Chapter 6 - The Trap is Sprung
Elena stared at the black ledger sitting on the polished mahogany table, her heart hammering against her ribs.
She asked Dante what he could possibly need from a broken banquet waitress to defeat a ruthless mobster like Julian.
Dante rested his chin against his steepled fingers, a dark, brilliant plan burning behind his eyes.
He told her that Julian was an arrogant predator who believed his sister was a weak, easily manipulated pawn.
Julian was currently parked in an alley two miles south, waiting for a coded text message confirming Dante was dead.
If Victoria sent the message, Julian would suspect a setup, knowing she was too reckless under pressure.
But if Elena sent the message, claiming she had stolen the ledger amidst the chaos, Julian would take the bait instantly.
Dante reached into his pocket and handed Elena her cracked smartphone, which had been dried and inspected by his technicians.
His large, warm hand brushed against her trembling fingers, giving her a sudden, surprising jolt of confidence.
He assured her that she would not be walking into danger alone, for his best men would be cloaked in the shadows.
Elena drew in a long, steadying breath, wiping the remaining tears from her face with the back of her sleeve.
She took the phone, unlocked the screen, and navigated to the encrypted messaging app Julian had forced her to install.
Her fingers danced across the keyboard, typing the precise words that Dante carefully dictated to her.
She typed that the plan had succeeded, Dante was dead, Victoria had been detained, and she had escaped with the ledger.
She added that she was terrified, hidden inside the abandoned rail yard off Cermak Road, and needed immediate extraction.
She hit the send button, the small digital chime sounding remarkably like the cocking of a firearm.
For two agonizing minutes, the library was so quiet they could hear the rustle of leaves against the high windows.
Then, the phone buzzed violently in Elena’s palm, making her jump slightly in her leather chair.
Julian had replied with a simple, chilling command: stay hidden, do not touch the book, arriving in ten minutes.
Dante’s face broke into a predatory, satisfied grin that would have terrified any normal man to his core.
He turned his head toward the dark corner of the study, calling out to his loyal enforcer waiting in silence.
Marcus stepped out of the shadows, his heavy black combat vest strapped tight and an assault rifle resting against his hip.
Dante ordered him to mobilize three tactical squads and position their snipers along the rusted girders of the rail yard.
He commanded that nobody was to fire a single round until Julian Vance had his filthy hands on the fake ledger.
He wanted Julian to experience the absolute peak of his triumph right before the sky collapsed upon his head.
Elena stood up, smoothing down her wrinkled black banquet skirt, her chin held high with newfound bravery.
She told Dante that she was going with them, insisting that Julian would smell a trap if he didn't see her standing there.
Dante looked up at the young girl, deeply impressed by the ferocious spine hidden beneath her humble maid uniform.
He warned her that if she stepped onto that battlefield, the innocent life she once knew would be gone forever.
Elena looked back at the paralyzed godfather, replying that her innocent life had ended the moment she dove into the pool.
She wanted to finish this nightmare tonight so her mother could finally sleep without bolts on her front door.
Dante tapped the armrest of his wheelchair with his ring finger, nodding his solemn, absolute approval.
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He told Marcus to give the girl a Kevlar vest, a secure comms earpiece, and the personal protection of their deadliest shooters.
Tonight, the streets of Chicago would run red with the blood of those who mistook mercy for weakness.
