Chapter 5 - The Trap at the DocksTwo days later, the trap was sprung.
Mateo’s intelligence network paid off. Uncle Leo, believing Adrian was distracted by the security breach and the civilian complication, made his move. He scheduled a secret midnight summit at Pier 44 along the East River to finalize a weapons shipment with the Chicago syndicate.
Adrian didn't hesitate.
He left Beatrice in the fortified East Wing with a double detail of guards and a direct phone line to his personal encrypted comms, telling her only, “I’m going to end this.”
The raid on Pier 44 was swift and brutal.
Adrian’s men moved through the rusted shipping containers like ghosts. There were no grand speeches, no cinematic standoffs—just the cold, efficient dismantling of an insurrection. By 1:00 a.m., Uncle Leo and his primary conspirators were zip-tied and kneeling on the concrete dock, surrounded by armed enforcers.
Leo spat blood onto the wet pavement, glaring up at his nephew through swollen eyes.
“You think you’ve won, boy?” Leo rasped, coughing violently. “Vane and the Chicago outfit aren't going to let this go. They know about the girl. While you’re here playing king of the docks, a strike team is already breaching your estate.”
Adrian’s blood ran cold.
“What did you say?”
“The waitress,” Leo laughed, a wet, rattling sound. “You left her with a skeleton crew while you played hero. She’s dead, Adrian. Just like your father.”
Adrian didn't wait to hear another word. He drew his pistol, pistol-whipped his uncle unconscious with a single fluid motion, and sprinted toward his waiting car.
“Dante! Status report!” Adrian roared into his comm-link as the Mercedes tires squealed against the asphalt.
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“Boss! We’ve got movement at the perimeter! Three vehicles breached the north gate! They’re hitting the East Wing!” Dante’s voice came back through heavy static and the unmistakable crack of automatic gunfire.
“Hold them off!” Adrian yelled, pushing the speedometer past one hundred miles per hour as he tore through the empty night streets toward the Hudson River estate. “If a single one of them touches her, I’ll feed you all to the fish!”
