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My vision goes red, a haze of rage and fear. At this moment, I am no longer a man. I am a force of vengeance, as primal and unstoppable as the sickle of fate.
The trapdoor calls. I stride towards it, my men flanking me.
"We go in." I straighten, meeting my men's gazes. They nod, gripping their weapons.
The trapdoor creaks open. Fetid air and darkness greet us. I flick on my flashlight, the pale beam illuminating crumbling stone walls.
Footsteps. Voices. Echoing from deep within, then fading into silence.
My heart pounds against my ribs, a caged beast. Somewhere in this labyrinth, Tatiana is trapped. Helpless and with child, in the hands of monsters.
The threads of her fate and mine bind us together, deeper than any vow. I will find her. I will bring her home even if I have to tear these tunnels apart stone by stone.
The Moirai have woven our destiny. Now, it's time to claim it.
I step into the darkness, my men following. The trapdoor slams shut behind us.
A metal door is camouflaged against a moss-covered stone wall, nearly invisible to the untrained eye. But I know every inch of this land. This is the land my casinos are built in.
My gaze sharpens, and my pulse quickens.
"There," I say hoarsely, pointing. Understanding dawns on my men's faces. We fan out, weapons drawn, as I approach the door.
Rusty hinges creak open with a hard kick—a black hole gapes beneath, stale air rushing out. Stone steps, barely visible in the dim light from above, descend into darkness.
The trapdoor to hell. To Tatiana.
I draw my gun, the familiar weight steadying my nerves. "Stay behind me," I order. No one questions me. I am their leader, and this is my fate to bear.
The stones are slick under my boots as I start the descent. Darkness swallows us whole, broken only by the beams of our flashlights. The air grows colder, damper. An unnatural silence prevails.
If there are others here, they’re not in the tunnels. Good, we avoided entering through the main door.
My heart pounds against my ribs, a staccato rhythm to match my purposeful stride. Each step brings me closer to the woman who holds my heart and the revenge I will execute upon those who dared to take her.
Memories flash through my mind with each step downward. The underground tunnels of Philadelphia, a labyrinth I once knew like the back of my hand. I navigate by instinct, my men following in my wake.
The air is dank and musty, saturated with the scent of mold and decay. Rats skitter in the shadows, beady eyes reflecting the beams of our lights.
"There's something up ahead," Rosario whispers behind me. I raise a hand, halting our procession—silence, but for the drip of water in the distance.
My heart leaps as I make out a flicker of light beneath an iron door some distance ahead. "Tatiana," I breathe.
Rosario touches my arm. "Boss, we don't know what's down there yet." His meaning is clear: it could be a trap. But I would walk into the fires of hell itself to find her.
I stalk through the chamber, searching for anything else that could provide a clue to Tatiana's whereabouts. My men will search the tunnels, but I have to find her myself. I have to see with my own eyes that she's unharmed.
Another tunnel leads off from the far side of the room. My hand tightens on my gun as I make my way over to it, senses on high alert. The air grows colder and damper, the darkness thickening with every step.
In the distance, a faint glow catches my eye under a caved door. I quicken my pace, my heartbeat pounding in my chest like a drum. Please, God, let her be there. Let this nightmare end.
The tunnel opens into a much larger cavern, lit by a few bare lightbulbs
"Follow me," I say, tone brooking no argument. Before they can protest, I stride forward and kick open the door.
Chapter 48
Tatiana
