Chapter 7 - The Highway Ambush
At 1:30 PM, the decoy convoy left the Duca estate—four massive black armored SUVs accompanied by three police motorcycles, sirens blaring as they roared onto the interstate towards downtown.
Ten minutes later, a modest silver sedan pulled out of a hidden service exit at the rear of the estate.
I was at the wheel, wearing a simple jacket and dark sunglasses. In the backseat sat Elena, dressed in plain clothes, holding Mia’s hand. In the passenger seat sat Brutus, my Doberman, his ears erect, sensing the tension in the air.
"How are you holding up back there?" I asked, looking into the rearview mirror.
"My heart feels like it’s going to burst out of my chest," Elena admitted, forcing a brave smile for her daughter. "Is the decoy convoy safe?"
"Marco and thirty federal marshals are inside those armored vehicles," I assured her. "They’re prepared for heavy engagement. Moretti’s men think they’re walking into an ambush on a defenseless woman, but they’re walking into a military meat grinder."
As we drove quietly through the suburban side streets, avoiding the main highways, my tactical earpiece buzzed.
"Boss! It’s Marco!" heavy gunfire and explosive detonations echoed in the background over the comms. "They took the bait! Two semi-trucks tried to block the interstate bridge near 5th Avenue! Mercenaries engaged us with rocket launchers! We're wiping them out, but Moretti’s second team wasn't at the bridge!"
I froze, my hands tightening on the steering wheel. "What do you mean?"
"We intercepted a radio comm from one of the captured mercenaries," Marco yelled over the sound of automatic weapons fire. "Moretti knew about the decoy! Someone inside the marshal's office leaked the route details, including the secondary private exits!"
Before Marco could finish his sentence, a heavy garbage truck suddenly ran a red light at the intersection ahead of us, swinging wildly across the street to block both lanes!
I slammed on the brakes, the tires squealing as the silver sedan skidded to a halt just twenty feet from the massive truck.
Behind us, two black sedans pulled up fast, blocking our escape from the rear.
We were completely trapped in an empty industrial alleyway.
"Lorenzo!" Elena screamed from the backseat, pulling Mia down to the floorboards.
Doors slammed open on the black sedans behind us. Eight armed men in heavy body armor stepped out, raising automatic rifles.
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From the passenger side of the garbage truck in front of us, Julian Moretti stepped down onto the asphalt, a heavy shotgun resting on his shoulder and a sick, triumphant grin spread across his face.
"Did you really think you were smarter than my father, Lorenzo?" Julian shouted, walking slowly toward my car. "Step out of the vehicle with your hands up, or we turn this car into a strainer!"
