nearly empty when

rd floor, a corner room cluttered with papers, legal tomes, and fading photos of a younger, more hopeful version of himself. He hadn't known peace since Elena was a child. And now, a

ised when the d

flanked by two guards who immediately bega

e the drawer where he kept his gun. "I shoul

You'll be dead in ten min

d threat

reat. It's a promise

's brow t

is compromised. So is your driver. Romano's coming for you. He thinks you hav

ge said

's father. That's the only reason I'm

I trust you

But you're still alive

wounds flaring silently between tw

window

s from De Luca's head. The judge dove to the ground. Leonardo had already pulled his p

e yanked the judge up by the collar and

ng the building. Smoke and fire alarms joined in a chaotic chorus. Leonardo shoved the judge again

he garage," one of them shouted.

under his brea

? The

d. "Heli extra

t him in disbelief

aised Elena. I assumed c

e edge of Leonardo's bed, burner phone clutched

still. Her

ught about the last time she had seen her father - angry, distant, proud. He had never forgiven her for

was in

ey bot

rough his things until she found a locked drawer behind the row of tailored ja

d the black k

f

ccounts, routes, political alliances. But beneath them, wrapped in bl

moment before tucking

lked out of

gh the night like thunder. The rooftop was littered with broken antennas and the occasional seagull feather. A sni

al!" De Luca shou

back. "You want a full list of ch

let to the thigh and collapsed beside the roof door. Leonardo

eo stepping from the shadow

t holdin

holding

kled over the rooftop comm

I'll shoot you through the th

atteo grinned. "But you s

stomach dro

tress ten minutes ago. Gues

's blood

e'd just sit on the sidelines while you

ust slightly. He looked o

saw

r. Climbing the fire escape like som

broke through the

im, and then-gunfire

atteo's men h

the nearest radio antenna, and shouted i

scended lower. Elena reached the

her and pulled

you to

me we were in

no time

y w

y l

sur

uard, and the judge crammed together as the city shrank beneath the

toni

t

do's chest, her voice sh

faintly. "

d-mad, brea

ca stared a

tly, he said, "Yo

o didn'

na

ed. "And it's goin