#86 THE PROFESSIONAL GUN
The landing didn't cause a problem and Jonas took her belt off and ordered her to stand up and leave the plane. It was fresh and dark outside. Her clothes were much to thin for this place. She was shivering because it was too cold, but she didn't complain. She went down the stairs and took a brief look around. They were on a small airport between some trees. She wasn't sure where they were. The flight hadn't taken too long, therefore she was assuming they were still in Europe. But as she had no experience with flight distances, she wasn’t sure.
Jonas pushed her and she was walking two steps in front of him. They were approaching the trees, and it was quite dark. Mia assumed there was a road ahead, but not the main exit. She was right. The shapes of two cars became visible, two BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and two men were waiting for them. When Jonas came closer, they moved their heads as if they would give honour to him. Jonas ignored them and asked in Russian whether everything was going according to plan. They confirmed. Mia could understand what they were talking about. She had never learnt Russian, but the language was similar to the Polish language.
Then one of men (they were looking quite alike, both wearing dark suits and rather muscular) said that he could show it. Mia didn't know what he was meaning by “it”, but as Jonas went around one of the cars, she followed. Did they already have Julian?
The Russian opened the boot and Mia kept her breathe as she saw what they were talking about. There was Sebastian, apparently without consciousness. His hands and legs were tied up. He had a dark stripe across his eyes so he couldn't see anything, even if he was conscious. Mia checked his pulse. He was alive.
-He has just got some medicine. – said Jonas and took Mia away from Sebastian.
Mia was in a trap and got a much better understanding of the situation than before. She was scared. Now she was really scared. Jonas forced her to get into the other car and smiled with an animal like joy. A second later, he was gone and apparently, he was in the same car where they had Sebastian. One of Russians took place on the driver's seat and they went off. The Russian had no beard and almost no hair. He was quite young, 20+, muscular and every now and then, he was looking at Mia, smiled a little. He turned on the radio and loud sounds of American pop songs were to hear. He was saying something, but the music was too loud and Mia couldn't understand him. She didn't want to understand him anyway. According to his face, he didn't say anything important.
Mia needed time to think. What possibilities did she have now? There were Julian and Sebastian. And if Jonas would get what he wanted, he would kill all the three of them. Jonas needed Mia to get Julian and because Julian wasn't able to read her mind, Jonas needed a transmission tool. So he took the one, who was important for both of them. The plan was almost perfect. Mia couldn't believe this plan was so devilishly and that’s why she wasn't able to focus on thinking about alternatives. There was still something Jonas wanted from her. He needed information. She wasn't just a bait. Apparently, she seemed to know something that was relevant for the success of this plan.
The moon was shining over the trees and the road through the woods was difficult to drive. This was why, they didn't come in normal limousines, but with these luxurious versions of a jeep. She was wondering where they were going to. She was tired. It was exhausting to feel so many emotions during such a short period of time and Mia didn't sleep well last night. She wasn't only fighting against her doubts and fears, but against drowsiness as well. Her body needed to rest. Her wrist remembered the wound and she felt a pulsating pain in her arm.
-Where are we? – She screamed in Polish when the Russian looked at her once again.
He didn't understand her, but laughed.
-Russia? Are we in Russia? – She asked without any movement.
-Da! Среднесиби́рское плоского́рье! – Confirmed the driver in Russian and she understood that they were somewhere near the Central Siberian Plateau.
She had no clue what to do. Siberia was huge and it was impossible to run away here. It was like a death sentence. If she was on her own, she would even take this risk. However, there was Sebastian, and she didn't want him to die. Mia thought about their chances in the wild. First, they didn't know where they were and in, which direction they should escape. Then Mia assumed that Jonas was reading Sebastian’s thoughts as Julian did. Under these circumstances, it was impossible to escape, because Sebastian’s thoughts could betray them and their location anytime. Moreover, she didn't know how strong Jonas could perceive their smell. If this sense was as much developed as others then he would be able to follow their tracks easily.
Furthermore, it was almost impossible to distract Jonas attention for a moment long enough to run away. He was apparently as fast as Julian and Mia already knew that Julian was faster than a car and well able to find his way among the trees without crashing into them, even if he was very, very fast.
A curse upon you! Mia was cursing Jonas. It was almost impossible to get out of this. She knew where they were, Siberia, but Sebastian didn't know it and so, Julian didn't know it, either. Here was a chance to keep Julian out of it: to convince Sebastian that they were in the USA, which seemed to be far enough to protect him. And if Jonas would tell Sebastian where they actually were, Mia could still tell Sebastian that it was a trap for Julian, if she had any opportunity. Well, she wasn't sure, whether Julian would leave them alone, knowing it was a trap. On the other hand, when she told Julian that she didn't love him and saw his suffering face, she wasn't sure whether Julian was still ready to rescue her. If he wasn't, she could die in peace. Nevertheless, Sebastian was making this situation more complicated and Mia hadn't the faintest idea how to get him out of this.
