Chapter 8 - The Siege of the Sky
At 5:15 PM, the power to the penthouse high-rise cut out completely.
The floor-to-ceiling windows went dark, and the soft hum of the climate control died, replaced by the deep, heavy silence of the storm outside. A second later, emergency red backup lights flickered to life along the baseboards of the hallway.
Inside the reinforced panic room, Elena sat on a small leather bench, holding the handgun in her lap. A monitor mounted on the wall displayed low-light night-vision feeds from the penthouse corridors.
On the screen, she saw Luca.
He was standing in the center of the dark living room, dressed in a black tactical jacket, holding a silenced firearm down by his side. He looked entirely relaxed, moving through the shadows like a ghost who owned the night.
Suddenly, the glass windows of the private elevator lobby shattered inward.
Three figures dressed in dark gear burst into the hallway, weapons raised. Behind them stepped Gregor Volkov, his throat heavily bandaged, his face pale and contorted with violent rage.
"Moretti!" Gregor screamed into the silent penthouse, his voice raspy and broken from his injured throat. "I know you're in here! You traded thirty years of family history for a Deloitte auditor! Show yourself!"
On the monitor, Elena watched Luca step out from behind a concrete pillar.
Pfft. Pfft.
Two quiet shots echoed through the room. The two guards flanking Gregor dropped instantly to the floor, their weapons clattering against the hardwood.
Gregor spun around, firing his weapon wildly into the dark corners of the room. Muzzle flashes illuminated his terrified, desperate face. "You ruined us, Luca! Don Carmine is done! The family is destroyed!"
"The family was destroyed the moment you thought money was more important than loyalty, Gregor," Luca’s voice echoed from the shadows, impossible to pinpoint.
Gregor scrambled backward, his back hitting the heavy glass window overlooking the rainy city streets. "I’ll find her, Luca! I know she’s in this apartment! I’ll take her with me to the grave!"
Luca stepped out of the darkness directly in front of Gregor, his movement so silent that Gregor didn't notice him until the cold barrel of Luca’s weapon was pressed firmly under his chin.
Gregor froze, his chest heaving, his weapon dropping from his numb fingers.
"You won't be going to a grave, Gregor," Luca whispered coldly, his eyes burning through the gloom. "A grave implies rest."
Luca pulled the trigger.
A non-lethal electrical stun charge discharged directly into Gregor’s neck. Gregor’s body went rigid, his eyes rolling back as three thousand volts surged through his nervous system, neutralizing him instantly. He collapsed onto the floor in a helpless heap.
Outside the elevator lobby, heavy footsteps echoed as Marco and six armed Vance-Moretti security operatives flooded the penthouse, securing the perimeter and securing the surviving intruders.
Marco stepped up beside Luca, looking down at the unconscious Gregor. "Federal marshals are in the lobby now, boss. They’re taking custody of the escapees."
Luca lowered his weapon, clicking the safety back into place. "Ensure Gregor is transferred directly to the maximum-security federal facility in Florence, Colorado. I don't want him seeing the sky again."
"Understood, Mr. Moretti," Marco replied.
Luca turned and walked quickly toward his study.
He pressed his thumb against the panic room scanner. The heavy steel door slid back smoothly.
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Elena stepped out instantly, dropping her weapon onto the desk and throwing her arms around Luca’s neck. He caught her, lifting her off her feet and pulling her close against his chest, burying his face in the soft crook of her neck.
"It's over, Elena," Luca murmured, his voice thick with relief. "It's completely over."
