Love or Freedom

"Can you keep a secret?" Winter asked as we make our way towards the conference room. "Depends on how hard it is to keep." I laughed and shrugged.

"I don't care if you keep this or not,Celosia." His brows furrowed. "It's for your own sake anyway." We both stopped walking and face each other. "Just tell me right away." I hissed.

"Denver." he sighed. 

"What about him?" I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes.

He frowned and gave me a disappointed look. "He's a traitor."

My eyes widened as anger quickly aroused in me. "Are you nuts?!" I screamed. Winter looked around to see if anyone was there and sighed out of relief when he saw no one.

"Celosia." He called out,calmly. "We've been partners for more than a decade now." I gulped when I saw the pain in his smile. He's right. I already considered him as my brother. He was always there for me when I needed someone to lean on and to protect me whenever I'm in great trouble. I stood straight and stare at him,there was no hint of lie in his eyes and that made my heart 

"I want you to find out everything all by yourself." he said quietly and gave me a flash drive. "You don't owe me anything." he whispered and left me alone. 

I sighed and went towards my office. I opened my laptop and inserted the flash drive. There are couple of files shown but only a file named 'Vendetta' caught my attention. 

I took a deep breath before opening it. 

"Denver.." I whispered as tears fell down. I saw his picture in an identification card of an underground society. His real name is Rodion Kuznetsov, and his family are all part of different Mafia organizations from different countries.

It took me a minute before analyzing all the photos in that file. Some of them are mafia related which I don't understand, but most of them are details of our top agents,including me. 

I kept the flash drive inside my pocket and wipe my tears away before entering the conference room. Everyone was already there,including Denver. I sat in front of him and gave him an awkward smile. 

"Are you alright?" he whispered.

I nodded without looking at him. It makes my heart shatter into pieces knowing his real identity. How can I marry a man who has a hidden agenda?

The room went silent when Director Blaze came in. He was holding a black folder on his right hand and a steelbook case on the other.He smiled at us wryly before sitting down.

"I had a new threat received." our director began. "Guess who was it from?" he laughed sarcastically. "Alexei Kuznetsov!"

I saw in my peripheral vision how Denver's jaw moved aggressively while his closed fists tightened.

"I saw this compact disk on top of my car this morning." director blaze faced the screen. "Let's watch."

The video started with a girl running in the fields. "My only daughter.." A man spoke then the girl looked at the camera and smiled. My eyes widened when I realize who she was.

Tatiana Kuznetsov..

She's the leader of a militant organization in Italy but her identity is well known in her native country,Russia. She almost shot me in the back of head but luckily she missed then I killed her instead. It was one of the greatest achievement I think I had ever done.

"Sestra.." I heard Denver murmured. 

It's his sister..I killed his sister...

The screen suddenly went black. "A life for a life." the man continued. "Whoever killed my daughter shall obtain his or her scrumptious death." 

I gulped twice when the video ended. Everyone looked at me with a frown on their faces.

"Don't fret,Celosia." Director Blaze said. "We found him inside a hotel near the Capitol. Our surveillance cameras are already placed. All we have to do is to ambush him."

I sighed and glance around.I saw Winter's face looking worriedly at me. I smiled and mouthed 'thank you'. I owe him a lot. If it wasn't for him,my life will be in danger.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" Denver asked.

"Sure." I said casually.

We both went to a park nearby and sat on a bench. I don't know how to talk him now that I've found out what he really wanted from me. 

Revenge..

Vengeance..

"Do you really love me?" I asked while looking at the night sky. Everything feels so unreal,I never expected this would happen. 

"Why would you ask that?" he laughed.

"Do you really love me?" I repeated. 

I heard him sigh before holding my hand. "Of course I do,more than you know. I'm your fiancé," he whispered.

Fiancé.. 

I close my eyes to stop my tears from falling. I smiled bitterly before looking at him. "Would you kill me for your own freedom?" I asked, sounding innocently.

His expression became emotionless,he just stare at me while he wipes my tears away. "I love you." that's the only thing he said.

The next morning,everyone seem excited while we're on our way to the place where they've found Alexei Kuznetsov. Our team is separated into different sub units,snipers are already at the top of the nearby buildings to see where Alexei might go in case he tries to escape. They immediately spotted him from an open window on the 14th floor. 

"What is he doing now?"I asked Winter. We we're still waiting for the assault team and the signal from our director before they all charge.

He took a good look on his scope before pouting. "Drinking coffee." 

I laughed and shook my head. "Poor man,he doesn't know what's about to come." 

"Well,we can't be sure." 

"Why not?" I raised a brow at him. "He's now sitting there alone. What might possibly happen?"

"You're not thinking,Celosia." he said darkly.

"What?" I hissed.

"Why is he alone?Why are the windows open?Why would he check in a hotel near the Capitol?Why would he use his real name in booking a room?" he asked and it made me stilled. 

"So you're saying that.."

He nodded and gave me a small smile."This might be a plan of his."

How stupid of am I not to get that?He's obviously a Mafia boss,he can't just give away his real identity for an exclusive room of his own.

I took a step towards the scope and slowly looked on Alexei. My jaw dropped when he looked at my direction and smirked evidently while waving his hand. 

"Celosia!" Winter shouted.

Slowly my body went numb and that was the last thing I heard before everything went black.

"Great work!" Alexei said to his son. "You did your thing,now you can be free." 

