Chapter 6 - The Broken Link
The safety of the fortress was shattered not by an assassin's bullet, but by a legal document. By Thursday morning, a black sedan arrived at the gates carrying a high-ranking state official and a child protective services representative, escorted by a platoon of state police.
Don Falcone had used his remaining political connections to initiate an emergency custody investigation, claiming that Ethan was being kept in an unsafe environment by an organized crime figure, and that Grace Miller was an unrelated civilian acting as an unlicensed guardian.
"We have an emergency removal order, Mr. Salvatichi," the social worker said, her hands trembling as she held out the paperwork in the grand foyer. "Until a full fitness hearing can be conducted in a neutral court, the child must be placed in a state facility."
Dante’s hand went immediately to his jacket, his eyes turning a lethal, terrifying black. "Touch my son, and none of you leave this property alive."
"Dante, stop!" Grace stepped between him and the police officers, her heart dropping into her shoes. She looked at the paperwork, her analytical mind spotting the trap. If Dante opened fire on state police, he would be classified as a domestic terrorist, and Ethan would be lost to the system forever. Falcone wanted Dante to react with violence.
"Let them take him," Grace said, her voice shaking but clear.
Dante looked at her as if she had stabbed him. "What did you say?"
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"Let them take him to the temporary shelter at the St. Jude Home," Grace said, looking into his eyes, communicating a silent message. "It's a state facility, but it's public. Falcone can't touch him there without starting a war with the federal government. And it buys us twenty-four hours to deploy our real weapons."
Dante looked at his son, who was crying, clutching Grace’s sweater. Then he looked at Grace, realizing she was playing a higher level of chess than he had ever attempted. He lowered his hand. "Twenty-four hours, Grace. If he is not back by tomorrow night, I play by my rules."
