Chapter 2093 - 854: So Many Troubles_6

He hung up the phone.

Outside the window, the night in Moscow was very dark, very quiet.

He knew this game had just begun.

Midnight, Mexico City, the top floor of the "Feathered Serpent Temple."

Victor stood by the window, looking at the bright lights of the Paseo de la Reforma outside.

Bramo stood behind him.

"Victor, Grisha's daughter has been kidnapped."

Victor nodded.

"I know."

"It's the Principal's people who did it."

Victor nodded again.

"I know."

Bramo hesitated.

"What should we do?"

Victor turned around.

"Tell Bennett to keep Grisha recording his confession."

Bramo was stunned.

"Continue recording? His daughter—"

"His daughter is in the Principal's hands," Victor interrupted him, "If he stops now, the Principal will know we care. If the Principal knows we care, his daughter is truly doomed."

He walked back to his desk and sat down.

"Let him record. Record everything he can say. Then—"

He paused.

"Then tell him we'll save his daughter."

Bramo looked at him.

"Can we save her?"

Victor didn't answer.

He looked at the lights outside the window.

"The Principal thinks he's in the shadows," he murmured, "He doesn't know I'm in the shadows too."

1 AM, Saint Petersburg, a basement somewhere.

When Anna woke up, she found herself lying on a broken mattress.

The surroundings were very dark, very cold, very quiet.

She thought of Mom. Thought of that bowl of cold soup. Thought of those two people standing at the door.

Tears streamed down.

She didn't make a sound.

A voice came from the darkness.

"Awake?"

She was startled.

The voice continued:

"Don't be scared. As long as you obey, you'll be fine."

Anna curled up on the mattress, not daring to move.

The voice laughed.

Laughed softly.

"Like your dad."

2 AM, Mexico City, Northern Prison.

Grisha sat in the interrogation room, facing the same table.

The confession had already been recorded.

But he didn't leave.

He looked at Bennett.

"My daughter..."

Bennett looked at him.

"In the Principal's hands."

Grisha's tears fell again.

"I'm begging you..."

Bennett was silent for three seconds.

Then he stood up and walked to Grisha.

"Mr. Grisha, your daughter will live."

Grisha was stunned.

"You... How do you know?"

Bennett looked at him.

"Because the Principal doesn't want her dead."

He paused.

"He wants you to shut up."

3 AM, outskirts of Moscow, that villa.

The Boss wasn't sleeping.

He sat in that wide chair, holding a glass of vodka, the fire in the fireplace burning brightly.

The phone rang.

He picked it up.

"Boss, Grisha is still recording."

The Boss nodded.

"I know."

The voice on the other end paused.

"He doesn't listen to us."

The Boss laughed.

Laughed softly.

"He doesn't listen, his daughter listens."

He stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window, the night in Moscow was very dark, very quiet.

"Tell Anna her dad has sold her."

The other end was stunned.

"Tell her? Then—"

"Tell her," the Boss interrupted him, "Let her know her dad is willing to say anything to stay alive. Let her know her dad doesn't want her anymore."

He paused.

"Then, when she hates him, let her speak."

4 AM, Saint Petersburg, the basement.

Anna was awake.

Couldn't sleep.

The voice sounded again in the dark.

"Your dad has sold you."

Anna was stunned.

"He said everything to survive. About you, about your mom, about where you live. Said it all."

Anna's tears streamed down.

"You're lying to me..."

The voice laughed.

"You can choose not to believe it. But do you know how he came to Mexico?"

Anna didn't speak.

"He went himself. He found the Mexicans and said he knew about the Principal. The Mexicans gave him money, gave him a house, gave him a new identity. He took them, and then—"

He paused.

"Then he forgot about you."

Anna curled up on the mattress, trembling all over.

She thought of that unseen face.

She thought of Mom's words.

"Your dad is dead. Don't ask."

Now she knew why.

He wasn't dead.

He just didn't want her anymore.

5 AM, Mexico City, the top floor of the "Feathered Serpent Temple."

Victor stood by the window, looking at the eastern horizon beginning to lighten.

He hadn't slept all night.

Bramo came in through the door.

"Victor, Grisha's daughter—"

"I know."

He turned around.

"The Principal told her that her dad sold her."

Bramo was stunned.

"Then she—"

"She will hate him," Victor interrupted him, "hate him to the point of willing to speak for the Principal."

He walked to the desk and sat down.

"Tell Bennett to record the final segment with Grisha."

Bramo looked at him.

"The final segment?"

Victor nodded.

"Have him say one sentence to the camera."

He paused.

"Just say—'Anna, Dad is sorry for you.'"