Chapter 8 - The Morning Convoy
Tuesday morning arrived with a thick, silver fog rolling off the Hudson River, blanketing the winding suburban roads of Westchester County in a cold, phantom haze.
At 7:45 AM, the iron gates of the Moretti estate swung open.
A sleek, black armored Range Rover pulled out onto the gravel driveway, flanked by two security sedans driven by veteran Moretti enforcers.
Inside the middle Range Rover, the air was warm, smelling of cinnamon tea and leather.
Rosa sat in the rear captain's chair, dressed in a simple, elegant camel wool coat and navy trousers. Beside her, tucked securely into a child safety seat, was five-year-old Lily, wearing a bright yellow raincoat and holding her faithful stuffed rabbit, Bun.
"Mama," Lily asked, looking out the fogged window, "will we make gingerbread houses at school today?"
"Yes, sweetie," Rosa smiled, leaning over to adjust Lily’s seatbelt strap. "Teacher Sarah said today is baking day."
In the front passenger seat, Leo turned around, holding a tablet with live tactical feeds of their route. "Roads are quiet this morning, Boss's Wife. Fog is thick near the river bend, but we should be at the school in ten minutes."
"Thank you, Leo," Rosa replied warmly.
She looked out the window as the convoy turned onto Old River Road—a narrow, two-lane asphalt strip surrounded by dense forest on one side and a steep stone embankment dropping down to the river on the other.
Suddenly, Leo’s radio crackled with sharp static.
"Lead car to Guard One! We have a vehicle blocking the road ahead! A stalled logging truck—"
BOOM!
A deafening explosion rocked the lead security sedan as an anti-vehicle mine hidden beneath a pile of wet leaves detonated, throwing the two-ton vehicle off the road and flipping it into the ditch in a shower of sparks and black smoke.
"AMBUSH!" Leo roared, pulling his firearm from his shoulder holster. "DRIVER, REVERSE! GET US OUT OF HERE!"
The driver threw the heavy Range Rover into reverse, tires screaming against the wet pavement—
CRASH!
A heavy commercial dump truck burst out from the thick fog behind them, slamming into the rear security car, crushing the trunk and wedge-locking the entire convoy on the narrow road.
Lily screamed, holding Bun tightly to her chest.
Rosa reacted instinctively, throwing her body over Lily’s car seat, shielding her child with her own torso as glass shattered along the side windows.
"STAY DOWN!" Leo ordered, kicking his door open and firing three rapid shots into the fog as heavy automatic gunfire began tearing through the armored outer plating of the Range Rover.
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Through the smoke and shattered glass, Marco Vane stepped forward, holding an assault rifle, flanked by eight masked gunmen.
"GET THE WOMAN AND THE GIRL!" Marco screamed over the roar of gunfire. "LEAVE NO SURVIVORS!"
