Chapter 7 - THE FORTRESS OF SHADOWSWe docked the boat silently inside a dark sea cave beneath the island. The sound of waves crashing against the jagged rocks masked our approach.
Matteo strapped Sophia securely into an impact-resistant tactical carrier on his chest, shielding her with his own armored torso. I carried a tactical backpack filled with supplies, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird.
We climbed a hidden iron ladder built into the rock face, emerging into the lower ventilation levels of the fortress.
The interior was stark, industrial, and filled with the humming sound of heavy generators. Matteo moved through the corridors with terrifying precision. Every time a guard appeared in our path, Matteo eliminated them silently before they could even raise an alarm. He was a master of violent art, a predator protecting his pack.
We reached the central security hub on the third floor. Through a thick pane of bulletproof glass, I saw a large room filled with monitors.
And there, sitting at a small table in the center of the room, playing with wooden blocks under the guard of two mercenaries... were my boys.
"Leo! Sam!" I choked out, tears instantly blinding my eyes.
They were alive. My babies were real. They weren't ghosts. They weren't dead.
"Stay back, Elena," Matteo warned, checking his weapons. "There are four guards inside."
"I can't wait!" I sobbed.
Before Matteo could stop me, a heavy metal door at the end of the hallway opened.
A tall, elegant man dressed in a immaculate grey suit walked into the corridor, flanked by a dozen heavily armed mercenaries. He had a cruel, cultured face and cold blue eyes.
The Architect.
"Ah, Matteo Volkov," The Architect drawled, his voice smoothly amplified through the hallway speakers. "I must admit, I didn't expect you to survive Nina’s ambush. But bringing the woman directly to my doorstep? How convenient."
Matteo raised his rifle, shielding me behind his back. "Step away from the children, Vane. You’ve lost."
The Architect laughed softly—a dry, chilling sound.
"Lost? My dear Matteo, you’re trapped on an island surrounded by sixty of my best men," The Architect said smoothly. "And you brought Mrs. Rossi right to me. All I need is her eye and her voice to unlock thirty billion dollars in untraceable funds."
May you like
The Architect looked past Matteo, his cold eyes fixing on me.
"Give me the biometric access, Elena," The Architect offered with a cruel smile. "And I will let you take one of your sons home. Refuse... and I will kill them both in front of you."
