Chapter 8 - Fire on the Docks
The front windows of the diner exploded inward under a hail of violent gunfire.
Julian grabbed Clara and Leo, shoving them behind the heavy oak bar counter.
Jax ducked down beside them, pumping his shotgun with an experienced rhythm.
"Who are these people?!" Clara screamed over the deafening noise of shattering glass.
"The Syndicate!" Jax shouted back, firing a round through the broken window.
"Victoria owed them fifty million dollars!"
"She used your son as collateral for her gambling debts!"
Julian turned to Jax, his eyes burning with intense hatred and urgency.
"Is there a back exit?" Julian demanded.
"Through the kitchen, into the alley," the waitress shouted from behind the grill.
"Go! I'll hold them off!" Jax growled, firing another heavy shot toward the door.
Julian grabbed Leo in his arms and pulled Clara by the wrist.
They sprinted through the swinging kitchen doors into the cold rain of the back alley.
The sound of sirens began to wail in the distance, cutting through the storm.
Behind them, heavy boots crashed through the diner's kitchen entrance.
"In here! Fast!" Julian yelled, forcing open the door of an abandoned warehouse nearby.
They slipped inside just as a squad of armed men spilled into the alleyway.
Clara gasped for breath, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.
In the shadows of the warehouse, a figure sat quietly in a leather armchair.
Slowly, the figure turned around to face them.
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It was Victoria, sipping champagne with a manic smile on her face.
"Welcome to the end of the line, darling," Victoria purred softly.
