands anxiously. The windows had thick blinds pulled down over them, so not even the moonlight shone through the glass. It was dark and quiet, but it was tense.

Finally, around two-fifteen AM, the contact, Franc's radio buzzed to life, and I stood up quickly.

"Home Base, come in," I heard from the other end, recognizing the voice to be Romano's.

"Here," Franc said excitedly. "Report?"

I was expecting an update on the attack, but the voice on the other end said two words I never anticipated hearing.

"Brace yourselves."

As if on cue, a loud banging sounded on the door and everyone jumped from their positions.

"Fedorov's... Coming..." I heard vaguely on the radio, but it was hard to hear over the deafening blows to the door. I turned to look at Cheridan to see her holding her pistol already, but I stepped in front of her and grabbed her shoulders. In the background, I heard shots ringing out from where a side door had been busted into, but I was only focused on one thing.

"Run, Cheridan, now," I ordered, looking her dead in the eyes. Her blue eyes widened and she shook her head a little.

"The Estate..." she tried, but there was no way in hell I would let her finish that sentence.

"No," I practically shouted. "You are protecting more than yourself now, so f*cking run now, or I will force you myself." She took a little step up the stairs and I pushed her on to speed her progress. "Now, Cheridan! For your baby!"