The ghost manifest

The moment the heavy glass doors of the hotel hissed shut behind me, the Russian winter hit me like a physical blow. It was a brutal, dry cold that seemed to crystallize the very air in my lungs. But as the sub-zero wind whipped against my face, something in me finally woke up. The fog of the previous night—the pain, the medication, the raw grief of the loss—began to thin, replaced by a sharp, jagged clarity.

I wanted Boris and I also wanted my dear friend Santi. But standing there on the salt-stained pavement, I realized with a sudden, freezing certainty that for the first time in a long time, I had to choose myself first.

I needed to get word to Santi about Boris’s three-day window. If I used a phone, I’d be leaving a digital footprint that could get us all killed. If Santi flew between Riga and Moscow again so soon, he’d trip every proverbial alarm the FSB had wired into the border. He was already under enough scrutiny. I couldn't ask him to come to me. I had to go to him.

I did the math in my head. Driving would take eleven hours of navigating checkpoints and black ice. The train was a fifteen-hour vulnerability I couldn't afford. A flight was two hours round trip—provided it was a flight that officially never happened.

I didn't head for the main terminal at Sheremetyevo. Instead, I walked toward the periphery, toward a cluster of unmarked hangars that serviced the kind of people who didn't like to be asked for identification. My boots crunched over the packed snow for twenty minutes before I reached a small, nondescript office at the edge of the tarmac.

The hangar attendant was a man who looked like he had been carved out of old leather and tobacco smoke. He didn't look up from his ledger as I entered, the small space smelling of jet fuel and cheap radiator heat.

"I need a bird," I said, my voice raspy but steady.

He finally looked up, squinting through a cloud of cigarette smoke. "Commercial is across the field, lady."

"I need to get into Riga undetected," I said, leaning over his desk, my eyes locking onto his. "I need an hour on the ground, and I need to be back in Moscow before the sun sets. No flight plan, no manifests. This trip needs to stay off the books of both countries."

The man leaned back, a skeptical sneer pulling at his lips. "Riga is international. You have a passport? Visas?"

"It’s complicated," I replied, the coldness of the night still clinging to my coat. "But I have plenty of money. More than enough to make the paperwork disappear."

He paused, his eyes scanning my face, then my clothes. He saw the quality of my coat, the way I stood—like a woman who was used to giving orders. "You must be an oligarch’s daughter," he muttered, his tone shifting from dismissive to cautious. "Only that kind of blood carries that kind of cash for a morning stroll."

"I’m not a daughter of anything, nor am I an oligarch," I corrected him, my voice dropping an octave. "I have worked in many governments. I know exactly how much silence costs in this city, and I know how to make life very difficult for people who don't provide it."

The attendant paled, the sneer vanishing instantly. He didn't ask which governments. In Russia, the ambiguity was more terrifying than the truth. He stood up quickly, his chair scraping loudly against the linoleum.

"I understand," he said, reaching for a radio on the wall. "I will get you a private pilot. He doesn't ask questions, and he knows the corridors where the radar doesn't reach. Please, wait here."

I nodded, watching him hurry out toward the hangars. I stood in the small, flickering light of the office, my hands still cold, but my mind already halfway to Riga. Within a few minutes, the attendant came back, wiping his hands on a greasy rag.

"You're in luck," he said. "Someone named Darren will take you."

I stiffened slightly. I’d known a few Darrens in my life, and most of them were trouble. "Which Darren?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. “I know a few Darrens that work in this airport.”

The attendant shrugged. "We call him 'Lithuanian Darren as his family is Lithuanian."

I felt a jolt of recognition but kept my face a mask. "Fine. Lead the way."

"Right this way, Madame," he said, his tone now bordering on obsequious as he escorted me out to the small plane waiting on the tarmac.

The hum of the private jet’s engines felt like a low-frequency vibration in my bones as I was escorted up the stairs. Stepping into the cabin, I was met with the familiar, sharp scent of leather and expensive cologne. Sera’s uncle, Darren, was already there, checking a manifest. He looked up, a predatory glint in his eyes that I knew all too well. We’ve fucked before.

"Good to see you again," he said, his voice a low rumble as he leaned down and kissed my cheek. "Sera didn't mention you'd be joining us today, but I'm glad for the surprise."

"I have business to attend to," I replied, smoothing my skirt. “Hope I’m not on the manifest?”

"So do I," he whispered, leaning in just enough for me to feel his breath on my ear before he straightened up. "Make yourself comfortable as we’ll be wheels up in twenty. No, you’re not."

He disappeared into the cockpit, and true to his word, the sensation of gravity pressing me into the plush seat signaled our departure shortly after. I hadn't even finished my first drink when the co-pilot stepped back into the cabin, looking slightly flustered.

"The Captain says he needs you in the cockpit," the man said, clearing his throat. "Something about the... flight path."

I smirked, setting the glass down. I knew exactly what path we were on.

When I stepped into the cramped, glowing space of the cockpit, the co-pilot slipped out, closing the door behind me. Darren didn't even look back at the controls; the plane was on autopilot, carving through the clouds at thirty thousand feet.

"You took your time," Darren said, his hands already working at his belt. "I've been sitting here thinking about how much I need to unload my balls. It's been a long morning."

I checked my watch, a slow smile spreading across my face. "You’ve got forty-five minutes before we have to start our descent, Darren. Don't waste them."

He didn't. He growled, pulling himself free, the sight of his thick and ready dick in the dim cockpit light. I didn't need to be told twice. I turned, bracing my hands against the console, and lifted my skirt. The cool air hit my skin for only a second before I backed onto him, slowly sliding down the length of him. He felt larger than he was in my ass.

He hissed through his teeth as I talk him in, his body reacting instantly. "God, you're tight," he muttered, his hands reaching up to find my chest. He didn't play nice; he squeezed my sensitive tits as hard as he could, his fingers digging in with a force that made me gasp against the glass of the windshield.

The next thirty minutes were a blur of engine noise, us moaning and groaning, cumming and breathing heavy. I rode him with a rhythmic desperation, feeling every inch of him until he finally reached his limit. He came in me often. He let out a choked sound, his grip tightening on me as he finally drained his balls deep inside.

We stayed like that for a moment, the only sound the steady beep of the instruments. Then, the professional returned. I stood up and adjusted my skirt and he shoved himself back into his pants, adjusting his uniform with practiced ease. "Get out of here, beautiful," he said, his voice still a bit ragged. "I have a plane to land."

I readjusted my skirt, smoothed my hair, and walked out into the cabin of the plane. I sat down in my seat. As Darren was landing the plane, I felt his cum oozing out of me. No one else onboard knew what just happened in the cockpit. We landed and as I disembarked, Darren told me to come back in four hours as he’s leaving in four and a half hours. I nodded my head.

I walked the three kilometers to Santi’s office in the cold. I was thankful that it wasn’t as cold as it was in Russia. I stopped in a pub to dig for the leggings that I threw in my bag. I put them on and continued on my way. A few minutes later, I arrived.

The heat in Santiago’s office building was different—stagnant, heavy, and charged with a different kind of power. I didn't knock on the door of his private office. I let myself in, the heavy oak door swinging shut with a click.

Santiago was behind his desk, his back to me. His pants and boxers were down at his ankles, and his hand was already moving in a steady rhythm on his dick. He froze when he heard me, turning with an expression of pure shock that quickly melted into dark intent.

"You're not supposed to be here," he rasped. “You should’ve called!”

"I decided to make a pit stop rather than leaving a digital footprint," I said, walking toward the desk. I didn't wait for an invitation. I leaned forward, my chest pressed against the polished wood and slid my leggings down around my ankles, looking at him over my shoulder. "Fuck me, Santi. Now."

He didn't hesitate. He moved with a swift grace, coming around the desk. With one perfect thrust, he buried himself inside of my ass. I cried out, my fingers clawing at the edge of the desk as he began to plow into me, his movements rough and unforgiving.

"Boris..." I managed to gasp out, the words catching in my throat as he hit my depth over and over. "He’ll be in Moscow in a few days."

Santi’s hands gripped onto my hips, his fingers bruising my skin. "And?"

"And we’re going to talk about what we need to do," I groaned, my head dropping as I surrendered to the sensation. "Before we reach out to you."

The mention of another man only made him more feral. He grabbed my hips with a white-knuckled grip, forcing himself deeper inside of me, his thrusts becoming harder, faster, until I was screaming in pure, unadulterated pleasure. A few minutes later, he came in me then pulled out, moaning my name.

As Santi and I were getting ourselves situated, adjusting our clothes while the heavy silence of the office returned, he looked at me with those sharp, calculating eyes.

"How long do you have?" he asked, his voice still thick. "Before you need to get back to your transportation?"

I looked at the clock on the wall, doing a quick mental calculation. "Two hours," I said simply. I didn't tell him that it was actually closer to three. I needed that extra hour for myself, a quiet space between two worlds where no one could find me.

"Let's have lunch," Santi suggested, buttoning his shirt.

I raised an eyebrow, scanning the sterile expanse of his office. "Here? On your desk?"

He offered a rare, slight smile. "No. My apartment is a three-minute walk from here. The fridge is fully stocked, and it’s private."

I nodded once. "I'm hungry. Let's go."

We threw our jackets on, the fabric rustling in the quiet room, and headed out. We walked to his apartment in a heavy, charged silence—the kind that exists between two people who have just shared a violent intimacy and are now shifting back into the roles of cold, calculating allies.

Once we were safely behind the double-locked privacy of his apartment, the atmosphere softened, but only slightly. I watched him move toward the kitchen, his motions economical and precise.

"Santi," I started, leaning against the marble countertop. "Why are you working here? Why aren't you back home?"

He stopped, a container of olives in one hand, and looked at me. "I work near wherever you are," he said plainly.

I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off before I could speak.

"Given our history and our friendship, it’s a logical move," he continued, his tone soft. "My licensure allows me to work almost anywhere. I want to be close—just in case you need legal help. You tend to find yourself in situations where having a lawyer within reach is more of a necessity than a luxury."

I felt a pang of something I couldn't quite name. "God, you would’ve saved me a lot of legal headaches over the last fifteen years." I shook my head, my gaze dropping to the floor. "I really didn't know you were always right there. If I had, we would have spent some time together.... probably fucking."

Santi looked at me, a dark, skeptical brow arching. "Even while you were married to Xavier?"

I met his gaze steadily, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "Santi, as my friend and as Xavier’s lawyer, you knew better than anyone that Xavier and I were far from faithful. Xavier didn't want to be found ninety-nine percent of the time. You know he was a notorious playboy, and I was trying to find love." I sighed, the exhaustion of the years finally showing on my face. "But here I am, in my forties and alone."

Santi walked over to me from the fridge, his presence looming but suddenly tender. He leaned down, catching my jaw in his hand, and kissed me—softly at first, then with a sudden, passionate intensity that tasted like years of unspoken things.

