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I clench my jaw, wanting to argue but knowing he's right. The plan is solid—I just want Ivan's blood more than I want to admit.
"Fine. We move together but when we find Ivan?—"
"He's yours," Alessio finishes my diktat. "We know."
I direct one last glance toward the second SUV parked half a block behind us. The silhouettes of Damiano and Enzo are barely visible in the darkness. I insisted they stay back—this is my mess to clean up not theirs.
"They won't stay put if shit hits the fan," Matteo mutters, following my gaze.
"I know." I check my watch again. "But I owe them everything. I can't drag them into my personal vendetta."
The Ferettis gave me a life when I had nothing. A purpose when I was just a kid with blood on his hands. I won't repay that by getting them killed over a woman I took without permission.
"Damiano's not stupid," Alessio says, adjusting his earpiece. "He knows what Ivan could do to his business if this goes wrong."
"That's why they're backup only." I pull the mask down over my face. "One minute."
The truth is I know they'll come in if they hear gunfire. Damiano Feretti protects his own and for better or worse, I'm family. They've given me everything for this operation—men, weapons, intelligence. All I asked was for them to stay back unless absolutely necessary.
"You ready?" I ask, checking my watch one last time.
Matteo nods. "Let's get your girl."
"Move," I say and we slip into the shadows, leaving behind the safety of distance and the knowledge that two of the most dangerous men in New York are watching our backs.
I lead the way through the darkness, every step precise as we move toward the service entrance. My night vision goggles reveal the landscape in eerie green clarity. According to the blueprints Ivan's townhouse isn't just a residence—it's a fortress with two underground levels.
"There," I say, pointing to what appears to be a normal section of brick wall near the service entrance.
Matteo moves beside me. "You sure?"
"Senator Williams' intel is solid. The Russians built this place during the Cold War—the paranoid bastards installed escape routes everywhere."
We approach the wall cautiously. What looks like ordinary brick to the naked eye has subtle differences only visible underclose inspection. I run my fingers along the seam where the hidden door should be.
"Ivan might be expecting me through the front but he doesn't know about this," I mutter, feeling for the mechanism. "The plans were classified until Williams pulled strings."
Alessio keeps watch while I work. "How do we know Ivan doesn't have the same connections?"
"We don't," I admit. "But it's our best shot."
My fingers find what I'm looking for—a small depression that shouldn't exist in normal brickwork. I press firmly, feeling something give way with a soft click. The section of wall shifts slightly.
"Got it," I whisper, pushing the hidden door inward. It moves silently on slick hinges.
A narrow passage appears, leading down. The air smells stale and metallic. I signal for Matteo and Alessio to follow as I step inside, gun raised.
"Straight to the lower level," I murmur into my comm. "That's where they'll keep prisoners."
The passage slopes downward, taking us beneath the main foundation. If Ivan has Evelyn and the others locked up they'll be in the second basement—the most secure area.
"Damiano, we're in," I report quietly. "Proceeding to target."
His voice comes through my earpiece. "Copy. Front diversion in two minutes."
I feel a surge of adrenaline as we descend deeper. Somewhere in this concrete maze Evelyn is waiting. I just hope to God we're not too late.
CHAPTER 26