Chapter 8 - The Price of Loyalty
Elena stood firmly in the doorway, blocking Marco's only escape route.
"End of the line, Marco," she said, her finger resting heavily on the trigger.
Marco skidded to a halt, panting heavily.
He looked at the small woman blocking his path and let out a desperate laugh.
"You think you can pull the trigger, little bird?" he taunted.
He slowly raised his own weapon, calculating his odds.
"I shot a man for spilling a drink," Elena lied with absolute conviction.
"Try me."
Marco hesitated, unnerved by the terrifying calm in her voice.
Matteo emerged from the red shadows behind Marco, his gun leveled at his former friend's back.
"Drop it," Matteo commanded.
Marco looked back and forth between the two of them, realizing he was completely trapped.
With a heavy sigh, he lowered his gun and let it clatter to the concrete floor.
"You won, Matteo," Marco surrendered, raising his hands.
Matteo walked forward and kicked the weapon away.
He grabbed Marco by the throat and slammed him violently against the rusted steel door.
"Why?" Matteo roared, his voice cracking with genuine betrayal.
"You had everything!"
Marco coughed, a bitter smile twisting his face.
"I was tired of standing in your shadow while you pretended to be a civilized businessman," Marco spat.
"The Vipers promised me the entire city."
Matteo tightened his grip, fully prepared to snap the traitor's neck.
But Elena stepped forward and gently placed her hand on Matteo's arm.
"He isn't worth it," she said softly.
"If you kill him now, he becomes a martyr for the cartel."
"If we let the police have the drive, he spends the rest of his life in a federal cage."
Matteo looked at Elena, his murderous rage slowly subsiding under her calming touch.
He released Marco, letting the traitor crumple to the floor.
Matteo secured his crying sister and led the two women out of the rusted nightmare.
They walked into the cool morning air, the sound of police sirens already wailing in the distance.
Elena's dead-man's switch had worked perfectly.
The corrupt empire was burning, and they had survived the flames.
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But as they approached the stolen van, a single gunshot rang out from the roof of the steel mill.
Matteo felt a searing pain rip through his shoulder, and the world instantly went black.
