Chapter 34 - The Final CheckmateInside the warehouse office, Nikolai Rostov leaped to his feet as his computer monitors flashed red and violently shut down.
"What is this?!" Rostov roared in his thick Russian accent, slamming his fists onto the metal desk. "Where is the backup generator?!"
"The grid is locked, boss!" his lead technician panicked, frantically tapping keys that no longer responded. "Someone bypassed our firewall! It’s... it’s locking us out of every offshore account!"
Before Rostov could draw the pistol holstered at his belt, the reinforced steel door of the office blew inward with a deafening crash of splintered wood and smoke grenades.
Through the swirling white haze stepped Roman Vascari.
He didn't rush. He walked with the slow, terrifying gravity of an executioner who had finally reached the end of a very long road. Behind him, Marco and the federal tactical operators secured the perimeter in seconds.
Rostov stared at him, his face twisting in absolute disbelief. "Vascari... you're dead. I saw you leave Chicago."
"You should have stayed in the shadows, Nikolai," Roman said quietly, stopping just a few feet away from the desk.
Rostov lunged for his pistol, his hand gripping the grip—but before his finger could curl around the trigger, Roman moved with blinding, predatory speed. A single, brutal strike to Rostov’s wrist sent the weapon clattering across the floor, followed by a swift sweep of his leg that dropped the Russian crime boss hard onto the concrete.
Roman pinned him down with the heel of his boot, looking down with cold, emotionless eyes.
"It's over, Nikolai," Roman said.
Within minutes, federal marshals flooded the room, slapping heavy steel handcuffs onto Rostov and hauling his shivering men out into the cold night air.
Marco walked over, wiping dust from his jacket, and looked down at the defeated Russian syndicat boss. "Well, Boss. Looks like you still haven't lost your touch."
Roman pulled out his radio, keying the secure channel.
"Celeste," he said softly, a faint, warm smile breaking through his hardened expression. "The board is cleared. It's over."
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From the federal command center miles away, Celeste let out a long, quiet breath of pure relief.
"Come home, Roman," she whispered.