I let myself get lost in it for a few minutes before the cold reality of my schedule pulled at my mind. I pulled away, breathless. "I should leave," I whispered.

He didn't try to stop me. He just watched me as I grabbed my bag and jacket. I left the apartment without looking back, the cool air of the hallway hitting me like a reset button. I headed straight back the way I came, moving toward Darren and the plane.

When I reached the tarmac, the engines were cold and the hangar was quiet. I checked my watch. I was two and a half hours early. The plane was locked, but that was a minor inconvenience. I picked the lock with practiced ease and climbed aboard.

I heard muffled noises coming from the cockpit, a rhythmic thumping that I recognized immediately. I made my way forward and pushed the door open. There was Darren, his back to me, fucking a brunette bimbo draped over the pilot's seat.

I cleared her throat loudly.

They both jumped. Darren spun around, his face a mask of shock, and immediately pulled his dick out of the bimbo. He didn't say a word as he shoved himself back into his pants. The brunette scrambled to redress, her face flushing a deep crimson as she avoided my eyes. She practically bolted from the plane in sheer embarrassment.

"You didn't have to stop on my account," I said coolly, leaning against the doorframe. "I was done far earlier than I expected. If you want to find someone else to fuck, I can find somewhere else to be for a while. I have a few contacts in the red light district."

Darren muttered something under his breath about me being jealous.

I started laughing—a genuine, hard laugh that echoed in the cabin. "Darren, please. This has nothing to do with jealousy. It has everything to do with my safety."

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow, skeptical. "Your safety?"

"Have you heard the rumors?" I asked, my voice dropping to a cold register. "The ones about two surviving descendants of the Romanovs?"

Darren paused, his eyes narrowing. "I've heard them. Everyone in this business has."

"I am one of them," I said, watching the blood drain from his face. "I’m Marie Alexandrovna Romanov. My brother Bob is the other—Artem Alexandrovich Romanov."

Darren paled visibly, his swagger evaporating in an instant. He started to dip his head into a small, frantic bow. I held up a hand. "That's totally unnecessary," I told him.

He looked around the cockpit, still looking shaken. "I'll get Charlie right away," he stammered. "We can leave now."

"Don't bother," I said, turning back toward the cabin. "I could use the time to sleep. I can do that while we wait for Charlie. Go somewhere else if you need to; you spent a ton of your energy between myself, the brunette bimbo and whoever else you’re fucking."

As he was leaving the plane, clearly still reeling, I called out to him. "Reach out to Charlie. Tell him to make sure he has his energy up—but Darren? Do NOT tell him my true identity."

Darren nodded quickly as he left. Before he could get too far from the plane, he yelled over his shoulder, asking if I wanted any food.

"I'm fine," I called back. "I'll eat when I land back in Russia."

He nodded, then continued on his way. I locked up the plane, then searched the cabin until I found a few thick blankets and a soft pillow. Once I sat down and got comfortable, the exhaustion of the day finally caught up with me. I fell asleep instantly.

I slept for two hours without interruption. When my eyes finally blinked open, I felt a wave of gratitude for the rest I’d needed. I had woken up just in time, prior to Darren and Charlie’s arrival.

The low murmur of voices drifted through the cabin as the two pilots took their seats. They spent about twenty minutes going through the rigorous pre-flight pre-check, their voices a low drone from the cockpit as they toggled switches and verified systems.

"Fuel levels checked," Charlie’s voice was crisp, professional. "Navigation systems are green. Wind shear looks minimal for the corridor."

"Copy that," Darren replied. His voice lacked its usual arrogant edge; it was strained, almost reverent. "Hydraulics checked. Oxygen levels nominal. Let's keep this clean, Charlie. No deviations."

"You alright, Cap?" Charlie asked, the clicking of switches pausing for a second. "You sound different."

"Just focus on the checklist," Darren snapped, though there was no heat in it, only a nervous haste. "I want us out of here five minutes ago. Battery master on. Avionics on."

"Master on. Avionics on," Charlie echoed. "Ready for engine start?"

"Start 'em up."

The engines roared to life, vibrating through the fuselage and shaking me from the last remnants of sleep. I felt the power of the machine beneath me, a predatory beast waking up. Once they were finally all set, the plane began its taxi across the darkening tarmac. Moments later, we were in the air, banking steeply and heading back toward Moscow, Russia.

I spent the first few minutes of the ascent clenching the armrests and once we were at our altitude, I spent the time cleaning up my own little cocoon, folding the blankets precisely and making sure I had all of my personal belongings tucked away in my bag. Even with that done, there was still forty minutes of flight time left. I couldn't just sit still. I moved through the rest of the cabin, organizing the magazines, then found the cleaning supplies. I sanitized the hell out of the bathroom, scrubbing until it sparkled, and then moved on to the seating area. I sanitized every inch of the leather seats, erasing every trace of the last who knows how many people sat in this plane until the cabin felt clinical, fresh, and entirely disconnected from the chaos of the world below.

I knew we'd be landing soon, so I sat down and buckled up, my hands resting calmly on my lap. It was a smooth landing, the wheels touching the Russian tarmac with barely a jar. As soon as the plane came to a complete stop, I unbuckled, grabbed my bag, and immediately exited the plane. I didn't look back, and I didn't say goodbye to Darren and Charlie. I disappeared into the cold Moscow air as quickly as I had arrived.

I walked back toward the small, nondescript office in the hangar where I had met the attendant just hours before. I intended to settle our unofficial bill, but when I pushed open the door, a different man sat at the desk—younger, with sharp features and a uniform that looked too new.

"Looking for the other guy," I said, my voice cutting through the silence of the room. "The one with the ledger."

The young man didn't look up immediately. He tapped a few keys on a computer that hadn't been there this morning. "He's gone. Fired two hours ago."

I felt a slight shift in my chest. "On what grounds?"

"Management found out he authorized a roundtrip to Riga without a manifest entry," the man said, finally looking up with a disinterested stare.

"I see," I replied, my face a mask of indifference. "Does he have a name? A home address?"

The man scoffed. "We don't give out personal info. Especially not for guys who broke protocol."

I didn't say anything; I just nodded my head and left. The heavy door clicked shut behind me, sealing off the sterile heat of the office. I stood on the tarmac for a moment, the wind biting at my collar. I knew I only had a few hours to find this man and pay him for his assistance—he’d lost his job for me, and I wasn't about to let that go uncompensated. In this city, loyalty was a rare currency, and I always paid my debts in full.

Shadows and support

The first wave of cramps hit like a dull blade, a heavy, dragging heat that settled deep in my pelvis. It was the unmistakable signal that the abortion process had begun—the clinical reality of the medication finally manifesting as physical toll. I shifted on the couch in the living room area of the suite, bracing my hands against the cushions, trying to keep my breathing shallow and silent. I could feel the sweat beginning to bead at my hairline, a cold dampness that contrasted with the localized fire in my gut.

Across the room, Bob was checking his gear near the kitchenette, but the rhythmic sound of his movement stopped. I didn't have to look up to know he was watching me. We had shared a lifetime of tells; he knew the specific way my shoulders slumped when I was white-knuckling through pain.

"It’s starting, isn't it?" Bob’s voice was quiet, devoid of judgment.

"I’m fine," I lied, the word catching as a sharper cramp flared.

"Don't do that," he said, walking over. "Don't perform for me, dude. You’re my kid sister and I know when you’re not ok. Just tell me what you need, Marie. Right now."

"Ibuprofen and a shower," I managed to say. "I need to be under hot water for a while."

Bob nodded and became instantly focused. He went over to his bag, unzipping a side pocket and pulling out a bottle of Advil. He didn't ask how many I wanted or needed; he just shook three tablets into his palm. Turning to the humming mini-fridge near him, he grabbed a bottle of water from inside, cracking the seal for me before handing it over.

"Take these," he murmured.

I swallowed the pills, the cold water a sharp contrast to the rising heat in my gut. A few minutes later, I forced myself up and headed to the bathroom. Once inside, I clicked the lock and leaned against the door, breathing through another spike of pain. I reached over and cracked the bathroom window open, letting the sub-zero Russian air cut through the heat of the bathroom.

I stripped slowly, the movements mechanical. In the tub, I lit my panties on fire—a visceral, desperate act to erase the evidence of the blood, watching the small flame lick at the fabric until it was gone. I let a minute or two go by before I threw the water on. I hopped in and stood under the spray for what felt like an eternity. A few blood clots escaped from my body and I knew more was to come.

I showered, dressed, and used pads to catch the rest of the clots and the pregnancy sac. Once I brushed my hair, staring at my pale reflection until I looked somewhat human again, I stepped back out to the living room area.

I sat back down on the couch, the silence of the suite heavy between us. Bob pushed the water bottle closer to me, his eyes searching mine.

"Drink," he said softly. Then he leaned forward, his hands clasped between his knees. "Tell me, Marie. What do you need? Really?"

The walls I’d built up finally crumbled. "I want to be in Vic's arms," I whispered, the admission feeling like a fresh wound. "But I know the reality. He’s permanently banned from this country, and even if he could be here... he isn't 'man' enough for this. He couldn't handle seeing me like this. I don't even want to see him again."

Bob let out a short, dry chuckle and shook his head. "Most men don't deal well with blood, Marie. They especially don't deal well when they have to see a woman they love go through a tough situation like this. It scares them."

I looked at him—the one person who hadn't been scared off. "And you? How are you dealing with this? You’re a strong Catholic, Bob. Doesn't this go against everything that you believe in?"

Bob was quiet for a long moment, staring at the floor. "I don't agree with your decision as I believe in the sanctity of life," he said finally, meeting my gaze with a steady, honest look. "But I also understand the reality of it. At this stage, it wasn't a fetus and it wasn't a baby but just an unformed clump of cells. But regardless of that..." He reached out, resting a hand briefly on my shoulder. "This is your decision. And you're my sister. I’ll always stand by you and support you, Marie. No matter what, even if I don’t agree with it."

The exhaustion finally won. With the heat of the Advil kicking in and the weight of the conversation behind us, I felt my eyes grow heavy. I shifted on the couch, curling my legs up, and drifted into a thick, dreamless sleep.

I didn't wake for a few hours. When I finally did, it wasn't the pain or the cold that brought me back, but the sharp, insistent vibration of my phone. It was a text from Sera.

“Heard from Boris,” she said. “He says he’s on his way. He’s taking a different route than the one you took to stay under the radar. He thinks he’ll be in Moscow in three days.”

I stared at the glowing text for a second, my mind still hazy from sleep and the lingering ache in my body. Three days. In my current state, three days felt like a lifetime of waiting in these shadows. I looked over at Bob, who was still nearby, his presence a quiet anchor in the room.

“Boris?” he asked, seeing the blue light of the phone reflecting in my eyes.

