We entered the massive kitchen.
Shots came from the other side. It knocked out the men in front of me. I headed in. A massive man held a shotgun. He must’ve been 6’2 and close to three hundred pounds. Spotting me, he pulled the trigger.
Fuck!
No bullets came out.
My lucky day.
I raised my Glocks, shot, and missed.
The big guy cursed, changed his hold on the shotgun, and tried to hit me with it as if the gun was a bat. I ducked. He slammed it against the wall.
I twisted around him.
He reached for one of my Glocks.
I rammed one into his gut. The move did nothing for him, but it gave me a great angle. I shot him in the leg.
“Ah!” It didn’t stop him. He grabbed my sides into a bear hug.
Pain hit my sides. I slammed the butt of the Glock on his head. He took it like a champ, raising me in the air.
More of Leonid’s men rushed in, shooting at my people barging into the kitchen.
Still in a bear hug, I shot at his other leg. The bullet missed and hit the floor. He hurled me against the wall. Somehow I held onto the Glock as I crashed into that hard surface.
Grunting, I jumped up and aimed for his chest. The bullet put a hole in his big belly. Roaring, he charged forward.
Go down!
I shot several times into his head.
He stumbled forward and then fell to the floor.
I stepped over him and aimed at the few of Leonid’s men that remained. Smoke rose in the kitchen. It was mania. There must’ve been forty fighting people packing the space. Dishes splattered everywhere. Huge metal racks were turned over onto dead bodies.
We rushed through, searching for Leonid.
When I ran out of bullets, I charged for another huge guy and punched him in the jaw. The blow landed. He staggered back but stayed on his feet. I gave him an uppercut under the chin. His head snapped back in a mist of blood. Some of the liquid got on me.
I wiped it away, moved forward, and stepped over more dead bodies.
I’d brought a massive army. There was almost no one fighting from Leonid’s side. His men roared in pain. Others shouted in agony.
I spotted the exit. It was open. Several of Leonid’s men lay dead in the doorway. I checked the side and caught sight of Leonid hiding behind a metal table that was holding desserts.
I sneered. “There you go.”
Dima got to my side.
“Give me your gun.”
He handed it to me.
I aimed and shot at Leonid.
“Wait!” Leonid ducked lower and tossed butcher knives my way.
I slid to the side, dodging them. Violence wasn’t his world. It was mine.
“Let’s talk!” Leonid yelled.
“Come on out.” From ten feet away, I had my gun trained on Leonid’s chest. “We can sit down and have a proper conversation.”
“Put the gun down.”
I shot his way. This time, I intentionally missed him.
“M-Misha! Are we not men? Perhaps, we can f-finally handle this like—”
I shot his way again. “You kidnapped my daughter.”
“I-I could help you with the Xecutioners!”
That grabbed my attention.
“You made a deal with them. Right? You outbid my contract somehow! I can. . .I can help you with them.”
I yelled to my people. “Put your guns down.”
Everyone followed.
I glanced at Dima. “Get some duct tape.”
Nodding, he left.
“Come on out.” I kept my gun to the side. “Tell me about the Xecutioners.”
Leonid’s voice went shaky. “Y-you’re not going to shoot me?”
“Get up!”
Slowly, he rose with his hands in the air. Some sort of tomato sauce covered half of his face and shirt. There was a big stain on his crotch. I wasn’t sure if he’d pissed himself or spilled soup on his pants.
I sneered. “Over here.”
Leonid stumbled my way but kept five feet between us.
“Get on the ground. Face down.”
Leonid raised his eyebrows. “Me?”
I raised my gun his way and fired to the ground near his feet. The gun boomed and kicked. The sound bellowed through the kitchen.
Leonid screamed, “No!”
“Get on the floor.”
Shaking, he lowered to his knees like he was praying. “Please! We can work this out. I can help you with them. I swear!”
“Get down.”
He did.
Frowning, I put the weapon down.
Dima showed up with the duct tape.
Leonid didn't move.
I took off my jacket, placed it on a table, and glanced at Dima. “Tape him up.”
He rushed over and worked fast. With precision, he wrapped Leonid’s wrists and then his ankles. Once he finished, he moved out of the way.
I undid the buttons on my wrists and rolled up my sleeves.
“W-wait. Why am I being taped up? Misha?”
I walked over to the stove. Small flames blazed under a huge pot. I turned off the stove and looked at Leonid. “Tell me about the Xecutioners.”
“F-first, promise me that you’ll let me go.”
I picked up the pot. It burned my palms. Quickly, I slung it at him. Blazing hot stew flew in the air and landed on Leonid. He screamed in pain. The liquid covered him. He wiggled on the floor, shrieking in agony.