Chapter 7 - Ambush on 5th Avenue
At 9:45 AM the following morning, the sun attempted to pierce through the heavy grey fog hanging over Manhattan.
A convoy of three black armored Escalades pulled out of the underground parking garage of the Thorne Estate, moving in a tight tactical formation toward 5th Avenue.
Inside the middle SUV, tint so dark no one could see inside, sat Vance in the driver's seat, his hands steady on the leather steering wheel.
" convoy approaching the primary intersection," Vance spoke into his tactical ear-piece. "Keep your eyes open."
As the convoy turned onto a quieter side street near the private medical clinic, a heavy garbage truck suddenly ran a red light from an alleyway, slamming hard into the lead SUV.
CRASH!
Metal twisted and glass shattered as the lead vehicle was pushed sideways onto the sidewalk. Simultaneously, two dark delivery vans pulled up from behind, completely blocking the rear escape route.
Over ten armed men dressed in tactical vests and ski masks poured out of the vans, weapons raised, completely surrounding the middle Escalade.
Marco Moretti stepped out of the passenger side of the lead van, carrying a heavy submachine gun. He walked slowly toward the middle SUV, a triumphant, arrogant grin plastered across his face.
"Get out of the car!" Marco shouted, tapping the barrel of his weapon against the reinforced driver's side window. "Hand over the woman and the kid, and maybe we don't blow your heads off right here on the pavement!"
The driver's window slid down two inches.
Vance looked out at Marco, completely unbothered by the heavy firearms pointed at his chest. "You're making a very expensive mistake, Moretti."
Marco laughed loudly, turning to his men. "You hear this guy? He thinks Johnny Thorne can save him!" Marco turned back, glaring viciously. "Tell Thorne his empire belongs to Philadelphia now! Open the back doors!"
Suddenly, the heavy rear doors of all three SUVs swung open simultaneously.
Instead of a terrified woman and a baby, six elite, heavily armed Gallows enforcers stepped out, wearing full tactical armor and carrying suppressed automatic rifles.
Marco’s smile instantly vanished. "What the—"
From the top floor of the adjacent brownstone building across the street, a single sniper rifle shot echoed through the alley.
THWIP!
The weapon in Marco's hand shattered into pieces as the high-caliber bullet struck the receiver, knocking him flat onto his back in sheer shock.
Before his men could fire a single round, Johnny Thorne stepped out from the rear of the third Escalade, wearing a long dark coat, holding a heavy silver firearm.
"Looking for me, Marco?" Johnny asked, his voice echoing cold and clear through the empty street.
Within ten seconds, every single one of Marco’s men was disarmed and forced onto their knees on the pavement by Johnny's elite team. The ambush had turned into a complete tactical trap in less than thirty seconds.
Johnny walked slowly over to where Marco lay bleeding from his ruined hand, clutching his wrist in agony. He stood over the mob captain, looking down at him as if he were nothing more than an insect.
"You... you set us up..." Marco whimpered, staring up at the terrifying figure towering above him.
"You threatened my family, Marco," Johnny said softly, setting the polished tip of his leather boot against Marco's chest. "In my world, that is a sentence from which there is no appeal."
"Wait! Wait!" Marco panicked, tears mixing with the grease on his face. "It wasn't my idea! It was Arthur Rivers and Matthew Hayes! They paid me! They gave me the information!"
Johnny stooped down, his dark eyes locking onto Marco's terrified gaze. "I know. And they are next."
Johnny stood up, turning to Vance. "Hand Marco and his men over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with the recorded audio of their conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Let them spend the next thirty years in a maximum-security prison."
"Understood, boss," Vance nodded. "And Arthur Rivers?"
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Johnny pulled a fine silk handkerchief from his pocket, casually wiping a speck of dust off his cuff.
"Arthur Rivers' hedge fund collapses at noon today," Johnny said smoothly. "Have federal marshals seize his assets. As for Matthew Hayes..." Johnny's eyes burned with cold vengeance. "...tell him I'm coming to collect his final debt."
