Chapter 6 - The Breach at Midnight
"We have seven targets inside the perimeter," Roman's voice came through the tactical earpiece Declan handed to Maeve as they moved quickly down the service corridor toward the central security wing.
The house was illuminated only by the frantic flashes of red emergency LED strips along the baseboards.
Gabriel met them at the junction near the grand dining room. He was holding a silenced suppressed pistol in each hand, his silk shirt stained with grease from the basement generator room.
"They brought a breach team," Gabriel reported quickly, his eyes darting to Maeve. "They cut the primary communications cable at the road. No radio signals are getting out through the fog."
"Where's Roman?" Maeve asked, her voice steady despite the rapid pounding of her heart.
"Holding the central staircase," Gabriel replied. "Lorenzo Moretti himself is leading the hit team. He thinks he's taking this house tonight."
"He's not taking anything," Declan growled, racking the slide of a captured submachine gun. "Maeve, get to the safe room behind the pantry. The door is three-inch titanium. Nothing gets through it."
"No," Maeve said firmly.
Both brothers stopped, staring at her in the dim red light.
"Excuse me?" Gabriel asked, an eyebrow twitching.
"The pantry safe room shares an air vent with the main breaker room," Maeve said rapidly, pointing down the hall. "I cleaned those vents yesterday. If they throw smoke or gas into the basement to clear Roman out, it will siphon straight into the safe room's filtration unit. You need to manual-override the damper valve in the utility closet first."
Gabriel stared at her, his jaw dropping slightly. "How the hell do you know that?"
"I read the maintenance manual while I was dusting the boiler!" Maeve snapped. "Now give me a flashlight and shut up!"
Before Gabriel could argue, a barrage of heavy automatic fire erupted from the grand foyer above them.
RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
Plaster rained down from the ceiling. Glass shattered in the main hallway as Roman engaged the primary assault force on the stairs.
"Go with Gabriel!" Declan ordered, turning toward the foyer. "Fix the valve! I'll cover Roman!"
Declan sprinted into the dark foyer, his weapon roaring as he provided suppressive fire for his brother.
Gabriel grabbed Maeve by the wrist, pulling her down the narrow service stairs toward the utility basement. "Stay behind me!"
They reached the utility room just as two Moretti hitmen kicked open the outer basement door.
Gabriel didn't hesitate. He raised both pistols, firing four rapid, precise shots through the shadows. Both intruders dropped instantly without making a sound.
"Over there!" Maeve pointed to a heavy red lever mounted high on the concrete wall beside the roaring diesel backup pumps.
She jumped onto a metal tool crate, reached up, and grabbed the iron handle.
It was rusted shut.
"It won't budge!" Maeve gasped, putting her entire body weight onto the lever.
Gabriel stepped up beside her, his arms wrapping around her waist as he added his strength to hers. Their bodies pressed tightly together in the cold, narrow space, the heat radiating off Gabriel's chest warming her back.
"On three," Gabriel whispered in her ear, his breath hot against her skin. "One... two... three!"
They pulled together.
CLANK!
The iron damper valve swung down, locking into place with a heavy metallic thud. A loud hiss echoed through the pipes as the safe room's air supply re-routed to the external cliffside intake.
"Valve secured!" Gabriel called out.
Suddenly, the heavy steel door behind them was kicked open.
Lorenzo Moretti stood in the doorway—a heavy, broad-shouldered man in a wet trench coat, holding a heavy revolver in his gloved hand.
"Well, well," Lorenzo sneered, his yellowed teeth flashing in the dim red light. "The quiet Falcone brother... trapped in a basement with the maid."
Gabriel instantly shifted his body, placing himself completely between Lorenzo's gun and Maeve. He raised his pistol, but Lorenzo was faster—he fired a shot that struck Gabriel squarely in the shoulder.
Gabriel gritted his teeth, stumbling back into Maeve, his pistol clattering onto the concrete floor.
"Gabriel!" Maeve cried, catching him as he sagged against her.
Lorenzo stepped into the room, raising his revolver to point it directly at Gabriel's forehead. "Tell your brothers I'll see them in hell."
Maeve didn't think.
She reached onto the work bench beside her, grabbed a open gallon bucket of industrial grade drain solvent—a concentrated acid she had been using to clear the ancient pipes—and hurled the contents straight into Lorenzo Moretti's face.
Lorenzo let out a blood-curdling shriek as the liquid hit his eyes and skin.
He dropped his revolver, clutching his face in agony, screaming as he stumbled backward out the door.
Gabriel, bleeding heavily from his shoulder, looked up at Maeve from the floor, his dark eyes wide with utter shock and awe.
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"Maeve..." Gabriel gasped, a wild, breathless laugh breaking from his lips. "Marry me."
"Shut up and hold your shoulder," Maeve grumbled, pulling his silk tie off and wrapping it tightly around his wound.
