Chapter 8 - The Freefall
Valeria fired three rapid shots down at the swinging platform, the bullets pinging dangerously against the metal railing.
Dominic ducked low, pressing his body flat against the cold steel floor of the window washer’s rig.
He reached up and smashed the emergency release brake on the motorized pulley system.
The platform suddenly dropped in a terrifying freefall, plummeting twenty stories in a matter of seconds.
Dominic’s stomach lurched into his throat as the buildings blurred past him in a dizzying rush.
He slammed his hand onto the manual emergency brake just before the platform crashed into the pavement.
The rig jerked to a violent halt, nearly throwing him over the guardrail and into the busy street below.
He climbed over the railing and dropped the remaining ten feet into a narrow, trash-filled alleyway.
He was battered, bleeding, and exhausted, but he had successfully escaped Valeria’s deadly trap.
He stumbled out onto the crowded sidewalk, disappearing into the chaotic morning rush hour traffic.
He needed to find a secure phone to contact the hospital in Switzerland and check on his mother.
He ducked into a small, dimly lit electronics store and bought a cheap disposable cell phone with cash.
He dialed the emergency contact number the helicopter medics had provided him earlier.
A professional, calm voice answered on the third ring, confirming they had arrived at the Zurich medical facility.
"Your mother is currently in surgery, Mr. Sterling, and her prognosis is excellent," the doctor stated.
Dominic leaned against the brick wall of the store, letting out a long, shuddering breath of pure relief.
His mother was finally safe, completely out of the reach of Lucian and Valeria's toxic greed.
Now, Dominic only had one final task left to complete before he could disappear forever.
He needed to ensure that Valeria and Lucian could never rebuild the criminal organization he had just exposed.
He pulled the black ledger from his jacket and found the page detailing the family's primary money laundering hub.
It was an unassuming art gallery located in the wealthiest district of the city, holding billions in stolen cash.
Dominic walked to the gallery, intending to burn the money and destroy their last remaining resource.
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He kicked the elegant glass doors open, but the gallery was already completely surrounded by federal agents.
Standing in the center of the room, wearing an FBI windbreaker and holding the handcuffs, was Elias.
