Chapter 6 - The Traitor Revealed
Dominic shielded his eyes from the blinding tactical light, trying to identify the man walking up the stairs.
The tall figure finally lowered the flashlight, revealing a face that made Dominic's stomach instantly drop with betrayal.
It was Marcus, one of his oldest and most highly trusted syndicate captains from the South Side crew.
Marcus had been eating dinner at Dominic's table for over a decade, swearing absolute loyalty to the family.
Now, he was standing casually in tactical gear, flanked by two highly trained, heavily armed mercenary killers.
Marcus smiled a deeply ugly, arrogant smile and complimented Dominic on surviving the initial boardroom massacre.
He explained that the rival cartel had offered him ten million dollars and complete control of the city's port operations.
All he had to do was provide the security codes, unlock the back gates, and ensure Dominic did not survive the night.
Dominic felt a sickening wave of disgust, realizing that Arthur Voss had merely been a loud, arrogant distraction.
Marcus had been the true mastermind behind the entire coordinated assault on the fortified estate.
Clare trembled violently behind Dominic, instinctively pulling Ellie tighter against her legs to shield her from view.
Marcus noticed the terrified mother and child and let out a cruel, genuinely amused laugh.
He mocked Dominic for playing the hero and risking his life to save the hired help instead of saving himself.
He ordered his two heavily armed guards to grab the woman and the child to use as leverage.
Dominic stepped firmly in front of Clare, raising his chin defiantly despite the three guns pointed at him.
He told Marcus that if he let the innocent woman and child go, he would surrender without a fight.
Marcus chuckled darkly, stating that he was not in the business of leaving loose ends who could talk to the police.
He raised his own pistol and aimed it directly at Clare's terrified face, his finger tightening on the trigger.
Dominic tensed his muscles, preparing to throw himself into the line of fire to take the bullet meant for Clare.
He knew he would die, but he hoped the chaos would give Clare a fraction of a second to run.
Suddenly, a small, brightly colored wooden block flew through the air and struck Marcus squarely in the forehead.
It was the heavy wooden latch toy, thrown with surprising accuracy by the angry four-year-old girl.
Marcus grunted in surprise, stumbling backward a half-step as the solid wood hit him right between the eyes.
The momentary distraction was exactly the tiny window of opportunity Dominic needed to strike back.
He kicked the heavy oak door backward with his good leg, smashing it violently into the two armed guards.
The guards stumbled backward down the steep stairs, their guns firing wildly into the plaster ceiling.
Dominic lunged forward and grabbed Marcus's gun hand, twisting it sharply upward with brutal, snapping force.
Marcus screamed as his wrist broke, dropping the heavy pistol onto the polished hardwood floor.
Dominic drove his knee forcefully into Marcus's stomach, sending the traitor crashing against the hallway wall.
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He spun around quickly to grab Clare and Ellie, desperate to get them away from the recovering guards on the stairs.
Before he could move, he heard the chilling sound of a high-powered assault rifle chambering a fresh round directly behind him.
