Chapter 4: The First Move
881 Words
Addie arrived at her mansion, and went straight up to her study. The moment the door closed, her expression changed.
She pulled a small device from her bag and placed it on the table.
A map of the Moretti organization appeared on the screen.
Names began appearing one after another.
LUCA BIANCHI — SECOND IN COMMAND.
MARCELLO MORETTI — FAMILY ADVISER.
IAN MORETTI — UNDERWORLD OPERATIONS.
Then—
DAMIEN MORETTI — KINGPIN.
Addie stared at his name.
“Everyone has a weakness.”
She opened another file.
MISSION OBJECTIVE: DISCOVER DAMIEN MORETTI'S WEAKNESS.
Her eyes narrowed.
“I'll find yours.”
Outside, an engine started.
Addie immediately looked toward the window.
A black car slowly passed the building.
She couldn't see the driver.
But she knew one thing.
Someone was watching.
And the game had officially begun.
Addie stood over the table, studying the information displayed on her screen.
She had spent the entire night mapping the Moretti organization.
Most of it was useless.
Dead ends.
False names.
Shell companies.
People who disappeared whenever she got too close.
But one name kept appearing.
MARCELLO MORETTI.
Damien's uncle.
Family adviser.
And, according to several reports, one of the few people who had been beside Damien since the beginning.
Addie zoomed in on his file.
Then she noticed something.
A photograph.
Damien was standing beside Marcello outside an old warehouse.
The picture was dated eight years ago.
Addie stared at it.
The warehouse looked familiar.
She searched the location.
PORT DISTRICT — WAREHOUSE 17.
Her eyes narrowed.
“That could be useful.”
Her phone vibrated.
She answered immediately.
“What?”
“Your next assignment.”
Addie leaned against the table.
“I'm listening.”
“Get inside Moretti's inner circle.”
She frowned.
“I already made contact.”
“Contact isn't enough.”
“What exactly do you want?”
A pause.
“Find out what's inside Warehouse 17.”
The call ended.
Addie looked back at the photograph.
So did Damien.
MORETTI ESTATE
Damien walked into the study.
Luca was waiting.
“Did she take the bait?”
“Not yet.”
Damien placed a folder on the desk.
“Then make it impossible for her to ignore.”
Luca opened the folder.
Inside was information about Warehouse 17.
“That's classified.”
“Exactly.”
Luca looked up.
“You want her to find it?”
“I want her to think she found it.”
Damien walked toward the window.
“Someone went through our systems last night.”
“Was it her?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why assume it's her?”
Damien turned around.
“Because she appeared at the same time.”
Luca nodded slowly.
“What if she's innocent?”
“Then she'll have nothing to hide.”
“And if she's not?”
Damien's expression hardened.
“Then she'll make the mistake I'm waiting for.”
THAT NIGHT
Addie stood across the street from Warehouse 17.
The building looked abandoned.
No lights.
No workers.
No security.
It was almost too easy.
She checked her surroundings.
Nothing.
She crossed the street.
The warehouse door was unlocked.
Addie stopped.
Her instincts immediately screamed trap.
She didn't enter.
Instead, she walked around the building.
A second entrance.
Locked.
A small security camera above it.
She smiled faintly.
“So that's the game.”
She took out her phone and photographed the camera.
Then she heard footsteps.
Addie immediately stepped behind the corner.
Two men walked past.
“Boss said nobody enters until midnight.”
“Did he say why?”
“No.”
“Then don't ask questions.”
They continued walking.
Addie waited until they were gone.
Boss.
Someone was inside.
And whoever it was had expected someone to come.
She quietly left the area.
12:03 A.M.
Damien sat inside his office.
Luca entered.
“She didn't go inside.”
Damien looked up.
“She came?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“She noticed the security.”
For the first time, Damien looked genuinely interested.
“She didn't take the bait.”
“No.”
Damien leaned back.
“Smart.”
Luca crossed his arms.
“What now?”
Damien looked toward the security monitor.
“Now we stop testing her.”
“Then what do we do?”
Damien's voice was calm.
“We give her something real.”
THE NEXT MORNING
Addie walked into the hotel lobby dressed as Adeline Vale.
She had barely taken three steps when someone called her name.
“Miss Vale?”
She turned.
A man in a dark suit approached.
“I have an invitation for you.”
He handed her a black envelope.
Addie looked at it.
No return address.
“What is this?”
“A private dinner.”
“With whom?”
The man smiled.
“Damien Moretti.”
He walked away before she could respond.
Addie stared at the envelope.
This wasn't part of her plan.
She opened it.
Inside was a single card.
8:00 P.M.
MORETTI ESTATE.
COME ALONE.
Addie folded the card.
Her eyes narrowed.
If Damien wanted a meeting, she would give him one.
But she knew one thing.
Tonight wouldn't be a dinner.
It would be a test.
And she intended to pass it.
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