Escape. That word was the last shred of hope Viktor had left in the world. The light above was blinding when he tried to open his eyes and silhouetted above him was a man he didn't recognize. Viktor's eyes closed again and he drifted back into unconsciousness for a few more minutes, stirred to life when he was roughly jostled and felt like he was falling. When he came to again he was moving down a hallway strapped to a trolley. He tried to raise a hand to remove the mask that covered the lower half of his face but the nearby nurse stopped him and once again the world turned black.

"Viktor," he heard his name being called from across the great black lake. Overhead the moon had died and its silver light was fading, casting the world in a thick darknesses that no light could shine through.

"Viktor," she was a specter floating over the murky waters, her gown elegantly flowing and white even against the pale skin framed by her dark hair. In one of her small hands was a smaller gun and when Viktor turned to face her, she shot him. His hand went to his stomach and he felt the blood trickling out between his fingers before collapsing headfirst into the water.

"Viktor," this time it was real.

He woke in a sterile hospital room, surrounded by blinding white walls and light. There was a man nearby calling his name whose face was slowly coming into focus.

"Viktor, can you hear me?"

Viktor's answer was a choked up cough. He tried to sit up but the man pushed him back.

"Easy there, Viktor. Don't move. You're lucky to be alive," he recognized the dark hair and the thin beard, the narrow eyes and pointed chin.

"Alexei," the name was not easy to say, nothing was easy at this moment. "Where am I?"

"Bucharest. But you can't stay here long, word will be getting out soon that you're here."

"Where am I supposed to go?"

"As far away as you can, if you want to live. I will do what I can to help you. I can give you some money, a gun and a car. That's all."

Viktor closed his eyes and relaxed back into his stiff pillow for a moment, breathing out a sigh.

"Viktor?"

"That's enough, Alexei. Where will you be leaving it?" Alexie placed a set of keys in Viktor's hand and leaned over to whisper into his ear. "Fifth floor. Check the glovebox."

Viktor nodded, his fingers closing over the keys. "Thank you, Alexei. Now go."

His friend nodded and stood, picking his hat up from the nearby table. "Good luck, Viktor. Try not to die."

"You'll never know, either way, Alexie."

"I'll know," Alexei turned and stepped out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him.