Chapter 7 - Ambush in the Dark
The thunderous roar of automatic gunfire bounced off the concrete walls of the underground garage, creating a deafening wall of sound. Glass shattered, tires squealed, and concrete dust filled the air like a thick gray fog.
Dominic reacted instantly. He grabbed Norah by the waist, practically lifting her off her feet, and threw both of them behind a massive concrete pillar just as a hail of bullets chipped away the corner of the wall above their heads.
"Leo! Suppressing fire!" Dominic roared over the din.
Leo and the four remaining guards dropped to their knees behind an armored SUV, unleashing a brutal counter-barrage that forced the masked gunmen back into the cover of their vans.
Norah crouched against the cold concrete, her dark green dress collecting dirt and debris. She reached into her velvet clutch, pulled out her small silver Derringer, and checked the chamber. Two shots. A belly gun. Useless at this range, but she held it with a firm, practiced grip.
Dominic reloaded his pistol with a smooth, lightning-fast motion, popping out from behind the pillar to drop two advancing gunmen with precise shots to the center chest.
"They knew our exit route!" Dominic shouted over the gunfire, slamming his back against the pillar beside her. "Kosta must have set this up before we even walked into the ballroom!"
"He didn't care about the vault key!" Norah realized, her mind racing through the tactical calculus. "He knew if he killed me, the FBI files would release, but he figured he could use the chaos to wipe out you, me, and your entire leadership structure in one night! He’s going to frame Vivien for the massacre and take complete control of both syndicates!"
"Smart plan," Dominic gritted out, popping out again to fire three rapid shots. "Too bad he sent amateurs."
Suddenly, the lights in the parking garage flickered and died. Total, suffocating darkness enveloped the underground space, broken only by the bright orange tongue of muzzle flashes.
"Night vision!" Leo screamed from across the garage. "Boss, they have night vision!"
A volley of bullets chewed into the pillar right above Dominic's head. The gunmen were moving in under the cover of pitch blackness, flanking their position.
Norah felt a sudden wave of ice flush through her veins. But it wasn't fear—it was pure, instinctual calculation.
She reached out, touching Dominic’s arm. "Dominic! The sprinkler main! It's behind the maintenance door ten feet to your right!"
Dominic glanced toward the darkness. "What?"
"The garage uses an old industrial halogen backup system!" Norah urged, her voice sharp and commanding. "If the water flow sensors trigger, the high-intensity emergency floodlights will automatically force-strike! It’ll blind anyone wearing night-vision goggles!"
Dominic didn't hesitate. He trusted her implicitly. He leaned out, fired four quick rounds down the corridor to force the flankers down, and sprinted into the darkness toward the red maintenance valve box.
He hit the heavy iron valve with his shoulder, grabbed the wheel, and cranked it with all his strength.
With a loud, metallic CLANG, pressurized water burst from the overhead pipes, showering the entire garage in a heavy downpour.
Three seconds later, the automated safety system kicked in.
BZZZZZZT!
A dozen massive, 10,000-lumen halogen floodlights flared to life instantly overhead, bathing the entire concrete garage in a blinding, artificial white glare.
Distant screams of agony echoed through the space as the masked gunmen, wearing sensitive night-vision optics, were instantly blinded by the sudden surge of light. They dropped their weapons, clawing at their eyes in sheer agony.
"Now!" Dominic yelled.
Leo and his men charged forward, taking advantage of the enemy's total incapacitation. Within thirty seconds, the firefight was over. Eight masked mercenaries were disarmed and forced onto their knees, screaming and holding their burnt eyes.
Dominic walked back to the pillar, wet from the overhead sprinklers, his coat dripping onto the floor. He offered his hand to Norah.
She took it, pulling herself up. Her dress was ruined, drenched in water and stained with grease, but her eyes were cold, bright, and completely triumphant.
Dominic walked over to the lead gunman, who was writhing on the wet floor. He unceremoniously ripped off the man's tactical mask.
It was Kosta’s personal bodyguard.
Dominic looked up at Leo, his expression terrifyingly calm. "Get the cars. We're going to Kosta's estate."
Norah stepped up beside him, smoothing her wet hair back from her face. "Not to kill him, Dominic."
Dominic turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "He just tried to put a hundred bullets in us, Norah."
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"Death is too easy for a man like Kosta," Norah said softly, her voice carrying a dark, poetic chill. "We are going to take everything he owns, expose him to the council, and leave him with nothing. I want him to watch us build our empire from a prison cell."
Dominic looked at his quiet wife, a dark, proud smile spreading across his lips. "Lead the way, Boss."