"Uh,I'll leave now." Rodion sighed and went out of his father's residence. Rodion immediately went to his fiancé's house but as what he expected,no one was there. "Celosia." he said emotionally,as tears fell down his eyes. What he did was something he never wanted to do but he needed to. He'll do everything for Celosia,so they can love each other without any hindrances.

"Life sucks!" Rodion took a shot of brandy then drank it straight without even changing his facial expression. "What you think?" he asked Zavir.

"I think you'll die from liver cancer." his best friend said.

"I think so too." Rodion took another shot. He offered Zavir but he refused. "I don't how to find her." he shook his head to refrain himself from crying. He's been in love before yet this was the first time a tear drop from him because of a woman. A woman who he almost killed for his own convenience.

"You're a Mafia." Zavir rolled his eyes.

"Son of a Mafia." Rodion corrected. 

"Well it's still the same." 

"Tell me,how would I find her?" Rodion asked. He was really desperate to find Celosia. He needed to explain everything to her. "Please."

"It's been seven years,Rodi" Zavir smiled sheepishly. "You must be really in love."

"I am, more than you know."

"Are you sure she's still alive?" Zavir asked hesitantly. "You used a Russian Orsis T-5000 sniper rifle,dummy!" 

"I didn't kill her!" Rodion assured him,it somehow made him worry. He used a powerful sniper rifle provided by his father and he didn't know the possibilities or the outcomes.He even hired a private investigator but they can't find any details about her.

"Are you sure you're already free?You can do anything you want now?" Zavir asked.

"My father doesn't break any of his promises." Rodion said.

"He's a Mafia, there's no such thing as promises, only deals." 

"I am his son,he can't kill me." 

"Fine then!" Zavir let out a heavy sigh. "I saw Celosia in New York last week."

"You what?" Rodion screamed. "Why did you only tell me now?" 

"Winter told me it should be a secret." Zavir shrugged.

"Your brother told you that?He really loves to keep a secret." Rodion shook his head and took his car keys. "New York,here I come!" he shouted.

Darkness filled the night sky as he drove his way to New York City. His vision was already blurry from too much consumption of alcohol yet he still manage to make it near Central Park. 

"Now what?" he felt his head was spinning so he parked beside a restaurant then took off his seatbelt. "Where should I start?" he whispered. 

Rodion went out of his car and quickly glance around. A familiar man was standing in front of an expensive sports car. His arms were crossed while his jaws moved aggressively. 

"Hey son!Looking for someone?" Alexei said darkly.

"I'm not." Rodion closed his eyes and places his hand on top of his car for support. 

"Liar!" His father shouted.

Rodion's eyes widened when he heard gunshots being fired. Seconds after,his car is already covered with holes. He lowered his body and faced his father. Alexei was now pointing a gun at him with a silencer on it. 

"All I wanted was revenge you freak!" Alexei was about to pull the trigger when a little boy snuck behind him and kicked the gun. It immediately fell off and Rodion ran towards them. He grabbed his father's collar and pinned him against the wall. There was no emotion plastered on Alexei's face but Rodion's eyes darkened.

"I should've killed you when I had the chance,father." Rodion gritted his teeth in anger.

"You really should've.Now I have no choice but to kill my own son!" Alexei replied.

Rodion's grip loosened when he saw a shadow beside him. Alexei took that opportunity to overcome his son,he switched their places and now Alexei was on the upper hand. He heard another gunshot and slowly his father fell down in front of him. 

"Revenge is a just a word but it could kill you any moment." Rodion said while looking at his father's dead body. He don't feel any sympathy towards him.

"Are you alright sir?" the little boy approached him.

Rodion sighed and looked around,the snipers were already handcuffed by the police. He patted the little boy's head and gave him a hug. "Thank you!" that's the thing he can only say.

If it weren't for that little boy,he would already be dead by that time. "You were brave out there!" he laughed. "You know when I was at your age,I used to kill insects. Now you're killing criminals."

Rodion hugged the little boy again but his smiles faded when he noticed that it wasn't paying attention to him. "Hey!" he called. The boy turn to face him and gave him a fake smile. "What's your name?" Rodion asked.

"Nazar,sir!" he said politely.

"What seems to be the problem?"

"I'm lost.." 

Rodion's jaw dropped. "You are?Where's your mom?Your dad?"

"I left my mom somewhere along the park. Well, I don't know where my dad is." Nazar shrugged,

"What's your mom's name?" he asked softly.

"Nazar!" a familiar voice spoke.

Both of their eyes widened when they heard a shout not so far away from them.

"Mommy!" The little boy cried and ran towards her mother.

Rodion slowly turned around and he saw a woman standing near his car filled with holes. "Celosia.." he whispered.

Celosia smiled at him widely. "It's nice to see you,again."

Rodion's gaze slowly went to Celosia's hand holding Nazar. "You have a son now,I see." he frowned.

Celosia walk towards him and caressed his cheek. It gave him shivers just like before. "Our son." She corrected.

Rodion almost ran out of breath from what he had just heard. His son?Their son? That little boy? The one who killed his father?He looked at Celosia with teary eyes, why does it look like nothing happened?Like he done nothing wrong against her. 

"I know everything." she smiled. "I forgive you." 

Rodion didn't say anything,his mind is completely occupied by unnecessary thoughts. 

"Can you keep a secret?" Celosia grinned.

Rodion nodded and Celosia leaned forward. "I still want to marry you." 

Time fades,their love still remains.