Chapter 2 - LOCKDOWN IN MANHATTAN
The second gunshot vibrated through the steel and marble foundation of the penthouse tower.
In an instant, Adrian’s conditioning took over. He grabbed Elena by her waist, shielding her body with his own as he pulled a sleek matte-black 9mm pistol from the concealed shoulder holster beneath his velvet tuxedo jacket.
"Get down," Adrian ordered softly, his voice dropping into a lethal calm.
Elena dropped to her knees behind the heavy oak bed frame, clutching her dress around her. "Adrian, what’s happening?"
"The photographer was killed to silence him," Adrian said, stepping toward the thick mahogany doors of the bedroom suite. "He must have taken a photo tonight that wasn't supposed to exist."
He clicked the tactical light on his pistol and checked the hallway security monitor embedded into the wall. The feed showed the private elevator lobby bathed in red emergency lighting. Three guards lay motionless near the service doors.
The door handle jiggled.
Adrian raised his weapon, lining up the iron sights precisely with the center panel.
"Boss, it's Marco!" a harsh voice yelled through the wood. "We have a tactical breach on the fifth floor! Unknown shooters in grey uniforms!"
Adrian didn't open the door. "Where is the secondary security team, Marco?"
"Suppressed in the lobby!" Marco shouted, his breath heavy and frantic through the door. "We need to evacuate you and Mrs. Moretti through the helipad immediately!"
Elena looked at Adrian from behind the bed. She remembered her father’s letter: Do not trust the person who helped arrange the wedding.
Adrian met her eyes across the dimly lit room. He shook his head slightly, signaling her to remain silent.
"Marco," Adrian called out, keeping his weapon leveled. "Who authorized the photography crew for the grand ballroom?"
A split-second pause hung in the air outside. It was subtle, barely half a breath, but to a man who lived on the edge of survival, it was an eternity.
"The catering company, boss," Marco replied, his voice tightening. "Why?"
"Because the catering company was vetted exclusively by you," Adrian said quietly. "And you know I never allow unregistered personnel near my inner circle."
Silence descended outside the door.
Then came the mechanical clatter of an automatic weapon charging.
"Step back, Elena!" Adrian roared!
He fired three rounds straight through the wooden door panel! Screams and heavy thuds echoed from the hallway outside as automatic rifle fire shredded the mahogany doors into splinters!
Adrian leaped back as wood fragments rained down like shrapnel. He grabbed Elena's arm, lifting her to her feet. "Fire stairs! Move!"
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They sprinted through the private lounge toward the penthouse's panic exit. Behind them, the bedroom doors burst open, revealing Marco standing in the doorway holding a submachine gun, flanked by four masked gunmen in tactical gear.
"Find them!" Marco screamed, wiping blood from his cheek where a wall splinter had grazed him. "Don't let them leave the building with that key!"
