Chapter 3 - The Ghost of the Syndicate
Norah spun around, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.
A man dressed in a sleek, water-resistant black suit stepped out of the shadows.
He did not look like one of the heavily armored mercenaries who had just attacked the diner.
He looked completely calm, carrying only a single, silver-plated pistol resting casually against his leg.
Gabriel stared at the man, his sunken eyes widening in absolute, paralyzing disbelief.
"Marcus?" Gabriel choked out, struggling weakly to push himself up from the wet tar.
"I watched you die in a warehouse fire three years ago."
Marcus smiled, a cold, empty expression that did not reach his eyes.
"You watched a body burn, Gabriel."
"The Syndicate needed everyone to believe I was dead so I could properly orchestrate this hostile takeover from the shadows."
He stepped closer, casually pointing the silver pistol directly at Gabriel’s chest.
"You have become weak, old friend."
"A boss who is too paranoid to even eat his own food cannot run this city."
Norah stood frozen, the heavy submachine gun Gabriel had given her hanging uselessly in her trembling hands.
She had absolutely no idea how to turn the safety off, let alone fire the terrifying weapon.
"You orchestrated the poisonings," Gabriel realized aloud, his voice dripping with pure hatred.
"You killed Paulie."
Marcus nodded slowly, looking incredibly pleased with himself.
"It was remarkably easy."
"I simply bought the loyalty of your personal chefs."
"But I must admit, I was quite surprised when my surveillance team reported you were eating a peasant stew in a filthy diner."
He finally turned his cold, dead gaze toward Norah.
"And who exactly is this?" Marcus asked, tilting his head curiously.
"She is nobody," Gabriel lied instantly, his voice desperate.
"Let her walk away, Marcus."
"This is strictly between you and me."
Marcus chuckled, a dry, humorless sound that chilled Norah to the bone.
"You know the rules of the Syndicate better than anyone, Gabriel."
"There are absolutely no loose ends allowed."
He casually raised his weapon and aimed it directly at Norah’s face.
Norah squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable, deafening gunshot.
Instead, she heard a sickening, wet crunch.
She opened her eyes and gasped in sheer horror.
Gabriel had lunged forward with his last ounce of remaining strength.
He hadn't attacked Marcus.
He had thrown his own body directly in front of Norah, taking the high-caliber bullet squarely in his left shoulder.
Gabriel collapsed heavily onto the roof, blood instantly mixing with the freezing rain.
Marcus sighed in utter disappointment, preparing to fire a second, fatal shot.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion echoed from the alley below them.
A massive, armored transport truck smashed violently through the brick wall of the diner, completely crushing the remaining mercenaries.
"Boss, we have heavy backup!" Leo roared joyfully over the radio channel.
Marcus cursed aggressively, realizing he had lost his window of opportunity.
He fired two wild shots into the darkness to cover his retreat and sprinted toward the far edge of the roof, disappearing seamlessly into the night.
Norah dropped to her knees beside Gabriel, pressing her hands desperately against his bleeding shoulder.
"You are going to be okay," Norah promised frantically, applying heavy pressure to the wound.
Gabriel looked up at her, his face deathly pale and covered in cold sweat.
"Why didn't you shoot him?" Gabriel whispered weakly.
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"Because the safety was on," Norah confessed, tears finally mixing with the rain on her cheeks.
Gabriel let out a short, painful bark of laughter before passing out completely.