“Yeah,” I murmured, my throat dry. “He’s three days out as he’s taking the long way.”

I looked back at the screen, my thumbs hovering over the glass. There was so much I could have said—about the pain, the silence, or the fire in the tub—but I didn't have the energy to translate any of it into words. I typed out a short, hollow reply.

“Ok. Thanks.”

I set the phone back down on the side table, the light fading into the dark room. I managed to sit up just enough to take a few more long swallows of water, the liquid soothing my parched throat. I shook two Tylenol into my hand, swallowing them down to stay ahead of the next wave of pain. Without saying another word to Bob, I laid back down, pulling the blanket that he placed on me up to my chin. The darkness of the suite felt heavy and protective as I fell back asleep for the rest of the night, not opening my eyes again until the pale morning light began to bleed through the curtains.

When the sun finally hit the room, I felt a different kind of exhaustion—the kind that comes after a battle. I forced myself out of bed, heading straight for the shower to wash away the sweat of the nigh and to check the process of the abortion. After brushing my teeth and getting dressed, I raided the mini-fridge, grabbing a bottle of water and a yogurt.

I sat at the small table, eating slowly as my strength returned. Bob was already up, nursing a cup of coffee. I looked at him, realizing how much he’d carried for me over the last thirty-six hours.

“Bob,” I said, setting the empty yogurt cup aside. “You should find Polina.”

He lowered his cup, looking at me with a confused frown. “Polina? Why?”

“Because,” I said, leaning back. “You need to blow off some steam. And let’s be real—she’s beautiful. You deserve a break from all of this.”

He was silent for a moment, then he gave a slow, contemplative nod. “How am I supposed to find her?”

I didn't answer right away. I pulled out my phone and shot a quick text to Fritz. A minute later, the screen lit up. “She’s on her way up to the suite,” I told Bob, relaying the message.

As Bob headed into the bathroom to shower, I moved with a new sense of purpose. I grabbed a small bag and began throwing things in—a change of clothes, some travel hair care, and my toothbrush and toothpaste. I wasn't going to be the third wheel in my own suite while my brother finally got a moment of peace.

Once Bob emerged from the bathroom, fresh and dressed, I zipped my bag and slung it over my shoulder.

“I’m heading out,” I told him. “I’ll be spending the day and night elsewhere. You and Polina should have some privacy.”

He looked like he wanted to argue, but then he just nodded, his expression softening. I headed for the door, leaving the weight of the night behind me for a while.

As I headed past reception, I saw Fritz. I stopped by the desk, the cool air from the entrance already beginning to swirl around my ankles.

"Fritz," I said, catching his attention.

He looked up, offering a professional nod. "Yes, Marie? Is everything all right?"

"I need a favor," I said, lowering my voice slightly. "The bedding that will be used today and tonight in the suite? I want you to make sure it's burned in the morning. All of it."

Fritz didn't blink. He simply leaned in and gave a short, firm nod. "Consider it done. I'll make sure it's taken care of personally."

"Thank you," I said, feeling a small piece of the burden lift.

I adjusted the strap of my bag and headed out into the biting Russian cold.

Shadows of the safehouse

The heavy oak door of the hotel room thudded shut, the sound echoing with a finality that seemed to vibrate through the floorboards and into my marrow. Bob let out a long, ragged exhale—the kind of breath a man draws when he realizes he’s still alive, if only for the moment. He dropped his duffel bag near the entryway of the small foyer with a heavy thud.

I felt the vibration in my pocket a second before the chime cut through the silence. I pulled the burner phone out, the screen’s cold, clinical blue glow illuminating the raw, cracked skin across my knuckles—reminders of a morning I’d rather forget. It was a message from Sera.

“I know you’re out of the safehouse, Marie. It goes up in flames within a few hours. Consider it a thank you for saving my life more than once.”

I stared at the text, the words burning into my retinas for a beat too long. Then, I pocketed the phone without a word and looked at Bob.

“Bad news?” he asked, his eyes scanning my face with the practiced intensity of a man who lived by reading reactions.

“Sera says the safehouse is slated to burn within a few hours,” I said, crossing the room toward the window. I pulled the curtain back just enough to scan the street-level perimeter from our eighth-floor vantage point. “She knows exactly where we are.”

Bob paused, his hand white-knuckled around the strap of his bag. He watched me with that slow, deliberate scrutiny that usually preceded a hard truth. “You going to respond?”

“No,” I replied, my voice flat. I ignored the phantom weight of the device in my pocket.

Bob stood up straight, crossing his arms over his chest. “She’s the only tether we have left to the inner circle, Marie. Why the radio silence?”

I turned away from the window, leaning my weight against the frame. “Because she’s already in deep shit with the wife due to the history between her and I. If Elena finds out Sera is even breathing in our direction right now, the politics of this job become the least of my worries. In this business, there are lines you don't cross twice.”

Bob raised a salt-and-pepper eyebrow, a silent, stubborn demand for the part of the story I was holding back. I met his gaze, the weight of a decade of regret pressing into my chest.

“Sera was the love of my life,” I stated, the admission feeling like a jagged stone in my throat. “When you spend years working for different governments, thrust together into the same dark corners, you tend to fall in love with the person you shouldn’t. We were supposed to get married before I started working for you. She was hospitalized for months after a difficult assignment, and she fell for her doctor. They were married six months later.”

Bob gave a slow, somber nod, the skepticism in his eyes finally giving way to a grim understanding of the stakes. “The casualties we don't bury,” he muttered. “I get it.”

I cleared my throat, the air in the room suddenly too thick with the past. “Come on. Let me show you around the suite.”

I gave him a tour, moving through the suite with the mechanical efficiency of someone who had already mapped every exit and blind spot. “The bedroom is through there. We’ve got a small kitchenette with a stocked mini-fridge if you need to eat, the pull-out couch, the secondary living room area, and the full bathroom.”

Bob walked to the center of the living area, spinning in a slow circle as he took in the dimensions. He let out a low, appreciative whistle. “This is three times the size of any hotel room back home,” he said, his voice echoing slightly in the sterile quiet of the suite.

“It is,” I said, already moving back to the door to double-check the secondary deadbolts I’d reinforced. “But those rooms aren’t as secure, and they sure as hell aren’t as safe.”

Bob walked over to the window, peering out at the cold glitter of the city lights before turning back to me. “So, what now?” he asked, his voice dropping to a low rasp. “What’s the move?”

I checked the time on my watch, watching the second hand sweep with agonizing, rhythmic precision. “Now, we sit and wait,” I told him firmly. “We don't move too far from the hotel, we don't signal Sera as she always has eyes on me and we don't make contact with Santi until Boris arrives.”

Bob ran a hand along the wall, his expression skeptical. "And how secure is this suite, really? It looks like every other overpriced tourist trap in the city."

"Looks are the point," I replied, tapping the surface of the wall near the doorframe. The sound wasn't the hollow thud of drywall; it was the dull, heavy ring of industrial plating. "The walls and the door are all reinforced metal, hidden under those wooden panels. It’s designed to withstand more than just a common breach team."

I looked around the nondescript space, the shadows lengthening as the sun dipped below the skyline. To Bob, it was a nice room. To me, it was a fortress.

“This is the only place I felt safe when people were trying to kill me,” I explained, my voice barely above a whisper. “When the world was falling apart, this was the only corner of it where I could actually breathe.”

The exit strategy

Santiago adjusted the collar of his coat against the biting wind, his boots crunching on the frost and snow covered gravel as he studied me. We stood in the desolate open space of Chelobityevo, the grey Russian sky stretching endlessly above us. He maintained that sharp, analytical gaze that had served my ex-husband so well for years. The weight of the Romanov revelation was still hanging in the air, thick and suffocating, but Santiago was already moving on to the tactical reality of my escape.

"You mentioned a colleague, Marie," Santiago said, his voice barely a murmur to keep the wind from carrying it too far. "This isn't just about moving one person across a border anymore. You told me you needed a permanent exit for yourself and a 'friend.' Who is he? Who is this person you’ve tethered your survival to?"

I watched a hawk circle slowly over the distant, barren fields before meeting his eyes. "His name is Boris. He’s been in the business as long as I have, maybe longer. He’s spent fifteen years as my shadow, my cleaner, and occasionally the only reason my heart is still beating."

Santiago’s brow furrowed as he looked around the empty landscape, ensuring we were still alone. "A professional. That makes things rather complicated. Bringing a second operative out of Russia, especially one with that kind of history, doubles the risk. Is he worth it?"

"He’s the only thing in this godforsaken country that I actually value," I replied, the ice in my voice leaving no room for negotiation. "I gave him my word. When I burn this life down, I’m not leaving him in the wreckage to be picked apart by the Kremlin. He’s important to me, Santiago. More important than the politics or the money."

Santiago tapped his fingers against his folded arms, his mind likely calculating the cost of extra falsified documents and high-risk extraction points. "And have you contacted him? Does he know the clock is ticking?"

"I sent word before I even reached this God forsaken town. Boris will be at the safehouse in three to five days. He’ll be ready to move when we are."

Santiago nodded slowly, a grim respect flickering in his eyes as he leaned against a rusted fence post. "Good. Because once the Kremlin realizes you aren't just another asset—once they truly accept what that DNA test means—they won't just want your blood for a vial. They’ll want your life to ensure the line stays dead. We don't have time for hesitation."

"I'm not hesitating," I said, stepping closer to him so our voices stayed low.

Santiago looked at me, his expression turning solemn. "There is one more thing you need to accept, Marie. Once you cross that border, once you leave Russia behind—DNA test or not—you won't be allowed back for a very long time. Probably ever. You are closing a door that has been open for many years."

I met his gaze without blinking, the cold wind whipping my hair across my face. "I understand, Santiago."

He hesitated for a moment, his professional mask slipping just enough to reveal a flicker of personal curiosity. "Xavier still asks about you. Can I tell him I saw you?"

I didn't have to think about the answer. "No. You tell him nothing. Xavier needs to accept that I am no longer in his life. As far as he is concerned, Santiago, I need you to let him see me as dead. It's the only way he moves on, and it's the only way I stay safe."

Santiago sighed, the sound lost to the wind, and gave a single, sharp nod of understanding. "Understood, Marie. Consider it buried."

"Thank you, Santi," I said, offering a rare moment of genuine gratitude. "I’ll let you know when Boris arrives."

Santiago checked his watch, his posture suddenly stiffening with professional urgency. "I need to get back to Riga," he said, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Latvia doesn’t know that I left the country and Russia doesn’t know that I entered the country. If the Russian government catches wind of this meeting, the paperwork will be the least of our problems."

I watched him walk back toward his vehicle, his figure merging with the grey landscape.

Once Santiago was gone, I didn't linger. The silence of the fields was too heavy, too full of things that had already been decided. I climbed back into the car I had hotwired earlier, the engine turning over with a reluctant, mechanical groan. I drove through the outskirts of Moscow, weaving through the late afternoon traffic with the practiced anonymity of someone who had spent their life disappearing.

