Chapter 5 - The Deal in the DarkOn the monitor, Connor Bell leaned casually against the bookshelf, swirling his drink.
"Everything is set for tomorrow night, Daniel," Bell said, his voice smooth and oily. "The shipments are redirected to my docks, the federal indictments are securely filed under Gabriel's name, and the capos are ready to crown you the new king of Chicago."
Daniel smirked, taking a long sip of bourbon. "It was easier than I thought. Gabriel was always too arrogant to suspect his own shadow. The only hiccup was the girl."
My breath caught in my throat. On the screen, Daniel's smile faded into a cruel sneer.
"We should have made sure she died in that alley," Daniel muttered. "If she somehow survived and tells Gabriel about the extraction... he'll tear us both apart."
"She didn't survive a winter in Pilsen with a botched surgical scar, Daniel," Bell scoffed dismissively. "Even if she did, Gabriel is already dead to rights. By tomorrow night, he'll be locked in a federal penitentiary or sleeping at the bottom of the lake."
In the boathouse, Gabriel’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of the workbench so hard the old wood groaned in protest.
"He thinks he's untouchable," Gabriel whispered, his voice dangerously low.
"Gabriel, look at the bottom left corner of the screen," I pointed out, leaning closer to the monitor despite my exhaustion. "What is that document on his desk?"
Vance zoomed in on the feed. The camera caught a clear view of a dossier stamped with the federal seal—and a signature at the bottom.
"It's not just a coup," Vance realized, his eyes widening. "Daniel has been working with the FBI's organized crime task force for over a year. He's trading Gabriel's entire network in exchange for full immunity and a relocation package to Zurich."
The betrayal cut even deeper than Gabriel had imagined. It wasn't just a grab for power within the syndicate; Daniel was selling out every single man who had bled for the Russo family.
"Vance," Gabriel said, his voice chillingly calm.
"Boss?"
"Send that video feed to every single capo's personal phone right now. Schedule it to drop precisely at 7:00 PM tomorrow, right as the gala begins."
Vance grinned slowly. "Done. And what about our entrance?"
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Gabriel turned around, looking down at me with an expression of absolute, unyielding devotion mixed with lethal intent.
"We're going to crash the party," Gabriel said. "And we're going to bring hell with us."
