Chapter 14

Vitale and Domenico were in the abandoned construction, analyzing every corner carefully. The shadows lengthened around them, and the cold air carried with it a faint smell of mold.

—And now what? Domenico continued, his voice barely above a whisper. How are we going to surprise them?

"Wait, let me think," Vitale said, his expression serious as his mind worked a mile an hour.

The tension was palpable; even the gentle whisper of the breeze seemed to warn them of the impending danger.

"Look over the wall," Vitale told Domenico. Be careful, so they don't see you.

They were hidden behind a time-worn wall, and next to them was a huge hallway that connected to the back of the place. This hallway was completely exposed, exposed to the sunlight streaming in, creating a contrast between the darkness inside and the brightness outside.

Domenico nodded and prepared to look out, barely taking his eyes out of the side of the worn wall.

—What do you see? —Vitale asked in a whisper, keeping his gaze fixed on Domenico.

"I can see four men," Domenico answered, his voice trembling with tension. They are gathered, sitting in strange boxes. And... oh no, they have guns; There are rifles leaning on the boxes.

Domenico slowly stood out, feeling a wave of worry.

"They have weapons, I think it won't be easy," Domenico said, his voice barely a thread as his mind began to calculate possible strategies.

The reality of the situation hung over them like a shadow, and they both knew that any mistake could cost them dearly.

—Calm down, it's not that serious. Did you say they had rifles? "That makes it easier," Vitale stated, a flash of confidence in his eyes. It could have been worse. Think about it: they could have had submachine guns, then you would have to worry.

Domenico nodded slowly, looking at Vitale with a mixture of admiration and relief. His friend's calmness was almost contagious, as if he knew exactly how to handle the situation.

Vitale seemed to be calculating something in his mind, his expression focused but calm. Domenico felt that, although danger was present, there was a ray of hope in Vitale's words.

"You're right," Domenico responded, taking a deep breath. Maybe we can use that to our advantage.

"Listen... We can do this," Vitale said, his voice firm. You're going to distract them, I'll go down the other hallway, and I'll shoot them from the other side once they're distracted. There are four of them, right? Then it will be easier.

-That? Do you want me to distract them? We don't know what those guys are like. What if they don't let me talk and they shoot me? —Domenico protested.

"Relax, everything is going to be fine," Vitale responded confidently. I'll take care of shooting them before anything happens to you. But don't fall asleep; you have to be alert. If it gets complicated, don't hesitate to take out the gun I gave you.

Vitale said this with a determination that made Domenico feel a slight relief, Vitale marched to his position, moving away from him like a determined lightning bolt.

Domenico took a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline begin to surge through his body. He knew he had to do his part, even though he was nervous inside; On the outside, it was like a rock. The silence of the hallway enveloped him, interrupted only by the distant echo of men's voices.

Domenico swallowed and, determined, began to walk down the hallway, feeling each step like an echo. As he approached the men, the tension in the air became palpable.

The men instantly became aware of her presence, their gazes sharp as knives. They began to murmur among themselves, exchanging looks of distrust.

—Are you a buyer? —one whispered, with a raised eyebrow.

—No, I don't think it is. "I don't remember ever seeing that guy in my life," another responded, his tone full of disdain.

Domenico clenched his fists and took a step closer, each step a mix of determination and fear.

-Hey! "Don't come any closer," one of the men shouted, his voice echoing with a menacing tone that made Domenico stop in his tracks. Do we know you? Who the hell are you?

Domenico was quickly evaluating his options. He knew he had to act quickly or his plan could fall apart before it began.

—Hello, guys! How are they? I was just passing by; "They told me I could get boats or motorboats at a good price," Domenico improvised, trying to sound friendly while a forced smile appeared on his face.

The men looked at each other, their narrowed eyes filled with distrust. The atmosphere became tense, as if the air was charged with electricity. One of them frowned.

—And who do you think you are? he asked, crossing his arms. We haven't seen your face around here before.

