Chapter 9 - BROTHER AGAINST BROTHEREmergency lights flashed red.
Luca stopped.
Adrian stood at the far end of the tunnel.
Alone.
His face was pale from the poison.
His right hand held a pistol.
“Move away from them,” Adrian said.
Luca laughed.
“You look like death.”
“Move.”
Hannah pulled Ellie behind a concrete support.
Luca raised his weapon.
“Three years.”
Adrian’s voice changed.
“You killed Elena.”
Luca said nothing.
“You killed Lily.”
“She wasn’t supposed to be there.”
Adrian’s hand trembled.
Not from weakness.
From rage.
Luca noticed.
“There he is.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”
“No.”
“You had everything.”
“You murdered my family because Dad chose me?”
“You never saw me.”
Adrian took one step forward.
“I saw you.”
“No. You saw your little brother. The screwup. The spare.”
“You were my brother.”
“I was nothing.”
Adrian’s eyes filled with something colder than hate.
“You were my daughter’s uncle.”
That silenced him.
For one moment, Luca looked almost ashamed.
Then it disappeared.
“You want to shoot me?”
Adrian aimed at his chest.
“Yes.”
Hannah watched from behind the pillar.
She believed him.
Ellie peeked around her mother.
“Mr. Moretti.”
Adrian heard her.
His eyes moved slightly.
That was enough.
Luca fired.
Adrian dove behind the wall.
The bullet hit concrete.
Hannah grabbed Ellie and ran deeper into the tunnel.
Gunshots exploded behind them.
Adrian fired twice.
Luca retreated toward the steel door.
“Go!” Adrian shouted.
Hannah reached the stairs.
“Ellie, up!”
Ellie climbed.
Halfway up, she stopped.
“Rosie!”
“What?”
“My bunny!”
Rosie had fallen in the tunnel.
“Leave it!”
Ellie looked back.
“But—”
“ELLIE!”
The child kept climbing.
Below, Adrian came around the corner.
Luca was gone.
Daniel lay bleeding beside the door.
Still alive.
Adrian dropped beside him.
“Where?”
Daniel gasped.
“Garage.”
“Why did you help him?”
Daniel coughed.
“He had my brother.”
“Where?”
“County jail. Luca paid men inside.”
Adrian pressed a hand against Daniel’s wound.
“You should’ve come to me.”
“I was scared.”
Adrian looked at him.
“So was Ellie.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
That cut deep.
Sirens approached outside.
Detective Sofia Reyes had arrived with two unmarked units.
Adrian rose.
Daniel grabbed his sleeve.
“Moretti.”
Adrian looked down.
“There’s another bomb.”
His blood ran cold.
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Daniel.”
“He said if the poisoning failed… burn the house.”
Adrian grabbed his radio.
“EVACUATE THE ESTATE!”
Upstairs, Hannah reached the main hall with Ellie.
Staff began running.
Marco came through the front doors.
“Move! Everybody outside!”
Ellie pulled Hannah toward him.
Then Ellie looked toward the grand staircase.
She smelled something.
Sharp.
Like the grocery store cleaning aisle.
Her eyes widened.
“Mommy.”
Hannah looked down.
“What?”
Ellie pointed toward the dining room.
May you like
“Gas.”
A second later, the first explosion ripped through the mansion.
