Chapter 7 - The Reckoning
The rain fell in relentless sheets over the deserted industrial district along the East River.
At Pier 88, an abandoned ironworks facility loomed over the black water like a rusted iron monster. Fog rolled thick across the docks, hiding the dark figures patrolling the perimeter.
Inside the sprawling warehouse, halogen floodlights illuminated the dirt floor.
Don Victor Moretti sat in a folding chair, sipping coffee from a paper cup, surrounded by fifteen heavily armed mercenaries carrying assault rifles.
Tied to a wooden chair in the center of the floor was little Nora. She was crying quietly, her small shoulders shaking, but she refused to look at Julian Vance, who was pacing back and forth furiously, checking his watch.
"Where is the helicopter?!" Julian shouted at Moretti. "You said the transport would be here by midnight!"
"Relax, prosecutor," Moretti sneered, tossing his coffee cup into a trash can. "The fog delayed the chopper ten minutes. Once it lands, you take the kid, fly to Canada, and sign the trust papers. And I take over Kane’s shipping empire."
"I don't like this," Julian muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Kane isn't dead. My men said he cleared the east wing in seconds."
"Kane is one man," Moretti scoffed, gesturing to his heavily armed crew. "Let him come. He walks into this warehouse, he leaves in a body bag."
CRASH!
Suddenly, the massive iron skylights overhead shattered into thousands of glass rain drops!
Black tactical ropes dropped down from the ceiling!
Before Moretti’s men could even raise their weapons, four flashbang grenades dropped onto the concrete floor!
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Blinding white light and thunderous sound waves exploded through the warehouse, instantly disorienting the mercenaries!
Down the ropes slid Gabriel Kane’s elite strike force, firing suppressed weapons with terrifying, mechanical precision!
PAK-PAK-PAK-PAK-PAK!
Mercenaries collapsed left and right, cut down before they could recover their vision!
Through the main heavy wooden doors of the warehouse came an armored SUV, slamming through the barricades at fifty miles an hour! The doors flew open, and Gabriel Kane stepped out into the smoke!
He wore black tactical gear, his face cold as marble, carrying a shotgun in his hands!
"Kane!" Moretti roared, grabbing a rifle and firing wildly through the smoke!
Gabriel didn't flinch. He walked straight through the crossfire, returning fire with lethal precision!
BOOM!
The shot caught Moretti directly in the chest, throwing the mob boss backward over a stack of wooden pallets, dead before he touched the ground!
The remaining mercenaries threw down their weapons, scattering into the darkness in utter terror!
In the center of the warehouse, Julian Vance panicked. He grabbed Nora from her chair, hauling her up, pulling his pistol and pressing it directly against her head!
"Stop! Stop right there, Kane!" Julian shrieked, his voice echoing hysterically through the rafters! "I'll kill her! I swear to God I'll blow her brains out!"
Gabriel stopped twenty feet away. The smoke cleared, revealing Gabriel standing alone, his shotgun lowered, his dark eyes locked on Julian.
Nora looked across the distance. Tears streamed down her face, but when she saw Gabriel, her tiny face lit up with absolute trust.
"Mister Gabriel!" Nora cried out. "You came!"
"I came, little one," Gabriel said softly.
Gabriel looked at Julian. "It’s over, Julian. Moretti is dead. Your men are gone. Put the gun down."
"Never!" Julian screamed, his arm shaking violently. "If I can't have the money, nobody gets anything! You ruined me!"
Julian’s finger began to squeeze the trigger!
In that split second, Gabriel didn't hesitate. He didn't shoot Julian—he threw himself forward, placing his own body directly between the barrel of Julian’s gun and little Nora!
BANG!
The bullet struck Gabriel directly in the left chest!
Gabriel gasped, the impact driving him down to one knee, blood instantly soaking his dark tactical vest! But despite the agonizing pain, Gabriel reached out with lightning speed, grabbing the barrel of Julian’s gun, twisting it upward, and snapping Julian’s wrist with a brutal CRACK!
Julian screamed in agony, dropping the weapon!
Gabriel stood up, towering over the corrupt prosecutor like a vengeful god. With a single, devastating blow, Gabriel struck Julian across the face, knocking him unconscious onto the cold dirt floor!
Gabriel dropped to his knees. He grabbed Nora, pulling her small body tightly against his chest, holding her as if he would never let her go again.
"I’ve got you," Gabriel gasped out, coughing slightly as blood seeped through his fingers. "I’ve got you, sweetheart..."
Nora wrapped her tiny arms around Gabriel’s neck, weeping against his shoulder. "Mister Gabriel... you're hurt..."
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Gabriel reached into his vest, pulling out the folded yellow blanket, and wrapped it gently around her shoulders.
"I told you," Gabriel whispered, a soft, bloody smile gracing his lips. "Heavy things don't blow away."
