**CHAPTER 12**
1041 Words
A Desperate Gamble**
**Dante’s POV**
The video played over and over in my head—Marco’s bloodied face, the cold voice of the masked man, the ultimatum. Midnight.
The bunker’s briefing room was filled with tension as Lorenzo, Elena, and I gathered to come up with a plan. Marco wasn’t just my second-in-command; he was my brother in every way that mattered. There was no way I was leaving him behind, but the cost of his rescue was Elena’s safety.
And that was a price I couldn’t pay.
“Marco’s location is a Montessi-owned warehouse,” I said, spreading a map on the table. “Their men will be stationed everywhere, expecting us to make a move.”
“Then we bring the fight to them,” Lorenzo growled, his fists clenched.
“No,” I replied firmly. “They’re expecting brute force. We need to outsmart them. A small team, surgical precision. We get Marco out without them knowing we were even there.”
Lorenzo narrowed his eyes. “And what happens if they catch wind of it? If they find us?”
“Then we’ll be ready,” I said, my voice steely.
I glanced at Elena, who had been uncharacteristically silent. She was staring at the map, her brow furrowed in thought.
“Elena,” I said softly. “This isn’t your fight. You’re staying here.”
Her head snapped up, her brown eyes blazing. “Like hell I am. Marco’s in that warehouse because of me. I’m not sitting on the sidelines while you risk your lives to save him.”
“Elena,” Lorenzo cut in, his tone sharp, “this isn’t a game. These men are killers. You’re not trained for this.”
“I don’t need your permission,” she snapped, her voice unwavering. “I’m going, whether you like it or not.”
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**Elena’s POV**
They thought I was fragile, a liability. But they didn’t understand what it felt like to know someone was suffering because of you. Marco was in danger because the Montessi family wanted me. If anyone deserved to take that risk, it was me.
Dante stared at me, his jaw tight. “Fine,” he said finally. “But you follow my lead. You don’t make a move unless I say so. Understood?”
I nodded, but deep down, I already knew I’d break that rule if it meant saving Marco.
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**The Plan**
We decided on a two-pronged approach. Dante and Lorenzo would create a diversion at the front of the warehouse, drawing the Montessi men away from Marco’s location. Meanwhile, I would sneak in through a hidden side entrance, using the blueprints Dante’s team had obtained.
The goal was simple: get Marco out alive.
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**The Mission**
The warehouse loomed in the darkness, its shadow stretching across the empty lot. My heart pounded as I slipped through the side entrance, the gun Dante had given me heavy in my hand.
“Stay close,” he had whispered before we split up. “I’ll find you if anything goes wrong.”
The hallways were eerily quiet, the only sound the faint hum of industrial lights. I moved quickly, checking each corner before advancing. The blueprints had shown a storage room in the back where Marco was likely being held.
As I approached the room, muffled voices reached my ears. Two guards stood outside the door, their guns slung lazily over their shoulders.
I pressed myself against the wall, my mind racing. There was no time to wait for Dante or my father. If I didn’t act now, Marco’s captors might move him—or worse.
Taking a deep breath, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small object Dante had given me earlier—a flashbang.
“This’ll buy you a few seconds,” he had said. “Use them wisely.”
I pulled the pin and rolled the grenade into the hallway.
*BANG.*
The guards shouted in confusion, their hands flying to their eyes. I didn’t hesitate. I stepped out, raised my pistol, and fired twice, aiming for their legs. They collapsed with pained cries, their weapons clattering to the ground.
I hurried to the door, my hands trembling as I unlocked it. Inside, Marco was tied to a chair, his face battered and his breathing shallow.
“Marco,” I whispered, rushing to his side. “It’s me. I’m getting you out of here.”
His eyes fluttered open, and he managed a weak smile. “Knew… you’d come.”
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**Dante’s POV**
The gunfire from the side of the warehouse made my blood run cold.
“Elena,” I hissed under my breath, abandoning the diversion and sprinting toward her location. Lorenzo was right behind me, his face a mask of fury.
When I reached the storage room, the sight that greeted me nearly stopped my heart.
Elena was dragging Marco toward the exit, her face set with determination. But behind her, one of the guards she had taken down was raising his weapon, his aim locked on her back.
“NO!” I roared, firing my gun. The guard dropped, but the noise had drawn the attention of the rest of the Montessi men.
“Go!” I shouted at Elena, grabbing Marco and throwing his arm over my shoulder.
She didn’t argue, leading the way as bullets whizzed past us.
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**Elena’s POV**
The exit was just ahead, but the sound of pursuing footsteps sent a chill down my spine. I turned, my gun raised, and fired at the approaching shadows.
“Keep moving!” Dante barked, his voice cutting through the chaos.
We burst into the open air, Lorenzo waiting with the getaway car.
“Get in!” he shouted, covering us as we piled into the vehicle.
The tires screeched as we sped away, the Montessi men fading into the distance.
My hands were shaking, my mind racing with everything that had just happened. But when I looked at Marco, alive and breathing beside me, I knew it had been worth it.
“You’re insane,” Dante said, his voice low but not unkind.
I met his gaze, unflinching. “Maybe. But I’d do it again.”
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