Chapter 9 - The Shield
Three shots rang out in rapid succession, and the three mercenaries fell to the floor, motionless.
Mateo stepped through the smoke at the end of the corridor, his gun smoking, his eyes wild with a protective rage that terrified even his own men. He marched toward them, kicking the fallen weapons away from the bodies.
"Are you hit?" Mateo demanded, grabbing Elena by the shoulder, scanning her and the children for injuries.
"No... no, we're okay," Elena sobbed, holding Meera close.
Mateo looked down at Sophia. The little girl was trembling, her hands wrapped around his jacket, her face buried against his leg. He reached down, picking her up with one strong arm, holding her securely against his chest.
"Marco!" Mateo roared. "Take Elena and Meera down to the reinforced vault in the basement! Lock it from the inside!"
"What about you, boss?" Marco asked, reloading his weapon.
"I'm ending this tonight," Mateo said coldly.
He set Sophia down inside the vault entrance, looking deep into her tear-filled eyes.
"Listen to me, Sophia," Mateo said, his voice surprisingly soft despite the chaos surrounding them. "Go inside with your mother. Do not come out until I open this door myself. Do you understand?"
Sophia wiped her nose with her sleeve, nodding bravely. "You promised we were safe."
Mateo offered a rare, small smile. "I never break my promises."
He slammed the heavy steel vault door shut, locking it with a digital keycode.
Turning back toward the grand hall, Mateo pulled a combat knife from his belt and checked his primary weapon. The sound of footsteps approached from the lower floor—Don Romano himself had entered the house, flanked by his four remaining elite bodyguards.
Mateo descended the stairs slowly, deliberately, like a predator hunting in his own territory.
"MORETTI!" Romano yelled, stepping into the grand foyer, his gun raised. "It's over! Your men are falling! Give them up!"
Mateo didn't speak. He stepped out from the shadow of the pillar.
Before Romano could react, Mateo threw the combat knife with terrifying force. It struck the lead bodyguard in the throat, dropping him instantly. In the same second, Mateo raised his firearm, discharging four rapid rounds that cleared the remaining guards before they could even pull their triggers.
Romano staggered back, his eyes wide with horror as he realized his entire team had been eliminated in seconds.
He raised his gun with trembling hands. "Wait... Mateo... wait! We can make a deal!"
Mateo walked up to him, grabbed the barrel of Romano’s gun, twisted it out of his hand, and shattered Romano’s jaw with a single, brutal punch.
Romano hit the floor, spitting blood, cowering at the feet of the man he had dared to threaten.
"Please..." Romano choked out, holding up his bleeding hands. "Please... don't kill me..."
Mateo stood over him, his face cold, his eyes reflecting the dark fire of a man who had reclaimed his family's honor.
"You brought violence into my home," Mateo whispered. "You threatened children under my roof."
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He raised his weapon.
BANG.
