CHAPTER 6 — The Sixth Family
The first explosion shattered the outer blast door.
Dust poured from the ceiling.
Emergency lights flashed red across the bunker.
Vincent handed Emily a handgun.
"Do you know how to shoot?"
She looked at the weapon.
"My father taught me."
She stopped speaking.
The words caught in her throat.
Which father?
The one who raised her...
Or the one she had never met?
Dante and the remaining guards formed a defensive line.
Seconds later...
The second blast door collapsed.
But the people who entered weren't ordinary assassins.
They wore black tactical uniforms with no insignias.
No tattoos.
No gang symbols.
No names.
Every movement was perfectly synchronized.
Professional.
Military.
One of them calmly announced,
"Primary objective."
"Capture Subject Phoenix."
"Terminate Vincent DeLuca."
Emily's blood ran cold.
Subject Phoenix.
That was the name on her file.
A brutal firefight erupted through the underground corridors.
Vincent and Dante fought side by side.
Emily stayed close behind them.
They escaped through an abandoned railway tunnel beneath the city.
When they finally reached the surface...
Chicago looked strangely quiet.
Almost too quiet.
Vincent's secure phone rang.
Only three people knew that number.
He answered.
A calm elderly voice spoke.
"You've survived longer than expected."
"Who is this?"
"I'm the man who created Project Phoenix."
Vincent tightened his grip on the phone.
"I buried everyone involved."
The man chuckled softly.
"No."
"You buried the puppets."
"I was holding the strings."
The call disconnected.
Hours later...
The trio reached a remote lakeside cabin once owned by Vincent's father.
Dust covered every piece of furniture.
No one had visited in years.
While searching the attic, Emily discovered an old wooden chest.
Inside were children's toys...
A tiny knitted blanket...
And a sealed envelope addressed in faded ink.
To My Daughter.
Emily's hands shook violently.
She had never received a letter from her real parents.
Slowly, she broke the wax seal.
Inside was a single page.
My beautiful daughter...
If this letter has found you, it means we failed to protect you.
Never trust the five families.
Especially not the Sixth.
Emily frowned.
"There were only five families..."
Vincent's expression changed instantly.
"No."
"There was always a rumor."
"A family that controlled the other five."
"They were never mentioned by name."
"They never appeared in public."
"They simply called them..."
The Sixth Family.
Before anyone could say another word—
A sniper's bullet pierced the cabin window.
The letter flew from Emily's hands.
Another shot shattered the fireplace.
Outside...
Dozens of black SUVs surrounded the cabin from every direction.
Their headlights illuminated the forest like daylight.
Then one elegant black limousine slowly rolled to the front.
The rear door opened.
A silver-haired woman stepped out wearing an immaculate white coat.
She looked directly at Emily.
Then smiled.
"My daughter..."
"It's time to come home."
Emily's heart nearly stopped.
Vincent slowly raised his weapon.
The woman looked at him without fear.
"You can lower the gun."
"I'm not here to kill you."
"I'm here..."
May you like
"...to tell Emily who her real mother is."
To Be Continued...
