Chapter 54
The skirmish at the safehouse ended in seconds. The Ember Consortium’s strike team had vastly underestimated Dante Russo’s lethal capabilities. However, Dante left no survivors to interrogate. He knew how to extract information his own way. He searched the body of the squad commander, retrieving a military-grade encrypted satellite phone. Using a handheld decryption device built by Matteo’s tech division, Dante accessed the coordinates for their next rally point. "An abandoned container depot at the Port of Livorno," Dante read the screen. "That’s where Antoine is waiting for the extraction report." "Boss, we need to call in heavy reinforcements from the States," Matteo suggested, binding a minor graze on his bicep. "You can't assault an entire fortified base alone." "If we call for backup, the DIA and Italian intelligence will catch the scent," Dante shook his head, his eyes burning with ruthless intent. "Besides, this is personal. I swore to Maya that I would never bring violence home. The only way to keep that promise is to bury the violence right where it breeds." Leaving Matteo to guard Sophia, Dante rode a heavy-duty motorcycle through the dark night, heading straight for Livorno. When he arrived, dense sea fog obscured the towering stacks of shipping containers. Dante wore pitch-black tactical gear, moving like a phantom through the blind spots. He neutralized the perimeter sentries with fatal, silent hand-to-hand strikes, making absolutely no sound. He approached the central warehouse, where dim light spilled through the cracks. Inside, Antoine stood before a massive monitor, conversing via video link with a faceless figure. "The hit squad in Florence went dark," Antoine said in thick French. "Russo might know where we are. Initiate 'Black Arrow' immediately. We will use this freighter to release the toxin into New York's water supply before he can react." "You won't be leaving this dock, Antoine," a low, spine-chilling voice echoed from the darkness atop an industrial crane. Antoine whipped around in shock. But before he could order his mercenaries to fire, Dante pulled the trigger. An EMP grenade dropped into the center of the room, obliterating all electronics and communication arrays. The warehouse was plunged into chaotic darkness.
