Chapter 16 - The Glass Corridor
Julian Vance’s arrogant smile instantly vanished, replaced by a look of sheer, panicked confusion. But Mateo, the cartel enforcer, did not flinch. He recognized the distinct cadence of my voice, the dangerous posture of a man who used to command armies in the streets of New York.
"Lucian Moretti," Mateo hissed, stepping out from behind the billionaire. "The dead king of Brooklyn. I heard you traded your empire for a domestic, pathetic life in the suburbs."
"And I heard the Valerius Cartel was run by intelligent men, yet here you are, trusting a tech billionaire who talks entirely too much," I replied with a cold, mocking smile.
While I held Mateo’s murderous gaze, my encrypted earpiece buzzed softly. "I am at the glass doors," Eleanor’s calm voice whispered directly into my ear. "Bypassing the biometric lock now. I need exactly three minutes."
Mateo’s eyes narrowed dangerously, scanning the crowded ballroom before settling back on me. He realized immediately that I had not walked into this fortress alone. He aggressively tapped his earpiece, barking a harsh command in Spanish to his security team. "Lock down the east corridor! Find the woman!"
I did not hesitate. I smashed my heavy crystal champagne flute directly into Mateo’s face, shattering the glass and sending the lethal enforcer stumbling backward. Chaos erupted instantly in the elegant ballroom. Billionaires and politicians screamed in absolute terror, scrambling frantically toward the main exits as I sprinted toward the east wing to intercept the guards heading for my wife.
I intercepted two massive cartel mercenaries in a stunning, illuminated glass corridor overlooking the frozen mountain. I ducked a wild, sweeping punch from the first guard, driving my knee brutally into his stomach before throwing him entirely through the decorative glass wall. The second guard pulled a tactical combat knife, slashing aggressively at my throat. I caught his wrist, twisting it with bone-snapping force, and drove the hilt of his own weapon into his jaw.
"Lucian, the firewall is incredibly aggressive!" Eleanor’s frantic voice crackled in my ear. "It is fighting the upload. I need one more minute!"
"Take your time, my love," I breathed heavily, wiping a streak of blood from my split lip as I turned to face the end of the corridor.
May you like
Mateo was standing there, his face bleeding profusely, holding a suppressed automatic pistol aimed directly at my chest. "You are going to die right here, Moretti," he spat venomously. "And then I am going to throw your brilliant wife off this mountain."
I raised my empty hands, a dark, fearless laugh escaping my lips. "You are completely missing the point, Mateo. I did not come here to survive. I came here to ensure you lose absolutely everything."
