"Why am I being told that someone is hacking my network. Again?"

I didn't turn to Victor as I continued to crumple sticky notes in my ahnd, roll up thread and toss it all in the bin I'd brought closer from the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and the room was silent as he waited for an answer.

"That tends to happen when someone is searching for answers in places they know they don't belong," I stated calmly, continuing to clear up the board that had once been. It was a failure. Just like my efforts to do anything good in this world.

"I asked you to stay off the case."

"No, you told me to stay off the case," I corrected. "I just chose not to listen."

That's when I turned to him, throwing the last of my sticky notes in the bin. I crossed my ams and leaned on one hip, causing the other to pop out. Viktor's eyes were narrowed at me like he just couldn't understand how to approach this situation. If this conversation happened sometime last week, he wouldn't hesitate to give a witty remark of some sort but he was treating me differently. He denied it but I saw it.

"Why don't you want to stay away from the case?" he asked instead. I laughed low and dark.

"You're funny," I deadpanned. "Really, become a comedian. A straight thinking Don is not working for you."

Viktor's eyes narrowed. He didn't like my tone. Well tough fucking luck.

"I'm handling it."

"If you were, you'd have some answers for me about why and how all this is happening. You'd know who your doppleganger is and be in the process of mobilizing a mafia S.W.A.T team to take the fucker down. Forgive me for not having any hope in your word," I spat.

Viktor advanced towards me then and I stood my ground, glaring and refusing to flinch when he got close.

"I think sometimes treating you with as much kindness as I can master has made you forget who I am," he said his voice low, cold and not threatening but what he was trying to imply hung in the air between us, sizzling in the heat that we shared.

"I think you're making many grave mistakes," I whispered making my tone as dark as his. "You know you need me but I don't see why you don't admit it."

"I have a floor full of people more capable of finding me what I need. What makes you so special?"

"The fact that I have information on this case that you need."

"Like?" he quipped crossing his arms. "What could you possibly bring to the table that a room full of mature and more experinced individuals could not?"

My jaw ticked at his tone. "This case could be affecting you and your Bratva but it affects my family too."

"You mean what's left of it."

He fucking didn't.

My wide eyes and slack jaw couldn't be wiped off my face. My shock, my anger, my shame and grief. My thoughts cleared away for one emotion to slither to the surface.

Rage.

"Get out," I whispered shaking my head at him and backing out of the warmth his body would encompass me with. "Get the fuck out Viktor."

His eyes, his beautiful baby blues stopped being soft. Instead they froze over, encased themselves in darkness and I couldn't even recognise the man I thought I was getting to know. He didn't seem phased that he'd hit a sore spot and I didn't want to ask him about what he knew.

I didn't want to know whether he figured out my mom was dead, my dad was absent and my brother had left. I didn't want to know how he'd found out even as I tried to scrape the information as best as I could. I didn't want to hear him speak to me.

"Stay off the case."

"Stay out of my room," I said back with as much contempt as I could master. He didn't seem phased. He just left the room, leaving me cold and angry.

I grabbed a coat from my closet. I threw it over my hoodie and loose jeans before pulling on my combat boots. I left the room because I needed to cool down. My eyes stung and I refused to let his comment get to me. Many people had said many awful things to me but coming from him my brain just couldn't take it.

Neither could my heart.

I wasn't stupid enough to leave the building but I did go to the roof. Under the biting cold of the crispy and thick winter air, I tried to direct my thoughts to the weather and pour my contempt into the white sheet that covered the ground and the numbness of my fingertips.

"You took a blow."

I looked to my left and there my brother stood, dressed as warm as possible, his smile blinding. I remembered this version of him. The healthy happy, non abusive version. I preferred him that way. But seeing him now, my eyes watered.

"You're not here," I whispered my voice close to breaking.

"Aw lilttle sis," he teased wagging his finger at me like I was naughty. "How could you say that? I'm always here."

I run my eyes over his features, his high cheekbones, dark plumb lips, clean shaven jaw. He was not that much shorter than Viktor but his shoulders though broad were narrower. His curly hair was cropped short at the sides and back, left to grow more in the middle.

"How many times will you be popping up?" I asked instead, refusing to listen to my heart breaking up into peices.

