Today was the day of the gala and Giovanni was determined to make a statement at today’s event. He and Luca were seated inside Alice’s studio as she was dashed around the racks of clothing around the studio.
“Boss, when do you think she’s going to attend to us.” Luca asked as a small smile played on his face.
“She is in her element Luca, so you know the answer to that question.” Giovanni answered sleekly.
“At this rate we might even miss the event.” Luca said and a low laugh followed thereafter.
“I can hear you Luca.” Alice’s voice rang from behind one of the many racks of clothing. Luca laughed under his breath because he could hear her frown through her words.
“Caught red handed.” Luca said more too himself but was still heard by Giovanni. Alice finally popped up from one of the racks looking overly excited with herself.
“Okay, boys time to dre
The night had been long, and dawn was still a smear of pale grey on the horizon when the squad finished their preparations. The warehouse floor was littered with scraps of paper, old maps pinned to crates, weapons laid out in uneven lines like offerings at an altar. It wasn’t much, but it was what they had.Alex stood tall before the table, his hand pressed flat against the map. His eyes burned with sleepless determination. “We move before the city wakes. Russo’s people will expect hesitation, but if we hit fast, we stand a chance.”Ronda rubbed at her temples, exhaustion tugging at her voice. “A chance. Not a guarantee.”“Nothing’s guaranteed anymore,” Becca cut in sharply. Her jaw was tight, her eyes colder than usual. “Sofia’s not sitting in that ma
The warehouse lights buzzed faintly, the air thick with exhaustion and determination. The squad had been at it for hours—checking maps, scavenging weapons, running through the few escape routes that hadn’t been burned in the last fight.Alex stood at the centre of it all, his eyes sharp despite the fatigue carved into his features. He barked orders like Sofia used to, his voice steady, commanding. He was the only thing holding the fragile group together.Alexia leaned against the wall, one arm wrapped loosely around her injured shoulder. The others hardly looked at her, too wrapped up in the frantic preparations. It made her role easier. She could hide her thoughts behind silence, behind the mask she’d worn since the beginning.But inside, her stomach twisted with each passing minute.They thought they were planning a rescue. They thought they were defying the Council, rebelling in the name of loyalty. But Alexia knew better. This wasn’t a rescue. It was a death march.She watched Ale
The warehouse was cold, draft seeping through cracks in the rusted metal walls. Dust clung to every beam and pipe, and the smell of damp wood mixed with gun oil hung heavy in the air. It wasn’t a base—just a hideout they’d stumbled into after scattering from Russo’s stronghold—but it was the only place where the squad felt safe enough to gather their breath.Safe was a relative word.Wyatt paced in tight, angry circles, his boots scuffing against the concrete. “We’re not cut out for this. They knew we were coming, they had us funneled, and now our captain—our captain—is gone.” His voice cracked on the last word.“She’s not gone,” Alex snapped, his jaw set hard. “She’s alive.”“You don’t know that.” Wyatt stopped pacing,
The cell was not what Sofia expected.When the guards shoved her inside and the heavy door clanged shut behind her, she braced for stone walls, chains, the stench of mildew and iron. Instead, she found herself in a spacious chamber lined with clean whitewashed stone, a narrow bed tucked into one side, and even a small table with a glass of water placed neatly on it. The single barred window high above let in a muted glow from the corridor.It was not a dungeon. It was a gilded cage.She sat on the bed, the ropes on her wrists removed but the sting of their bite still there, and stared at the glass of water. Every fibre of her screamed not to touch it, not to trust anything Russo offered, but her throat was raw and parched. After a long minute, she picked it up, sniffed it, and then drank anyway.Her reflection wavered faintly in the water’s surface before she tipped the glass back. For a moment, she saw her own eyes—the same eyes Damian had spoken about with that strange, haunted tone
The silence in the office pressed against Sofia like a weight. The ropes biting into her wrists were uncomfortable, but not unbearable. She could handle pain. What unsettled her was the stillness—the measured way both men regarded her, as though she were not their prisoner but a puzzle they intended to solve.Don Russo stood near the desk, pouring a drink into a crystal glass with the ease of someone who had no reason to rush. The sound of liquid splashing against glass was delicate, almost elegant, and it grated against the tension vibrating through her. Damian remained closer, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his dark eyes never leaving her face.“You’ve made quite an impression,” Russo said finally, his tone smooth, conversational, as if they were old acquaintances meeting over drinks rather than adversaries separated by rope and blood. “Most operatives who come after me are either reckless or desperate. You, Captain, are neither. You’re calculated. Precise.”“I’m loyal,” So
The first flight of stairs was uneventful. Boots hit the concrete in steady rhythm, the sound bouncing off the narrow walls of the stairwell. The air was still and slightly stale, smelling faintly of dust and the industrial cleaner used hours earlier. Sofia kept her breathing even, her senses stretched thin, reading every sound, every shadow. Something in her gut was off.She’d learned to trust that feeling—because the times she hadn’t, people had died.They rounded the first landing and started up the next set of stairs. Halfway up, the stairwell lights flickered once, twice, then cut out completely, plunging them into darkness.“Night vision,” Sofia ordered immediately, her voice low but commanding.In unison, they dropped their NV visors. The