When I was within twelve blocks of the safehouse, I found the same street where I’d initially taken the car. I put it back into the space where I borrowed it from, wiped down the ignition and the door handle, and stepped out into the cold. I walked the rest of the way, my hood up, eyes tracking the shadows of the doorways and the reflections in the shop windows.

The air inside the safehouse was stale, smelling of old wood and the copper tang of nervous energy. Bob was there, exactly where I had left him, his silhouette framed against the dim light of the kitchen. He didn't say a word as I locked the door behind me, but his silence was loud enough to fill the room. He had been waiting, counting the minutes of my absence, and I could tell by the set of his shoulders that he was ready for whatever truth I was bringing back with me.

I turned to face him, the cold from outside still clinging to my skin. "He’s heading back to Latvia. They don’t know he left and Russia doesn’t know he was here. He’s going to facilitate the exit for all three of us."

"Glad that it was all three of us that you mentioned," Bob’s eyes narrowed.

"I told him that it’s mandatory that Boris comes with us. I told him he’s non-negotiable." I stepped into the kitchen, the floorboards groaning under my boots. "But there’s a catch, Bob. A permanent one."

"There always is with Santiago," Bob muttered. "What's the price?"

“He was very clear,” I said. “Once we cross that border, I can’t come back. Not in five years, not in ten. As far as Russia is concerned—and as far as the world is concerned—the Romanov line ends with me since they don't know that you exist.”

Bob let out a short, harsh breath that might have been a laugh in another life. "I've been a ghost in this country for years, Marie. The only difference is now the grave will be outside the fence." He looked at me, his gaze searching. "Are you really okay with that? Leaving everything? The life you built in working in different governments and our real names?"

"I'm more than okay with it," I replied, my voice steady. "I'm ready. I told him to tell Xavier picture me as dead; as he should’ve done when I divorced him and sent his pathetic ass to prison. It’s the only way you and I survive the fallout."

Bob nodded slowly. "And Boris as well."

I took a breath, scanning the small room and feeling the clock ticking against us. "We need to pack up and move. Now."

"What happened?" Bob asked, his hand hovering over his bag.

"I hotwired a car to meet Santiago," I explained, already grabbing my gear. "When I parked it back where I found it, people saw me. We can't stay here another hour."

Bob groaned, the sound of a man who had put up with me hotwiring vehicles too many times in his lifetime. "Fine. Let's go."

It took only a few minutes to gather our things and leave. We abandoned the stale air of the safehouse, slipping back into the biting cold of the Moscow streets. We headed to the only other safe place I could think of—the Metropol Hotel.

When we arrived and entered the lobby, the opulence of the hotel felt like a different world compared to the grit of the streets we had just left. I noticed Fritz was at reception, his movements as polished and efficient as ever. He looked up as we approached, his expression neutral but welcoming.

"Welcome back, Miss Smith," Fritz said, his eyes flicking briefly to Bob. "Is this your brother? You always said how much you both look alike."

"It's certainly him, Fritz," I said, a faint, tired smile touching my lips. "The one sibling that I like."

Fritz nodded, a spark of professional curiosity in his eyes as he and Bob began chatting. Bob fell into the role of the weary traveling sibling with ease, engaging Fritz in the kind of low-stakes conversation that kept suspicions at bay. Bob was the perfect person to put questions at bay as he is a restaurateur and can schmooze anyone for anything that he needed. While Fritz studied his computer, trying to decide where to place us in the fully booked hotel, the tension in my chest tightened.

"To make it easier for you, Fritz," I interjected, leaning slightly over the counter, "would it be okay if I used the room I had the last time?"

“Hmmmmm, I don’t think so as it hasn’t been cleaned yet,” he said. “Let me check with the boss.”

Since I knew that he had to place a call to the owner of the hotel, I pulled Bob aside.

"When were you here last?" Bob asked.

"Last night with K," I said as I kept my back to the desk. "It’s the only room in this hotel that’s truly secure. Only the owner, security, Sera, Fritz, and I know about it." I paused, glancing back at the reception. "Oh, and the owner’s personal house cleaner, of course. We need that room, Bob. It's about laying low until Boris arrives and we can get out of here."

We spent a few minutes in silence, watching Fritz as he spoke into the phone. The lobby was quiet, the heavy velvet curtains muffling the sounds of the city outside. Finally, Fritz hung up and turned back to us with a sharp nod.

"The owner has approved it," Fritz said. "We can use the room, but we need about forty-five minutes to clean it and set it up for both of you. I’ll bring up your belongings to store in the large wall safe in that room so you don’t need to drag everything around with you."

He leaned in slightly, a rare touch of informal hospitality breaking through his professional mask. "In the meantime, there is a hole-in-the-wall ramen restaurant two blocks over that I recommend. It’s quiet, and the food is authentic. Please let them know that I sent you."

“Thanks so much, Fritz,” I said as I was taking off my backpack and Bob placing my duffle bags and his one bag on the counter. “Which way do we need to take to the restaurant?”

“Go north west,” he said. I nodded.

We stepped back out into the Moscow chill, the heavy gold-trimmed doors of the Metropol clicking shut behind us. The transition from the hotel's climate-controlled elegance to the raw, biting air of the street was a sharp reminder of the world we were trying to navigate. I adjusted my scarf, my eyes automatically scanning the passing cars and the figures huddled in doorways. Bob walked beside me, his stride steady, though I could feel the alertness radiating off him.

Following Fritz's directions, we turned northwest. The city was beginning to settle into the early evening, the streetlamps casting long, distorted shadows across the pavement. Two blocks felt longer than they should have when every set of headlights felt like a spotlight.

The restaurant was exactly as Fritz described: a narrow, unassuming doorway tucked between a closed tailor shop and a darkened bookstore. We stepped inside, the heat hitting us instantly, along with the steam from the open kitchen. The place was small—just a few stools at a wooden counter and three cramped booths. It was the kind of place where you could disappear into the steam, exactly where we needed to be.

Polina emerged from the kitchen with food to serve to customers at a table. She froze for a second when she saw me, then a look of recognition softened her features. After placing the food on the table for the couple that was there, she began taking off her apron then came over.

"Polina?" I asked, surprised to see her in such a different environment. "What are you doing here?"

"The salon job is my primary job," she explained with a tired but kind smile, "but I work here on my days off from the salon. A girl has to stay busy in this city."

"I apologize for my manners," I said, feeling a rare moment of social clumsiness given the high stakes of the day. "I didn't expect to run into a familiar face." I gestured toward Bob. "This is my brother, Artem Alexandrovich. But he prefers to be called Bob."

"A pleasure to meet you, Bob," Polina said.

"The pleasure is mine," Bob replied, extending a hand. They shook hands, and then, in a rare display of emotion, Bob stepped forward and gave Polina a hug. "Thank you," he whispered, "for changing her appearance and for sending for your brother."

When Polina broke their hug, looking slightly flustered but touched, I spoke up. "Polina, I spoke with a lawyer friend of mine a few hours ago. He's willing to help Boris get out of his government work, but you need to know there's a good chance he won't be welcomed back here any time soon once we leave."

The steam from the kitchen swirled between us, Polina’s eyes reflecting the weight of my words. She went quiet for a moment, her gaze dropping to the wooden floor. "I will miss him," she said softly, "but I will follow him eventually on my own. I'm saving my money to leave this country forever."

I turned to Polina. "We've taken up so much of your time away from cooking with just talking so we'll take a table and order with someone."

She thanked me, and we sat at the one table that was empty. Once we sat down, a server came over to us. "Good evening," he said with a slight bow. "You don't need to look at the menu. A friend of the house, Mr. Fritz, has already placed an order for you. It will be out shortly."

"Fritz is thorough," Bob remarked.

"Spasibo,” I said to the server. He nodded then left to join the kitchen activity. Within minutes, the server returned, placing a small bottle of chilled, expensive vodka and two heavy shot glasses on the table.

"Compliments of Fritz," the server added before disappearing back into the steam.

I reached for the bottle, feeling the condensation on the glass. "Be careful with this, Bob," I warned, pouring a steady measure into each glass. "The vodka here is significantly stronger than back home. It doesn't just burn; it takes your breath away."

Bob picked up his glass, eyeing the clear liquid. "After today, Marie, I think taking my breath away is exactly what I need."

In a matter of minutes, so many varieties of ramen were delivered to the table. Huge, steaming bowls of tonkotsu, spicy miso, and shoyu, each topped with perfectly marbled pork and soft-boiled eggs, filled the small space between us. We didn't talk much; the gravity of the situation and the sheer volume of food demanded our full attention. It took forever to eat all of it and consume all of the broth, the heat of the soup finally driving the lingering chill of Chelobityevo from my bones.

When the time came to leave, I signaled for the bill. As I paid, I tucked a thick envelope into the folder. Inside was a wad of rubles I had gathered—a small fortune in this economy. I wrote Polina’s name on the front in clear, precise script. I knew she would need it to follow Boris, to buy her own way out when the time was right. I left it on the table as we stood to go, a silent thank you for a loyalty that money couldn't truly buy, but could certainly protect.

We left the heat of the ramen shop and headed back to the Metropol Hotel. The night air was even colder now, the frost beginning to sparkle on the statues surrounding the square. Fritz was still at the desk when we pushed through the revolving doors. I walked straight to the counter, Bob following just behind.

"Fritz," I said, leaning in. "Thank you. Leading us to Polina was more helpful than I can say."

Fritz looked up, his expression softening into something abashedly warm. "I'm more than happy to help you, Deppgrl," he said softly, using the name that hinted at our long, strange history.

"I appreciate you, Fritz," I said, holding his gaze for a second. "And I appreciate your assistance with everything today."

He didn't say anything further, simply giving a short, respectful nod of acknowledgment. He glanced around the lobby to ensure no one was watching before sliding a cool, heavy metal key across the polished wood and into my hand. "The room is ready. Your things are already secured inside."

I closed my fingers over the key, the metal bite of it grounding me. Without another word, I signaled to Bob and led my brother toward the elevators, leaving the safety of the lobby for the sanctuary of the room upstairs.

The safehouse return

The cold Moscow air bit at my face, a sharp contrast to the lingering heat of the night K and I had just shared. I knew I wouldn't see him again, but the memory was worth the price. To pull off a rendezvous like this, he’d had to lie through his teeth to the school where we’d once taught as colleagues—spinning some elaborate fiction about a family emergency out of state forty-eight hours before flying halfway across the world. Now, he was facing the brutal reality of a flight home and the kind of jetlag that makes the world feel like it’s underwater.

In the few minutes it took to walk back to the safehouse, I opened the secure messaging app to update Sera. Her response was a rapid-fire sequence of texts that vibrated against my palm.

Vic is in the air. Good riddance.

