Chapter 8 - The Ambush on 4th Street
The convoy left the Alpine estate in dead silence: two lead black Escalades, the reinforced mobile command van carrying Emily and Luca, and two chase vehicles filled with seasoned Moretti enforcers.
The rain beat against the armored windows in relentless sheets. Manhattan’s skyline was swallowed by thick gray fog as they crossed the bridge toward Queens.
Inside the command van, Emily stared at the green tracking lines on the tactical monitors. Luca sat across from her, loading thirty-round magazines with practiced, mechanical rhythm.
"Julian told me once about his brother Dominic," Emily said softly over the hum of the engine. "He said Dominic was jealous. That their father always favored Julian because Julian had a conscience."
"In this life, a conscience is either your greatest virtue or your fastest funeral," Luca said grimly. "Julian was smart enough to want out. That makes him dangerous to men who only know how to kill."
Suddenly, the lead Escalade flashed its brake lights.
*BOOM!*
A blinding flash illuminated the narrow underpass beneath the elevated subway tracks on 4th Street. A heavy cement mixer truck, running without headlights, smashed directly into the lead vehicle, crushing its front end and flipping it onto its side.
"Ambush!" Santino yelled through the comms. "We’ve got hostiles on the overpass! Three o'clock and nine o'clock!"
Gunfire erupted instantly—automatic rifle rounds slamming against the armored plating of the command van with deafening *thwack-thwack-thwack* sounds.
"Get down!" Luca roared, shoving Emily onto the reinforced floor of the van and shielding her body with his own.
Through the cracked side glass, armed men in tactical gear emerged from the shadows of the subway pillars. They weren't just street thugs; they were wearing the distinct gray armbands of the Bellini syndicate.
"Salvatore knew we were coming," Luca snarled, his eyes blazing with fury. "Vanessa wasn't the only leak. They anticipated our route."
"Boss, the van's front axle is pinned by the mixer!" the driver yelled as bullets shattered the driver's side mirror. "We can't push through!"
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"Blow the side doors!" Luca commanded, drawing both Berettas. "Cover the perimeter! Form a diamond around this vehicle! Nobody gets near my daughter!"
Luca kicked open the reinforced side door into a hail of gunfire.
