Chapter 4. V.

I try to open my eyes, but it does not come out the first time - the head is cast iron, the body does not obey. For several minutes I lay, sticking to the ceiling, trying to recover at least a little. This is not the first time with me, I have already received gunshots several times. After the penultimate time, he lay in the hospital for almost a month, barely got out.

There is still a veil in my eyes, but I can lift myself up a little. Shoulder aching, but lucky that the bullet went right through. The curtains are tightly closed, so there is no way to tell what time of day it is. I hope I didn't spend too much time in this position. A drip sticks out of a vein and it makes me wince. I am an adult man who has been in various troubles, has experienced more than one showdown, but I can’t stand the sight of a needle.

I vaguely remember what happened. I remember only the beginning, as I left the bar, in the parking lot I was called by a rough male voice with a clear accent. Automatically grabbed the barrel, and not in vain. I understood that there were three times more of them in steps, but I am a good shooter, I will have time to put down a couple - and that’s how it happened. Turning around, he immediately took a bullet. From such a distance, he could calmly kill me - if he missed, then they only scared me, but I didn’t intend to scare me, two shots - two corpses. I don’t remember how I left, I began to quickly lose blood, and then everything was in a fog: some kind of courtyard, someone’s gentle voice, careful touches, and now I’m already waking up in a hospital bed.

I find the button to call the nurse, I want this rubbish to get out of me faster. A minute later, a doctor already familiar to me appears:

- Alexander Gennadyevich, how are you feeling? – the man approached closer and looked at indicators of the monitor.

─ Pavel Valeryevich, you are my savior again. Get this out of me, I'm pretty uncomfortable.” I glance at the phone.

─ You are as usual! It's all for business. The nurse will be here in a couple of minutes. Look at me.” He pointed the flashlight at my eyes. I already saw badly, but now I was completely blinded. - Great. Only I'm not your savior, you were helped in time, I just patched up.

Mike appeared on the threshold, he is Terrible. Pavel Valeryevich nodded to him and left.

─ I'm glad you're safe.

─ It's a trifle, and it didn't happen like that. Did you find them? My throat was dry and I pointed to a bottle of water for my friend.

─ No, and there is sad news. Your car is now in a landfill with two corpses, it was burned. The cops had questions, but I settled everything, according to the documents, she was stolen in the afternoon. Mine are still conjuring over the remains in order to at least roughly understand who they are.

─ Okay, try the Serpent, I think one of them had his symbol on his hand. If there is any hint that he has returned to the country or plans to do so, immediately beep.

A friend sat on a chair, crossing his legs.

─ I also need a phone, I broke mine, and please restore the number.

─ No problem, you have an hour and a phone. By the way, with the woman the problem is solved, it will not beep.

An image immediately popped into my head. I vaguely remember what she looks like, I vaguely remember what she said, but I clearly remember her courage - not everyone would have dared to help, but she stayed. She saved me, and these are not even my words, this was confirmed by the doctor. But I knew Grozny's methods very well:

─ Did you at least say thank you?

─ You offend!

─ Find me all the information on her, I need to thank her. And yes, transfer the reward to Pavel. Also, find that fucking nurse, I'm starting to get nervous.

I love Mike because I don't need to repeat it twice - my friend just grinned and left the room, he was well aware of my dislike for needles. The main thing is that the nurse does not turn out to be his type, because there was no mood to wait until he squeezes her.

***

The doctor strongly recommended that I stay at least a few days under observation, but this is not for me, too much to do. A few hours later I was already sitting in my office and carefully examined the photograph of my savior. Grozny got a lot of information.

From the photograph, a thin, pale girl, of which there are plenty, was looking at me, but for some reason I could not take my eyes off her. These are not my taste, I prefer a completely different type. She seems somehow too serious, there is no sparkle in her eyes, as if she is not twenty years old, but well over forty, and she has already been pretty worn out by life.

After getting acquainted closer with her biography, everything became extremely clear to me. You will not envy her fate, but it can be worse, much worse. Well, you need to quickly deal with this and forget it.

─ Brown, come in.

Brown is the head of security, a reliable man, he saved me more than once in difficult situations. Pasha appeared in a couple of minutes, by that time the folder was already resting in the top drawer of the table.

─ Bring it to me, I handed the man the photo and the address. ─ Don't be rude, she's my guest, I just want to thank her.

─ Everything will be fine.

Brown told me that Olesya was in the living room. I don’t know why, but this news awakened some kind of uncharacteristic excitement inside me. The girl stood with her back to me, examining the skeleton of a Beringian wolf. She was clearly carried away by this process, not noticing my presence. Such a miniature, long blond hair was styled on one shoulder, exposing a thin snow-white neck. The room seemed to be completely saturated with her fear. I'm sure she expects an attack any minute. My voice made her flinch and turn around sharply.