Gunfire inside the casino escalated. Men charged; men fell.
"How's it going, Artyom?" I asked.
"Stiff resistance!" he shouted through the noise. "They've got a machine-gun nest on the second floor—we can't get up!"
"I'm coming." I stood. "Snipers, cover me."
I stowed the rifle, drew the Glock, and ran down. Adrenaline sharpened every sense. Inside the casino, it was chaos—overturned tables used for cover, shell casings and blood everywhere. I saw Artyom behind a column, firing up to the second level.
"Don! You shouldn't be down here!" He saw me, and his eyes widened.
"Shut up and keep shooting." I scanned the second floor. The machine-gunner had us pinned, but he had a blind spot—about three seconds if you hit the right stairwell from the right side.
"Artyom, cover me," I said. "Three seconds is all I need."
"Boss, that's suicide!"
"Now!" I snarled.
Artyom and the others poured fire like a storm. I sprinted for the stairs—one step, two, three. The gunner spotted me and swung the weapon. His finger squeezed; a tracer ripped past my back.
I hit the floor, rolled, came up, and fired. One round slammed into the gunner's chest, the next into his head. He slumped. The gun clattered to the floor.
"Second floor clear!" I roared. "Everybody up!"
My men surged up the stairs and continued clearing rooms. Doors burst open, shots cracked, and I heard someone begging in Italian.
"Found the vault!" Artyom said over the comms. "Ledgers—every transaction recorded."
"Take it," I ordered. "Any prisoners?"
"One—in the office. Looks likea manager."
I walked into the office and found a suited Italian kneeling, hands bound behind him. Fear flared in his eyes when he saw me.
"You know who I am?" I crouched and shoved my Glock under his chin.
"Vorontsov," he said in accented English. "Don of the Bratva."
"Good," I said. "So you know what happens if you don't cooperate."
He nodded frantically.
"Where's Salvatore now?"
"I-I don't know! He never tells us where he is!"
I shoved the barrel into his mouth. "Think harder."
"Wait! Wait!" he babbled. "I know something! He's planning a big move. Needs a lot of manpower!"
"What move?" I pressed.
"I don't know the details! Just that he's contacting people!"
"You have nothing else that'll save you?" I pushed the gun harder.
"Please, spare me! I really don't—"
