Chapter 14 - The Poisoned Pawn
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Dominic stood up slowly, ignoring the agonizing pain in his shoulder. He walked over to where Tommy was kneeling in the dust. Silas and Marcus kept their weapons drawn, not trusting the miraculous reappearance of the thief.
“What is the message, Thomas?” Dominic asked, his voice echoing in the empty church.
Tommy coughed violently, a wet, rattling sound that made Chloe’s stomach churn. She held his head, wiping the blood from his mouth with trembling hands.
“Victor said… he said he respects your commitment to the game,” Tommy wheezed, his eyes rolling back slightly. “He said he doesn't need the ledger anymore. He copied the files. He just wanted to draw you out of your tower so he could destroy your resources.”
“He copied the files?” Dominic’s brow furrowed. “That’s impossible. The drives are heavily encrypted with military-grade software. It would take weeks to crack without the master key.”
Tommy let out a pathetic, broken laugh. “I know. I told him that. But Victor didn't care. He told me to tell you that the war is over. He wins.”
Chloe felt Tommy’s skin. It was burning hot, covered in a slick, unnatural sweat. His veins were beginning to bulge, turning a sickening shade of dark blue beneath his pale skin.
“Dominic, something is wrong with him,” Chloe panicked, checking Tommy’s pulse. It was racing frantically, skipping beats. “He’s burning up.”
Dominic crouched down, grabbing Tommy’s chin and tilting his head toward the pale light. He examined the dark blue veins tracing up the boy’s neck. His dark eyes widened in sudden, horrifying realization.
“He didn't just torture you,” Dominic said softly, pulling a small penlight from Marcus’s tactical vest and flashing it into Tommy’s dilated pupils. “He poisoned you.”
“What?” Chloe screamed.
“It’s a synthetic neurotoxin. Russian origin. It’s highly unstable,” Dominic explained rapidly, backing away. “Victor didn't let him go to deliver a message. He let him go to deliver a distraction.”
“He needs a hospital!” Chloe cried, trying to lift her brother.
“If we take him to a hospital, he dies, and we get arrested,” Dominic snapped. “The toxin is designed to mimic a massive heart attack. It shuts down the central nervous system in exactly three hours.”
Tommy grabbed Chloe’s hand, his grip terrifyingly weak. “I’m sorry, Chlo. I’m so sorry. I just wanted to pay off the debts. I wanted to take care of you.”
“You are not going to die, Tommy,” Chloe wept, looking up at Dominic with absolute desperation. “You have millions of dollars. You have a whole empire. Do something! Save him!”
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Dominic stared at the dying boy, then at the tear-streaked face of the woman he had dragged into his violent world. He pulled out his burner phone.
“Marcus,” Dominic ordered. “Call the Butcher. Tell him to prep the underground clinic. We are bringing him in.”
