Is this destiny?

Sarah observed Marija's expression and confirmed that the truth serum is working. "You were never happy with watching, Marija. You always had a need to be in the center of attention. Is that because you are a single child and you grew up with your parents pampering you? What happened? Did they stop treating you like a princess once you grew up? I want to know who hired you to attack me and why did you do it."

"No one hired me. For the last three years, I am useless. That day when I left, it was not only my fingers that were broken. My pride and my confidence broke as well. I decided to train Nick so that he can be my fingers. I collected all the bits and pieces I could about you, Aiden, and the rest of your family. I hated you. I still do. You are acting all mighty like you are doing everything right! Did you ever wonder how I'm surviving? I need my hands to work, and you left me with broken fingers!"

Sarah did her best to ignore Marija's angry rambling and to focus on the important things. "What was your role in this attack?"

"My role? Aren't you going to praise me for a job well done? You always told us to look at the whole situation, not to rush, and to cover our tracks. For years I was watching your friends and family, and I watched your enemies as well. When I had enough information, I contacted them and…"

Sarah listened to Marija's explanation of how she planned and organized everything under the alias Dice.

Sarah never thought that Marija could be so organized. "You are behind the attack on me and my sisters?"

Marija was confused. "Why would I attack your sisters?"

"We got the information was that the target is me and another woman." Sarah assumed that it's her and JoAnna, because Sophia would never go into battle. Sophia is the strategist, and she always stays behind because that is what strategists do.

Marija stifled a laugh. "Targets were you and Oni. Because of you, I was humiliated and kicked out, and that bitch broke my fingers and took Jesse away!"

Sarah was stupefied. All this mess was because Marija could not get Michael and because Sarah didn't approve of Marija sleeping around? Sarah was confident that she is inside a bad movie.

Sarah told herself to stay focused… "Who are people you hired to attack at the docks?"

Marija told her that she hired people from Eastern Europe. "I found out about them by accident several years ago. It is an organization with the manpower available for hire, but they are not proficient in technology..."

Marija showed on the map to Sarah where she met the people, and she told Sarah how the deal included exchanging hacking services in exchange for capture Sarah and Oni. "I told them to remove anything metallic because I know that you can transform even a coin into a tracking device..."

Sarah frowned. "Did you give them a signal blocker?"

Marija shrugged. "Where would I get such a thing? But I told them that having one can come in handy, and I also explained how the Faraday cage works. I'm not sure if they understood a word. They are like retarded muscle-freaks with no brain."

Sarah was not in the mood to listen to Marija talk derisively about those people. "Who gave you the medicine that can mess up with memory?" 

"No one. That group from Eastern Europe said that once they catch you and Oni, they will administer it. They mentioned collecting the data and verifying potency."

Sarah already heard that at the end of the medical treatment she was supposed to end in Nick's hands, but... "What would you do with Oni once she forgot who she is?"

Marija smiled. "Shouldn't you be asking what would happen to you? Nick was more than happy to live his fantasy with you by his side. As for Oni... I didn't have a plan. As long as she forgets about Michael and whatever family crap you have going, I would leave her to wonder who she is. Maybe give her to those men who were supposed to capture you. They were interested in her."

Sarah thought of not hitting Marija at this time, but with every passing second, Sarah found it more difficult to control the urge to snap Marija's neck.

Marija saw that Sarah is silent, and she understood that they are done. "I told you everything. Now let me go."

Sarah looked at Marija like she said something outrageous. "Let you go? Why? So that you can attack me again?"

Marija made a face. "And what will you do? Keep me here forever? Or do you want to kill me?"

"That thought crossed my mind."

"You are kidding." Marija barked and her expression fell when she saw that Sarah is serious. "You can't do that! It's against the law! Who do you think you are!?"

Sarah let out a crazed laugh. "What I am? I am the law and I say that you are guilty."

Marija swallowed hard and in the next moment, she started screaming: "Help! Help! Someone! I'm being held against my will! Help! Some…"

'SLAM!'

Sarah smacked Marija over the open mouth with the root of her left palm.

Marija swayed in the chair and spat out two broken teeth. Her eyes widened in horror. "What the…? You are crazy!"

'PAK!'

A heavy slap landed on Marija's cheek.

Sarah looked at Marija with madness in her eyes. "I thought that you were watching me… for years. How is it possible that you missed the part of me being crazy?"

'PAK!'

Sarah slapped her again as rage swelled inside her. "Do you know what triggers my violence?"

'PAK!'

"I can't stand when someone touches my friends and family! And you did both!"

'PAK!'

"Because of your stupid reasons MY Aiden is gone!" Sarah roared.

'PAK!'

Sarah's hand hovered mid-air above Marija who was unconscious. Marija didn't fall on the ground only because she was tied up to the chair.

"If Aiden is missing one hair from his head, I swear that you will beg for me to kill you…"

…

JoAnna and Sophia waited for Sarah in the living room. Jeff, Felix, Hong, Michael, Oni, Nala, Haru, Ron, Zula, and a few other kids were there as well. They all watched the interrogation of both Nick and Marija on the television, so they know what happened.

"What was that thing about brainwashing you?" JoAnna asked when Sarah took a seat.

They all saw interrogations, but they didn't hear the phone call with Stella.

"It's a medicine that…" Sarah explained what Stella told her. "Mom said that the Lebedev family worked on developing it for them to use."

"That does not mean that it didn't end up in someone else's hands." JoAnna pointed out the possibility that others have that medicine as well, but with all clues put together, they are still looking at the Lebedev family.

"Are we heading to Lebedev base?" Sophia asked Sarah.

Sarah confirmed. "Yeah. I thought that they are behind the attack, but it seems that they were only hired to do the legwork. However, that does not change the fact that Aiden is in their hands. It's still not late to change your mind."

"We are going." JoAnna said. "Eat something first and then we can go."

Sarah checked the time and frowned. "It's the middle of the night. Let's go in the morning… Eat, rest, and we will go after breakfast…"

"Sarah…" Nala called. "We want to go with you also."

"I know, Nala. I want you to come also. However, in the first round, it will be me and my sisters. We don't know what to expect there, but we know that they will not harm us because we have the blood of the Lebedev family. Once we figure out things, we will let you know, and then you can join us. It should not be more than a day. Until then, I will rely on you to organize things here. Create a list of who wants to come with us, and who will stay here on standby. Whoever comes, needs to make that decision of their own accord, and make sure that everyone is aware of the danger… Haru, stay in touch with Angelo and Mathew, if they get any news about Aiden, I want to know…"

"Oni…" Sarah called when she was done giving instructions. "You were Marija's target, and you heard what she planned to do. If you want to talk to her or punish her, you can do so but… don't kill her."

"Got it." Oni understood that Sarah wants to torture Marija. Well, she deserved nothing less.

Oni and Michael left the room and Sarah urged everyone to take rest.

"What about you?" Sophia asked Sarah.

"I will be fixing Eve."

JoAnna exhaled. "Sarah, you need to sleep."

"I will sleep when we find Aiden…"

---

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