Chapter 10 - FORTRESS OF GLASS
The arrival of the Moretti Syndicate sent shockwaves through the city.
For forty-eight hours, Chicago held its breath.
Declan did not leave the Lake Forest estate.
He moved the core operations of Hayes Global into the secure underground bunker.
Norah worked beside him.
Despite her bruises, she refused to stay in bed.
She organized the intelligence briefings.
She coordinated secure lines with Declan’s regional commanders.
She brought him his black coffee at seven-forty-five sharp.
When she placed the porcelain mug on his desk, Declan caught her fingers.
He pulled her gently toward him.
“You don't have to work, Norah,” he murmured.
“I want to,” she said, meeting his gaze.
“I spent eight months being helpless.”
“I spent eight months waiting for Julian to strike me or hurt Clara.”
“Working for you... being here... makes me feel human again.”
Declan’s grip softened.
He lifted her hand and pressed a warm kiss to the inside of her wrist.
Right over the fading yellow bruise.
Norah’s heart skipped a beat.
A shiver of electric warmth traveled down her spine.
“You were never helpless, Norah,” Declan said.
“You survived a monster.”
“And now, we end him.”
The door opened, and Liam hurried in.
“Boss. We tracked the helicopter.”
Declan released Norah’s hand, instantly shifting back into commander mode.
“Where is Moretti?”
“An abandoned grain elevator near the Calumet River,” Liam said.
“He has thirty heavily armed mercenaries.”
“And he just sent a courier to Hayes Tower downtown.”
Declan’s eyes narrowed.
“What did the courier bring?”
Liam laid a small wooden box on the desk.
Declan flipped the brass latch open with his knife.
Inside rested a gold pocket watch.
It was dented.
The glass face was cracked, and the hands were frozen at eight-fifteen.
Norah gasped, clutching Declan’s arm.
“That’s... that’s my father’s watch!” she cried out.
“He was wearing it the morning he was killed!”
Beneath the watch was a handwritten note on parchment:
Hayes.
Your father couldn't defeat the Morettis twenty years ago.
You won't either.
Bring the girl and the port codes to Grain Silo 4 by midnight.
Or we detonate the Calumet fuel pipeline and burn half the South Side to the waterline.
Norah’s face drained of color.
“The fuel pipeline,” she whispered.
“If they blow that up, hundreds of families will die.”
Declan stared at the note.
His face was an unreadable mask of cold rage.
“He’s using her as bait,” Liam said.
“He knows you won't surrender the port codes without a fight.”
“He wants to draw you into a kill zone.”
“I know,” Declan said calmly.
He picked up the gold watch and handed it to Norah.
“Hold onto this,” he said gently.
“It belongs to you.”
Norah held the cool metal against her heart.
“You’re not going to hand me over, are you?” she asked, her voice trembling.
Declan looked at her.
The fierce protectiveness in his eyes took her breath away.
“I will burn in hell before Vincente Moretti lays a finger on you,” Declan said.
He turned to Liam.
“Prepare the strike team.”
“All four squads.”
“Thermal scopes. Heavy suppression. Breaching charges.”
Declan walked over to the gun rack on the wall.
He pulled down a modified tactical carbine.
He checked the action with a crisp, lethal clack.
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“Tonight, we don't negotiate.”
“We exterminate.”