Domenico felt a shiver run down his spine, but he held his position, searching in his mind for a way to divert attention. Meanwhile, Vitale listened from the other side of the hallway, carefully leaning out to observe the situation. He knew he had to wait for the right moment to act.

Domenico took a deep breath, trying to remain calm as the men examined him warily. Every second that passed felt like an eternity.

One of the men stood up, taking three firm steps forward, approaching Domenico with a menacing expression.

"Get out of here, you idiot," he said, his eyes dripping with contempt.

Domenico felt a knot in his stomach, but tried to maintain his composure.

—Hey, you don't have to rush. "I'm just here to negotiate, you know," he replied, trying to sound convincing.

—Are you an idiot? I told you to go away. "Turn around and get out of here," the man clarified with a firm tone that left little room for doubt.

With a subtle gesture of his face, the man in front of Domenico signaled to another who remained seated. Without saying a word, he began to move slowly towards a rifle leaning against the wall, his intention clear and dangerous.

From a distance, Vitale realized the situation: it was evident that they wanted to eliminate Domenico. He prepared his MP5; It was time to act.

"Now or never," Vitale murmured to himself, feeling determination take hold of him.

Just at that moment, the man raised the rifle, pointing it at Domenico. Without hesitation, Vitale leaned completely out from behind the wall, his MP5 firmly in his hands.

-High! —he shouted as he pulled the trigger, firing mercilessly. Bullets flew like deadly arrows, and men tried to take cover; Two threw themselves to the ground, but it was too late.

The bullets hit them, collapsing to the ground without vital signs, leaving a chilling silence in the air. One of the remaining men desperately tried to take cover behind some stacked boxes, his face pale and terrified.

Vitale stopped the fire, his heavy breathing ringing in his ears as he began to approach them cautiously. Every step was a reminder of the danger that still lurked.

The man in front of Domenico was shocked to see Vitale approaching. With a mix of fury and desperation, he turned to Domenico.

"So it was a distraction," he spat, his eyes burning with rage.

"Yes, that's right, and you fell completely," Domenico responded, as his hand moved toward the M9 pistol he carried with him.

The man, realizing Domenico's intention, did not hesitate for a second. He launched himself at him with all his strength, surprising Domenico, who was not expecting such a sudden attack. They both fell to the ground tangled in a chaotic struggle.

Domenico felt the gun slip from his hands, sliding away from them as they struggled for control over each other. Sweat poured down his forehead; Every movement was a desperate attempt to regain control.

In the midst of the chaos, the sounds of the surroundings seemed to fade away, leaving only the noise of their bodies hitting the ground and their labored breaths.

Meanwhile, Vitale pointed at the boxes, his gaze fixed on the man hiding behind them. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger, and the bullets passed through the wood with ease, as if they were paper.

Each shot rang through the air with a dull echo, and Vitale felt a mixture of adrenaline and contempt as he watched several bullets hit their target. The man screamed, a heartbreaking sound that was quickly drowned out, falling into a pool of blood that slowly spread across the floor.

—Did you want to hide? "Asshole," Vitale said scornfully, letting contempt seep into his voice as he watched the scene before him. The image of the inert body reminded him of the fragility of life; However, that reality seemed distant at the time.

The silence that followed was overwhelming, interrupted only by the faint sound of the wind moving the boxes, as if the very atmosphere was mourning the loss.

Suddenly, Vitale became aware of the sounds of struggling that echoed in the air, remembering that he still had one guy left to eliminate.

Domenico, focused on the fight, did not see the blow that the man landed on his face coming. The impact rang like thunder in his ears, leaving him writhing in pain, a sharp stab that momentarily clouded his vision.

The man, full of determination and adrenaline, quickly stood up from the ground, ignoring the tension in his body. His eyes focused on the pistol that Domenico had dropped during the struggle; It was his only chance.

He ran towards the gun, his hands shaking with adrenaline as he gripped it firmly.

