Chapter 22
"Kill him," Silas commanded, waving a dismissive hand toward his men. The guards raised their automatic rifles, their fingers tightening on the triggers. But Domenico was already moving. He didn't dive for cover; he lunged straight into the line of fire. In a blur of motion, he drew his matte-black pistol and fired three times in rapid succession. The shots were impossibly accurate. The three guards on the left dropped instantly, their weapons clattering to the floor. The remaining guards panicked, firing wildly into the fog. Domenico dropped into a slide, using the slick wooden planks to his advantage, closing the distance to the container in seconds. He grabbed the barrel of the nearest rifle, wrenching it upward as it fired harmlessly into the sky, then drove his knee brutally into the man's chest. He used the falling body as a shield as the last two guards opened fire. Domenico returned fire over the man's shoulder, neutralizing the remaining threats with cold, surgical precision. The deafening roar of gunfire ceased, replaced by the heavy silence of the docks. Domenico stood up, dropping the empty pistol. Only Silas Cole remained, standing near the bound boy, his cruel smile completely replaced by trembling terror as he looked upon the demon he had foolishly summoned.
