Chapter 18 - THE BROKEN ALLIANCEUpstairs in the grand penthouse suite, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Elena stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring out at the rain-slicked gardens, swirling a glass of amber scotch.
Vera walked into the room, her expression tight and troubled.
"The security grid just tripped in Sector 9," Vera said, crossing her arms. "They broke out of the holding cell, Elena. Your sister is smarter—or more desperate—than you gave her credit for."
Elena didn't turn around. A slow, thin smile touched her lips. "Let them run, Vera. A rat in a maze always thinks it's escaping right up until it hits the glass."
"They're heading for the old armory," Vera warned, her voice rising with anxiety. "If Dante gets to the satellite comms, he can signal the loyalist factions in the outer districts. We could lose control of the syndicate before dawn."
Elena finally turned around, her dark eyes flashing with cold calculation. She set her glass down on the marble table with a sharp clink.
"Then let him try," Elena murmured softly. She walked over to a heavy mahogany cabinet, unlocking it to reveal a sleek, tactical assault rifle. She checked the magazine with expert familiarity. "I built this empire from ash, Vera. I let my husband think I was dead so I could weed out the weak. I am not about to let a broke waitress and a sentimental fool tear it down."
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Vera stared at her sister-in-law, a sudden, chilling realization dawning on her. "You planned for them to escape all along."
"Of course I did," Elena smiled, her eyes gleaming with manic brilliance. "How else do you flush out the true loyalists?"
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