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However the Turk’s men were doing it – with acetylene torches or explosives – they were cutting through the door.
We had no more than 15 minutes before they reached the main foyer. Maybe only 10.
Dario roared into action. “Roberto, wake up the servants and get them into the panic room downstairs! Niccolo, explain the plan to the foot soldiers! Everyone else, dress in black and grab your weapons!”
Valentino, Roberto, Niccolo, Massimo, and Adriano tore out of the room at breakneck speed.
I was just about to follow them when Dario grabbed my arm.
I looked into his eyes and saw they were quite nearly insane with fear.
“If you get the shot… take the shot,” he said, his voice more intense than I’d ever heard it in all the time I’d known him.
“Of course,” I said, and turned to go –
But he jerked me back to face him again.
“I’m serious,” he said in a gravelly voice. “My life doesn’t matter. Hers is the only thing that does. If it’s a choice between me and her, you save her – and sacrifice me.”
I stared at him in shock. “But – ”
“SWEAR to me, Lars. SWEAR to me that you’ll save her, no matter what. I need to hear you say it.”
Cold beads of sweat broke out on my skin. “If I have to make a choice… I’ll save her.”
“No matter what,” he repeated insistently.
“…no matter what.”
The tiniest bit of relief appeared in his eyes.
“Thank you,” Dario whispered hoarsely, then raced out into the hall.
I ran back to my own bedroom, quickly changed into black, pulled a balaclava over my head, grabbed my rifle –
And prayed as I ran to my post.
137
Ilay on my belly, the muzzle of my rifle just barely peeking over the floor of the second story. I’d had to pile up a bunch of pillows under my body to give myself the right angle.
I just hoped it would be enough.
Down in the ground-floor hallway, I could just barely make out the silhouette of Alessandra’s dress – a shifting darkness against pure black.
The Turk was behind her, his pistol at her head.
Half of his men waited behind him, guns at the ready. The other half had already crept up the staircase to the third floor.
Gunshots rang out.
Muffled ones on the third floor –
And much louder ones below me.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!
The hallway was lit up by a half-dozen muzzle flashes –
