The Life We Lead: Ascending Read Online Free PDF

until Daen was back.
    “Are you seriously hurt?” James asked.
    The young man shook his head.
    “What is your name?”
    No reply.
    “I said, what is your name? What are you
called?”
    “Nikolias,” the man answered.
    “Where did they take our friend?” James
asked.
    “What friend? Is two of you,” came the raspy
voice of Nikolias.
    “A man, a friend of ours, they took him from
the lobby. Where would they take him?” James asked.
    “Why should I tell you?” sneered
Nikolias.
    “Well, besides me having a gun pointing at
you, imagine me pointing it at your sister,” James said in a flat
tone.
    “I have no sister,” Nikolias said with a ring
of defiance, but also truth.
    “Your cousin then, the girl in the subway
station who works to keep the other children in line,” James said
coolly, having finally placed Nikolias’s face.
    “What? You are lying,” the man said, but this
time his body language betrayed him.
    “Oh, and I just happened to mention the
subway and her job?” James asked in a sarcastic tone.
    “She is not my family. Do what you think. It
is nothing to me,” Nikolias lied.
    “She is your family. I can see it in your
face and cheekbones. And if your life and hers really mean nothing
to you ...” James chambered the gun.
    “You will not hurt her. You will not!”
Nikolias started to shout.
    “Quiet down.” James waved his hand up and
down to make sure Nikolias understood. “If you tell me where to
find my friend, I’ll let you go as well as her. I’ll also help you
find a way to get out of this area if you want. I’ll also help
protect you,” he said as Daen entered the room.
    “There was a clerk back there. Looks like
they knocked him out, but he’ll be alright. I saw the schedule.
Natalia was supposed to work tonight man. Not whoever was back
there,” said Daen.” He gestured with his head to Nikolias before
tying him to the chair. “What’d you get from him?”
    “Nikolias here was about to tell us where we
can find Petior, in exchange for his life and his cousin’s, along
with my promise to help protect them if they want it.”
    “You made some progress then. About time you
do something tonight.” Daen grinned, grabbing the other chair. He
faced it toward Nikolias and sat down.
    Both Daen and James peered at Nikolias with
anticipation, but he said nothing. He seemed to be concentrating
very hard.
    Daen started to speak to Nikolias in Russian,
and Nikolias’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
    “We can help you,” Daen said, “but you need
to help us. All we want to know is how to get our friend back.
Consider your situation and how we’ve treated you so far. We’re
trying to be fair to you and give you help in return for help.”
    “What makes you think I need your help?”
Nikolias answered.
    “You’re our prisoner, but you’re a captive of
whatever group you …” Daen began, but Nikolias cut him off.
    “What makes you think I want to leave?”
growled Nikolias.
    “When you help us, your bosses won’t be too
happy with you, and your cousin and you will need to leave to
survive,” replied Daen.
    “So he says,” Nikolias said curtly with a
head gesture towards James.
    “What did he say? Why did he just do that?”
asked James.
    “Sounds like he doesn’t feel a need to help
us. Seems he doesn’t want or have a reason to leave,” Daen replied,
a puzzled look on his face.
    “I am no traitor, and I will die to help our
fraternity and country. I am loyal and believe in things, unlike
you American dogs,” Nikolias stated in English.
    James bowed his head, closed his eyes, and
rubbed his temple for a moment with his left hand. He dragged it
down his face before speaking again.
    “Okay, tell us what the fraternity’s cause
is. What’s so special about it that you are willing to risk your
life, your cousin’s life, and that of our friend because someone
felt I was disrespectful near a train,” said James.
    Nikolias laughed. “We know you looking