Chapter 3 - The Inside Man
Adrian handed the heavy black pistol carefully to Audrey.
"Keep the safety on unless you absolutely need to pull the trigger," he instructed her firmly.
Audrey held the cold weapon awkwardly in her lap, her hands still violently shaking from the adrenaline.
Adrian quickly started the damaged Audi and drove them toward a secondary, highly classified safehouse.
It was a luxury penthouse apartment registered under a completely fake corporate LLC that even his men did not know.
They took the private service elevator in total silence directly to the top floor of the high-rise building.
The apartment was heavily fortified with steel-reinforced doors and thick bulletproof glass windows.
Adrian immediately walked to the wet bar, poured her a stiff glass of amber whiskey, and ordered her to drink it.
She swallowed the burning liquid in one quick gulp and coughed softly into her hand.
"How did they even know about the physical ledger?" Audrey asked while nervously tracing the rim of the crystal glass.
"Only my absolute inner circle even knows you physically handle the books," Adrian replied darkly.
He walked over to a massive wall safe behind a painting and began rapidly punching in a complex security code.
"That perfectly means we currently have a highly placed traitor inside my own organization."
The heavy steel door swung open to reveal rows of neatly stacked cash, passports, and assorted weaponry.
A loud, sudden knock echoed violently against the reinforced front door of the penthouse.
Adrian immediately raised his own weapon and silently signaled for Audrey to hide behind the marble kitchen island.
He checked the advanced digital security monitor mounted securely on the living room wall.
It was Dante, his trusted second-in-command, standing alone in the quiet hallway looking disheveled.
Adrian cautiously unlocked the heavy door and let the tall, broad-shouldered man inside.
"The streets are an absolute mess tonight, boss," Dante said while heavily unbuttoning his dark suit jacket.
"The Russians are actively tearing the city apart looking for your secretary."
Audrey slowly stood up from behind the marble counter, clutching her injured arm tightly against her ribs.
Dante looked at her with a highly convincing expression of deep, brotherly concern.
"I am genuinely glad you are safe, Audrey," Dante said smoothly.
Audrey nodded slowly, but her sharp, analytical eyes darted quickly down to the hardwood floor.
She noticed thick, reddish clay heavily caked onto the sides of Dante's expensive leather shoes.
It was the exact same highly distinct industrial clay from the construction site where her car was violently ambushed.
She subtly caught Adrian's eye and slowly glanced back down at the muddy shoes.
Adrian instantly processed the silent clue without changing his cold, emotionless facial expression.
"Did you completely secure the southern shipping ports like I asked?" Adrian asked casually.
"Everything is totally locked down tight," Dante lied with a very practiced, easy smile.
Adrian slowly raised his gun and pointed it directly at his trusted friend's chest.
Dante did not even flinch, he simply let out a dark, menacing chuckle.
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"You are actually way too late, Adrian," Dante whispered maliciously.
The massive, floor-to-ceiling bulletproof windows suddenly shattered entirely inward as a heavy explosive breached the glass.
