Chapter 14 - The River Wharf
"Step away from the maid, Dominic," a cold, metallic voice echoed from the shadows near the river exit.
Stepping out from behind a natural rock formation stood Victoria Sterling. Her face was bloody, her shoulder dislocated from the earlier blast, but she was upright, holding an MP7 submachine gun leveled directly at Elena. Behind her, through the mouth of the cavern, the black waters of the river rippled under the pale moonlight, where an armed patrol boat idled silently.
"You're like a cockroach, Victoria," Dominic said, shifting his body fractionally to intercept the bullet path toward Elena.
"I don't lose, Dominic," Victoria spat, her voice trembling with adrenaline and rage. "You ruined three years of syndicate planning for two brats! If I'm going down, your bloodline goes into the river with me!"
Victoria’s finger curled around the trigger.
She never pulled it.
From the darkness of the riverbank, a heavy steel grappling hook launched forward with explosive speed, catching Victoria’s tactical vest and tearing her backward off her feet with savage velocity. She screamed as she was dragged violently into the freezing river current. A single muffled shot followed, and then the dark waters went completely still.
A figure emerged from the patrol boat, stepping onto the wooden pier. It was a man clad in naval tactical gear, lowering a scoped hunting rifle. He pushed back his hood, revealing weathered features and eyes cold as arctic ice.
"Commander Vance," the man said, snapping a crisp salute toward Dominic. "Delta extraction unit secured. The river is clear. The airspace is locked down under our radar coverage."
Dominic stepped out onto the pier, the cool river breeze carrying away the scent of smoke and death. "Did you secure the Sterling family accounts?"
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"Drained twenty minutes ago, sir. Her entire syndicate has been dismantled from the top down."
Dominic took a long, deep breath. The long night of slaughter was finally ending. The old life was reduced to ashes behind them, but in his arms, the future was breathing softly.
