Chapter 28 - The Delivery at Pier 42
Forty-five minutes later, the black Mercedes tore through the gates of the industrial harbor, screeching to a halt outside Pier 42. Marcus dragged a handcuffed Elena into the back of the SUV while four tactical units swarmed the pier.
Inside Warehouse 9, the atmosphere was dead silent.
The heavy steel roll-up door was jammed halfway open, casting a long, rectangular strip of light across the concrete floor. Inside sat the mysterious shipping container flagged on Henderson’s manifest.
I stepped through the gap, my gun drawn, Marcus and two tactical officers right behind me.
The interior of the container wasn't filled with dry goods or contraband electronics.
In the center sat a single, heavy oak table identical to the one in my dining hall. On top of it sat a pristine white plate, a silver fork, and a small, handwritten envelope addressed to me.
I walked forward slowly, brushing past crates of high-grade munitions and untraceable bearer bonds. I picked up the envelope, ripped it open, and pulled out a single photograph.
It was a picture taken less than an hour ago inside the sunroom of Hale Manor.
Chloe and Amara sitting at the small table, eating strawberries, while Grace poured lemonade—unaware that a camera lens had been pressed directly against the exterior glass of the floor-to-ceiling windows.
On the back of the photograph was written in fresh ink: “Checkmate, Julian.”
My phone buzzed violently in my tactical vest pocket.
I pulled it out and tapped the screen. An encrypted video call was coming in from an unknown, untraceable satellite frequency.
I hit accept.
The screen flickered, revealing the cold, scarred face of a man sitting in a darkened penthouse overlooking the Manhattan skyline—a face I hadn't seen in ten years.
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Viktor Morosco. Salvatore’s older, far more dangerous brother.
“Enjoying the view, Julian?” Viktor’s raspy voice echoed through the speaker. “You thought cutting off Salvatore’s head would kill the beast? We own the ports, we own the supply lines, and as of five minutes ago, our tactical team has your little mansion completely surrounded.”
