Chapter 18 - The Price of Redemption
I rushed Liam to Claire, shoving them inside a heavy, reinforced steel shipping container nearby.
"Lock it from the inside!" I ordered Claire firmly. "No matter what you hear, do not open this door until I call for you!"
"Adrian, no! You'll die out there!" Claire begged, reaching through the narrow door gap to grip my hand.
"I love you, Claire. Keep our son safe," I said softly, pulling the door shut and sliding the heavy exterior locking bar into place.
I turned around, facing Dominic and his remaining henchmen alone.
Dominic pulled the trigger. The rocket detonated against a nearby structure, the shockwave throwing me violently against a steel pillar. The sensation of broken ribs flared with intense pain, and blood welled up in my throat.
I forced myself back to my feet, my vision blurring from smoke and blood loss.
"Look at you, Adrian," Dominic scoffed as he strolled closer, leveling a Colt .45 directly at my head. "The King of New York... reduced to a bleeding dog on the floor."
"You... you still don't get it..." I whispered, a bloody smile touching my lips.
"Get what?"
"I was just buying time."
SIRENS WAILING.
Dozens of police and SWAT vehicles descended on the shipyard outside, their red and blue lights flashing wildly through the shattered windows.
"THIS IS THE FBI! PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPONS AND SURRENDER IMMEDIATELY!" a loudspeaker boomed from the perimeter.
Dominic’s face drained of color. "What?! You called the law? You turned yourself in?!"
"I transmitted the entire Phantom Ledger to the Governor and the Justice Department thirty minutes ago," I whispered, coughing up blood. "I accepted a life sentence, Dominic. But I'm dragging you and your entire miserable empire down to hell with me."
Panicked, Dominic's men tried to flee through the rear exits, only to be immediately intercepted and neutralized by incoming tactical teams.
Dominic turned his gun back on me, his eyes wide with madness. "You ruined everything! I'm taking you with me!"
CLICK.
His weapon jammed.
Using the last reserve of strength in my body, I lunged forward, grabbing his wrist and snapping it backward before driving a heavy right hook into his jaw. We hit the floor hard, and I locked my hands around his throat, holding him down with uncompromising force.
"THIS IS FOR MY SON! THIS IS FOR CLAIRE!" I roared.
May you like
Dominic thrashed violently until his strength faded completely, his eyes rolling back as he went limp beneath me.
I collapsed beside his body, my breathing shallow and ragged. The shipyard doors were kicked wide open, and bright tactical flashlights illuminated the smoke around me.
