The world explodes in more gunfire, inside and out.
“Where’s Marco and Enrico… pussy cowards,” Luca calls as he fires into the face of one of Vitale's men.
"There’s a panic room behind the study," I remind Luca as we clear each room systematically.
Gunfire erupts from the west wing, followed by Adriano's voice through our comms. "West secured.”
“Boss, Vitale men dropping arms outside,” Cristian says through the comms.
Vitale men are surrendering. I allow myself a grim smile. The tide is turning.
We reach the study doorway, and I kick it open, splintering the wood. The room is empty, but the bookshelf stands ajar, revealing the panic room entrance beyond.
"Alessandro!" Adriano's voice comes through the comms again, breathless with exertion. "We've got Enrico. He tried to escape through the tunnels."
"Bring him to the study," I order.
Luca and I position ourselves facing the panic room door. Marco sealed himself in without realizing he'd trapped himself with nowhere to run.
I press the intercom beside the door. "Marco. Your men have surrendered. Your son is captured. This ends now."
I turn to see Adriano dragging a bloodied Enrico into the room, forcing him to his knees before me. The spoiled heir to the Vitale legacy, now trembling at my feet.
"Open the door, Marco," I command as three more of my men join us. "Or I'll make you listen while I ensure your family name dies with you."
“Fuck you, Dante.”
“Fine. I’ll just burn the house down with you in it.” I wonder if his wife is with him. I turn to Enrico. “Where’s your mother?”
“Fuck you.”
“Search the house in case she’s not with Marco.”
Luca nods and leaves the room with one of the men.
“Get me some paper. Who smokes? Anyone got a lighter?”
One of Luca’s men grabs paper from the trash while one of mine pulls out a lighter. I roll the paper into a tube and light it, setting it under the seam of the door. Who the hell knows if the smoke will go through, but it’s worth a shot.
The fire alarm goes off.
“Ready to burn, Marco, you motherfucking coward? I don’t care how you die, but you’ll die by my hand for what you did to my wife.”
“The wife you threw away,” Enrico sneers.
I hit him on the side of the head with my gun, knocking him over.
The paper has finished burning and is dying out. “Get me more paper and some sort of accelerant. We’ll just burn it all down.”
“You’ve got my son. He’s your only concern,” Marco’s voice comes from the intercom.
“What the fuck!” Enrico yells.
I laugh. “Daddy is sacrificing you. Lucky for you, I want him dead too.” I hit the intercom. “Last chance, Marco, or you’ll burn in there.”
It’s several moments before the door cracks open, gunshots ring out. Luckily, we’re smart enough to consider that Marco would be armed and take cover.
I fire, hitting Marco’s gun hand. The gun flies out and he cries out, pulling his bloody hand that could be missing a finger or two to his chest.
