Chapter 11 - SAINT AGNES
Saint Agnes Church had been abandoned since 1998.
Beneath it ran tunnels built during Prohibition.
Dante knew them because his grandfather had used them to move liquor.
"Your family has cheerful traditions," I whispered.
He almost smiled.
We entered through a drainage tunnel behind the cemetery.
Rosa remained with the vehicles.
Dante brought six men.
I wore a bulletproof vest beneath a black jacket.
"Stay behind me," he whispered.
"You say that a lot."
"And you ignore it a lot."
We reached a steel door.
Voices beyond it.
Enzo's voice.
"...they're not coming."
Salvatore answered.
"My son always comes."
Dante looked at me.
Then gave the signal.
The door exploded inward.
Gunfire erupted.
I dropped behind concrete.
Dante's men moved fast.
Controlled.
Two guards fell.
Another surrendered.
"Matteo!" Dante shouted.
"Here!"
We ran deeper.
Enzo was fighting Nolan's restraints.
"Boss!"
Dante raised his gun.
Enzo froze.
"Don't."
"Dante," Matteo shouted. "He's with us."
Dante lowered the weapon.
Barely.
I ran toward my father.
"Dad."
Thomas stared at me like I was still twelve years old.
"My baby."
I dropped beside him.
He touched my face.
"You look like your mother."
I cried then.
Not elegantly.
Not quietly.
Years of grief came out at once.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"You don't get to disappear for eleven years and just say sorry."
"I know."
"We're going to have a very long conversation."
"I hope so."
A gunshot cracked.
Dante stumbled.
"Dante!"
Blood spread across his shoulder.
Salvatore stood at the far end of the tunnel.
Gun raised.
"My disappointing son."
Dante fired back.
Salvatore disappeared behind a wall.
"Go!" Dante shouted.
His men pursued him.
I pressed my hand to Dante's wound.
"It's through."
"I'm fine."
"You're bleeding."
"Still fine."
Nolan shouted from his chair.
"Can somebody untie me before the psychopath comes back?"
I looked at him.
For two years, I had feared his voice.
Now he looked small.
Pathetic.
Still dangerous.
But small.
I cut the rope.
Nolan rubbed his wrists.
"Thanks."
"Don't misunderstand."
"I don't."
He looked at my father.
"Thomas."
My father stared at him.
"You."
Nolan looked uncomfortable.
"You know me?"
Thomas laughed bitterly.
"You're David Carter's son."
Nolan froze.
Dante looked over.
"Who's David Carter?"
My father answered.
"The man who planted the bomb under Matteo's car."
Nolan went white.
"No."
Thomas nodded.
"Your father worked for Salvatore."
Nolan shook his head.
"He died when I was nine."
"He didn't."
Nolan's face collapsed.
It was almost cruel how often the dead kept returning tonight.
Before anyone could speak, an explosion shook the tunnel.
Dust fell.
Enzo cursed.
"Salvatore's collapsing the exits."
Dante looked down the corridor.
"Move!"
We ran.
Then Nolan stopped.
I turned.
"What?"
He stared into a side chamber.
A man stood there.
Older.
Heavy.
With Nolan's eyes.
Nolan whispered, "Dad?"
David Carter smiled.
May you like
"Hello, son."
Then he raised a gun directly at me.
