Reckoning!!!!
747 Words
The night was quiet.
Too quiet.
The Valenti convoy sped along the highway, headlights cutting through the darkness.
Inside the main vehicle, Serena slowly opened her eyes.
Everything around her looked blurry.
Her head felt heavy, and her breathing was uncomfortable.
Her younger sister immediately noticed.
“Serena?”
Serena looked toward her.
“I can't…”
Her sister quickly reached into her bag and pulled out Serena's inhaler.
“Here.”
Serena took it and used it, breathing slowly until her chest began to settle.
She closed her eyes for a moment.
Then opened them again.
“Mom…”
Her mother immediately turned toward her.
“I'm here.”
“What’s going on?”
Her mother reached for her hand.
“Don't worry.”
“But why are we leaving?”
Her mother glanced toward her husband before looking back at Serena.
“Your father is going to keep us safe.”
Serena frowned.
“Safe from who?”
Her mother squeezed her hand.
“Just trust us.”
Serena wanted to ask more.
But her mother's expression told her there would be no answer.
She leaned back against the seat.
Her vision was still slightly blurry.
Beside her, her younger sister whispered,
“I'm scared.”
Serena looked at her.
She reached over and pulled her close.
“Don't be scared.”
Her sister held onto her tightly.
Their mother reached back and took both their hands.
“Everything is going to be fine.”
She tried to sound confident.
But the fear in her eyes told a different story.
---
Several miles behind them, Lucian's convoy continued moving.
Adrian looked at his phone.
“They're close.”
Lucian stared through the window.
“How close?”
“Less than ten minutes.”
Lucian nodded.
“Good.”
He looked ahead.
“Keep moving.”
---
The Valenti convoy continued down the highway.
Mr. Valenti stared through the windshield.
Something felt wrong.
Then—
BOOM!
The vehicle at the front of the convoy exploded.
Everyone inside the main car jolted.
“What happened?” Serena cried.
Her father immediately shouted,
“Stop!”
The driver slammed on the brakes.
Smoke filled the road ahead.
Through the windshield, they could see the remains of the vehicle blocking their path.
Serena's heart began racing.
Her vision seemed even more blurred.
Her sister grabbed her arm.
“Serena…”
“I know.”
Her mother held both of them tightly.
“Stay calm.”
Mr. Valenti looked ahead.
A black vehicle slowly moved into view.
It had been waiting for them.
His face went pale.
“Turn around.”
The driver quickly began reversing.
But then—
BOOM!
Another explosion came from behind them.
The rear guard vehicle was hit.
The convoy was trapped.
Mr. Valenti stared ahead.
Then behind him.
Front.
Back.
Nowhere to go.
His wife looked at him.
“What do we do?”
Mr. Valenti said nothing.
Outside, doors began opening.
Men stepped out of the surrounding vehicles.
Serena's sister started trembling.
“Mom…”
Her mother held their hands tighter.
“It's okay.”
Serena pulled her sister closer.
“I'm here.”
But even Serena was frightened.
She could barely see clearly through the lingering blur.
Then her father stepped out of the vehicle.
He looked around.
They were completely surrounded.
A man slowly walked forward from the group blocking the road.
His presence alone was enough to make the others step aside.
Mr. Valenti recognized him.
His face hardened.
“Damien Castillo.”
Damien stopped several feet away.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“It's been a long time, Valenti.”
Inside the vehicle, Serena stared through the window.
She didn't know who the man was.
She only knew one thing.
Her father knew him.
And judging by the look on her father's face—
this wasn't a reunion.
It was a reckoning.
---
Farther down the highway, Lucian's convoy continued speeding toward them.
Adrian looked at his phone again.
His expression changed.
“What?”
Lucian asked.
Adrian looked at him.
“Damien got there first.”
Lucian's eyes immediately hardened.
“How many men?”
“Enough to surround them.”
Lucian leaned forward.
“Then we're out of time.”
He looked ahead.
“Faster.”
The engines roared.
And somewhere ahead, three enemies were about to meet.
The Valentis.
Damien Castillo.
And Lucian Moretti.
None of them knew how much this night would change everything.
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