บท 67: Into the Lion's Den
The cold night air did little to cool the fire burning inside Dante as we returned to the mansion. His silence spoke volumes, his clenched jaw and dark eyes filled with thoughts of vengeance. I wanted to comfort him, to remind him we still had the upper hand, but I knew better than to interrupt when his mind was working through strategies.
Instead, I followed him into the study, where Matteo and the other lieutenants were already waiting. A map of the city lay spread out on the table, pins marking Maria's known territories and suspected safe houses.
"She's not invincible," Dante said, his voice a low growl. "She made a mistake tonight."
"She's testing your patience," Matteo replied, crossing his arms. "She wants you angry, reckless."
"She'll regret it," Dante said coldly. His gaze shifted to me. "Elizabeth, you uncovered her operations at the docks. Where would she go next?"
Caught off guard by his direct question, I stepped closer to the map, studying the pins and marked routes. Maria had a habit of creating chaos to mask her true intentions, but there was always a pattern, a weakness in her web of deceit.
"If she's smart, she'll retreat to regroup," I said slowly, tracing my finger along a route leading out of the city. "But Maria's not just smart—she's arrogant. She'll want to make a statement, to show you she's still in control."
Matteo nodded in agreement. "The question is, where does she strike next?"
---
The Clue Left Behind
As we debated, one of Dante's men entered the study, holding a charred piece of paper. "Boss, we found this near the warehouse. Looks like it survived the explosion."
Dante took the paper, his eyes scanning the faded text. His expression darkened as he handed it to me.
The note was cryptic, written in hurried script: "The devil dances where the fire burns brightest."
"What does it mean?" Matteo asked, frowning.
"It's a message," I said, the words stirring a memory. "Maria always loved riddles. She's telling us where to find her—or at least, where she wants us to go."
Dante's eyes narrowed. "She's luring us into a trap."
"Maybe," I said. "But traps work both ways. If we know where she'll be, we can prepare."
---
The Location Revealed
Hours of research and debate led us to an abandoned opera house on the outskirts of the city. The building had been a hub of cultural activity decades ago, but it now stood as a decaying monument to the past. Its remote location and labyrinthine structure made it an ideal place for an ambush.
"She's waiting for us there," Dante said, his tone resolute. "We go in, we take her out, and we end this."
"And if it's a trap?" Matteo asked.
Dante's lips curled into a dangerous smile. "Then we spring it. But on our terms."
---
The Plan in Motion
The operation was set for midnight. Dante's men armed themselves with precision, their faces set with grim determination. I stayed close to Dante, my heart pounding as the gravity of the situation sank in.
"Are you sure you want to be there?" Dante asked as we prepared to leave.
"I'm not sitting this one out," I said firmly.
He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he leaned in, his lips brushing against my forehead.
"Stay close to me," he said. "No matter what happens."
---
The Opera House
The opera house was as eerie as I'd imagined, its crumbling facade bathed in the pale light of the moon. We approached in silence, Dante's men fanning out to secure the perimeter.
Inside, the air was thick with dust and decay. The grand chandeliers hung precariously from the ceiling, their crystals catching the faint light from our flashlights.
"It's too quiet," Matteo muttered, his hand on his weapon.
"Stay sharp," Dante said, his voice low.
We moved through the darkened halls, the tension building with each step. Every creak of the floorboards, every whisper of wind through the broken windows set my nerves on edge.
And then we heard it—a faint sound, like the echo of footsteps.
"She's here," Dante said, his voice like steel.
---
The Confrontation
We followed the sound to the main stage, where a single spotlight illuminated a figure sitting in a worn velvet chair. Maria.
She looked as poised and dangerous as ever, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders and her lips curled into a mocking smile.
"Well, well," she said, her voice echoing in the vast space. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't show."
"Cut the theatrics, Maria," Dante said, his tone icy. "This ends now."
Maria laughed, a sharp, chilling sound. "You think you can end me, Dante? You're playing a game you can't win."
"Funny," Dante said, stepping forward. "I was about to say the same to you."
The tension in the room was palpable, the silence stretching as the two enemies faced off.
"Enough talk," Maria said, rising from her chair. "Let's see if you've got what it takes."
---
The Ambush
The lights flickered, plunging the room into darkness. Chaos erupted as gunfire rang out, the flash of muzzles illuminating the shadows. Maria's men appeared from the wings, their weapons trained on us.
I ducked behind a row of seats, my heart racing as bullets tore through the air. Dante was a whirlwind of motion, his gunfire precise and deadly.
"Elizabeth, stay down!" he shouted.
I obeyed, my hands trembling as I gripped my gun. The noise was deafening, the chaos disorienting. But through it all, I kept my focus on Dante, watching as he fought with unmatched ferocity.
---
A Turn of Events
The battle raged on, but it became clear that Maria had underestimated Dante's men. One by one, her forces fell, their ambush unraveling before her eyes.
Maria's confident smile faltered as she realized the tide was turning. She tried to retreat, but Dante was faster.
He cornered her on the stage, his gun trained on her as she raised her hands in mock surrender.
"You've lost," Dante said, his voice cold and unyielding.
Maria's eyes flickered to me, a dangerous gleam in her gaze. "Have I?"
Before I could react, she lunged toward me, a knife glinting in her hand.
---
The End of Maria
Time seemed to slow as Maria closed the distance between us. But Dante was faster. His shot rang out, the sound echoing through the opera house as Maria crumpled to the ground.
I stared at her lifeless body, my breath coming in shallow gasps. The danger was over, but the weight of what had happened settled heavily on my shoulders.
Dante approached me, his hand resting on my arm.
"It's over," he said softly.
But as I looked into his eyes, I knew it wasn't. Maria might be gone, but the war she started was far from finished.
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