Chapter 3 - The Genoa Trap
The blast in Genoa killed three dockworkers and crippled the primary shipping artery of Moretti Logistics. It was a declaration of war, executed with surgical precision. The Italian authorities were already launching a massive investigation, threatening to freeze Dominic’s global assets if any link to illegal operations was found.
"I have to go to Italy," Dominic told Elena as he packed a flight bag.
"I'm coming with you," Elena said, her voice leaving no room for argument.
"Elena, it’s too dangerous—"
"No," she interrupted, stepping close and grabbing his lapels. "If this Lucian is targeting our shipping firm, he’s targeting the legitimate life we built. I am the CFO of Moretti Logistics, Dominic. I know the Genoa accounts better than anyone. If the Italian financial police start digging, they will find things your father hid decades ago. You need me there to clean the digital trail while you handle the threat."
Dominic looked into her resolute eyes and saw the fierce, unbreakable woman who had survived years of torment. He nodded. "We leave in an hour. The kids will stay here under Gabriel’s personal protection."
Twenty-four hours later, Dominic and Elena arrived in Genoa. The Mediterranean air was thick with the scent of smoke and sea salt. The port terminal was a blackened skeleton of twisted metal and shattered glass.
They set up a temporary command center in a high-security penthouse overlooking the harbor. Elena immediately went to work, her fingers flying across her laptop, isolating the compromised servers and rerouting shipping schedules to prevent a total collapse of the company’s supply chain.
Meanwhile, Dominic met with Lorenzo, an old ally of his father who still held sway over the Italian docks.
"Lucian has deep pockets, Dominic," Lorenzo warned, puffing on a cigar. "He’s bought off half the harbor police and has the local Albanian syndicates doing his dirty work. He’s not just trying to ruin your business; he’s framing you. He’s planted a massive shipment of his synthetic opioids in one of your outbound container ships bound for New York."
"Which ship?" Dominic asked, his eyes narrowing.
"The Vincenzo," Lorenzo replied. "It sails in six hours. If that ship leaves port with the contraband, the DEA will seize it upon arrival, and Moretti Logistics will be finished. But if you try to stop it now, Lucian’s men will blow the ship up in the middle of the harbor, devastating Genoa."
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Dominic realized the trap. It was a perfect checkmate. Either let his company be destroyed by federal prosecution, or let it be physically destroyed by an explosion.
Unless he found a third option.
