Chapter 11 - The Traitor's Escape
|
Deep in the bowels of the estate, the darkness was absolute. Lorenzo Falcone and a squad of elite, heavily armed mercenaries navigated the damp, concrete maintenance tunnels with the ease of men who had studied the blueprints for months.
They reached the heavy iron door of the sub-basement holding cells. Lorenzo, a tall, gaunt man with a jagged scar across his chin and cold, dead eyes, signaled his men to halt. He placed a small, specialized explosive charge against the heavy sliding lock and stepped back.
A muffled, concussive thud echoed through the corridor, blowing the lock entirely off the door.
Lorenzo kicked the iron door open and stepped into the dim, flickering light of the holding area.
Serena was huddled in the corner of cell number three, shivering and terrified. When she looked up and saw Lorenzo standing in the doorway, a massive, hysterical sob of relief ripped from her throat.
"Lorenzo!" she cried, scrambling to her feet and running toward the open cell door. She threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his tactical vest. "I thought he was going to kill me! Alessandro knows everything! He knows you're alive!"
Lorenzo didn't hug her back. His face remained an emotionless mask of cold, calculating cruelty. He gently peeled her arms off his neck and pushed her slightly away.
"How did he find out?" Lorenzo asked, his voice a low, venomous hiss. "We were flawless, Serena. You were supposed to poison him tonight. How did he discover the truth?"
"It was a maid!" Serena sobbed, her eyes wide with panic. "A pathetic, eavesdropping maid! She heard me on the phone with you, Lorenzo. She ran to Alessandro and told him everything!"
Lorenzo’s jaw tightened in furious disgust. Years of meticulous planning, millions of dollars spent in the shadows, all completely ruined by a minimum-wage servant.
"Where is she?" Lorenzo demanded, drawing a heavy silver handgun from his holster.
"Alessandro locked her and her brat daughter in the subterranean safe room under the east wing," Serena answered quickly, eager to please him. "They are hiding down there like rats."
Lorenzo turned to his lead mercenary. "Take five men. Go up to the main floor and flank Alessandro's position. Keep him busy. I am going to deal with the rat who ruined my empire."
May you like
He turned back to Serena, his eyes dark with murderous intent. "Come with me. We have a mess to clean up."
Serena nodded eagerly, her aristocratic arrogance returning now that she was armed and protected. She followed her secret husband down the dark, concrete corridors, heading straight toward the east wing bunker. She was going to make sure the maid who ruined her life never saw the sun again.
