Page 71 of Code Name: Grit

“Movement at the east side,” Atticus alerted us.

The door to the lodge opened, and Giovanni Patriarca emerged, pushing Lumi ahead of him. Her hands were bound infront of her, and her face showed a gash across the forehead, but her posture remained defiant. Giovanni pressed a pistol against her temple as he forced her toward the assembled group.

My hand tightened around my weapon, every instinct screaming to act. Only the gun at Lumi’s head kept me in position. One wrong move would get her killed.

“Stand down,” I instructed all teams. “Target has Lumi at gunpoint. We need a clean shot opportunity.”

“I can’t get an open angle,” Kodiak reported through the comms. “Too many bodies between us and the subject.”

From our position at the edge of the clearing, we could hear the unfolding confrontation.

“This has exceeded your authority,” Rafael’s voice boomed as he approached Giovanni. “This was never sanctioned.”

“I should have killed your nephew years ago,” Cassio added, his tone lethal. “He’s been a problem since he could walk.”

“What the fuck is going on here?” I heard Tank mutter, verbalizing my own thoughts.

“Movement on the north side,” Ranger reported. The other four men who’d been inside exited the building, two coming around from each side.

“Hold positions,” Admiral ordered. “We need more information before engaging.”

The tension in the clearing was palpable as Giovanni tightened his grip on Lumi, the barrel of his gun pressing harder against her temple.

“I told you not to do this,” Rafael said to Giovanni, his voice tight with anger.

“And what?” Giovanni spat back. “Wait while our family loses everything? While our interests are carved up and distributed?”

“Your nephew is a liability, Rafe,” Cassio said, the nickname belying a relationship that wasn’t at all what we believed it was. “He’s fucking rabid.”

“Rabid?” Giovanni laughed, a harsh sound that echoed across the clearing. “I’m finishing what was started decades ago.”

He adjusted his grip on Lumi, the gun shifting against her temple. “I want him to see this. I want Cassio Belcastro to watch someone he values die.”

Lumi remained still, her eyes scanning the surroundings. I knew that look—she was assessing, calculating, searching for an opportunity. She couldn’t see us, but she sensed we’d come for her.

“She’s looking for an opening. Be ready to move when she creates one,” I instructed.

Cassio’s expression remained neutral as he faced Giovanni. “She means nothing to me.”

“Stop lying!” Giovanni shouted, spittle flying from his mouth. “I’ve watched your organization protecting her. I’ve seen your people ensuring her safety since she appeared at the terminal.”

His words confirmed the suspicions I hadn’t wanted to acknowledge. The Belcastros were monitoring Lumi beyond what we’d detected.

Giovanni’s face twisted with hatred. “Look at her! She shares your blood. Anyone with eyes can see it.”

“Hostiles are positioned around the perimeter,” Ranger reported quietly. “They’re setting up a defensive formation.”

“Something bigger is happening here,” Admiral whispered. “This isn’t about Lumi.”

I kept my focus on the confrontation, watching as Cassio’s expression remained impassive despite Giovanni’s accusations.

“Your obsession has clouded your judgment,” Cassio replied evenly.

“He’s not confirming any connection,” I said to the team. “But he’s not denying it either.”

Rafael stepped toward his nephew, hands slightly raised in a placating gesture. “Giovanni, release her. This accomplishes nothing.”

“Why would you care about her life?” Giovanni demanded. “The Belcastros have been our enemies for generations.”

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