Chapter 11 - THE SHADOW ON THE WHARF
Gunfire erupted across Pier 41 as Jax's men vaulted over the dock railings, opening fire with heavy shotguns.
The deafening blasts shattered the rain-soaked night, sending sparks flying off the metal shipping containers.
Julian dropped his umbrella, pulling a suppressed semi-automatic pistol from his coat belt.
"Shoot him! Kill Mark now!" Julian roared, pointing his weapon directly at Mark's chest.
Mark dove sideways behind a stack of rusted steel barrels just as three bullets slammed into the metal, punching holes through the iron.
Eleanor shrieked in absolute terror as a guard dragged her away into the shadows behind the central crane.
Jax charged out of the foggy gloom like a battering ram, swinging a five-foot heavy steel tow chain.
He struck the nearest tactical guard squarely in the chest, lifting the man off his feet and throwing him into the cold harbor water below.
"Get to the crane, Mark!" Jax bellowed through the chaos, firing his weapon into the air to draw enemy fire.
Mark scrambled on his hands and knees through the puddles, tracking Julian's shadow through the smoke and rain.
Julian was fleeing toward a small private boat tied to the far end of the dock, holding the Manila envelope tightly against his chest.
Mark sprinted through the crossfire, ignoring the rain blinding his eyes and the searing pain in his back.
"Julian!" Mark yelled, his voice echoing off the containers.
Julian spun around at the edge of the pier, panic flashing across his eyes as he raised his pistol.
BANG!
A bullet grazed Mark's left shoulder, tearing through his jacket and cutting a line of fire into his flesh.
Mark didn't stop; he tackled Julian around the waist, throwing both of them onto the slippery, wet wooden planks of the pier.
The gun flew from Julian's hand, sliding over the edge and plunging into the dark ocean below.
The two brothers wrestled violently on the slick wood, rain pouring down over their bloodied faces.
Julian landed a sharp elbow into Mark's bruised ribs, forcing Mark to gasp for air.
Julian scrambled up, grabbing a heavy rusty iron spike off a nearby mooring post.
"You should have stayed in London, Mark!" Julian screamed, raising the iron spike over his head.
Mark rolled quickly to the side as Julian brought the spike down, driving it deep into the wooden deck.
Mark swung his right leg with full force, catching Julian across the side of his knee.
A sickening crunch echoed through the air as Julian's knee snapped backward.
Julian let out an agonizing shriek, collapsing onto the wet deck and clutching his ruined leg.
Mark pushed himself up, standing over his brother, his chest heaving wildly.
He reached down and grabbed the Manila envelope from Julian's helpless grip.
Julian looked up at Mark through tears of pain and blood, his face pale and twisted.
"You think... you think you won?" Julian wheezed out, coughing up rain and blood.
"Mother isn't even here for the key, Mark..."
Mark froze, his blood running cold as he stared down at his brother.
"What did you say?" Mark demanded, grabbing Julian by his coat collar.
Julian let out a horrific, breathless laugh.
"That woman under the crane... is just a hired decoy in a coat..." Julian wheezed, grinning maliciously.
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"Eleanor is already at the Central National Bank downtown."
"She used a forged emergency court order declaring Leo dead two hours ago to open Vault 419!"