While she was contemplating, the night was passing by and the early morning with its first light came out. Mia looked at the conifer forests around, the landscape was astonishing. Conifers were woody and the great majority of them had just a few shrubs.
Then they stopped. Mia turned around and saw that the car behind them had stopped as well. She didn't know what to do. Should she get out of the car? Had they already reached their destination? She jumped out of the car and looked around. It was fresh and she shivered. However, she didn't get back into the warmth of the car. There were only trees around and it took a while until she saw some stairs made from wood and stones. They were looking very archaic and under different circumstances, she would have even been charmed by this view. Now there was no time for admiration. They were standing at the bottom of a hill and apparently, they had to walk the last distance. It wasn't an easy walking distance.
In the meantime, Jonas got out of the car as well, and he looked at Mia. She couldn't read his face, so she had no idea what he was thinking of. Probably he wasn't able to define her feelings, either. The other Russian opened the boot and took Sebastian out of the car. He laid him over his shoulder like a bag and started to walk towards the stairs. Sebastian was still unconscious.
Mia followed them and Jonas looked at her.
It wasn't an easy walking distance. Mia was right. She tried not to show how tired she was. She was hungry, too. She hadn't eaten for a day and she hadn't drunk anything, either. She was weak, but she did her best to stay on her feet as long as possible. The Russian who was her driver came over and took her hand so she could lean on him. She didn't do it. She wouldn't trust anyone and if Jonas would read the mind of this Russian and notice he wanted to help her, then Mia had one more person to be worried about. Anyway, this guy didn't look nice. He was a criminal. He was working with Jonas, and which ordinary person could work without restraint for Jonas?
After having climbed the hill, they could see a house between the trees. It was a simple, wooden cottage and didn't show any signs of modern civilisation. Mia was hoping that she could sit down and drink something. She was so dehydrated that she already started to see things double.
When they came into the house (which was unlocked, just like Julian’s house, M
ia thought) she saw the newest technology and modern decoration. Everything was plain and simple and had cold colours: white and milk violet. It was a violet hill.
Jonas pushed her down onto a bench and she fell on it. She stretched her arms not to crush with it. Then she tried to sit down. The Russian, who was her driver brought her a glass of water after Jonas ordered him to.
Mia drank it quite quickly. Then Jonas went out of this room. Mia used the situation to look unobtrusively around again. This room was rather big, more than 30 square metres, with a free space in the middle. On the left side of the room where she was sitting were the bench and a white table. On the other side, there was a couch and opposite to the doors was a chimney. Next to chimney was a wooden door. There had to be a kitchen, assumed Mia, because the Russian brought the water from another room. The morning light came into the room through small windows. The other Russian vanished behind the doors to the kitchen, still carrying Sebastian.
-You have to go to sleep. When you’ll be well rested, we will talk. – Jonas said. – It doesn't help me to talk to you in this condition.
She wanted to oppose, but she didn't have enough strength.The Russian driver came to her, took her up and let her through the room to the door. After they had left the main room, they came into a small room with an elevator and a circular staircase. The Russian waited for the lift.
When they arrived one level underground, the Russian let her along a corridor, it looked like a prison. The walls were not from wood here, but from stones. It was very cold and Mia shivered.
The Russian took her to a room almost at the end of the corridor and when they walked in, she saw a simple bed and a chair on which some clothes were laying. There was a small table with something to eat and drink and some basic cosmetic stuff.
The Russian let her to the bed and left the room. In the moment he disappeared, an old, fat woman came in, looking at Mia. The old lady was of her grandmother's age, maybe younger. She had white, plain hair and deep wrinkles. Her clothes were simple and white. Mia felt like in the Middle Ages. The old woman didn't say a word, instead she brought Mia a sandwich and a cup of tea.
Mia thanked her in many languages, but the old lady didn't answer. She didn't even smile. She waited until Mia had finished brushing her teeth and washing her face. When Mia lay on the bed the old lady covered her with a warm blanket. Then she left the room.
Mia closed her eyes, but she didn't want to fall asleep. It was hard to focus. Her body was too tired and the warm tea and the sandwich gave her the rest. She fell asleep almost immediately. Her mind was falling apart. Her dreams were broken like a mirror, which fell down from a balcony. There was no tomorrow for her. There was no hope for a happy ending like in the story of Cinderella. There were no solutions and there was no escape.
Lovefool (complete 1st part of Lovefool trilogy) Page 88
