Chapter 6 - The Cipher in the Dark
The emergency lights flickered back on as the secondary generator kicked in, bathing the corridor in a warm yellow glow.
Marcus stepped out into the hallway, his weapon raised, while Hannah remained inside the doorway holding sleeping Lily against her neck.
Victor walked back into the suite, holding the electronic keycard up to the light. Engraved on the black plastic surface was a silver emblem—a coiled viper over a broken shield.
"The Marcone family crest," Marcus noted, his brow furrowing beneath his short hair. "That card grants master clearance to the subterranean storage vaults beneath the estate."
"They weren't just trying to take the baby tonight," Victor realized, his blue-gray eyes narrowing as he pieced the puzzle together. "They were trying to access the original Rossi vault in the basement to destroy the physical adoption records and land deeds before we could register Lily's claim."
Hannah stepped forward, her face pale but resolute. "What adoption records?"
Victor looked at her gently. "When your mother Elena went into hiding, she deposited the original Rossi family lineage documents inside a sealed vault beneath this house. Those documents legally prove that you are her daughter, and that Lily is her sole living descendant."
"If those documents are destroyed," Hannah realized, "we have no legal proof of who we are."
"And the Marcone family can seize the Rossi foundation under syndicate default laws," Marcus added grimy.
Victor turned to Marcus. "Where is Mrs. Gable?"
"We locked her in the holding room near the garage ten minutes ago, boss," Marcus replied. "She confessed. She gave the Marcone strike team the perimeter codes in exchange for her son's debt being wiped clean."
Victor walked over to the bed where baby Lily lay sleeping quietly, her pale-yellow dress neat, her silver locket glinting under the chandelier light. He reached down, gently adjusting her blanket with his broad, tattooed hand.
"The mansion is compromised," Victor declared firmly. "Marcone knows we're onto them. They’ll launch a full assault before dawn."
"Where do we go?" Hannah asked, holding her uncle's dark suit sleeve.
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Victor looked up at her, his blue-gray eyes burning with absolute, unbroken protection.
"To the Hudson safehouse," Victor said. "Where my father built the strongest vault in the state."
