Chapter 7 - The Interrogation
The estate’s subterranean security bunker was cold, smelling of concrete and old iron. Bound to a heavy metal chair beneath glaring overhead lights, the captured operative spat blood onto the concrete floor, his mask torn away to reveal a young, terrified face.
Julian stood over him, hands resting casually in his pockets, his expression carved from granite.
"Who sent you?" Julian asked quietly. "The Outfit? Or did Marcus Salvator think he could slip a rat through my perimeter?"
"I... I won't say anything," the operative wheezed, trembling. "You're a dead man anyway, Morty. The council has voted. Your new housekeeper, your little brat—everyone tied to you is a target. You can't protect them all."
Julian’s eyes narrowed into slits of pure ice. He pulled a heavy silver signet ring from his pocket, turning it slowly between his fingers. "You think because I built an empire on commerce, I forgot how to spill blood? Tell Salvator that if any of his men step foot on my property again, I won't just send his head back in a box. I'll dismantle his entire shipping cartel by sunrise."
Sarah stood quietly in the doorway of the interrogation room, watching Julian. She hadn't run away. She hadn't screamed. The mother who had fought tooth and nail in a freezing courtroom was staring down a violent syndicate war without flinching.
Julian looked up, catching her eye in the reflection of the concrete wall. He dismissed the guards with a flick of his wrist, walking over to her as the heavy metal door clicked shut behind them.
"You shouldn't be down here, Sarah," Julian said, his voice softening. "This isn't your world."
"My world is wherever my children are safe," Sarah replied, her voice steady and fierce. "And right now, that means standing right here. Who is Marcus Salvator?"
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Julian sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "A rival boss who wants my territory at the Chicago docks. He thinks attacking my home will break my focus."
"Then don't let him break it," Sarah said, stepping closer. "Let me help you manage the estate security logistics. You know every criminal in Chicago, Julian. But I know how people hide in plain sight. Let me be your strategist."
