Chapter ten

The True Enemy

The chaos outside seemed endless as we fought our way through the throngs of men trying to reach us. Each gunshot and shout was a reminder of how perilous our situation had become. The fear for my children gripped me tightly, but I couldn’t let it paralyze me. I had to act.

“Over there!” Sasha shouted, pointing to a narrow alley that led away from the fray. “We can use that to slip out!”

“Let’s go!” Luca urged, leading the way. We darted toward the alley, adrenaline pumping through my veins. I couldn’t allow myself to look back, not when every second counted.

As we reached the mouth of the alley, I felt a sense of urgency pulse through me. We needed to regroup and find my children. But before we could get too far, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed behind us.

“Stay alert!” Dante barked, taking up a defensive stance.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, his features obscured by a dark mask. My breath caught in my throat. “Who are you?” I demanded, my voice sha