Chapter 97

The cold, damp air inside Alex’s stronghold felt suffocating as Dominic and his men moved through the narrow halls. The silence was unsettling, broken only by the soft footsteps of his team as they navigated deeper into the estate. It was too quiet, too controlled, and Dominic’s instincts screamed that something was wrong. Alex had prepared for this—Dominic could feel it in his bones. This wasn’t going to be as simple as breaching the defenses and taking him down.

Lucas, leading the team just ahead of Dominic, signaled for a halt. His brow furrowed as he scanned the corridor, whispering into his radio to the rest of the crew. “We’re inside, but there’s no movement.”

Dominic moved up beside him, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. “He’s waiting for us,” Dominic said quietly. “He’s setting us up.”

Lucas nodded, his grip tightening on his weapon. “This doesn’t feel right, boss. We should pull back and regroup.”

“No.” Dominic’s voice was cold and decisive. “We keep moving. Alex knows we’re coming, but we’ll deal with whatever he throws at us.”

As they pressed on, Dominic’s focus sharpened, his thoughts darkening with the realization that they were walking into something far more dangerous than they had anticipated.

In the control room deep within the estate, Alex watched the security feeds with a twisted smile on his face. Dominic’s team was moving exactly as he had planned. He had anticipated the attack, knowing that Dominic’s arrogance and determination would drive him straight into the trap.

“Is everything ready?” Alex asked one of his lieutenants, his voice dripping with anticipation.

The man nodded, a bead of sweat running down his temple. “Yes, sir. The explosives are set, and the men are in position.”

Alex leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest. “Good. Let Dominic come. We’ll bury him here.”

Dominic’s team rounded a corner, entering a wide, open area near the center of the estate. The room was eerily empty—too clean, too untouched. A faint echo of footsteps could be heard in the distance, but no one was visible. The atmosphere was thick with tension.

Lucas glanced around, his voice low. “I don’t like this.”

Before Dominic could respond, the trap was sprung.

Explosions erupted from all sides, the force of the blasts tearing through the stone walls. The ground shook violently beneath their feet as chunks of debris rained down from above. Several of Dominic’s men were thrown to the ground, the shockwaves sending them sprawling.

“Get down!” Lucas shouted, grabbing Dominic’s arm and pulling him behind cover just as another explosion ripped through the corridor.

The air was thick with smoke and dust, making it hard to see as the screams of injured men filled the room. Dominic’s heart pounded as he crouched behind a broken pillar, adrenaline surging through his veins. The trap had been expertly laid—Alex had anticipated their every move, and now they were pinned down in the heart of the estate.

“Status report!” Dominic barked into his radio, but all he heard in response was static.

Lucas, blood dripping from a gash on his forehead, pressed his back against the wall, his voice tight with pain. “Several of our men are down. We’re pinned, boss.”

Dominic’s mind raced as he calculated their next move. They couldn’t stay here—the longer they waited, the more vulnerable they were. But with the explosions cutting off their exit and Alex’s men likely closing in, the options were slim.

He grabbed Lucas by the shoulder. “We need to find another way out of this room. Get the rest of the team together. I’m going after Alex.”

Before Lucas could respond, a familiar voice echoed through the smoke-filled room. “Not so fast, Dominic.”

Dominic turned, his gun already drawn, and there stood Mateo, his expression unreadable, though there was a glint of amusement in his eyes.

“What the hell is this, Mateo?” Dominic growled, advancing on him, his gun trained on Mateo’s chest.

Mateo raised his hands slightly, but there was no fear in his posture. “It’s exactly what you think. You didn’t really believe I was just here to help, did you?”

Dominic’s grip on his weapon tightened. “I should’ve killed you the moment I saw you.”

Mateo shrugged, the smirk never leaving his face. “You might want to reconsider that. See, Alex and I—well, we had an understanding. But I had bigger plans. Plans that didn’t involve either of you walking out of here.”

Dominic’s pulse raced, but his face remained cold. “Double-crossing both of us? Ambitious.”

“Ambition is what this game is all about, Dominic,” Mateo said with a low chuckle. “But you’re too soft now. Love, a family—those things make you weak. I thought maybe I could use you to get rid of Alex and take control myself. But now, I’m thinking I don’t need either of you.”

Lucas took a step forward, gun raised, but Dominic signaled for him to wait. There was something else—a gleam in Mateo’s eyes that suggested this wasn’t over yet.

“You’re forgetting something, Mateo,” Dominic said, his voice like ice. “You have no power here.”

Mateo’s grin widened. “Maybe not. But I do have one final card to play.”

Before Dominic could react, Mateo’s hand moved toward his jacket, but Dominic was faster. In a split second, Dominic’s gun roared, and Mateo staggered back, a look of shock crossing his face as the blood blossomed from his chest.

He collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath as his life ebbed away. But before the light faded from his eyes, he looked up at Dominic, his voice weak but filled with dark satisfaction.

“You think... this is over?” Mateo wheezed. “Alex... he’s got one last... surprise.”

Dominic crouched down, grabbing Mateo by the collar, his voice a deadly whisper. “What surprise?”

Mateo’s lips twisted into a bloodstained smile. “You’ll... see.”

With that, Mateo’s body went limp, his eyes staring lifelessly at the ceiling. The room fell into a tense silence as Dominic stood, his jaw clenched in frustration.

Lucas moved up beside him, his voice laced with urgency. “What the hell did he mean?”

Dominic shook his head, his mind already racing. Mateo had been playing them both all along, hoping to seize control in the chaos. But Alex had one last card to play—and whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

“We can’t wait to find out,” Dominic said, his voice hard. “Get the team ready. We need to move now.”

They had no time to waste. The trap had been set, the double-cross revealed, but there was still one more fight to come.

And Alex wasn’t done yet.