Bob is anxiously waiting for you. He’ve been pacing like a caged animal. Listen, Marie, I can’t be in contact for a while. I told my wife I saw you yesterday. She didn’t appreciate the secrecy, even knowing it was a need-to-know situation. I have to smooth things over at home.

Before I could process the sudden radio silence from my handler, the third text arrived, dripping with her characteristic possessiveness.

Don’t think you’re off the hook. I’m still tracking you. I’ll have eyes on you every second you’re in Russia, every mile of the flight home, and for about two years after you land. I didn’t bother replying. The idea of Sera’s "eyes" was both a comfort and a curse—a digital leash that reminded me I was never truly alone, for better or worse.

The smell of stale coffee and concentrated tension hit me the moment I stepped back into the safehouse. Bob was a dark silhouette against the grey Moscow light filtering through the window.

"You're late," he said, his voice gravelly. He didn't turn around. "Or early. I've lost track of time watching you move through this city."

"I'm here, Bob. That's the only metric that matters," I replied, shedding my coat and locking the door.

He turned then, a dry, humorless smile twisting his features. "I'm glad you're safe, Marie. Truly. But your social circle is a goddamn nightmare. I’ve had three different 'anonymous' calls in the last hour confirming your location within a six-block radius. They claim they aren't tracking you, and yet here we are. It’s a fucking circus."

I ignored the jab, sitting on the edge of the worn sofa. "We need to talk about the exit strategy, Bob. When I pull the plug on this life, I’m not doing it alone. I’m bringing Boris out with us."

Bob stopped his pacing, his eyes narrowing. "Boris? You want to drag a ghost into a defection?"

"He's been my shadow for fifteen years. He’s kept me breathing through every suicidal assignment the Kremlin threw my way. I’m not leaving him behind to be liquidated the second I'm gone."

Bob’s expression softened, just a fraction. He rubbed the back of his neck, exhaling a long, weary breath. "I know what he means to you, Marie. And I know it’s more than just his usefulness—though God knows he’s been your shield. If we’re burning this bridge, we do it right. No one who matters gets left in the fire."

"He matters," I said, the words final.

"Then he’s coming," Bob promised. "But we have to survive the Kremlin first."

I groaned, the weight of the city pressing down on my shoulders. "While you were out... occupied..." Bob started.

"I was fucking K, Bob. Let’s not use euphemisms. Get to the point."

My brother didn't even blink. "The Kremlin wants to redo the DNA test. They’re ignoring the results from Doc’s mechanic. They want their own samples, and they want you in the room when they take them."

"I'm not stepping foot in that building without security."

"You have me," Bob countered.

"No, Bob. In that house? You're a target, not a shield. I need Boris."

Bob nodded, accepting the tactical reality. "Then get him here. ASAP." He looked around the cramped, dingy room. "Am I going to have to listen to you two through these paper-thin walls?"

I laughed, the sound sharp and cynical. "Relax. If we’re going to fuck, we’ll find somewhere that doesn't smell like your anxiety. I’m not that much of a prick."

"Fine. When is he getting here?"

"Three to five days," I said.

Bob’s mask slid back into place. "Make the calls. Get him here."

I pulled out my phone and dialed Santiago, Xavier’s attorney. He picked up on the second ring, with surprise in his voice.

“Santi, it’s Deppgrl,” I said to my old friend. “I need help but you’re the only one from home that I trust to help me out.”

"Deppgrl. I wasn't expecting a call from you anytime soon."

“I know,” I said. I didn't bother with niceties when I explained everything. "You know the true work I do and I need help. The situation is hot and I need a permanent exit for myself and a colleague to get out of this work. Now."

"Understood," he said, shifting into professional mode. "Where are you?"

"Moscow, Russia."

"I'm in Riga, Latvia. I can have a private transport fueled and be there in two hours."

"Meet me in Chelobityevo. It’s quieter. I’ll spot a tail easier on those roads."

"Two hours. Stay dark, Deppgrl."

I hung up and went to the back room to change into something nondescript—a jacket that hid my frame and colors that blended into the Russian sprawl. I checked my reflection one last time before heading out.

"I'm off to see a friend, then Chelobityevo," I told Bob. "Do not follow me. I mean it."

Bob nodded, his jaw tight, but he stayed put.

I didn't head for the outskirts immediately. I doubled back to the salon and found Polina. The family resemblance was a flare in the dark; I’d known she was Boris’s sister the moment I saw her yesterday. I pulled her aside, away from the other stylists.

"I need Boris here, Polina. Tell him it’s time."

She searched my face, seeing the gravity of the request. "It will take a few days," she whispered, "but I'll send him."

“He will disappear for a bit but when he can, he or I will reach out,” I said.

“I understand, Marie Alexdrovna,” she said.

I thanked her and drove to Chelobityevo. I was late, having stopped to eat; my body needed the fuel for whatever was coming next. When I arrived, Santiago was already waiting. In my drab clothes and with the exhaustion etched into my face, he looked right through me at first.

"Deppgrl?" he asked tentatively as I approached. When I apologized for the delay, he let out a breath of relief. "I'm just glad you're breathing. You look like you've been through a war."

"The war's just starting," I said, standing across from him. I didn't waste time on small talk. "Santiago, look at me. I’ve known since I was a child that Bob and I didn't fit in with our family and especially with our sister. Certainly, not with the life we were given. Now I know why." I leaned forward. "I’m not just a client in need of help. I’m Marie Alexandrovna Romanov. And Bob’s real identity is Artem Alexandrovich Romanov. He’s my biological brother from the very beginning. As far as I know, we are the last of a direct line they thought they ended in a basement in 1918."

Santiago’s eyes went wide, the name "Deppgrl" clearly vanishing from his mind as the weight of the revelation hit him. "You're saying that you have proof of this? Real proof?"

"Doc’s mechanic ran a DNA profile against the markers of Czar Nicholas II’s father. It was a perfect match. The Kremlin has caught the scent, and they’re coming for their own pound of flesh."

Santiago leaned back, his mind clearly mapping out the legal and lethal ramifications. "A mechanic ran the DNA test? If those markers are real," he whispered, "this isn't just an exit strategy anymore. It's a geopolitical earthquake."

“The mechanic was a former nurse in a previous lifetime,” I said. “I knew that I could trust him as he had been my nurse a few times here over the years. Calling it a geopolitical earthquake is a nice way to put it.”

The Romanov Enigma: Shadow of a Ghost

Polina’s question hung in the air, thick with the weight of a history that was supposed to be buried under decades of snow and revolution. She stared at me through the mirror, her fingers trembling as they hovered near my face.

"I have no idea what you’re talking about," I said, my voice dropping into a low tone. I didn't flinch nor did I blink. I simply met her gaze with a coldness that made the air between us turn brittle. "I came here for a service, Polina. I suggest you focus on doing it."

Polina swallowed hard, the color draining from her cheeks. She knew she had stepped over an invisible line, one where the penalty for curiosity was often permanent. She didn't apologize—we both knew an apology would only confirm the suspicion—but she fell into a stony, frantic silence.

She returned to the tiny bowl of black dye, her movements robotic now. She applied the dye to my eyebrows with meticulous, shaking hands, coating the pale arches until they looked like ink strokes against my skin.

"The processing time for brows are shorter than the time for your hair," she said. "I’ll start the hair now, but I’ll pause to clean the dye off before they stain the skin too deeply."

"Do what you need to do," I replied.

She began the arduous process of burying the blonde. She worked with a feverish intensity, sectioning my hair and painting on the heavy, midnight-black cream. The scent of ammonia was sharp, stinging my nostrils, but I welcomed it. It smelled like erasure.

Halfway through the application, Polina glanced at the station timer. Without a word, she set down her brush and grabbed a stack of cotton pads soaked in cleanser. She leaned in—close enough for me to see the pulse jumping in her neck—and began to wipe the dye from my eyebrows.

As the black dye came away, the transformation began to take shape. The contrast of the stark, black brows against my pale skin made my eyes look piercing, almost predatory. I looked less like a victim on the run and more like the shadow that hunts them.

"Beautiful," she said, the word accidentally slipping out as she finished wiping the dye off of my second brow.

"Please just finish my hair, Polina," I commanded softly.

She nodded quickly and picked up the larger bowl. She worked the rest of the dye through the lengths of my new bob, ensuring every strand of my former life was submerged in ink. When she finally finished, she stepped back, her chest heaving slightly.

She reached for the station timer, twisting the dial to forty-five minutes. "I think it will take less," she noted. "Your hair is fine; the dye should take quickly."

I looked at her through the mirror, my expression flat. "With how light my hair is, if you do less time, it will pull red rather than black. Run the full time, then check a small section."

Polina paused, then nodded slowly. "You’re right. The undertones would be a disaster."

She waited, the mechanical ticking of the timer the only sound between us for almost an hour. She spent some time to sweep up my hair and swept it into the incinerator. When the timer finally chimed, she pulled a small section of hair from the nape of my neck and wiped away the cream. She frowned slightly. "It’s dark, but under this light, I see some red undertones.”

"Fifteen minutes longer, I guess," I said.

She set the timer. We sat in a heavy, expectant silence until the final chime rang out. This time, when she checked another small section, a tiny smile touched her lips. "It is perfect. Your hair is blacker than your soul now."

"Good," I said, standing up. "Let's wash out the dye then."

We moved to the sink for Polina to wash and condition my hair. During the process, the water ran a dark river swirling down the drain. Once the water ran clear from the excess dye, shampoo and conditioner, we returned to her station. The roar of the blow-dryer filled the room as she styled the sleek bob, the black hair swinging with a healthy, dangerous luster.

Before I could stand to leave, she reached into a cabinet and pulled out several professional-grade bottles of both shampoo and conditioner. "These should be enough product to protect the color and the health of your hair for a long time," she said, placing them in a small bag. "Given what I think you've been through, this is on me."

"Thank you," I said. I reached into my pocket and pulled out three thousand rubles, set them on the station.

Polina looked at the money and immediately shook her head, her hands up in a gesture of refusal. "No, please. It was a pleasure."

I simply raised my eyebrow again—the same commanding look that had broken her resolve earlier. Her hand hovered for a second before she quietly took the bills and tucked them away.

"Thank you, Marie Alexandrovna," she whispered. “Good luck.”

I nodded my head but didn't give a verbal answer. I turned and walked out the door, the weight of the black hair unfamiliar but right. I stepped into the biting Moscow wind and began the walk back toward the safehouse, a ghost finally wearing the right shroud.

When I reached the safehouse, the air inside was still heavy with the scent of dust and Bob’s expensive espresso, but the man himself was nowhere to be seen. I moved through the rooms with a predator’s caution, checking the locks and the shadows. The apartment was empty. Maybe he’d gone out to make good on his promises or perhaps he was just keeping his own secrets.

I found a scrap of paper on the kitchen counter and scribbled a short note.

