Chapter 10 - The Ambush
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Despite the rising tensions with the Thorne family, Lorenzo knew he couldn't keep the children locked inside the estate forever. The walls were beginning to feel like a prison, and Leo had been begging to visit the botanical gardens on the other side of the city.
“We’ll take the armored SUVs,” Lorenzo told Rocco the next morning. “Three decoy cars. We move fast, keep a tight perimeter, and we don't linger.”
Elvira dressed the children in warm coats and strapped them into the back seat of the heavily fortified Mercedes SUV. Lorenzo sat in the front passenger seat, constantly checking the mirrors, a heavy handgun resting discreetly in his shoulder holster.
The drive to the gardens was smooth, the decoy cars effectively clearing the path. For an hour, the children ran through the massive glass greenhouses, marveling at the exotic flowers while Elvira chased after them, her laughter echoing off the glass. Lorenzo watched them from a distance, a rare, genuine smile touching his lips.
But the peace was a fragile illusion.
As they piled back into the SUV to return home, the radio on the dashboard crackled violently to life.
“Boss, we have tails! Two black trucks running hot on our six!” the lead driver shouted through the static.
Lorenzo’s demeanor instantly shifted from protective uncle to apex predator. “Evasive maneuvers. Get us to the highway.”
The driver slammed on the gas. The massive SUV lurched forward, throwing Elvira back against the leather seat. She instinctively threw her arms across Leo and Mia, pulling them down toward the floorboards.
“Keep your heads down!” Elvira ordered, her heart hammering against her ribs in sheer terror.
The sound of screeching tires filled the air. One of the black trucks swerved violently, trying to pit the Mercedes against the concrete barrier of the on-ramp.
Gunfire erupted.
The deafening pop-pop-pop of automatic weapons echoed through the cabin as bullets struck the reinforced, bulletproof glass of the SUV, leaving spiderweb cracks across the windows.
Mia screamed, covering her ears. Leo buried his face in Elvira’s chest. Elvira wrapped her body entirely around the children, acting as a human shield, squeezing her eyes shut as the glass groaned under the assault.
Lorenzo didn't panic. He rolled down his window just an inch, drew his weapon, and fired three precise, lethal shots.
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The front tire of the attacking truck exploded. The massive vehicle lost control, flipping violently over the concrete barrier and crashing in a ball of fire on the lower level of the highway.
“Drive!” Lorenzo roared at his man. “Get us to the safe house!”
