Chapter 449: Consequences: Killing A Friend And A Dream

[FROLO]

While the Romanov and Moskowsky families were together, getting to understand what had happened, especially now that the tracker was gone and Zhenya had left, not to mention that Sergei was awake, the presidential palace was in a crisis of its own.

The president was still trying to understand what had happened and how the hell Sergei Moskowsky had gotten to that bunker. There was no justification for it, and he knew Zhenya had gone to get him answers.

So when Zhenya returned, President Boris got the answer.

"The former senator betrayed us," Zhenya said coldly, the rage in his tone something that the president was familiar with whenever Zhenya believed he had a mole on his team.

Frankly, he had no reason not to trust Zhenya.

After all, the man had served him for over twenty years and had never asked for a single thing.

"That’s a dangerous accusation, Chief Levin," the president said, and the people in the briefing room agreed.

Accusing a man they had agreed to work with, a man who had been contracted for the job of dealing with Sergei, was not something that could be accepted with ease.

And Zhenya... he challenged them.

"Summon him. Tell him he’s needed here and let him know upfront that it’s because of the attack on the bunker and let him tell us what he thinks happened there," Zhenya said flatly.

His hands were fisted, his disappointment clear as day on his face. He looked like he was one move away from strangling Aleksandr himself, and honestly, it was quite the show.

One that everyone in the room believed it like it was worth everything.

So Aleksandr...

...Was summoned.

He was with Mrs. Smirnova, checking in on the woman when the call came.

"I have to go now, Mrs. Smirnova. I’ll be back as soon as I can," Alek said in earnest.

"You don’t have to take care of me, Daniil. The past is gone, and the present is here. Live your life. Don’t let me be the weakness that brings you down in your war with Sergei," Mrs. Smirnova pleaded.

Alek just stared at her softly.

A part of him was tempted to believe her. But even if she was right, even if she was not being unrealistic with her suggestions...

Where did that leave Aleksandr?

His life had been about Joram through and through.

Joe was his life. His anchor. Everything he lived for.

And he’d made sure he would avenge Joe. It didn’t matter how long he had to take and how hard the journey was.

He would avenge his beloved.

At the same time, he knew he had ruined something with Katya Romanov.

The omega had loved him truly, wholly, like he was all that Katya could see. But then he allowed the cracks in their relationship.

He didn’t bother to fix them soon enough because Alek knew that if he’d been a better boyfriend, Sergei never would have gotten Katya. But what use was playing catch-up with memories that he would never get to live again, right?

Katya was marked.

By Sergei.

And Alek... had a mission to complete anyway.

So he smiled at her and left for the palace. The call had sounded urgent, and he hoped to the gods that it wouldn’t take much time.

Because he needed to figure out how the fuck Latif was and why he had chosen Aleksandr instead of Sergei’s other associates or enemies.

It just made no sense to him because there must have been better avenues to explore if they wanted to get into Sergei’s head, no?

"Where’s the meeting?" Alek asked when he reached the palace, desperate to get it over and done with.

But when he was pointed to the briefing room, when he walked into that room and saw all eyes on him, Alek knew something had gone extremely wrong.

So naturally, when Zhenya looked at him, Alek asked what was wrong.

"You sent Sergei the coordinates to break out Katya Romanov," Zhenya stated plain and clear, the accusation already planted, the argument already turned to raise just about enough suspicions.

It didn’t matter that Alek was innocent.

What mattered was what people in this room thought could have happened.

"What?" Alek asked.

"You sabotaged our attack at the Romanov facility. You were the one who was to get out there, but you stalled us on purpose. We also found your call records. The men who attacked us were from the Bratva.

"They confessed after a week of interrogation," Zhenya said, and Alek looked at the man, then around the room.

And his first thought was that his training of his men was really good. If the government had to spend a whole week trying to break one of his men.

That was really good as per Alek’s standards.

Because it meant that if any of his men were captured, he would always have at least a week to spin the tale to save himself.

"Are you being serious right now? You do realize Sergei could have set us up? That Sergei had people inside every building in this city? Even now, inside this room.

"I wouldn’t be shocked if two of three of you were on the mad barbarian’s payroll. And you want to point a finger at me??? Me???" Alek asked like he couldn’t believe what was happening.

He knew someone was setting him up, and he was willing to bet everything he had and didn’t have that this was that old Rastenkin’s doing. The man who loved tormenting Alek.

What the hell was Rastenkin’s angle this time, though?

Because it made absolutely no sense.

"How convenient that would be for you, huh? You were not hurt that day. My team saw you cover yourself with the blood of the dead. We were going to a Romanov facility.

"Now the Romanov omega is being rescued by Sergei inside an underground bunker that no one should know exists? If you’re going to lie, at least try a better one," Zhenya pressed, and Alek stood stiffly by the door.

He was sick of the accusations.

The controls.

Everything.

He was sick of being pulled to the side like some marionette, yet at the same time he could even tell the government that he’d done it to save Smirnova. He knew they would try to use Smirnova against him.

At least if they only knew the one weakness he had in his life, they wouldn’t be as bothered.

Because Kenzo wasn’t easy to break.

It was no secret.

"I don’t know why you keep insisting that I sent that mad man coordinates. You think I liked it when he wasn’t hunting me down and decided to give him what he wants, only for him to bloom. And come after me?

"Do you think I’m that insane?" Alek asked even though he knew he had a weak defense.

There wasn’t much he could say to save himself.

"If it wasn’t you. Then find Katya. And KILL him. Prove to us that you’re not the mole on the team, and maybe we will consider letting you back in. Until then, your privileges are revoked.

"We won’t tell the public and save you the humiliation. But you have until the week ends; six days to present us with a dead Katya Romanov or your organization will be our target for your betrayal," Zhenya said.

You’d think he wouldn’t be the first one to slap Alek’s head off his body if the man hurt Katya.

And Alek...

He waited for someone to challenge Zhenya.

No one did.

Six days to kill Katya Romanov.

Fuck.