Chapter 5 - Fire at the DocksThe south side industrial docks smelled of diesel, freezing bilge water, and rotting wood.
The black SUVs had breached the secondary security gate within minutes, but they hadn't found an empty mansion. Damian’s private security detail—loyal men who had bled for the syndicate for decades—met them with overwhelming, calculated crossfire.
Evelyn rolled out from behind a steel shipping container, her weapon raised, firing two precise shots that disabled the engine block of the lead vehicle. Glass shattered across the frozen asphalt as men scrambled for cover behind stacked crates.
"Evelyn! Left flank!" Damian shouted over the deafening roar of gunfire.
She spun, firing a warning round that forced a masked operative back behind a stack of steel drums.
Marcus Vance stood near the edge of the pier, clutching a satellite phone in one hand and a weapon in the other, looking around in absolute shock as his men were methodically disarmed and neutralized by Damian’s security team.
"Voss!" Marcus roared, raising his pistol toward Damian, who stepped out from behind a concrete pillar without an ounce of fear.
"It's over, Marcus," Damian said calmly, his weapon steady as a rock. "Your accounts are frozen, your men are on the ground, and your syndicate in New Jersey is already cutting ties to save themselves."
Marcus's face twisted in rage. "I'll kill you! I'll take everything you—"
Before Marcus could pull the trigger, a sharp, clean crack echoed across the docks.
Marcus dropped his weapon, clutching his bleeding shoulder as he staggered backward, tumbling hard against the wooden railing of the pier.
Carmine lowered his sniper rifle from the upper gantry crane overhead, walking casually down the iron ladder.
"Too slow, Marcus," Carmine muttered, kicking the fallen pistol away from the syndicate boss's reach.
Damian walked slowly toward Marcus, standing over him with absolute, terrifying authority. "You tried to touch my house. You tried to touch a child. That is a debt that cannot be paid in money."
Marcus spat blood onto the cold wood, laughing hysterically. "You think you won, Voss? The Bureau is still coming for you. Evelyn has her report ready. She’s going to put you away for the rest of your life."
Damian didn't answer immediately. He turned his head slowly, looking back toward the entrance of the docks where a black federal SUV with flashing red and blue lights was just pulling up to the perimeter gates.
Evelyn walked up beside him, her breathing slightly elevated, her holster snapped shut.
The federal agents poured out of the SUV, led by Evelyn's senior handler, Director Vance (no relation to Marcus), who took one look at the tied-up mercenaries, the frozen assets flashing on the mobile command screen, and Damian Voss standing calmly beside his top undercover operative.
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Director Vance stopped dead in his tracks, staring at Evelyn.
"Agent Hart," the Director said, his voice laced with utter disbelief. "Care to explain why you're standing next to the most wanted crime boss in Chicago while his men dismantle a multi-state syndicate?"
