Chapter 6 - The Ambush at the Estate
Despite Maeve’s sharp ears, the war for control of New York’s underworld was far from over.
Salvatore Rossi had escaped federal custody with the help of a corrupt marshal, joining forces with the residual factions of the Volk syndicate.
Late one evening, as Dominic and Maeve returned to the Rossi country estate, a heavy explosion rocked the main gates.
Gunfire shattered the silence of the night.
"INTRUDERS!" Marco shouted over the radio. "THEY BROKE THROUGH THE WEST PERIMETER!"
Dominic immediately drew his weapon, pulling Maeve behind his broad frame. "Get to the panic room, Maeve!"
"Not without you!" Maeve demanded, grabbing his arm.
A squad of armed men in tactical gear burst through the glass doors of the conservatory. Dominic returned fire with deadly precision, taking down three attackers, but a bullet grazed his shoulder, sending him staggering back against a marble column.
"Dominic!" Maeve cried out.
Salvatore Rossi stepped into the hallway, holding a shotgun, a twisted smile on his face. "It ends tonight, nephew! Everything your father built belongs to me!"
Maeve looked around frantically. Beside her lay an open intercom system connected to the estate’s external PA system.
She grabbed the microphone, flipped the switch, and began speaking into it in a loud, commanding, and terrified Romani dialect—the specific dialect used by the mercenary group Salvatore had hired.
"CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE!" Maeve shouted into the speaker. "Salvatore's bank accounts in Zurich have just been frozen by federal agents! He has no money to pay your bounty! Kill him and leave, or you won't get a single cent!"
The mercenary leader hesitated, his weapon lowering as he looked at Salvatore in sudden doubt. "Is this true, Salvatore?! You promised us ten million!"
"She's lying! Shoot them!" Salvatore screamed in panic.
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But the seed of doubt was planted. The mercenaries turned their weapons on Salvatore, demanding their payment, creating total chaos.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Dominic fired two quick shots, neutralizing the remaining threat and securing the room.
