Chapter 4 - THE TRAP SPRUNG
The air in the concrete cell turned razor-sharp. Outside in the corridor, the sudden sound of heavy footsteps and shouting echoed through the thick steel door as Marcus and Adrian’s team engaged Moretti’s guards in a sudden, violent firefight.
Inside the locked room, Adrian didn't flinch. He stood perfectly still, his eyes fixed on Julian Vance, the man holding a gun to his chest.
"You're Victor Vance's son," Adrian stated flatly, his dark eyes analyzing every inch of his opponent.
"Very good," Julian sneered, his finger hovering over the trigger. "My father served Sal Moretti for thirty years. Fourteen years ago, when your little brother Noah tried to run away with Claire and his infant son, my father was the one who tracked them down. Noah put up a fight. He killed two of our men before my father put a bullet through his head."
A cold, dark fury flared in Adrian’s chest, but he kept his composure, keeping his body balanced on the balls of his feet. "And the baby?"
"Sal Moretti didn't want the baby dead," Julian revealed, a cruel glint in his eye. "A dead Vale heir is useless. But a living Vale heir, raised in secret, brainwashed to hate his own bloodline? That is the ultimate weapon. Daniel is fourteen years old now, Adrian. He believes Sal Moretti is his savior, and he believes you murdered his father."
Adrian’s breath hitched. The cruelty of the plot was staggering. Moretti hadn't just stolen his brother’s life; he had stolen Noah's son and turned him into an assassin aimed directly at the Vale empire.
"Where is the boy?" Adrian demanded, his voice dangerously low.
"He's waiting for you at the harbor," Julian laughed softly. "Or rather, he's waiting to watch your empire burn."
Outside the cell, a heavy explosion rocked the building. The steel door rattled violently, and a second later, a thermal charge blew the hinges off the frame!
The heavy door collapsed inward with a deafening crash, filling the room with smoke and dust.
Julian was momentarily blinded by the flash. Capitalizing on the split second of distraction, Adrian lunged forward with lightning speed! He grabbed Julian’s gun arm, twisting it viciously until the bone snapped with a sickening crack.
Julian screamed in pain as the weapon fell from his hand. Adrian swept his leg, slamming Julian face-first onto the concrete floor, pressing his heavy tactical boot directly against the back of his neck.
Marcus burst through the smoke, his weapon raised, covered in drywall dust. "Boss! We've got to move! Moretti’s reinforcements are flooding the upper levels!"
Adrian looked down at Julian, his face a cold mask of absolute authority. "Where at the harbor?"
Julian spat blood onto the floor, choking out a bitter laugh. "Pier 42... the old iron foundry... go ahead, Adrian... run into your nephew's trap..."
Adrian didn't waste another second. He struck Julian across the temple with the butt of his gun, knocking him unconscious, before turning and rushing out of the cell into the smoke-filled corridor.
Elena was crouched in a alcove near the exit, her body wrapped around Lily to shield her from the debris. Her face was pale, but when she saw Adrian emerge from the smoke alive, a wave of profound relief washed over her.
"Adrian!" she cried out, standing up. "Are you alright?"
Adrian rushed over, taking Lily into his arm while using his free hand to pull Elena close against his side. "I'm fine. We're getting out of here now!"
They sprinted through the ruined corridors of the sanatorium as warning sirens blared across the complex. Marcus and the remaining security detail laid down suppressive fire, clearing a path through the rear courtyard to the idling armored vehicles.
They scrambled into the SUV, the heavy doors slamming shut just as bullets rattled harmlessly against the bulletproof glass. The convoy accelerated rapidly, tearing out of the gates and disappearing into the rainy night.
Inside the back seat, Elena handed a bottle of water to Adrian, her hands still shaking. "Who was that man in the cell? Was it Noah?"
"No," Adrian said, his voice grim as he wiped gunpowder residue from his hands. "Noah is dead. He died fourteen years ago."
Elena gasped softly, covering her mouth as tears filled her eyes. "Oh God... Claire... she always hoped..."
"But his son is alive," Adrian continued, turning to look Elena directly in the eyes. "Noah had a son named Daniel. Moretti took him. He's fourteen now, and Moretti has raised him to believe I'm the monster who killed his family."
May you like
Elena stared at him in complete shock. "A fourteen-year-old boy... he's just a child!"
"He's my nephew," Adrian said, his dark eyes burning with an intense, fierce light. "He's the last piece of my brother left in this world. And tonight, I am bringing him home."
