Chapter 17 - THE FINAL SHOWDOWN
Victor climbed the metal stairs slowly, his weapon raised, pointing directly at Vance's head.
Rain and blood dripped from his dark hair, pooling on the iron steps beneath his boots.
"You're too late, Victor," Vance choked out, leaning weakly against the metal handrail.
"Salvatore... he activated the self-destruct sequence for the main data server!"
"The whole warehouse is rigged with thermite explosives... it will burn to ash in two minutes!"
Victor didn't lower his gun by even an inch.
"Where is Salvatore?" Victor asked, his deep voice colder than the ocean wind.
Vance pointed a shaking, blood-stained finger toward the back cargo elevator.
"He's taking the server briefcase to the roof... a helicopter is waiting for him!" Vance gasped.
"Take the paper, Victor... we can split the money and leave together!"
"You killed Elena," Victor said, his voice flat and devoid of any human warmth.
"I didn't have a choice!" Vance screamed desperately. "She was going to ruin everything!"
Victor looked at the woman who had traded innocent lives for greed and power.
"You always have a choice," Victor stated quietly.
He pulled the trigger once, putting a precise round through Vance's shoulder, knocking her out cold.
He didn't kill her; he left her to face the approaching police forces he had summoned.
Victor turned and sprinted toward the metal fire escape stairs leading to the flat roof.
Sirens wailed loudly in the distance, echoing across the rainy harbor.
The timer on the wall flashed violently in red numbers: 01:15... 01:14... 01:13...
Victor burst through the heavy roof access door into the howling wind and pouring rain.
A dark private helicopter was idling on the rooftop helipad, its blades spinning wildly.
Don Salvatore was desperately dragging a heavy metallic briefcase toward the open helicopter door.
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"Salvatore!" Victor’s roar thundered over the deafening noise of the spinning helicopter blades.
Salvatore froze, slowly turning around in the driving rain to face his ultimate nightmare.
