Chapter 8 - The Last Trap
Victor kidnapped Norah that evening.
It happened in less than thirty seconds.
She left the office with Evelyn.
A van crossed the street.
Two men.
One injection.
Darkness.
When Sebastian realized she was gone, he became terrifyingly calm.
Luca expected shouting.
There was none.
“Find her.”
Every phone in Chicago seemed to ring.
Every contact.
Every safe house.
Every street camera.
Every private investigator.
Nothing.
Then a message arrived.
One photograph.
Norah tied to a chair.
Alive.
A second image showed the necklace.
Victor stood behind her.
The message contained one sentence.
COME ALONE.
Sebastian ignored the instruction.
He assembled every loyal man he had left.
They drove to an abandoned jewelry factory near the river.
Victor had chosen the location carefully.
Machines.
Steel.
Dark corners.
And dozens of hidden exits.
Sebastian entered with Luca.
No shooting.
Not yet.
Norah was inside.
She looked frightened.
But when she saw him, her face changed.
“Sebastian!”
Victor stepped from the shadows.
“You came.”
Sebastian raised his gun.
“Let her go.”
“You know I could.”
“Then do it.”
Victor smiled.
“You still think this ends with a gun.”
He pulled out a folder.
Inside were documents about Norah’s family.
“Your mother did not simply hide.”
Victor turned to Norah.
“She stole from me.”
Norah frowned.
“What?”
“Evelyn discovered I had copied Arthur’s ledger.”
Sebastian stared.
“You were working with my father?”
“Briefly.”
“You betrayed him.”
“Everyone betrays everyone.”
Victor smiled.
“Your mother escaped with the original data. Henry helped her. Your parents protected Norah.”
Victor turned to Sebastian.
“And when they disappeared, I built the empire.”
Sebastian’s eyes hardened.
“Not your empire.”
Victor shook his head.
“My prison.”
Norah noticed something.
A small metal box beside Victor.
The necklace.
She looked closer.
There was a thin red wire running from the box.
Her eyes widened.
“Sebastian.”
He understood.
The necklace had been turned into a trigger.
Victor laughed.
“You always were clever.”
“What did you do?”
“I wired the box to explosives beneath this building.”
Luca cursed.
Victor looked at Norah.
“She can save everyone.”
“How?”
“By opening the final compartment.”
Norah shook her head.
“You already have the data.”
“The copy.”
He smiled.
“I want the original.”
Sebastian lowered his gun.
“I’ll give you what you want.”
Norah stared.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“Trust me.”
Victor laughed.
“You think she trusts you?”
Norah answered before Sebastian could.
“Yes.”
Victor’s smile faded.
Sebastian stepped closer.
“Give me the detonator.”
“No.”
“Then tell me what you want.”
Victor reached into his pocket.
“Your resignation.”
Sebastian frowned.
“You want me to give up the Romano organization?”
“Yes.”
“You already control half of it.”
“I want all of it.”
Sebastian pulled a signed document from his coat.
“This transfers everything.”
Victor stared.
“You would give it away?”
Sebastian nodded.
“I never wanted it.”
That surprised Victor.
“What?”
“I wanted my family.”
His eyes flicked toward Norah.
“I wanted peace.”
Victor’s expression tightened.
“Then you’re weaker than your father.”
Sebastian smiled coldly.
“No.”
He pressed a hidden device.
The factory doors slammed shut.
Victor spun.
Luca and the remaining men moved in.
The explosives were not real.
Sebastian had guessed Victor would stage the threat.
The wires were connected to a dummy circuit.
But Victor still had one advantage.
He grabbed Norah.
A gun pressed to her head.
Sebastian froze.
Victor whispered:
“Now you understand power.”
Norah looked at Sebastian.
He did not raise his gun.
He simply said:
“Norah.”
She nodded.
Then she slammed her head backward into Victor’s face.
He staggered.
Sebastian fired.
The bullet struck Victor’s weapon.
Luca tackled him.
Norah fell.
Sebastian caught her.
For a moment, the world disappeared.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
“You?”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m always lying.”
She laughed weakly.
Sirens approached.
This time Sebastian had called federal authorities.
Everything would end publicly.
Victor was arrested.
The evidence was transferred.
The Romano organization began collapsing within hours.
But one thing remained.
The necklace.
Norah picked it up.
She looked at Sebastian.
“What are you going to do with it?”
He answered:
“Give it back to my mother.”
Evelyn stood in the doorway.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You finally learned.”
Sebastian smiled.
“What?”
“That some things are worth breaking.”
He looked at Norah.
“Some.”
May you like
She smiled.
“Very few.”
