Chapter 39
Heavy combat boots echoed down the stone cellar stairs. The Russian commander and his last enforcer swept the room, weapons aimed at the vault door. Seeing the magnetic lock, the commander pulled a thermite charge from his vest, preparing to blow the hinges. Inside, Elena watched through the observation slit. She knew the blast would rupture the air vents, suffocating Maya and Sophia.
"I won't let them pay for my sins," Elena whispered with fierce resolve. Ignoring Maya’s desperate whisper to stay put, Elena slipped through the narrow maintenance hatch beside the steel frame, vanishing into the dim cellar shadows to protect the family she had once abandoned.
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Just as the mercenary primed the explosive detonator, Elena threw herself forward, driving a heavy iron pry bar into his shoulder. The man cried out in shock and spun around, firing his sidearm blindly. A deafening shot tore through the stone corridor. The bullet struck Elena squarely in the chest, throwing her body violently onto the cold stone floor.
Before the gunman could recover, Dante materialized like an avenging specter at the base of the stairs. His weapon barked twice in rapid succession, eliminating both mercenaries instantly. Outside, the heavy thrum of helicopter blades shook the villa as Matteo’s tactical teams secured the vineyard. Dante dropped his rifle and dropped to his knees beside Elena, whose breathing was growing shallow.
