Chapter 9 - THE DEVIL IN THE BOILER ROOM
A sudden burst of sparks lit up the dark boiler room as Apex swung a heavy iron pipe toward Victor's head.
Victor ducked swiftly, the iron bar whistling inches above his hair, smashing into a steam pipe.
Hot white steam roared out of the broken pipe, instantly blinding both men in a cloud of heat.
Apex threw a heavy punch through the steam, catching Victor full in the jaw.
Victor stumbled back, the taste of metallic copper filling his mouth as his tooth cut his inner cheek.
He shook off the impact and ducked under a second wild swing, slamming his elbow into Apex's ribs.
Apex grunted in pain, dropping the iron pipe and drawing a long combat knife from his tactical belt.
The razor-sharp steel gleamed ominously under the dim, flickering orange emergency lights.
"Salvatore wants the girl alive for ten minutes so she can watch you bleed out!" Apex snorted savagely.
Victor didn't respond; he dropped his gun to avoid losing it in close-quarters combat.
He drew his own tactical knife, blade turned downward in a defensive reverse grip.
The two deadliest men in the criminal underworld circled each other in the narrow, steaming room.
Above them, through the heavy concrete ceiling, the faint sound of music began to play.
The school play had officially started.
Apex lunged forward with a lightning-fast thrust aimed directly at Victor's heart.
Victor sidestepped smoothly, parrying the blade with his forearms while driving his knife into Apex's shoulder.
Apex screamed in rage, slamming his forehead violently into Victor's scarred nose.
Victor's vision flashed white as pain exploded through his skull, forcing him back against a hot furnace.
Apex raised his knife high, aiming straight down at Victor's exposed neck.
"Die, old man!" Apex roared with psychotic glee.
Victor's eyes snapped open, burning with pure ferocity and unbroken determination.
He caught Apex's wrist inches from his throat, his hands locking around the killer's arm like iron clamps.
"I have a play to attend," Victor growled through blood-stained teeth.
With a surge of violent strength, Victor twisted Apex's wrist backward until the bone snapped audibly.
Apex dropped the knife, howling in agony as Victor swept his legs out from under him.
Apex slammed heavily onto the hard concrete floor, gasping for air.
Victor picked up his fallen silenced pistol from the floor and pointed it directly between Apex's eyes.
Apex looked up into Victor's cold, lifeless eyes and saw no mercy left inside them.
"Wait... Victor... please," Apex stammered, his body trembling violently against the floor.
"Who ordered the hit on Elena six months ago?" Victor demanded, his finger tightening on the trigger.
"It wasn't just Salvatore!" Apex gasped desperately, trying to buy time.
"It was someone higher! Someone inside Interpol!"
Victor’s eyes narrowed as the shocking revelation resonated through his mind.
Before Apex could say another word, a soft muffled thwip sounded through the quiet boiler room.
A bullet struck Apex directly in the center of his forehead from the shadows behind Victor.
Apex's body went completely limp against the blood-stained concrete floor.
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Victor spun around instantly, raising his weapon toward the dark doorway.
Inspector Vance stepped out of the shadows, holding a suppressed pistol, smoke drifting from the barrel.
