Chapter 7 - The Breach
The subterranean range suddenly plunged into near-total darkness as the estate's main power grid flickered and died. Emergency red backup lights hummed to life along the concrete floor, casting an eerie, crimson glow across the room.
"EMP strike," Marco muttered, drawing his weapon. "They've blinded our external security feeds on the west sector."
Alessandro didn't panic. He moved with cold, mechanical precision. He shoved the spare magazines into his belt, grabbed a tactical shotgun from the wall rack, and tossed it to Marco.
"Secure the residential elevators," Alessandro commanded. "They'll try to use the vertical shafts to bypass the ground-floor guards."
He turned his amber-flecked eyes toward Sophia, who stood frozen near the exit door.
"Stay behind me," Alessandro ordered, his voice brooking no argument.
"My daughter—" Sophia gasped, panic threatening to tear her chest apart. "Emma is in the east wing nursery!"
"The nursery is reinforced with steel shutters," Alessandro reassured her, though his jaw was locked tight. "Bruno is outside her door. Nothing is getting through that dog."
Suddenly, the heavy iron door at the end of the shooting range hallway groaned as a high-explosive charge blew the electronic lock off its hinges. Smoke billowed into the corridor, obscuring the figures stepping through the haze.
"Contact!" Marco roared, opening fire with a deafening blast from the tactical shotgun. Pellets tore through the drywall, forcing the intruders to duck back behind the concrete corners.
"Move!" Alessandro grabbed Sophia by the arm, yanking her behind a massive concrete support pillar as return fire ricocheted off the stone with sparks and screaming metal.
The shooting range had become a killing zone. Two of Sterling’s operatives pushed forward under the cover of smoke, wearing night-vision goggles and tactical body armor. Alessandro didn't hesitate. He stepped out from behind the pillar, raised his pistol, and fired twice with terrifying accuracy. Both operatives dropped instantly, lifeless before they hit the concrete.
"Two down, two more in the stairwell," Marco shouted over the ringing gunfire.
Alessandro reloaded in one fluid motion, keeping Sophia shielded behind his broad back. "Marco, flank them through the utility tunnel. Cut off their retreat."
"On it, Boss!" Marco ducked through a side maintenance hatch, disappearing into the shadows.
Sophia clung to Alessandro’s sleeve, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The reality of the world she had stumbled into—a world of blood, bullets, and ruthless survival—was crashing down around her with terrifying velocity.
Alessandro glanced down at her, seeing the pale terror in her face, yet noting with a strange sense of respect that she hadn't screamed once.
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"You're tougher than you look, Sophia," he said quietly above the din of distant shouting.
"I have to be," she whispered back. "My daughter is upstairs."
