Chapter 17 - The Smoke Clears
High above the smoking crater of what had once been the Milan logistics hub, a sleek black helicopter hovered silently against the gray clouds. Inside the cabin, Katarina Petrov—formerly known as Claire Bennett—sat by the open side door, watching the devastation unfold below through a pair of high-powered binoculars.
A cold, triumphant smile touched her lips. She lowered the binoculars and turned toward her chief lieutenant standing nearby.
"Is the confirmation positive?" Katarina asked, her voice smooth and devoid of warmth. "Did Dante Moretti stay in the vault?"
"The seismic sensors confirm complete structural collapse of the subterranean archive sector," the lieutenant reported, handing her a tablet displaying thermal satellite imagery of the smoking rubble. "Nothing human could have survived that blast, madam. The Moretti dynasty has fallen."
Katarina nodded slowly, a deep sense of vindication settling in her chest. Years of planning, sacrifice, and psychological warfare had finally culminated in absolute victory. The underworld was hers for the taking.
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"Set a course for the Swiss Alps private facility," Katarina ordered, turning away from the window. "It’s time to collect my daughter and claim our rightful throne."
The helicopter banked sharply, cutting through the heavy rain toward the snow-capped peaks of Switzerland, leaving the burning ruins of Milan far behind.