Came back from my errand looking a little different but you weren’t here. Staying elsewhere for the night but still local. If my friend Sera calls, take her for her word.

I left it pinned under a heavy glass ashtray where he couldn't miss it. I checked the blade in my boot, grabbed a few things and shoved them in a bag, adjusted the weight of my coat, and slipped back out into the darkening city.

The Moscow twilight was a deep, bruised purple. As I walked, I pulled my phone from my pocket and felt the cold metal bite into my palm. My thumb hovered over the encrypted messaging app. I needed to know. I needed to see if the ties I’d tried to cut were still holding.

I typed out a message to Sera: Is Vic still in Russia?

I didn't wait for a reply. I shoved the phone back into my pocket and turned toward the Metropol. It was the hotel I had practically lived in before I found the safehouse that I now know that Bob and I have shared in passing - a place of high ceilings, velvet curtains, and enough anonymity to hide a dozen scandals.

Passing a shop window, I caught my reflection. The woman staring back at me was sharp-edged and unrecognizable. The black bob moved perfectly, framing a face that looked like it belonged to a legend rather than a fugitive.

My phone buzzed. I stopped under the amber glow of a streetlamp, my breath blooming in the air like smoke, and looked at the screen.

He’s still here, Sera replied. Tearing Russia apart looking for you. He’s blind with rage trying to find you, Marie. He has no idea where you are.

A cold, familiar thrill raced through me. Do you have eyes on me right now? I typed back.

The response was instantaneous. I always have eyes on you.

Send him to me, I commanded. The Metropol Hotel. I'll be here for twenty four hours.

Copy that, she sent.

I pocketed the phone and straightened my shoulders. The walk was short, the snow beginning to fall in fat, lazy flakes that vanished against my dark coat. By the time I reached the grand entrance of the hotel, my heart was a steady, rhythmic drum. I stepped through the revolving doors, the warmth of the lobby embracing me.

I walked up to the reception desk, my expression unreadable. The clerk didn't recognize the dark-haired woman before him, which was exactly the point.

"Check-in," I said. "The name is DeppGrl Smith."

The clerk tapped at his keyboard for a moment, then nodded. "Welcome back, Ms. Smith. We have your preferred room ready."

I took the key card and headed for the elevators. The room was exactly as I remembered—opulent, quiet, and smelling of beeswax and history. Once the door clicked shut, I finally let out a long, jagged breath. I kicked off my shoes, the plush carpet a relief against my aching feet, and started to unbutton my coat.

A sudden, heavy pounding at the door made me freeze. It wasn't the polite knock of room service; it was urgent, demanding.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. A text from Sera: It's Gleb Botkin - the grandson - knocking at the door.

I walked to the door, my movements silent, and looked through the peephole. It was him, looking just as frantic as the messages suggested. I took a breath, reached for the handle, and opened the door.

"Come in," I said, stepping back to let him pass. I closed the door and turned the lock behind him, the finality of the sound echoing in the high-ceilinged room.

"I apologize for startling you," Gleb said, his voice breathless as he smoothed his coat. "But I've paid the staff here for years to let me know the moment you book a room under that name."

I looked at him, my expression flat. "What was so important that you had to hunt me down within minutes of my arrival?"

"Val is on a warpath," he said, pacing a small line near the foot of the bed. "You left without a note, Marie. She’s furious. She’s now incapable of using her inherited talent to find you—it's like you've completely vanished from her radar. And to top it off, she didn't win Vic over completely like she usually does with men. He’s immune to her, and she can't stand it. I think it’s because you left and cut ties with her."

I leaned against the dresser, crossing my arms. "And what exactly does Val's ego have to do with me?"

"Because Vic has been tearing Russia apart looking for you," Gleb said, stopping his pacing to look at me. "He's obsessed."

"I know," I said calmly. "He’s been my lover for years."

Gleb blinked, surprised by my composure. "What are you going to do with him, Marie?"

"I'm sending Vic home," I told him then I lied about Boris. "And I'm using whatever contacts I still have to get Boris into prison."

Gleb watched me for a long moment, a slow smile spreading across his face. "I can help you with Boris. I have the channels to move someone like him without triggering any alarms." He paused, his eyes twinkling. "But it’ll cost you."

I narrowed my eyes. "What's the cost, Gleb?"

He looked toward the door, then back at me. "The cost is a cup of coffee from the bar. I’ve had a very long day."

I watched him as he spoke, but my attention kept shifting to his eyes. He couldn't keep them off the door; every few seconds, his gaze flickered toward the heavy wood as if he were waiting for it to splinter.

"Why do you keep glancing at the door, Gleb?" I asked, my voice dropping an octave. "Are you expecting someone?"

Gleb stiffened, his hand hovering over his pocket. "I’ve got your brother with me," he admitted, his voice barely a whisper.

I felt a flash of cold anger. "I don't believe you."

"Marie, I swear—"

"Go down to the bar, Gleb," I interrupted, my tone icy. "Ask them what the bartenders means by a 'cup of coffee.' Then come back and tell me if you still want to play these games."

Gleb hesitated, his face turning a shade paler. "You're sending me to the wolves, Marie," he muttered, but I didn't answer. He turned and hurried out of the room. I waited in the silence, my hand resting on the hilt of the blade in my boot. Moments later, the desk phone chirped with a sharp, mechanical ring. I picked it up.

"Ms. Smith?" the bartender’s voice was smooth, professional, and slightly cautious. "I have a Mr. Gleb Botkin here. He is inquiring about the meaning of a 'cup of coffee.' Did you authorize this specific request?"

"I did," I replied, my voice steady. "Tell him exactly what it means."

"Very well," he said. I hung up the phone with a sharp click.

Five minutes later, Gleb returned. He didn't come in all the way; he stood in the doorway, his eyes wide and haunted. "It meant consuming a deadly amount of cyanide, Marie," he whispered, his voice shaking. "A 'cup of coffee' is a suicide wish."

"Leave," I said, my voice as cold as the Siberian wind.

He didn't argue. He turned and vanished into the hallway. Once I had confirmation from Sera that he had truly left the premises and that he didn’t have anyone with him, I shoved my feet back into my shoes, grabbed my overnight bag and grabbed my coat. I headed straight back down to reception.

The clerk from earlier was gone. In his place sat an older man with sharp eyes and a weary, knowing posture. I recognized him—he was one of the few who still remembered the old protocols. I could trust him.

"I’m checking out, Fritz," I said, leaning over the marble counter. “And checking in again.”

He looked up, his eyes narrowing as he scanned my new face. He didn't ask questions. “Yes, Ms. Smith,” he said. "And the new registration?"

"Please check me in as Marie Alexandrovna Romanov," I said.

The air in the lobby seemed to grow still. Fritz didn't flinch. He turned to his computer and began tapping at the keyboard with rhythmic fervor. As he worked for several minutes in silence, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"I've found it," he finally whispered, sliding a new key card across the cold stone. "A room that exists off the main grid. No one else knows about this suite but Serafina, security and myself. And the owner."

I took the metal key, cold against my palm. I nodded my head once, a silent acknowledgment of the risk he was taking. "Thank you, friend."

I headed up to the room that I know very well, following the path through a service elevator that required a physical override key. The hallways here were narrower, the air cooler, smelling of old stone and polished brass. When I reached the door, I entered the suite. It was a time capsule—heavy velvet drapes, a four-poster bed, and a silence so profound it felt like a physical weight.

I locked the door from the inside, the heavy bolt sliding home with a satisfying thud. Finally, the tension that had been holding my spine together since the Kremlin began to unravel. I kicked off my shoes, letting them fall where they may, and peeled the heavy jacket from my shoulders.

I didn't even bother to turn down the sheets. I collapsed onto the bed, the mattress yielding beneath me. Within seconds, the darkness of the room mirrored the darkness behind my eyelids, and I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep that lasted for hours.

The sharp, persistent ring of my phone pulled me out of the depths of exhaustion. I groaned, fumbling for the device on the nightstand until I saw the caller ID. It was Sera.

"Hello?" I rasped, sitting up and rubbing my face.

"Marie," Sera’s voice was crisp and urgent. "Vic is in Moscow. He's already on his way to the hotel."

I felt a jolt of adrenaline, the last remnants of sleep vanishing instantly. "Does Bob know I'm safe?"

"He does," she confirmed. "He knows you're off the grid for the night and that you'll be back to the safehouse tomorrow. He isn't happy about the secrecy, but he's standing down."

"Thank you, Sera," I said, my mind already calculating the hours. "How is Vic going to know how to find me? I'm under a name that isn't on the official guest registration list. How will he even get past reception and security?"

"He won't need the guest registration list, and he won't be navigating reception and security alone," Sera replied, her tone softening with a rare note of warmth. "I’ll be with him as I’ll be bringing him up personally."

"You?" I breathed, a different kind of ache settling in my chest.

"Me," she said simply.

I smiled. I hung up and stared at the ceiling, the silence of the room suddenly feeling much less lonely. I couldn't wait to see her. Beyond the bloodline and the betrayals, Sera had been the first love of my life. The thought of her presence, alongside Vic’s, was the first thing in days that made the future outside of government work feel like something I actually wanted to see. But as I lay there, waiting for the sound of her key in the lock, a stray thought crossed my mind—with Vic in tow, would Sera and I even have the privacy we needed to fuck, or would his desire to beg for forgiveness and fucking take me away from Sera.

I pushed the thought out of my head and forced myself to stand. My body felt heavy, a dull ache lingering in my joints from the days of running, but the anticipation of what was coming acted like a secondary heartbeat. I moved toward the bathroom, stripping away the clothes that still smelled faintly of salon chemicals and Moscow's winter. Thankfully, all my shower and oral health supplies were still here in the bathroom tucked away exactly where I had left them just before the New Zealand trip. Seeing the familiar labels felt like a strange anchor to a version of myself that hadn't been a fugitive.

I stepped into the shower, turning the handle until the water was scalding, letting the heat punish the tension out of my muscles. I scrubbed my skin until it was red, feeling the residue of the day wash down the drain like a dark memory. Eventually, I turned off the water, wrapped a bath towel around my body and a smaller towel around my hair.

After the long, hot shower, I leaned over the sink and brushed my teeth with a feverish intensity, the minty sting a welcome contrast to from when Sera woke me up with her call.

When I hung up the towels, I was relieved to see that the black dye hadn’t bled onto the plush white fabric; Polina’s work was as permanent as a vow. I dressed slowly, choosing simple black leggings and an oversized grey sweatshirt that made me feel small but shielded. I brushed through the new black bob, watching the sharp edges swing against my jaw. I looked like a different woman, but when I finally walked back into the main room of the suite, the vibration of my phone on the nightstand reminded me that the past was already at the door. I picked it up, checking the caller ID. It was Sera. My thumb hovered over the answer button, my pulse quickening.