"For as long as you need me. You know I'm always there for you," he teased but when he smiled, I noticed his lips weren't plumb, dark or healthy. They were pale, cracked and slightly blue. In fact, he was getting much more ashen.

"You should go. The cold isn't good for you," I told him. He didn't hate the cold as much as I did.

"I can just stay out with you a little longer," he shrugged. "Just like old times."

Yes, old times when he'd stay outside until his teeth cluttered so much he couldn't talk. When his fingers refused to move because they were frozen. Why did he like the cold so much anyway? I never understood it.

"Call me," he suggested instead. I shook my head. He wouldn't pick up.

"I've tried. You refuse to pick up," I said with a shrug. "This is just me being delusional. Me missing you has formed this image inside my head where you actually care what happens to your little sister who's all alone in the world."

My brother just smiled. "Call me."

Then he vanished. God I was really off my hinges it seemed. It was nice to see my brother again even when he was just a figment of imagination. I did as he asked. I called him. Thrice.

I told him about the case. I told him about Viktor and how I felt about him and this whole situation. I asked him many questions. Do you think there's a connection to all of this? Did you ever meet Slavik and Nikolai? How deep were you involved with Old Buck? How many enemies did you make working for the Capo? Would you like to go and see dad with me? Did you know I haven't seen him until the time I told him you left? Did you know he's very disappointed in you? Do you still hate me? Was I a bad sister? How could've I been better?

I stayed out like my brother stayed out the winters together. I waited until my fingers were too frozen to move. My teeth chattering too much for me to speak. My cheeks cold and trying to be warm. A numerous shivers wracking into my body. It felt good. The bite of the weather. It made me remember that I was still human.

I decided to go back but when I looked down the street, I noticed a black van parked on the far end of the street, out of the sight of the cameras. That was odd. I looked on the other side of the street where a space lay in the snow in the opposite direction. I remembered it being parked on that side. The van pulled back and drove away suddenly. I watched it go but a few minutes later, it came back and then disappeared in the same direction.

It rounded back again.

That wasn't right.

Paranoia hit me fast, my blood slightly heating up with adrenaline. I got off the roof, back inside the building. I made my way to the floor I knew Viktor was on. Passing the many people and offices, they looked at me weird. I ignored the fact that I was still freezing in my boots when I passed a conference room surrounded by glass walls. Viktor sat at the head of the table.

I pushed the door open with my shoulder and everyone watched me shocked as I stood in font of them.

"V-v-va-van," I chattered through my teeth. "Out-outside."

"Peach?" Viktor asked his tone as indifferent as before. "What are you doing?"

I was frustrated, trying to make him understand. "V-van making r-rounds. Att-attack."

"Where?" Viktor inquired, being the only one understanding me. He got up and rounded over to me.

"I-I was on th-the r-roof," I explained as he closed in on me. "P-parked twice. Driving past many t-t-times."

"Oliver get the team ready for an ambush. Have everyone evacuated through the back exit as fast as possible. Clear the bottom floors first. Move!"

Everyone in the conference room bounced up and the man I thought was Oliver, tan skin and brown hair, nodded at Viktor and dashed off to do what he was asked.

"Go with him," Viktor pushed me. I shook my head, widening my eyes.

"Y-you're crazy. I'm n-n-not leaving you."

"I wasn't suggesting," he pointed out darkly and had someone take me away. I shot him a glance over my shoulder as we parted and he wasn't even looking at me.

My biggest problem was that I was cold. I had to cool down first. I was of no use to anyone chattering and shivering. I was taken to a crowd and I didn't fight the moving bodies around me, letting them heat me up. I rubbed my hands, I bounced a bit and cracked my knuckles.

Viktor had been a dick but I was not going to let him die or go through this attack alone. As the sole target there was bound to be some sort of accident and I was going to stop it. I looked over at one of the guards ushering us and the simple Hi-Point C9 gun strapped to his hip. It was a cheap and effective handgun.

A plan was forming in my mind. A plan to help Viktor but also not put myself in danger. I couldn't leave this place without my laptop. It made no sense to carry my USB in my locket and not have anything to stick it into.

I needed to get to my room, pack some stuff and do the same for Viktor. Then, I needed to get into the jeep we'd come in and pack up. After that, it was all about finding Viktor and making sure we both got out of this building alive and ready to fight the next battle.

One thing was sure. I wasn't leaving this building.