Chapter 2 - No Safe Harbor
Beatrice stared down the barrel of the gun without blinking.
She told Enzo that pulling the trigger would be the last mistake he ever made.
Enzo tightened his grip, his mind struggling to process the carnage around him.
The woman he thought was a clumsy servant had just executed a tactical squad with terrifying efficiency.
He demanded her real name, ignoring the smoke filling the hallway.
Beatrice calmly reminded him that more men would be coming through the breach any second.
Right on cue, the sound of heavy boots echoed from the main staircase.
Flashlights cut through the dust, sweeping across the marble floors.
Enzo cursed under his breath and lowered his weapon.
Beatrice grabbed him by the shoulder and shoved him toward the library doors.
They ducked inside just as a hail of bullets shattered the priceless vases they had been standing near.
She moved to the grand fireplace and pressed a hidden switch under the mantle.
A section of the mahogany bookshelf clicked and swung open to reveal a dark tunnel.
Enzo was stunned, asking how she knew about his family's secret escape route.
She replied that it was her job to know every exit in a building she lived in.
They slipped into the darkness just as the library doors were kicked open.
Beatrice pulled the shelf shut, plunging them into absolute pitch black.
She reached into her tactical vest and pulled out a small red glow stick.
The eerie crimson light illuminated the damp stone walls of the underground passage.
They moved quickly, the sound of muffled shouting fading above them.
Enzo walked with a slight limp, blood seeping through his tailored suit jacket from a graze on his ribs.
He asked again who was hunting her.
Beatrice kept her eyes forward, stating that her past was a ghost story he did not want to hear.
The tunnel sloped downward, leading toward the edge of the lake property.
Suddenly, Beatrice threw her arm out to stop him.
She pointed the red light at the ground ahead of them.
A body lay in the middle of the narrow passage.
Enzo pushed past her, his breath catching in his throat.
It was Tommy, his trusted underboss.
Tommy’s dead eyes stared up at the ceiling, his throat slashed.
Protruding from Tommy’s chest was a silver dagger engraved with the Moretti family crest.
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Enzo fell to his knees, realizing the attackers had inside help.
A cold voice echoed from the darkness ahead, confirming his worst fear.