“We’re almost there. Give us about fifteen minutes,” she said before hanging up.

In the meantime, I picked up my dirty clothes and put them in a pile near my overnight bag. I hung up my jacket and looked around to see if there was anything else that I needed to do before they arrived but everything looked good. I sprayed on a little bit of Sera’s favorite perfume of mine that I owned. After not seeing each other in nearly thirteen years, I wanted to look and smell my best for her.

The silence of the hotel room was broken by a sharp, rhythmic knocking. Before I could even call out, the door swung open. Sera led the way, her eyes immediately locking onto mine with a fierce intensity. Behind her followed Vic and K—two men from different parts of my life, both looking like they’d seen a ghost.

Sera didn't hesitate. We crossed the distance between us in a blurred rush, colliding in a hug that felt like coming home. She pulled back just enough to frame my face in her hands, her thumbs tracing my cheekbones before she pressed her lips to mine. It was a gentle kiss at first, tasting of relief, but it quickly sharpened into something more passionate. I nipped at her bottom lip, a playful spark that ignited a deeper, hungrier kiss.

“It’s so good to see you, Sera,” I whispered against her lips as we finally broke for air. I cast a sideways glance at the two men standing awkwardly by the door. “Honestly... I was hoping we’d be alone.”

Sera smoothed my hair, her eyes glowing. “It’s been far too long. Do you remember the last night we were together?”

A slow, wicked smile spread across my face. “I do. We spent the entire night fucking and coming until neither of us could move.”

“It was the best night of my life,” she whispered. “Even over marrying my wife.”

We shared a knowing look before I stepped out of her embrace to acknowledge K. I’d heard rumors that she’d married but clearly, it was something that we never talked about…she didn’t want to hurt me but her admitting it to me now hurt more than she'd know. He looked older, more rugged, but his eyes still held that familiar warmth. I stepped close and as we hugged, I leaned in until my lips brushed his ear.

“I hope we can find some time for ourselves tonight,” I whispered.

K’s voice was a low rumble, thick with genuine longing. “I wish the same. It’s been years, and seeing you now... I don't want to let you out of my sight.” I gave him a slow, deliberate wink, feeling the heat rise between us.

Then, my gaze turned cold as I looked at Vic. I gave him a sharp, dismissive head nod. The atmosphere in the room plummeted. Without a word, Vic sank to his knees, his head bowed in a posture of desperate supplication.

“Forgive me,” he choked out. “Please forgive me and my time with Val. I was weak as I was under her spell. She said that you wouldn’t find out. Please, just give me your forgiveness.”

“You don’t have it,” I said, my voice like ice. “And you’re not getting it. You continuously betrayed your wife with me and she lets it slide. However, you betraying me with someone I trusted is unforgiveable. You’ve seen me; you know I’m breathing. Now, go home to your wife. You’ve overstayed your welcome in my life.”

Vic looked up, a desperate glint in his eyes. “I know your secret now. I know who you are.”

I leaned down, my face inches from his. “If that secret leaves this room, or even your own head, there are going to be issues for you that you can’t imagine. Keep your mouth shut and your life might stay intact.”

Vic swallowed hard, nodding frantically. He stood and retreated into the hallway, unable to meet my eyes. Sera stepped in, giving me one last lingering kiss.

“I’m taking him to the airport myself,” she said, her voice firm. “I’m putting him on a plane back home. K will be staying the night with you.”

As she ushered Vic out and closed the door, her muffled voice echoed through the wood, sharp and biting: “You’re a pathetic excuse for a man, Vic. Cheating on your wife is one thing, but doing that to her? After everything she’s done for you and the strings she pulled for you? You’ll be lucky if I can get you out of here in one piece and even luckier if I can get you back to your wife!”

The click of the lock signaled our privacy. I turned to K, the tension from Vic’s presence melting away. “Are you sure that you want to stay here with me for the rest of the night?”

“There’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather be,” K replied.

“Good,” I said, stepping closer. “There’s something you should know. I’m in the process of starting a medication-induced abortion. It’s happening, but it shouldn’t interfere with us though I’m due for the next set of pills soon but I don't want to wait.”

K didn't flinch. He reached out, his large hand cupping the back of my neck. “I don’t plan on stopping. If it takes all night, or if we have to stay an extra night to make sure you’re okay and we’re satisfied, then that’s what we’ll do.”

“We’ll have to take a few minute break so I can take the rest of the pills,” I gently reminded him.

“Of course,” he said as he kissed me.

The clothes were gone in moments. When we hit the bed, I settled onto my back, spreading my legs wide and inviting him in. K was a force of nature. He began by worshiping my body, his mouth finding my tits, biting and squeezing with a possessive hunger.

“K... please,” I moaned his name, my fingers digging into his shoulders. He responded by biting harder, his hands bruising my skin in the best way possible. I reached down, my hand closing around his dick—it was massively thick, pulsing with a life of its own. As I started to stroke him, he let out a guttural scream.

“Deppgrl!”

He mounted me then, sliding into my still-swollen, sensitive pussy. The friction was intense, and he came almost instantly, his body shuddering against mine. He didn't pull out; instead, he started to move, a slow, deliberate grind.

“Gods, I’ve missed you,” he groaned, his pace picking up into a rhythmic pounding.

The night became a blur of motion and sweat. K was tireless. He fucked me for hours, moving from the intimacy of missionary to the raw depth of doggystyle. We moved across every inch of the suite—pressed against the cold glass of the windows, draped over the couches, slick with water in the shower. We reclaimed the kitchen table, the chairs, and even the desk where I once killed a man many years ago. Part way through, we took a few minute break so I could take the last of the pills then we resumed our fucking.

Every time I thought he was spent and out of cum, he found more. I lost count of how many times I came against his dick, and he seemed determined to fill me until I couldn't take any more.

By noon the next day, the sun was high and the room was a wreck of discarded sheets and memories. He finally emptied his balls deep inside me one last time. We stayed tangled together for a long while, breathing in sync.

Eventually, the world called us back. We showered together, the water washing away the salt and excess, and dressed in a comfortable silence. We packed our bags, the weight of the night still heavy and sweet in the air.

At the door, we shared one last look. It wasn't a goodbye, just a transition. I headed toward the safe house to disappear from his life again, and K turned back toward the life he kept with his second wife, both of us carrying the marks of a night that had been years in the making.

The mediator's gambit

Standing in the doorway was the one person I never expected to see within the walls of the Kremlin. The breath left my lungs in a sharp, painful rush.

"Bob?" I whispered, my voice cracking.

He didn't say a word. He stepped forward and pulled me into an embrace that smelled of old woodsmoke and the expensive espresso he always favored. I buried my face in his shoulder, the heavy wool of his coat scratching my cheek, and for a moment, the 135-mile trek and the frozen wind of the Russian wilderness felt like a bad dream. We stayed like that for a long time, the receptionist lingering awkwardly in the hall until Bob dismissed her with a sharp nod.

"I got your fax, Marie," he murmured into my hair, his voice steadying the frantic beat of my heart. "I came as soon as I could."

I pulled back, my hands still gripping his forearms. I blinked, trying to clear the exhaustion from my eyes. "You? I sent that to a secured line. I thought I was reaching a handler, someone in the deeper archives."

Bob sighed, looking older than I remembered. He guided me to a chair, but I remained standing. "I’ve been the one on the other end of your line for years, Marie. Who else do you think would have been able to keep your trail so clean?"

I watched him, my mind racing. "How are you even here? How did you find me so fast?"

"I didn't find you fast," he admitted, a weary smile playing on his lips. "In fact, I did the opposite. I reached out to Tom, Dmitry, and Boris as I knew that you were with one of them. I told them to delay you as much as possible. I needed the time to get here to ensure that when you walked through those front doors, you weren't met with a firing squad."

My blood ran cold. "You told them to hold me back? You knew I was out there in the freezing dark, and you told them to slow me down?"

"I had to," he insisted, stepping closer. "As your older brother, I know more than I’ve ever let on. You think you’re the only one with eyes and ears in this city? I’ve been acting as the mediator, Marie. I’m the one negotiating your exit from Russia. I’m the one pulling the strings to get you out of government work forever. But I needed you to stay in the shadows until I had the paperwork signed."

I looked at him—really looked at him. He sounded like Bob. He looked like Bob. But the Kremlin changed people, and I had spent the last week being hunted by people who could mimic a friendly face or kill me like Javi tried to do. A cold, prickling sensation crawled up my spine. Something felt off but then again, the only person that I somewhat trusted right now was Sera. The way he was standing, the way he was so casually admitting to manipulating my survival.

"I need to be sure," I said, my voice dropping to a low, dangerous level.

Bob raised an eyebrow. "Sure of what? Marie, it’s me."

"Tell me," I challenged, crossing my arms over my chest. "What is my least favorite fruit, and why?"

He didn't even hesitate. He gave a small, impatient huff. "Pineapple. You say it feels like the fruit is trying to eat your tongue, but yet you’ll still drink pineapple juice without that feeling. I don’t understand it but whatever."

I didn't relax. " What was the one dish you made at the restaurant that I absolutely hated, and why?"

Bob’s expression softened into a look of genuine at the memory I brought up. "The tripe. You nearly threw up in the kitchen when I brought the pot out and you actually did throw up when you tried it. You told me it smelled and tasted like ass, and you refused to set foot in the building for a week until the scent was gone."

I let out a long, shaky breath. The tension in my shoulders finally snapped. No double, no FSB plant, and no deep-cover agent would know the specific, vulgar way I had described his tripe three years ago.

"It’s really you," I said, leaning back against the wall as the adrenaline finally began to fade.

"It's me," he said, his eyes filled with a grim resolve. "And if we don't move fast, being your brother won't be enough to keep you alive. We need to go."

I stared at him, but the relief I expected to feel didn't come. Instead, a slow, hot poison began to circulate in my veins. I looked at his calm, calculating face—the face of the brother I thought had my back—and realized he had turned my survival into a game of logistics.

"You manipulated them and I!" I said, my voice trembling with a sudden, sharp edge. "You reached out to the only people I had left to trust and told them to sabotage my arrival. You let me freeze, you let me run until my lungs burned, and you let me live in terror for extra days just so you could play 'mediator' on your own timeline."

"Marie, it was for your safety—"

"Don't," I snapped, pulling my arm away when he tried to reach for me. An overwhelming sense of betrayal washed over me, heavier than the exhaustion. He hadn't just watched my back; he had reached out and tripped me while I was running for my life. I had been a pawn in his grand negotiation, and the fact that he was my brother only made the knife go deeper. "We’re leaving, but don't think for a second that we're okay. You traded my life for a few days of paperwork."

We left the Kremlin in a silence that felt like lead. Bob led me through a series of service tunnels and into an unmarked car that took us to a safehouse we had both used over the years—a dusty, nondescript apartment on the edge of the city with iron bars on the windows and three locks on the door. How we had both used the same safehouse for years without either one of us knowing was hard to comprehend.

