Chapter 8 - The Ghost from the East
Just as the Morettis believed the storm had passed, a darker shadow emerged from the international waters of Lake Michigan.
Victor Colombo’s eldest son, Nikolai Colombo—a ruthless, sociopathic enforcer who had spent the last three years managing the family’s human trafficking and narcotics routes in Eastern Europe—returned to Chicago to avenge his father’s corporate execution.
By Thursday night, the estate’s outer radar array picked up a high-speed, blacked-out watercraft approaching the private pier below the Lake Forest cliffs.
Inside the mansion, the emergency alarms didn't scream; instead, a silent, low-frequency red light began to flash along the baseboards of the nursery wing.
Dominic, who was in his study reviewing financial reports with Elena, stood up instantly, his hand drawing his custom-made pistol from his shoulder holster. "Gabriel! Status!"
"Sensor breach at the beach access road, Boss!" Gabriel’s voice barked through the tactical earpiece. "It’s a hit squad. Ten men, military-grade night-vision equipment, high-suppression weapons. They’ve bypassed the outer wall using a specialized digital jammer. They’re targeting the east wing where the children are sleeping!"
"Get Elena and the kids to the vault right now!" Dominic roared, his eyes flashing with a primal, terrifying rage that transformed him from an executive into a monster.
Elena didn't panic. She ran into the nursery, lifting Sophie and Noah into her arms while Dominic scooped up Caleb, who was already awake, his pale blue eyes wide with a brave, silent focus. They sprinted down the hidden service corridor behind the library, entering the massive, reinforced steel panic room built into the foundation of the estate.
"Stay here," Dominic said, checking the magazine of his weapon, his face a mask of absolute, murderous determination. He looked into Elena’s eyes, pressing his forehead against hers for a brief, desperate second. "No matter what you hear through the ventilation shafts, do not open this door until you hear my voice give the code word: Phoenix."
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"Kill them, Dominic," Elena whispered, her fingers gripping his tactical vest with a fierce, protective maternal instinct. "Protect our family."
Dominic stepped out of the vault, the heavy steel door groaning shut and locking with a deep, hydraulic thud. He turned toward the dark, silent corridors of his mansion, ready to turn his home into a slaughterhouse for anyone who dared to threaten his bloodline.
