Chapter 6 - The Siege Begins
By five in the morning, the heavy storm outside had turned into a steady, dreary drizzle.
Inside the bunker, Lorenzo and I sat side-by-side at the security console. His strength was returning, bolstered by antibiotics from the medical kit and sheer, unyielding fury.
On the main monitor, the front gates of the Duca estate suddenly burst open.
A fleet of black armored SUVs crashed through the iron barricades, tires screeching across the wet cobblestones. Dozens of heavily armed men poured out into the courtyard, taking up strategic positions around the perimeter.
Leading them was a tall, silver-haired man in a tailored trench coat—Capo Valenti.
"Valenti," Lorenzo said, a grim smile touching his lips. "He received the signal."
Through the security feeds, we watched chaos erupt across the estate. Marco’s mercenaries ran out onto the grand terrace, weapons drawn, but they were hopelessly outnumbered. Valenti’s men expertly disarmed and pinned Marco's guards to the pavement within minutes, locking down every exit.
Inside the mansion, Marco and Beatrice were panicked. On the study monitor, Marco was frantically trying to make calls on his satellite phone, only to realize the line had been jammed.
"Valenti’s men shouldn't be here!" Beatrice screamed, her poised facade completely shattering as she paced the room. "Who alerted them?!"
"I don't know!" Marco yelled back, pulling a heavy revolver from his desk drawer. "Someone inside betrayed us!"
Lorenzo stood up from the console, wrapping a thick black tactical belt around his waist and picking up a sleek sidearm from the bunker's armory.
"It's time," Lorenzo said, his voice dropping an octave into pure, commanding authority.
"You're still wounded," I reminded him, standing up beside him.
"I have enough blood left to finish this," he replied, turning to look at me. He knelt down in front of Emma, who was holding her plush rabbit. "Emma," he said gently. "I need you and your mother to stay here where it's safe for just a little longer."
Emma reached out and touched the cartoon bear bandage still stuck to his eyebrow. "Are you going to fix the bad men?"
"Yes," Lorenzo promised softly. "I'm going to make sure no one ever threatens you or your mama again."
He looked up at me, his dark eyes burning with an intense, unspoken promise. "Wait for my signal on the monitor, Clara. Once the house is secure, I'll come back for you."
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"Don't get yourself shot again," I said softly, adjusting the collar of his jacket. "I'm out of bear bandages."
A genuine, beautiful smile broke across his handsome face. "I'll keep that in mind."
