The Extraction
The crowd was still screaming.
Fireworks lit up the night sky over London’s Wembley Stadium as Adrianna Jackson’s final performance came to a close. Glitter fell like gold dust from above. The entire venue was shaking with noise, love, and obsession.
But behind the smiles, the glitter and the lights—chaos was brewing.
Backstage, Adriano stormed into the corridor, ripping out his comms mic.
“Serena, talk to me. Now.”
His voice was low but lethal. Alessandro and Diamond followed closely behind, tension thick between them. Gabriele and Luca emerged from a different hallway, meeting them with equally grim expressions.
“She knows who we are and why we're here,” Diamond repeated, her voice still shaky. “She literally threatened my life and told me to say hi to you guys.
Serena’s voice crackled through the comms.“I don’t know how the hell she found out, but she’s not leaving through the exits we had covered. She’s switching routes—she’s heading through the underground VIP corridor. I’m looking at it now on the stadium’s internal cams.”
Adriano cursed and clenched his jaw.
“We don’t have anyone stationed there.”
“No shit,” Serena muttered, walking toward them from another hallway. “This whole thing’s about to blow wide open.”
Alessandro looked around quickly. “Where’s Marco?”
Everyone turned to look at Luca.
“He was right behind me,” Luca said, frowning. “I turned for like two seconds to radio one of our guys and then he was… gone.”
“Fucking perfect,” Gabriele muttered.
“We don’t have time for this,” Adriano growled. “Call our men. Now. Tell them to cover every possible exit. I want every tunnel, hallway, and goddamn sewer line manned.”
“Got it,” Serena replied, her fingers flying over her tablet.
Adriano turned to Gabriele, Alessandro, Enzo and Luca. “We’re moving out.”
“What about Diamond?” Alessandro asked.
“She stays with Serena,” Adriano ordered. “No arguments.”
Alessandro hesitated. Diamond’s face said she didn’t want to be left behind—but no one had time to debate. Serena grabbed Diamond’s wrist and pulled her into the shadows as the others ran down the hall, weapons holstered but hands twitching.
Elsewhere inside Wembley Stadium…
Adrianna walked briskly, heels clicking on the concrete as her private security detail surrounded her. She barely broke stride as her husband, Aaron, fell in step beside her.
“Honey, that was a SPECTACULAR show!” He beamed. “You never cease to amaze me.”
“They’re here,” Adrianna whispered.
Aaron’s brow furrowed. “Who?”
“The Golden Serpents,” she said. “The girl I brought up on stage, the redhead? The handler told me she’d be with them. I had our team watch out for her.”
Aaron glanced back. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. And we need to go NOW! Men from The Black Rose are on their way.”
As if on cue, a convoy of sleek black cars pulled up at the back entrance of the stadium. Doors swung open and men in dark red suits with black rose pins stepped out. Their faces were hidden behind sunglasses. Each one armed. One of them nodded silently at Adrianna.
“They’re here to ensure we make it out,” Adrianna murmured. “Now move.”
Across the stadium, Adriano and his crew moved like a tactical unit.
Adriano’s comms buzzed with feedback from his men.
“Nothing at the East Exit.”
“Clear at North Gate.”
“We’ve got a visual on someone matching Aaron’s description but no clear shot.”
“Still no sign of Marco.”
“Where the hell is he?” Adriano snapped, frustrated. “This entire thing was supposed to be airtight.”
Gabriele’s voice was tense. “We need eyes on Adrianna. We can’t miss this window.”
Suddenly—
“Contact!” one of their men shouted over the comms. “Hostiles—East tunnel!”
Gunfire rang out like thunder.
Adriano didn’t hesitate. “Engage. Everyone else, move. Now!”
Within seconds, chaos erupted inside the bowels of Wembley Stadium.
Flashes of light exploded across darkened corridors. Adriano and Alessandro exchanged cover fire, ducking behind pillars. Enzo barked orders into his comms while Gabriele moved tactically through the shadows.
“It’s La Rosa Nera!" Luca shouted over the chaos. “They’re inside!”
“They’re here for her too,” Alessandro growled, reloading. “Of course they fucking are.”
Meanwhile…
Adrianna and Aaron exited into the underground garage beneath the stadium.
They hurried toward their private black Escalade, shielded by four of their elite guards. They climbed into the backseat, breathless. The door slammed shut behind them.
“Let’s go,” Aaron ordered.
The driver didn’t answer. He simply started the engine and began to drive.
Adrianna exhaled, leaning her head back.
Aaron leaned over and kissed her. “We outsmarted those fucking idiots."
Adrianna smiled. “I always win.”
Aaron chuckled. “Still... how the hell did the handler find out this was gonna happen?”
Adrianna glanced at him. “There’s an informant he planted among The Golden Serpents. After Maxwell Chen and his whole family were wiped out… the informant called and told him everything.”
Aaron nodded. “Smart.”
But then...
Adrianna’s brow furrowed. Her eyes flicked to the window.
“Wait… we passed the hotel turn.”
She leaned forward toward the partition.
“Hello? Charles, where the fuck are you going?”
No response.
“Did you hear me? You missed the turn!”
Still nothing.
Aaron sat forward too, annoyed now. “Hey! Charles! Are you deaf or something?! TURN THE FUCK AROUND!”
The driver said nothing, then he looked up at the rearview mirror.
Adrianna’s blood turned to ice. Aaron’s hand instinctively moved toward the door handle.
And then… the man slowly turned his head.
Adrianna gasped.
Aaron froze.
“You’re not Charles,” Adrianna whispered. “What the fuck did you do to him?! Who the fuck are you?!”
The driver smiled.
“Nighty, night.”
He rolled up the partition in one smooth move. The sound of the lock clicking into place echoed like a gunshot.
“HEY!” Aaron banged on the glass. “OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!”
Adrianna pulled at her handle—it didn’t budge. Aaron tried his but it was locked too.
“FUCK!” Aaron screamed, banging on the glass.
Then something happened.
A soft, cold hissing sound came from the vents. At first, it was faint. Then it grew stronger.
“What the hell is that?!” Adrianna shouted, banging on the windows.
“HEY! LET US OUT!” Aaron screamed, slamming his fists.
The gas filled the car slowly. A thick, white mist.
Adrianna and Aaron started coughing and choking. “You son of a bitch—” Aaron gasped, struggling to breathe.
“HELP! HELP!” Adrianna screamed, slamming her palm against the window, makeup running from her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks, sweat glistening on her forehead.
“SOMEBODY HELP US!!!” Aaron yelled, slamming his fists against the window. But it was no use.
Their screams grew weaker and their movements grew slower as seconds passed.
Aaron collapsed to his knees, clawing at the door. Adrianna slumped against the seat, her arms heavy, her vision spinning.
Their limbs twitched.
Their breath rasped.
Until they were both unconscious.