Chapter 18
The retaliation was swift and catastrophic. Across the city, heavily armed Falcone strike teams breached the heavily fortified doors of the Cole syndicate's most lucrative operations. Casinos were emptied of cash and set ablaze, the flames consuming millions of dollars in illicit revenue. Warehouses were raided, the guards neutralized with ruthless efficiency, and the supply lines completely severed. The air in the criminal underworld grew thick with panic. Silas Cole’s empire, built over four decades of careful manipulation and political bribery, was being systematically dismantled in a matter of hours. News of the devastation reached Silas in his secure bunker. He watched the security feeds go dark one by one, his withered face draining of color. He had expected a war of attrition, a calculated negotiation drawn out over weeks. He had not anticipated the sheer, biblical wrath of a father defending his child. Valentina sat in the corner of the room, clutching her son Ethan tightly, her eyes wide with mounting terror. "He is destroying everything," she whispered, her arrogant facade completely shattered. "He won't stop until we are all dead." Silas slammed his fist onto his desk, his breathing ragged. "He is one man!" he roared, though the tremor in his voice betrayed his fear. "Get the boy ready," Silas commanded, his eyes turning to Ethan. "It’s time to play our final card."