Domenico, still recovering, slowly stood up, wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand. —You're a bastard, just wait—

His voice suddenly cut off as he heard the cold, menacing sound of the barrel of the gun the man held, pointed at him.

"You're stupid," the man said, a deranged smile appearing on his face. I'm not leaving here without taking one of you.

The air became thick; Domenico felt fear run down his spine, while his heart pounded. Just at that moment, Vitale appeared like a bolt of lightning, his figure imposing.

Without hesitation, he shot the man multiple times, each explosion resounding like a scream of suppressed rage. The bullets found their target with precision, and the man fell to the ground in an instant, his smile fading into a growing puddle of blood that slowly spread across the floor.

Vitale breathed heavily, feeling his anger dissipate at the sight of his fallen enemy. Domenico looked at him with gratitude mixed with disbelief; He had been on the verge of ruining it.

A heavy silence fell over the place, as if the world itself held its breath at the brutality that had taken place. Vitale walked slowly forward, his boots staining the bottom with blood, each step echoing in the void.

Domenico stood up, still unsteady, and looked at Vitale with gratitude. "Thank you, I don't know what I would do if you didn't arrive," he said, his voice a whisper amid the tension of the moment.

"Don't thank me," Vitale responded, his gaze serious and cold as steel, reflecting the weight of what they had experienced.

—We did a good job; "We put an end to these bastards." Domenico tried to smile. Although I wish we could have done it without breaking my jaw.

"You're careless," Vitale replied in a firm tone. I told you not to sleep.

The echo of his words faded into the tense air. "Let's get out of here," Vitale finally said, looking around.

Domenico approached the body of the man who had nearly eliminated him, feeling a mixture of relief and disdain. "You were close," he whispered, letting out a sigh. "No one is going to miss you," he replied bitterly, observing the blank expression on the man's face.

—Hey, Domenico! "Come and stop talking to a dead man," Vitale said from a little further away, his voice echoing with an impatient tone.

Domenico shook off the dark thoughts and ran towards the place where Vitale was calling him.

"Look, here they are," Vitale said, pointing toward a small dock where several small boats and launches were moored. I guess that white boat is the one Mark wants, right?

"Yes, that must be it," Domenico stated.

The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, dyeing the sky orange and purple tones, as both men prepared to leave that place behind.

"Here, Domenico," Vitale said, tossing him his car keys. You take the car to Mark's house; I'll take care of the boat. We will meet there.

Domenico caught the keys with a quick gesture, a nervous smile appearing on his face. —Okay, then I'm leaving this place. Be careful, don't get wet," Domenico joked, trying to lighten the mood before walking away.

"Wait, Domenico, before you go," Vitale interrupted. Help me throw these bodies into the river. Let's take advantage of the fact that it's right next door.

Domenico stopped and nodded seriously. "Yes, you're right," he replied, feeling the weight of what they were about to do.

They both approached the lifeless bodies and, with effort, began to drag them towards the edge of the river. The current murmured softly, as if it were awaiting his arrival. With one last push, they threw the four bodies into the water; The dull sound of the impact was lost in the murmur of the river.

-Ready. Now you can go, Domenico; "See you there," Vitale said, wiping his hands on his pants as if trying to erase what they had just done.

Domenico looked at him for a moment, feeling a mixture of relief and unease before turning and walking away.

Vitale started the boat's engine as he climbed in, feeling it vibrate gently beneath him. Looking around, he noticed that it was wonderful inside; The leather seats were spotless and the control panel glowed with soft lights.

"Now I realize why it's worth so much," Vitale said, a mixture of amazement and satisfaction in his voice.

Finally, he started the boat, feeling the engine roar loudly as it began to glide over the water. The cool breeze caressed his face as he navigated the river.

As he walked away, an ambiguous sensation invaded him: freedom mixed with an echo of the horror he had just experienced. But now there was only one clear direction: towards Mark's house.