Chapter 8 - The Clearing of the Grounds
Beneath the manicured lawn of the front courtyard, high-pressure non-lethal defense arrays—installed to neutralize mass intrusion attempts—activated simultaneously.
A wall of high-decibel flash-bang charges and pressurized tear gas deployed from hidden pop-up units around the fountain, exploding in a blinding white flash and a deafening roar.
The eight Falcone operators were thrown backward onto the gravel, blinded, disoriented, and choking on dense clouds of tactical gas.
"Move out!" I ordered Marco.
The steel blast shutters rolled upward with a heavy mechanical screech.
Marco and my eight elite security operators surged out onto the front porch, weapons raised, securing the courtyard within forty-five seconds.
Paulie Falcone, coughing violently and clutching his eyes, was pinned to the wet gravel by Marco's heavy boot pressed against his chest.
I walked down the marble steps slowly, holding my weapon at my side, my dark coat snapping in the cold wind.
I stood over Paulie, looking down at him with cold detachment.
"Who gave you access to my house, Paulie?" I asked softly.
Paulie spit blood onto the gravel, glaring up at me through red, tearing eyes. "Go to hell, Moretti. You think you've won? Dominic knows everything! He knows you have the ledgers!"
"Dominic is ninety miles away in Milwaukee," I replied, stepping closer until the toe of my leather shoe was inches from Paulie's face. "And within one hour, federal agents will be raiding every single one of his properties using the encryption keys Victor Rossi brought to my gate."
Paulie froze, his defiance instantly evaporating into sheer terror. "Rossi... Rossi gave you the encryption keys?"
"He gave me everything," I lied smoothly, knowing that Paulie's panic would make him spill whatever secrets remained. "Including the name of the traitor inside my staff who let your men into my nursery."
Paulie swallowed hard, his hands trembling as he lay pinned under Marco's boot. "It... it was the contractor! Marcus! He owed Dominic fifty grand from the floating poker games in Cicero! Dominic forced him to place the receiver in the nursery air vent during the duct inspection!"
I looked at Marco. "Contact the team in Chicago. Pick up Marcus the contractor before he reaches the state line."
"Understood, Boss," Marco nodded, signalling two guards to drag Paulie away toward the holding cells beneath the garage.
I turned back toward the house.
May you like
The snow was falling heavily now, covering the gravel driveway and the broken fountain in a clean, pure layer of white.
The estate was safe once again.
