Chapter 9 - The Heist
The guard lunged forward, swinging the heavy baton directly at Lucia’s head.
Lucia threw her body sideways off the metal cot.
The baton smashed into the wall, sending a shower of concrete dust into the air.
Despite the agonizing pain in her stomach, adrenaline flooded Lucia’s system.
She was the daughter of a mafia boss.
She had learned how to fight long before she learned how to read.
As the guard pulled back for a second swing, Lucia kicked her legs out, sweeping the woman's feet out from under her.
The guard hit the floor hard, dropping the baton.
Lucia scrambled forward, pressing her knee into the woman's throat until she passed out.
She collapsed against the bars, gasping for air, her hospital gown soaked in fresh blood.
Ten minutes later, the cell door was thrown open by the precinct captain.
Gerald Whitmore stood behind him, looking absolutely furious.
“I just posted her bail from an untraceable offshore account,” Gerald snapped.
“And you better pray she doesn't sue you for what just happened in this cell.”
They walked out of the precinct into the freezing morning air.
Michael’s black SUV was idling at the curb.
Lucia climbed into the backseat, immediately checking the transport incubator resting securely beside her.
Her daughter was still sleeping, completely oblivious to the chaos.
“She’s perfect,” Michael said from the driver's seat.
“Where are we going?” Gerald asked, climbing into the passenger seat.
“We are going to destroy Vivian Ross,” Lucia said coldly.
“Vivian framed me for embezzlement using a hidden ledger.”
“If we get that ledger, we can prove she stole the money and orchestrated the assassination attempt.”
“But the ledger is locked inside the main vault at Moretti Logistics Headquarters.”
Michael put the car in drive.
“The headquarters is a fortress,” Michael warned.
“Dante designed it to withstand a federal raid.”
“Yes, but Dante is currently hunting Vivian,” Lucia pointed out.
“They are distracted, fighting a civil war within their own ranks.”
“And I still know the master override codes for the vault.”
They drove to the industrial district, pulling up to the towering glass and steel headquarters.
The building looked entirely empty.
Michael took the lead, disabling the perimeter cameras with a specialized hacking device he kept in his tactical vest.
They slipped through the loading docks and made their way to the sub-basement.
The massive steel door of the vault loomed in front of them, protected by a retinal scanner and a biometric keypad.
Lucia stepped forward, typing in a rapid thirty-two-digit sequence.
She pressed her eye against the scanner.
The light flashed green.
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The heavy internal locking mechanisms echoed loudly through the silent basement.
The vault door swung open.
