Page 23 of Crimson Reign

As she turns to leave, I add, "Elena." She pauses. "If anything happens to you out there..."

Something softens in her expression. "It won't."

"Thermal imaging shows fourteen heat signatures inside the warehouse," Nico reports, pointing to real-time feeds. "Four more patrolling the perimeter."

"Any sign of Massimo?" I ask, scanning the images while watching the dockyard.

"Not yet. But the shipment arrived twenty minutes ago. If your intel is correct, he'll show soon."

I glance at Elena, focused on her laptop. "Anything on the money trail?"

"They've been scrambling since we froze their accounts," she says. "There's activity through shell companies in Dubai and Macau. They're consolidating emergency funds."

"Which means they're desperate. Good."

"Vehicle approaching, northeast entrance," Julian's voice crackles. "Black Escalade, tinted windows."

Elena and I tense, watching as four heat signatures exit the vehicle, one notably larger.

"That's him," Elena whispers, recognition and hatred in her voice. "Massimo."

"All units, stand by," I order. "Wait for my signal."

The plan is simple: let the Verrattis create chaos, then isolate Massimo from his guards.

But the explosion that rips through our position comes without warning. Alarms blare, comms erupting with shouts.

"It's an ambush!" Nico yells. "They knew we were coming!"

The realization hits like a hammer. The mole has struck again.

"Move!" I grab Elena's arm. "Secondary position now!"

Outside, the night has transformed into a war zone. I push Elena ahead, keeping between her and the gunfire.

The second explosion hits closer. The concussive wave slams me into a container. The world goes silent, replaced by ringing.

"Elena!" I call out, my voice muffled to my ears.

Through the haze, I see Nico bleeding from his forehead. Valentino is also down, but moving. Two men not moving at all.

But Elena is gone.

"Valentino! Where is she?"

He points toward a gap between containers, where scuff marks show signs of struggle.

"Get to extraction," I order. "Get the men out."

"Matteo-"

"That's an order!" I snarl, not looking back. There's no time for debate. No time for anything but finding her.

I follow the trail through the maze, every sense heightened. A woman's shout sends me sprinting, and I round the corner to see two men dragging Elena toward a van.

Icy rage focuses on every thought. My first shot drops one man instantly. The second turns, reaching for his weapon, before my bullet takes him in the throat.

The third uses the vehicle for cover, returning fire. Elena drives her elbow into her captor's ribs.

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