Page 334 of Marcello

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I carefully lifted the thin metal cover on the well an inch.

Through the crack, I saw a dark courtyard filled with plants and flowering bushes – but no people.

If I was going to get out of the well, I had to have both hands free, so I holstered my Glock.

Now or never.

I carefully raised the cover, grabbed the edge of the well with my hands, and hoisted myself up.

I braced for a gunman to pop out of nowhere –

But the courtyard was empty.

Marcello had held up his end of the bargain.

I pulled myself onto the stone ledge of the well and sat. Then I quietly pushed the lid all the way back on its hinges.

I had struggled up the well shaft for so long that my muscles were on fire, but I couldn’t waste an instant.

I pulled the coils of rope from the Velcro straps on my bulletproof vest…

Anchored the grappling hook to the well’s stone wall…

And threw the rope down into the hole.

The cord was knotted every few feet. Anyone could easily climb it if they started at the top of the ladder.

As the firefight raged deep inside the mansion, Dario came up first. The others quickly followed.

Within ninety seconds, Adriano, Massimo, Valentino, Niccolo, Roberto, Giorgio, and Vincenzo appeared. Another foot soldier emerged every ten seconds.

“We can’t wait for everyone,” Niccolo whispered. “We need to go now while we still have the element of surprise.”

I agreed with Niccolo. I hadn’t seen the Widow’s men in action, so I didn’t know if they were worth a damn – and waiting for them wasn’t worth squandering our one big advantage. “The Widow’s foot soldiers should follow us in later.”

“Agreed,” Dario said.

“Let me lead the assault,” I begged him.

“No. You and Massimo stay here and guard Lucia.”

“Then let Adriano take point,” I said. “He was at San Michele – he knows what to do.”

Adriano just nodded.

I had time for one more piece of advice.

“There’s not many of you, so stick together. Armando, Hugo, Fortino,” I said, addressing three of our foot soldiers, “guard the rear so nobody sneaks up on you.”

“See you soon, my friend,” Dario told me.

Adriano advanced towards the house, followed by Dario, Valentino, Roberto, Niccolo, Giorgio, Vincenzo, and the rest of our foot soldiers.

“I’m sorry,” Massimo grunted as the Widow’s men began to emerge from the well.

“For what?” I asked.