Chapter 14 - The Shadow War Begins
The concrete walls of the tunnel chipped violently under the barrage of automatic fire. Adrian pulled his weapon, firing three blind shots into the darkness to force the intruders back. His security team moved with military precision, deploying flashbangs that detonated with a deafening roar, illuminating the ancient tunnel in blinding white light.
By the time the smoke cleared, the intruders were gone, escaping through the sea-cave exit that opened into the jagged cliffs of the Atlantic.
Adrian hurried Catherine back up into the sunlit warmth of the manor foyer. He was unhurt, but a stray bullet had grazed his shoulder, tearing through his jacket.
"That's it," Adrian snarled, his eyes wild with rage as he grabbed his phone. "I'm calling in every loyal soldier I have left in the city. I am turning Newport into a war zone."
"No, Adrian!" Catherine cried, grabbing his hands, forcing him to look at her. "That's exactly what they want. If you bring your old mafia family into Newport, the federal authorities will reinstate the racketeering charges against you. They are trying to provoke you into becoming a monster again so the law will destroy you for them."
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Adrian froze. The truth of her words hit him like a physical blow. The Lupos weren't just fighting a physical war; they were playing a legal chess game. They wanted Adrian behind bars so Catherine would be left unprotected.
"She's right, Boss," Marcus said, walking up the cellar stairs with the captured surveillance node. "This tech is highly advanced. It's military-grade. The Lupos are working with someone high up in the local federal bureau. We can't trust the police. We have to fight them using their own wealth."
