Chapter 13 - FIRE ON THE WATER
Vincent Wells went completely mad.
He realized his empire, his reputation, and his life were gone.
He pulled a small black remote from his coat.
"If I lose Philadelphia," Vincent roared, "nobody gets it!"
He hit the red toggle switch.
High-explosive C4 detonated under the fuel storage tanks along the pier.
A blinding fireball erupted fifty feet into the night sky.
The shockwave blasted through the shipping container, flipping it onto its side.
The wooden pier beneath us groaned, cracked, and began to collapse into the Delaware River.
Flames surged upward, turning the dark water into a churning lake of fire.
Grant lunged toward Adrian through the smoke, pulling a combat dagger from his boot.
"Die with me, cousin!" Grant screamed.
They collided with brutal force.
Adrian’s injured shoulder gave way, and both men crashed onto the burning timber platform hanging over the water.
Grant had the upper hand, his blade driving down toward Adrian’s throat.
Adrian caught Grant’s wrists, his teeth bared in agony as his stitched wound tore open again.
Blood poured down Adrian’s arm.
"Adrian!" I screamed.
I scrambled across the slick, tilting steel floor.
My hand found the small of my back.
The snub-nosed .38 revolver was still tucked into my waistband.
I pulled it out.
My hands were covered in soot, rain, and blood.
I stood on the burning platform.
The wind whipped my hair across my face.
Lock your wrist, Adrian’s voice echoed in my memory.
Breathe out. Squeeze smoothly.
I raised both hands.
I aligned the front sight with Grant’s shoulder.
I pulled the trigger.
BANG.
The heavy .38 round slammed into Grant’s right shoulder.
Grant shrieked, dropping the dagger into the river.
He stumbled backward, clutching his shattered collarbone.
Adrian surged upward, drove his fist into Grant’s jaw, and sent his treacherous cousin flying off the edge.
Grant hit the black, churning water twenty feet below and vanished into the darkness.
"Nora! Run!" Adrian roared.
A massive overhead timber beam, consumed by roaring flames, snapped with the sound of a cannon shot.
It plummeted straight toward my head.
I froze.
Adrian didn't hesitate.
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He dove across the platform, slamming his body over mine.
The burning beam crashed across his back with a terrifying crunch.
