Chapter 16 - Beneath the Surface
The shock of the icy water hit Lorenzo like a physical blow, but adrenaline kept his senses razor-sharp. Beneath the surface, the sea was a chaotic swirl of foam, debris, and churning darkness. Althaus was thrashing wildly, trying to kick his way back to the surface, but the gunshot wound to his shoulder had compromised his mobility.
Lorenzo didn't hesitate. He closed the distance in two powerful strokes, grabbing Althaus by the collar of his coat and driving a merciless, devastating right hook straight into the doctor's jaw. Althaus went limp instantly, swallowed up by the dark undertow as the current dragged him out toward the open sea.
Surfacing with a violent gasp of air, Lorenzo cleared his eyes and looked toward the pier.
Julian had already shoved Lily into the cabin of the speedboat and slammed the throttle forward. The twin engines screamed, kicking up a massive wall of white spray as the boat rocketed away from the dock toward the open ocean.
"Boss!" Marco shouted, sliding down the iron staircase two steps at a time and throwing a spare life ring toward the water. "Get out of there! I have the interceptor ready!"
Lorenzo hauled himself onto the slippery concrete pier, ignoring the freezing water soaking through his clothes. He didn't wait for a tow; he sprinted straight for the second interceptor tied to the slip, vaulted into the cockpit, and slammed his palm onto the ignition starter. The twin supercharged engines roared to life with a deafening, mechanical scream that shook the very foundations of the cliffs.
Clara scrambled down the stairs, reaching the pier just as Lorenzo was casting off the mooring lines.
"Lorenzo!" she cried, grabbing the side of the hull. "Bring her back!"
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"Stay here," Lorenzo ordered, his voice laced with absolute iron. "I'm bringing our daughter home."
He shoved the throttles all the way forward. The interceptor leaped out of the water like a missile, crashing through the towering swells as it gave chase to Julian’s fleeing vessel across the storm-tossed expanse of the Mediterranean.
