Chapter 15 - The Twist of Iron
The sharp crack of a gunshot echoed across the pier, but the bullet never reached Maeve.
With blinding speed, Rocco moved, stepping directly into the line of fire. A dull thud echoed as the bullet struck Rocco’s heavy titanium-reinforced shoulder holster, knocking him back a half-step. Before Viktor could fire a second shot, Rocco’s nickel-plated pistol barked twice.
Bang. Bang.
Viktor dropped his weapon as both of his knees shattered under precision impacts, sending him crashing hard into the wet concrete with a shriek of agony. His mercenaries raised their rifles to retaliate, but red laser sights suddenly bloomed across their chests from a dozen hidden sniper positions in the overhead cranes.
"Lower your weapons," Hayes’s voice crackled coldly over the tactical comms. "You're surrounded by federal marshals and Moretti security. Move an inch, and you stop breathing."
The mercenaries dropped their weapons instantly, raising their hands behind their heads as federal agents swarmed out of the shadows, snapping zip-ties onto their wrists.
Rocco walked up to the screaming, bleeding Viktor, looking down at him with an expression of cold, absolute pity. "You always were a bad gambler, Viktor. You bet your life on a hand you couldn't even see."
Maeve walked past her uncle, stopping inches from the writhing, defeated man who had tried to destroy everything she had built. She crouched down, looking him dead in the eye, and pulled a single, heavy silver coin from her pocket—the very same coin Rocco had given her months ago.
May you like
She dropped it gently onto the wet concrete right beside Viktor’s bloody hand.
"Consider that your severance package," Maeve whispered.
