Chapter 5 - The Exchange
The digital timer on the massive explosive device glowed an ominous, menacing red in the dark video feed.
They had exactly forty-five minutes left before the bomb would violently detonate.
Clara was weeping silently, using her bound body to physically shield Lily from the cold concrete floor.
"What do you want?" I roared into the phone, praying the Ghost was secretly listening.
A distorted, robotic voice finally crackled harshly through the tiny speaker.
"I want the legal deeds to all of your valuable shipping ports transferred entirely to the Petrovs."
"You will bring the signed documents to the old cathedral on 5th Avenue, completely alone."
This demand made absolutely no logical sense to my strategic, calculated mind.
Why would the Ghost, an elite, independent assassin, care about giving valuable territory to the Russian cartel?
I grabbed the heavy stack of legal documents from my hidden wall safe and signed them aggressively.
I was openly breaking the most sacred rule of the mafia by willingly surrendering family territory to a bitter rival.
I drove entirely alone through the deserted, rain-soaked city streets, my mind racing with dangerous possibilities.
I pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the abandoned, decaying cathedral.
Sergei Petrov stood near the broken altar, miraculously surviving the earlier shipyard explosion but sporting severe facial burns.
"I knew you were incredibly weak for that worthless maid," Sergei taunted loudly, his voice echoing in the empty church.
I threw the signed legal portfolio violently onto the dusty floor between us.
"Where are they?" I demanded, keeping my hand hovering dangerously close to my concealed weapon.
Sergei casually picked up the valuable documents and checked the authentic signatures with a greedy smile.
"I have absolutely no idea where they are," Sergei laughed mockingly.
"You lied to me," I stated coldly, drawing my heavy gun in a fraction of a second.
"I am a businessman, Alessandro," Sergei spat back proudly.
"The Ghost paid me a massive fortune to arrange the kidnapping and distract your men."
"He just bought them from me an hour ago, and he has very special plans for your little family."
May you like
I raised my gun to blow his arrogant head off, but suddenly a red laser dot appeared perfectly on Sergei's chest.
Before I could even blink, a massive sniper bullet shattered the stained glass window.
