Chapter 2 - The Smuggler's Tunnel
The heavy fists of Ruggero's men began pounding relentlessly against the steel security door.
I grabbed the microchip from the counter and shoved it deep into the pocket of my wool coat.
Elena was paralyzed with fear, weeping softly against the base of the display cabinets.
I pulled her up by her shoulders and told her that we were not going to die today.
My father had restored jewelry for dangerous men, and he had built this shop to survive them.
I dragged Elena toward the back office and pushed aside a heavy Persian rug.
Beneath the intricate woven fabric was a rusted iron trapdoor set flush into the floorboards.
I pulled the iron ring with all my strength, revealing a dark, narrow staircase descending into the earth.
The front door of the shop shattered inward with a deafening crash of breaking glass.
I pushed Elena down the stairs and quickly followed, pulling the heavy trapdoor shut above us.
We plunged into absolute darkness, surrounded by the smell of damp earth and old brick.
This tunnel was a prohibition-era smuggling route that connected to the city's ancient sewer system.
I turned on my small brass flashlight and guided Elena through the freezing, ankle-deep water.
We could hear the muffled shouts of the assassins directly above our heads as they ransacked my shop.
Elena stumbled over a loose brick, splashing loudly into the muddy water.
I caught her arm and warned her that sound carried dangerously far in these underground chambers.
She whispered an apology, her teeth chattering violently from the sudden cold.
We walked for what felt like miles until we reached a rusted iron ladder leading up to the street.
I climbed up first, cautiously pushing the heavy manhole cover aside to peek at the surface.
We were in an abandoned industrial district, miles away from the affluent neighborhoods of the Romano empire.
I climbed out and helped Elena onto the cracked, weed-covered pavement.
The morning fog was incredibly thick, hiding the towering skyscrapers of the city in a gray shroud.
I told Elena that we needed to find a secure phone to contact Alessandro immediately.
Before she could answer, the distinct sound of a weapon cocking echoed through the fog.
Two massive men stepped out from behind a rusted shipping container, aiming their guns directly at us.
They smiled cruelly, pulling out a pair of heavy steel zip ties.
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One of them laughed and said that Ruggero sent his warmest regards to the beautiful bride.
Suddenly, a loud gunshot ripped through the fog, and the laughing man collapsed to the pavement.