Once the door was bolted behind us, the adrenaline finally crashed. I slumped onto the faded velvet sofa, my head spinning. The words started spilling out of me, a frantic need to unburden myself of the secrets I’d carried through the snow.

"You have no idea what it was like out there," I began, my voice rising. "Val and Vic... it got so fucking complicated, Bob. Val is a storm and she used her inherited skills from her great-great-grandfather to seduce Vic. So I left him with her. And then there was Mimi—she’s Serafina’s identical twin—and she tried to convince me that she was Sera. It was a desperate attempt, and Mimi believed me when I told her that I’d never met Sera. I was just trying to stay safe in my safehouses."

Bob paced the small room, his jaw tight. "Marie, you don't have to—"

"And Anya," I cut him off, my eyes wide as the memories flooded back. "She overdosed on Tylenol. As you know, that’s code that her government killed her once they realized that I found the trackers that she put on Vic and I. But I made it to Tom, Dmitry, and Boris." I let out a jagged, hysterical laugh. "And you know what? The rumors about him were true. He can cook, and he's very well endowed."

Bob stopped pacing, his face reddening. "I really don't need the locker room talk, Marie."

"I was alone for days!" I yelled. "They were the only ones who treated me like a person instead of a target. They were all great lovers, Bob. They gave me something to hold onto when I thought I wasn’t going to make it out alive."

"Marie, please," Bob groaned, rubbing his temples. He looked like he wanted to bolt for the door. "I don’t want to hear the details. I really, really don't."

"Well, you're going to hear this," I said, my voice going flat and serious. I looked him dead in the eye. "I need an appointment with a doctor right away. There’s a chance that I’m pregnant."

Bob froze. The irritation drained from his face, replaced by a stunned, pale silence. He stared at me for three long seconds before his hand moved instinctively toward his pocket, grabbing his phone.

"I'm calling Val," he muttered, his thumb hovering over the screen.

"If you reach out to Val," I said, my voice deathly quiet, "I am leaving you and all my stuff right here. I will walk out that door, take care of everything myself, and I will disappear from your life forever. Do you understand me, Bob? Forever."

He stopped, his thumb trembling just above the glass. He looked at me, seeing the absolute conviction in my eyes, and for the first time since I’d walked into the Kremlin, he looked truly afraid.

"I can’t risk losing the only sister that I get along with," he said quietly. "I know a doctor at the local hospital who has a private clinic on a small, quiet street nearby. I'll see if he can take you immediately."

"What's the name of the street?" I asked.

"Ostozhenka Street," he replied, starting to dial.

"I'm going there after I shower," I said, standing up.

"You're not going alone, Marie," Bob insisted, his voice sharp with concern. "I'm coming with you."

"No," I stated firmly, turning toward the stairs.

"The less people who see multiple people leaving the safehouse, the better. We're keeping a low profile. Besides, I know damn well you don't speak Russian. You'd be more of a liability than a help."

I didn't wait for his rebuttal. I grabbed my bags and headed upstairs to wash the grime and the betrayal off my skin. It was a quick shower, and after drying off, I dressed in clean clothes and headed back downstairs.

"Bob, what’s the news?" I asked.

"He's waiting for you," my brother said, looking defeated. "Just be careful."

"I'm always careful," I said, though we both knew that was a lie. I checked my reflection one last time, tucked a small blade into my boot, and left him standing in the middle of our shared secrets.

The clinic on Ostozhenka Street was tucked away behind a facade of crumbling masonry. The receptionist recognized me the moment I stepped inside; apparently, word travels fast in the circles my brother runs in. Within seconds, a doctor emerged alone to greet me, ushering me back to an exam room with a professional, knowing air.

"My cousin Tom told me to expect you," the doctor said, his voice low. "As did your brother, and Dmitry, and Boris."

I gave him a sharp, weird look. "They all called ahead?"

He nodded, adjusting his glasses. "They were concerned. Tom, Dmitry, and Boris all have a rare trait—hypermobile sperm. It can cause a woman to conceive significantly faster than usual. However, given the timing, I suspect that if you are pregnant, it likely happened before you encountered them."

I shrugged, the cold reality settling in. "It’s possible that any of them—Vic, Doc, Tom, Dmitry, or Boris—could be the father. I’ve slept with all of them in the past week or more ago. But there’s a better chance it was Vic."

The doctor’s expression didn't change. "Vic has hypermobile sperm as well. It seems you have a type, Marie." He gestured to the exam table. "Are you ready for the exam?"

"I am," I said.

I didn't wait for him to leave the room. I stripped quickly, my movements practiced and efficient and climbed onto the table. He drew blood first, handing the vial to a nurse with instructions to run it immediately. Then, he performed a physical exam.

"Based on the physical," he said, stripping off his gloves, "I’m ninety percent sure you’re pregnant. But we’ll wait for the lab work to be certain."

I got dressed while we waited in a tense, clinical silence. A few minutes later, the nurse returned with a printed report. The doctor scanned it once and then looked up at me. "I can confirm that you’re pregnant."

"Give me the pills for the abortion," I said instantly. There was no hesitation and no room for second-guessing.

He produced the kit and handed me the first pill. "You know the protocol?"

"I know," I said, swallowing the first one with a sip of water. "I have to wait twenty-five minutes before I leave to make sure I don't have an immediate reaction like throwing up r allergic reaction. I take the second and third pills in the next twelve hours. And I know I can take those together."

After waiting the twenty-five minutes to make sure I was okay, the doctor told me I could leave. "You can have sex again in five days," he noted, "as long as all the bleeding has stopped."

"I know," I said flatly.

He provided me with a Depo shot that I could take back to the safehouse. I took it, but my eyes remained fixed on him. "Thank you. Now, burn everything I touched."

He looked startled. "I promise you, everything that has your DNA will be destroyed."

"The last time someone promised me something, they lied," I said, stepping closer. "I want to watch you do it."

"I can’t burn anything here," he stammered, looking around.

I pointed to the fire crackling in the fireplace behind him. "You’re clearly lying, Doctor. There's a fire burning right there."

He looked at me sheepishly, trapped by his own half-hearted deception. I narrowed my eyes, my voice dropping to a whisper that carried the weight of a death sentence. "Burn everything. If I hear even a whisper that I was here, if a single word of my visit reaches anyone, I guarantee that your practice and your reputation will be destroyed forever. You will lose your license, and you will never practice medicine again anywhere in the world. Am I clear?"

He nodded quickly, his hands trembling as he began to gather the disposables. I watched him throw them into the flames, ensuring the evidence was consumed, before I turned and walked out into the cold Moscow air.

There was a salon near the doctor's clinic. I knew what I had to do. My blonde hair was too recognizable, a beacon in a city that was currently a minefield. I stepped inside, the chime above the door echoing in the quiet space. Thankfully, no one inside looked up with a spark of recognition.

I approached the receptionist and spoke in perfect Russian.

"Ya khochu pokrasit' svoi natural'nyye svetlyye volosy v chernyy tsvet. I ya khochu sdelat' eto za odin vizit, plyus strizhka," I told her, my tone leaving no room for argument. I want to dye my naturally blonde hair black. And I want to do it in one visit as well as a haircut.

She looked at my long, pale locks and shook her head.

"Eto nevozmozhno sdelat' za odin raz bez povrezhdeniya volos," she started to explain. "Vam nuzhno neskol'ko—" It's impossible to do it in one time without damaging the hair, you need several -

I simply raised my eyebrow, a cold, steady gaze that spoke of things far more dangerous than split ends. She swallowed hard, the refusal dying on her lips.

"Vprochem, my mozhem sdelat' eto pryamo seychas," she corrected herself instantly. However... we can do it right now.

 "Spasibo," I said. Thank you

She ushered me back to a salon chair and talked to the stylist.

After a few minutes, the stylist came back and introduced herself as Polina to me. She was a striking woman with eyes that seemed to see right through the surface. I looked her in the eye, my expression neutral.

"My name is Deppgrl," I told her.

"I am Polina," she said. 

Polina tilted her head slightly, then switched to fluent English. "Welcome to my chair. Tell me, what are you looking for today?"

"I'm looking for a completely different look," I said, meeting her gaze in the mirror. "And I have a feeling you're the only one in this city who can pull it off."

She raised an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement crossing her face as she ran a hand through my natural blonde hair. "That is a bold claim. Most women cling to their blonde for dear life."

"I'm not most women," I replied. "I want my hair dyed as black as my soul. And I want a haircut."

Polina’s smile sharpened. "As black as your soul? I can certainly do that. It takes a certain kind of spirit to carry off that depth. And what kind of haircut are we talking about for this transformation?"

"I want a sleek, shoulder-length bob," I said firmly. "It’s perfect to wash and go; minimal work. Something that looks like it belongs on a woman who doesn't wait for permission."

"A sleek bob it is," Polina said, already reaching for her shears. "Let's begin."

In a matter of 30 minutes, my haircut was done and it was perfect. The long hair was gone, replaced by a weightless, sharp swing of hair that hit exactly at my shoulders. As Polina was gathering her tools, she paused, looking at the pale arches above my eyes.

"What should we do about your eyebrows?" she asked.

"We should dye them as well," I told her.

She nodded, her professional mask slipping back into place. "I will mix some dye together."

As she turned to leave, I leaned in and whispered to her, my voice barely audible over the hum of the salon. "I have eyes everywhere."

Polina turned pale, her hand tightening on the back of the chair. She didn't say a word. She headed straight to the storage room where the dye inventory was kept.

About 8 minutes later, she came back. She had come back with two mixing bowls; one was tiny and the other was of average size - the tiny one was clearly for my eyebrows. Her hands were still slightly trembling as she set them down on the station, her eyes darting toward the other patrons as if checking to see who might be watching.

"Relax, Polina," I told her, watching her reflection in the mirror with a steady gaze. "They may or may not be in here. They may or may not be watching through the security cameras. The more nervous you act, the more worrisome my eyes will be."

Polina took a shallow, trembling breath and forced herself to stand up straight. She dipped a small applicator into the tiny bowl of black dye. As she leaned in close to my face, her eyes searched mine, filled with a mix of terror and intense curiosity.

"Who are you?" she whispered, the question escaping her before she could stop it. "Truly?"

I didn't blink as she applied the first stroke of dark pigment to my brow. "My family was well known around the area many, many years ago," I said, my voice smooth and devoid of emotion. "And we tend to be revered."

The applicator paused for a fraction of a second. Polina’s eyes widened as the weight of that statement settled between us. In this city, only one name carried that kind of historical gravity—a name that was supposed to be a ghost. She didn't ask another question; she simply worked in a focused, reverent silence, transforming my face until the woman in the mirror was a total stranger.

"Are you The Missing One?" she asked quietly, her voice barely a breath.