Chapter 4: The Load-Bearing Walls
Pier 44 was an industrial graveyard of shipping containers and rusted cranes. Through the pouring rain, Vincent and Elena observed the warehouse from a rusted catwalk above.
Inside, Marcus was standing on a wooden crate, surrounded by a dozen heavily armed men and three of Vincent’s top capos. Tony, the traitorous lieutenant, stood right by Marcus’s side.
“...a tragedy,” Marcus was saying, raising a glass of scotch. “My uncle was a legend. But legends die. It’s time for new blood. We sign with the Volkovs tonight.”
Up on the catwalk, Vincent flipped the selector switch on his rifle to full auto.
“Target the lighting rig,” Vincent whispered to Elena. “When it goes dark, you drop Tony. Leave Marcus to me.”
Elena nodded, hoisting her weapon.
Vincent kicked open the catwalk door. “Hey, kid!”
Marcus’s head snapped up just as Elena shot the main breaker. The warehouse plunged into absolute darkness, save for the strobing flashes of muzzle fire.
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Panic erupted. Elena’s suppressed shots were surgically precise—Tony hit the floor before he even drew his weapon. Vincent moved like a phantom, using the labyrinth of shipping crates to flank the guards. He didn't just shoot; he dismantled them. He used shadows, angles, and sheer ruthlessness, fighting with the feral desperation of a king defending his ruined castle.
Men screamed. Guns jammed. In less than three minutes, the warehouse was a graveyard.
