𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑃ℎ𝑜𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑥 ✔︎ || 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑑

48

~ phoenix ~

Something was off.

I knew it as soon as I woke up alone and the feeling was stronger now after what just happened: that hushed conversation with Milena. What was he hiding?

I didn't ask, knowing that Ilya would go to more extremes to be more secretive. But I would definitely investigate.

I hadn't gone with him back to his office because quite frankly, the secretary life wasn't for me.

Instead, I decided to pay a quick visit to Katarina. Both of my holes were sore after his dirty antics this morning. Nonetheless, I made the uncomfortable journey seeing as she was my first source of information.

"Know anything?" I demanded, after explaining the incident to her.

The blonde, as ever, was intrigued by the drama.

"Well, there were rumours that Mila had a thing for Ilya..." she trailed off, much to my annoyance.

"Really?"

"No," she cackled.

I slapped her with the slipper that so happened to be within my reach.

"Fine, fine," she whined, sobering, "I'll help you."

That's how we ended up making our way to Mila's office on the third floor. I sneaked past Ilya's corridor, with the nagging paranoia that the bastard knew every time I was up to something. This time, I was determined to keep my investigation out of his knowledge.

In my peripheral vision, I saw the brunette in question leaving her office. I began to stride towards her, ready to give her a piece of my mind when suddenly, Rina grabbed my wrist, pulling me behind a pillar.

"Shh!" she urged, "Let's see where she's going."

Clearly, the thrill of playing detective was getting to her head but still, I complied, keeping low as we stalked the doctor.

We were led down some stairs, and along some unfamiliar corridors. The further we went, the darker it became due to the lack of windows. A shiver ran up my spine at the daunting surroundings.

"Hm," Rina mused, when Mila seemed to stop, "this is where the men do their work."

"Their work?" I questioned.

"Yeah, you know, torturing, killing, cutting, stab-"

I elbowed her with a glare, getting the message.

Katarina glowered but I ignored it.

To our dismay, Milena disappeared behind a steel door and the loud click of a lock echoed behind her.

I sighed, turning back, but my accomplice was preoccupied with itching her head.

"Here!" she announced, suddenly. "I knew I had one in there somewhere."

I squinted my eyes to find a bobby pin between her fingers. I could've kissed the Barbie!

With a grin, I grabbed the pin and shuffled over to the door. Carefully, I slid the device into the keyhole and twisted. To my surprise, the door just swung open. But I could've sworn she locked it...

Shrugging, I crawled in. Katarina giggled at our sneakiness.

We followed the sound of voices until we reached a bright, white corridor. There were trolleys of medical equipment lining the walls and to my horror, bags of blood.

I stifled my disgust and peeked over a ledge to see Mila talking in hushed murmurs with a guard. He had a long rifle strapped to his chest.

Shit. Would he shoot us if he saw us?

I only heard fragments of their conversation.

"Take them to my laboratory-"

"The Italian is feisty-"

"...more blood."

My stomach queased uneasily.

"I can't hear anything," Rina complained beside me.

I shushed her when I heard the squeak of metal coming up behind us. Quickly, I shoved her into what looked like a storage cupboard and dived in too. Through a crack in the door, I spied two wheelchairs.

In one, a struggling girl seemed to be strapped down. In the other, another girl seemed motionless.

What happened to them?

Then, I caught a glimpse of that familiar face. That scowl, I knew all too well.

Gianna!

I almost cried. Was that Tabitha beside her? And how the hell did they get here?

I stumbled out of the cupboard, running after them.

"Gianna!"

The brunette froze, craning her neck to face me. On her mouth was silver duct tape.

Blood roaring in my ears, I glared murderously at Milena who as always sported her passive expression.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I screeched.

All of a sudden, a cold body was tugging me back.

I spied Rina's wide eyes in the cupboard, urging her to stay concealed.

Gianna, who seemed to realise it was me, began to increase her struggling. Muffled expletives were shooting out of her mouth.

"Let go of me," I growled up at the bastard who was manhandling me, "you don't know who I-"

"Keep her still, Ruslan," Mila's cool voice interrupted. "I think she escaped from the cells."

The harsh clicking of her heels echoed as she approached.

Then, unexpectedly, a loud thwack sounded in the air. Instantly after, I felt a stinging pain on my cheek. Droplets of blood trickled down from the scratch she made with her fingernails.

I glimpsed an expression of pure hatred on her petite features. It terrified me.

Nonetheless, I bristled, vision tinging crimson. "How. Fucking. Dare. You."

But the bitch was no longer looking at me. Her eyes moved innocently up to the face of the guard that held me.

"Посадить ее тоже в фургон," she asked, politely. [Put her in the van too]

What a fucking psychopath. I opened my mouth and a loud piercing shriek echoed across the hallway.

Then, there was a loud crash. Gianna had kicked over a trolley and sent the contents flying.

My determined stare met hers. A furious fire flickered in their amber depths.

"Now, Ruslan," the psycho instructed before calling, "Adrian! Dima!"

Immediately, two other armed men appeared in the corridor. One took hold of Gianna's wheelchair and the other, Tabitha. I opened my mouth to yell again, but a hand clamped over it.

Wrong move, asshole. With all my might, I bit into the calloused skin, cringing when a copper taste flooded my tastebuds.

"Fucking bitch!" was what I heard before an agonising pain spread across my skull.

I clenched my leaking eyes, forcing myself to not succumb to the black spots. It was impossible.

Despite how many times I shook my head to clear it, black tendrils embraced my mind, lulling it to paralysis.

And just like that, I knew.

This was what Ilya was determined to hide.

𝑥𝑜
𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖆𝖛𝖎