Chapter 13 - NINA
Carla grabbed Nina so hard the child squeaked.
“Mommy!”
“Sorry. I’m sorry.”
Massimo’s voice turned lethal. “Lock every gate.”
Marco was already moving. “Done.”
“Search the staff quarters, garages, boiler rooms, roof access. Nobody leaves.”
Within minutes the mansion became a cage.
Massimo stayed outside the door.
Carla stared at him. “Why aren’t you coming in?”
“Because whoever wants her needs to get through me first.”
“You can barely stand.”
“Then they’ll underestimate me.”
She wanted to argue.
Instead she touched his shoulder once and closed the door.
An hour passed.
Then the fire alarm screamed.
Smoke rolled from the east wing.
The power failed.
Marco shouted into his radio. “It’s a diversion!”
Gunfire cracked downstairs.
Massimo drew his pistol.
The chapel guards split—one toward the stairs, one covering the hallway.
A second later, the remaining guard dropped.
A suppressed round had hit him in the neck.
Carla screamed inside.
A masked man came through the smoke.
Massimo fired twice.
The man fell.
Another appeared behind him.
Massimo squeezed the trigger.
Click.
Empty.
The attacker smiled and raised his weapon.
Then Nina opened the chapel door.
“No!” Carla screamed.
Nina threw the pink basin.
It struck the attacker’s arm. The shot went wide.
Massimo lunged from his chair.
His right foot hit the floor.
Then his left.
He crashed into the man with every ounce of strength he had.
They went down together.
Massimo felt pain explode through both legs.
He did not care.
Marco arrived and ended the fight.
When it was over, Massimo lay on the carpet gasping.
Nina crawled toward him.
“You stood.”
He laughed despite the pain. “I fell.”
“You stood first.”
Carla pulled Nina into her arms, shaking.
Marco ripped the mask from the dead attacker.
He recognized the face.
“Bellandi soldier.”
Massimo’s eyes hardened.
Then a guard’s voice burst over the radio.
“Boss, we found Dr. Hale.”
A pause.
“He’s in the garage.”
May you like
Another pause.
“He’s been shot.”
