Chapter 15 - The Bait
The destruction of the barn was a turning point. The toxic smoke ruined a significant portion of the early harvest, and the financial pressure on Moretti Logistics was mounting. The local community was growing nervous; the presence of federal agents and explosions in a quiet orchard was turning the town against them.
"We can't keep playing defense," Luca said during an emergency meeting in the kitchen. His face was smudged with soot, his jaw set in stone. "Victor is bleeding us dry, piece by piece. He won't stop until he sees this house burn."
"We need to bait him," Agent Vance said, leaning over a map of the tristate area. "We've traced the signature of the incendiary device back to a rogue arms dealer operating out of an abandoned railyard in Gary, Indiana. Victor is hiding there, using the industrial dead-zone to mask his electronic signature."
"I'll go," Luca said immediately.
"No, Luca! It's a suicide mission!" Sarah cried, grabbing his arm. "That's exactly what he wants!"
"He wants me, Sarah," Luca said gently, lifting her chin so she had to look into his amber eyes. "If I stay here, he will eventually find a way past the guards. He will find a way to reach you, or Lena, or Ash, or the baby. I survived him for twenty years before I met you. I know how he breathes. Let me finish this."
Sarah stared at him, her chest heaving with emotion. She knew he was right. Victor Moretti was a cancer that would never stop spreading until he was completely excised.
"You come back to me," Sarah whispered, her voice cracking as she pressed her forehead against his chest. "You promise me, Luca Moretti."
"I always come home to you, Sarah," he murmured.
Chapter1 6: Into the Industrial Dead-Zone
The railyard in Gary, Indiana, was a wasteland of rusted steel, shattered glass, and overgrown weeds, silhouetted against the dark grey sky. A storm was rolling in from Lake Michigan, thunder rumbling ominously in the distance.
Luca walked through the abandoned warehouse alone, his footsteps echoing against the concrete. Underneath his heavy jacket, he wore a secure wire, broadcasting his location and audio directly to Agent Vance’s tactical team, who were closing a tight perimeter two miles back.
"Victor!" Luca’s voice rang through the empty structure. "I'm here! Let's settle the family account!"
A mechanical click echoed from the shadows of a defunct locomotive. The headlights of the train suddenly flared to life, blinding Luca with a brilliant, artificial glare.
Stepping out from behind the light was Victor Moretti. He looked older, his face gaunt from his time in prison, but his eyes still carried that manic, predatory intelligence that had dominated the family for decades. He was flanked by four heavily armed mercenaries.
"Look at you," Victor mocked, his voice a dry rasp. "The great Luca Moretti, turned into a dirt-farmer in Michigan. You traded our family empire for a woman and a handful of orphans."
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"I traded a criminal syndicate for a life, Victor," Luca replied calmly, keeping his hands visible. "An empire built on blood is just a graveyard with a throne. Your time is over."
"My time ends when I say it ends!" Victor shouted, his face twisting with rage as he raised a silver-plated pistol. "You tore down everything I built! You put me in a cage! Now, I’m going to take everything from you, beginning with your peace of mind."
