Nikita

When we get to the hallway to my office, I let out a sigh of relief when I don't see the little angels running along the highways because how the hell would I even explain what's happening right now to their tiny and fragile mindsIf you think of me and my mental health like that, then yes, I am a nuclear bomb. Everything in my life makes me want to murder people, and I'm not apologetic about that, but this one, this is an attention seeker. Everything about her seems to be meant to distract us all. Fuck, distraction.

"Him, I saw him. He was there. He shouldn't have been there, but he was there," the woman insists, and I want to punch the living daylights out of her. "Patience Nikita," I remind myself for the tenth time since I saw this woman. "Ma'am, what is your name? And what is it that doctor Pavlenko did or didn't do?" Officer Qiao asks again. Anyone can see he's getting tired of that woman's theatrics.

"What?" I ask, and she just looks at me like she expected the whole thing to unfold. I swear if this

y life and just stand there looking at me like it's worth appreciating. "Deal with her; I'll be back," I tell Officer Qiao, but he doesn't seem to think that is a good idea. I know he's miserable, but I will be even more miserable if I don't leave right now. Maggie looks at me hopelessly as if pleading with me to stay and listen to all that is happening.

She doesn't say a word, but I had known this woman since I was a kid tagging along with my parents when they came to work here. She knows me well, but she also knows that I'm curious about all of this.

Maybe she just wants me to get my answers and my closure. Nothing was ever the same since the pink pajama incident, and I know she worries for me. That should make me feel better for some reason, but it doesn't.

"What?" I ask, and she just looks at me like she expected the whole thing to unfold. I swear if this woman is here to play with me, then Qiao will have to book me. No one gets to trigger one of the worst losses I ever experienced in my life and just stand there looking at me like it's worth appreciating."We need you here. We actually came here for you. But first, we need to know what this woman wants, and we can go on ahead," Officer Qiao insists. I sigh defeatedly, and I tap my feet annoyingly.

"I'm Ren," she says, and my head turns so fast I think I may have broken a bone.

Shit, that hurts.

I look at her, wondering what the hell she means by that. I want to know whether she is called Ren or she's here because of Ren, just like the bastard that showed up here looking like Yuri. is this some sort of game that I'm not aware of?

Am I a pawn?

Well, that would suck a lot.

"Ren?" Qiao and I ask simultaneously but breathe in a sigh of relief when she says, "Renata Smirnoff," and I want to tell her she should have begun with that. What the hell is wrong with her anyway.

The squadron being here at the hospital is attracting attention. I must admit they look pretty good but did they really have to be here looking like they had a warrant for me?

Oh, Qiao and his theatrics.

"Well, Renata Smirnoff. Could you be kind enough to tell us why you're here and why you are pointing at me like a lunatic?" I as

woman is here to play with me, then Qiao will have to book me. No one gets to trigger one of the worst losses I ever experienced in mtionship with Natalya because no woman would let her daughter be killed in cold blood, no matter how essential the mission is.

There is always someone who can be used for such, and that's how I'm sure Natalya has no child. I was right, after all.

k, and Maggie smacks my head with the file folder she's holding.

"O What was that for? We have patients to attend to, and Officer Qiao's face is scaring the patients. There goes my plans. I just want them gone is all" I wiper to maggie, but she hits me even harder, reminding me that I can't whisper to save my own life.

Renata seems to have gone silent, and she says what I never expected I would have to hear again. The word that haunts me more than when mother kicked my ȧss really bad for not cooking for Raisa. .

In my defense, ,I was supposed to cook that day, but Raisa and Yuri had reset my games, and now their punishment was to stay hungry. No one messes with my video games. It wasn't easy getting those scores that high, y'know.

"Run before they reach you," Renata says, and with that, she slumps dead on the floor, and just like Liam, she had a killswitch in her eyes. Well, there goes my sanity. I look around the hospital, wondering whether the person who did this to her is still around.

Qiao and his team are quick to respond. He pushes me away from the woman like he's scared she has a virus that could affect me. But she doesn't. I know because Liam had none. If the same person is controlling them, then no one is going to get hurt.

The hospital is once again in shock, and right in the middle of the chaos is me. The great doctor Mykolajki, the doctor who wants to disappear and leave everything. The doctor who's just breathing and has nothing to live for.

Well, I know Yuri is alive, but how long will it take me to get to my brother anyway?

"Go back to your office Mykolajki," Qiao says and ȧssigns two of his teammates to accompany me. The elevator ride is lonely and filled with so many thoughts, one prominent thought being, "what the fuċk."

It has bȧrėly been days since I saw Liam die and this woman too. I'm beginning to question Renata's relationship with Natalya because no woman would let her daughter be killed in cold blood, no matter how essential the mission is.

There is always someone who can be used for such, and that's how I'm sure Natalya has no child. I was right, after all.

When we get to the hallway to my office, I let out a sigh of relief when I don't see the little angels running along the highways because how the hell would I even explain what's happening right now to their tiny and fragile minds?

Something is going on, something beyond me and my maid, and frankly, I'm not interested in knowing it.

I refuse to be interested in whatever is happening.

The director meets us halfway to the office and nods sadly at me. Great, now I'm at the center of attention, and it's not because I'm one of the best surgeons in the country.

Just fuċkɨnġ great.