Chapter 12 - THE MOB MASTERMIND
Victor backed up slowly, keeping Lily shielded behind his broad shoulder.
He checked his weapon's magazine stealthily with his thumb; he had only three rounds left.
"You're getting old and sloppy, Victor," Salvatore sneered, taking a step closer.
"You brought a child into a warzone because of a dead woman's memory."
"Elena was smarter than you, but she still died in the dirt."
Victor’s grip on his gun tightened until his knuckles turned completely white.
"She died because you betrayed her, Salvatore," Victor said, his voice flat and deadly.
Salvatore laughed, a deep, raspy sound that echoed off the empty seats.
"I didn't betray her, Victor," Salvatore revealed, leaning forward.
"Interpol sold her out to me for twenty million dollars!"
"Your precious Inspector Vance was the one who signed Elena's death warrant!"
Victor’s mind raced as the pieces of the dark puzzle finally clicked together.
Vance had appeared too conveniently last night.
She knew about the micro-map before Victor had even unfolded the paper.
She had killed Apex in the boiler room to keep him from talking.
"Vance played you like a cheap violin," Salvatore continued, raising his gun.
"She used you to clear out my top lieutenants so she could take over the entire operation."
"And now, she's waiting outside to collect the paper from your cold, dead body."
Victor didn't let a single emotion show on his scarred, bloodied face.
"She made one mistake," Victor said softly.
"What mistake?" Salvatore growled, raising his thumb on the heavy revolver's hammer.
"She forgot who trained her," Victor answered.
Before Salvatore could pull his trigger, a smoke grenade dropped from the ceiling rafters above.
Thick gray smoke exploded across the stage, completely blinding Salvatore and his men.
Victor fired his remaining three rounds into the silhouettes in front of him.
Cries of pain rang out through the thick smoke as men collapsed to the floorboards.
Victor didn't wait to see who fell; he grabbed Lily and sprinted toward the backstage emergency exit.
He kicked open the heavy metal door, bursting into the cold afternoon air.
The alley was quiet, but Inspector Vance’s black SUV was idling right at the curb.
Vance stepped out of the vehicle, holding her pistol aimed directly at Victor's chest.
May you like
"Hand over the drawing, Victor," Vance said, her green eyes cold as ice.
"It ends here."
