Chapter 8 - The Syndicate Summit
Solazzo laughed, taking a slow puff from his cigar. "Bold words from a young man sitting on a dead brother’s throne. Where is your proof?"
Julian nodded to Marcus.
A large projector screen lowered behind the marble table. The encrypted flash drive was loaded into the system, illuminating the room with hundreds of pages of bank transfers, offshore account numbers, and wiretapped audio files recorded by Owen six years ago.
The voices of Richard Arden and Don Solazzo echoed through the speakers, clearly plotting the distribution of stolen Syndicate funds and arranging the precise location where Owen’s car was to be rammed off the highway.
Gasps and angry mutters erupted among the older family bosses seated around the table.
"He killed a Vale boss," the elder head of the Marcone family growled, slamming his fist onto the marble. "That violates the blood covenant!"
Solazzo’s arrogant grin withered into a bitter, ugly snarl. He realized instantly that the room had turned against him. There was no political maneuver left, no bribe that could save him from the mountain of evidence displayed on the screen.
"Kill them all!" Solazzo roared, reaching into his coat for his weapon.
His ten mercenaries drew their guns, but Julian was already three steps ahead.
Hidden panels along the high walls of the hall slid open, and twenty of Julian’s elite marksmen rained targeted fire down upon Solazzo’s men. Within ten seconds, all ten mercenaries collapsed to the carpet, their weapons skittering across the floor.
Solazzo was forced to his knees, his gun kicked out of his hand by Marcus.
Julian slowly walked around the marble table, stepping down to stand in front of the fallen don.
"Owen gave you six years of peace, Solazzo," Julian whispered, drawing his sidearm. "I'm only giving you six seconds."
"Wait—!" Solazzo gasped.
A single suppressed shot echoed through the hall.
Silence reclaimed the Grand Syndicate Hall. The remaining family bosses stood up, bowing their heads in unified submission toward Julian Vale.
"The Vale Syndicate assumes control of the northern territory," Julian announced, his voice carrying the absolute authority of a undisputed King. "Any man who questions this judgment knows where to find me."
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He turned his back on the body of Solazzo, walking straight past the blood and chaos toward the velvet chair where Lena waited.
He held out his hand. She took it without hesitation, letting him lead her out of the blood-stained hall and into the blinding light of the afternoon sun.
