Chapter 16 - The Standoff
Silas evaluated the situation with the cold logic of an assassin. He was outgunned, outmaneuvered, and the target held a nuclear option over the family’s assets.
"She won't stop, Liam. You know that," Silas warned, slowly opening the car door.
"Tell her that the Liam she knew is dead," Liam said, not lowering his weapon an inch. "Tell her Arthur Vance lives here now. And Arthur Vance has absolutely nothing to lose."
Silas slid into the driver's seat.
"I'll relay the message. But ghosts have a way of haunting you, kid."
The engine purred to life, and the black sedan slowly rolled out of the plaza, leaving San Valerio exactly as it had found it.
Liam stood in the alley for a long time, watching the road until the car disappeared over the coastal hills. The adrenaline slowly faded, leaving him exhausted but utterly resolute.
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He had played his final card. The dead-man’s switch was real, and his mother was a creature of self-preservation. She would not risk total annihilation just to reclaim a rebellious son.
He lowered the weapon, engaging the safety, and slipped it back under his jacket.
