James

I take the lighter and touch it to her skin, sealing the wound. "Ahhh!" Yelena screams in agony, too weak to move. It's for your own good, woman.

I blow the flame out and drag her next to a beam. She wakes up in a panic, looking around frantically and trying to move.

"You still have a bullet in you, so I wouldn't move," I say, tying her hands together with rope above her head.

She struggles against the ropes as I tie them to the beam. "Where the hell am I?" Yelena huffs, sweat dripping down her forehead.

"You're in an abandoned warehouse. I brought you here after you blacked out." I notice her hands moving above her head as I talk.

Is she trying to untie herself right in front of my face? I pull out a pistol and point it at her head. "Continue and I'll put two bullets in your head."

That seems to get her attention because she freezes and glares up at me. "What do you want?" She snaps. "Answers."

A quiet chuckle escapes from her lips. "What makes you think you'll get your answers this time?" she asks, trying to shift her body.

I stare at her for a few seconds. "I think I'll let you answer that yourself." She scoffs, unamused.

Suddenly, a loud crash comes from somewhere else in the building. Shit. I know exactly who it is, but I thought I had more time.

I look back over at her. "Look, we'll continue this conversation later," I say, kneeling next to her to untie her hands. As soon as they're free, Yelena takes the rope and wraps it around my neck.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now." She whispers, wrapping her legs around my waist.

"You'll need me if you want to find your brother's killer," I cough out, tugging on the rope. She loosens her grip and lets me go. "What?"

I massage my neck. Damn, that woman is deadly. "Your brother is dead, and I want to find out who did it," I say, tossing Yelena a pistol.

If she shoots me, she'll die and never find out who killed her poor brother. Yelena clutches her side while panting as if contemplating her choices.

Hard to move with a bullet in your side, isn't it?

"We'll finish this talk later. Go through those doors and find an exit. When you're outside, you can hide in my car. It's a white Tesla." I sigh as I look through a broken window.

Three police cars, two men each. I got this, right? "How do you know I won't just run away?" She grunts, dragging herself up against a wall. "I know you won't. Your life depends on it."

I wink at her before walking out of the room to meet my other policemen. I know she'll find a way to cheat me, but there's not much she can do with a bullet between her ribs.

"Hey, guys! I found James!" An officer says as he points his flashlight at me. Who the hell is that? "I'm officer Columbus." He says, holding out his hand for me to shake.

This must be his first assignment because I've never seen this man before in my life. I take his hand and shake it firmly as more officers shuffle in from around the corner.

"Now why the hell are you in this place?" He asks, motioning his men deeper into the building. "I... saw Yelena Borisyuk flee into this building and I took it upon myself to catch her."

He raises an eyebrow at me. "So... where is she?"

"I was too late. But, I saw large puddles of blood, supposedly from her so she couldn't have gone far." I explain, watching the men flip the building inside out.

"My orders are to bring you in for questioning now, but between you and me," Columbus steps closer to my ear.

"I've seen your work and dedication to this position and I also know you wouldn't compromise your position." He motions for me to walk out of the building willingly.

You don't have to tell me twice, man. I pat him on the shoulder with a grin and make my way out of the building. A thick trail of blood lies on the floor, leading to my white car.

Damn, Yelena! How did you get hurt again? I climb into the driver's seat and look over at her. She looks like she's in a deep sleep. Hell, I would be too!

In the GPS, a random location is set for a destination nearly two hours away. Did she do that? I guess I'll go just to see what it's about.

I change the gear and adjust my rearview mirror. Columbus stares at the bloodstain on my car from the entrance of the building with a grim expression on his face. Shit.

He knows.