Chapter 36

Isabella's POV

The air inside the warehouse reeked of gunpowder and dust. Every ear-splitting crack of bullets ricocheting off metal made Isabella flinch. She crouched behind an overturned table, clutching a pistol she barely knew how to use.

"We can't hold them off much longer!" Nico's voice boomed over the chaos. His words carried a desperation that sent a chill through Isabella.

Enzo, positioned near a broken window, fired several shots toward their unseen assailants before ducking back down. "We need to move! We stay here, we're dead!"

"And where exactly do we move to?" Nico snapped. "The front is swarmed, and the back's sealed tight. Unless you've got wings, we're trapped."

Isabella's gaze darted around the room, her heart racing. There had to be a way out. Something-anything-that could save them. Her eyes landed on a stack of dusty crates shoved against the far wall. They were labeled with faded markings she couldn't make out, but something about them felt off.

"Over there!" she shouted, pointing to the crates.

Enzo followed her line of sight, then sprinted toward the crates, weaving through gunfire with a speed that left her breathless. He shoved the crates aside, revealing a trapdoor partially hidden beneath the dirt-streaked floorboards.

"What is it?" Nico demanded, running to join them.

"A map," Enzo said, his voice low but urgent. He pulled out a rolled-up piece of paper tucked beneath the trapdoor. He unfurled it on the ground, revealing a detailed layout of the warehouse and an intricate maze of underground tunnels beneath it.

Isabella's eyes widened. "This could be our way out."

"Or it could lead us straight into a trap," Nico countered, his jaw tight.

"We don't have time to argue," Enzo snapped. "Do you want to sit here and wait for them to kill us?"

Nico hesitated, his eyes darting to the windows where flashes of gunfire lit up the darkness outside. He finally gave a reluctant nod.

As they prepared to descend into the tunnels, a deafening explosion shook the warehouse. Isabella screamed as the force knocked her off her feet. Debris rained down, and a thick cloud of smoke filled the air.

"Get down!" Enzo shouted, pulling her behind a steel beam just as another explosion erupted, collapsing their primary escape route.

When the dust began to settle, Isabella coughed and squinted through the haze. The path to the tunnels was still intact, but barely.

"We're out of time," Enzo said, grabbing her hand. "Move!"

(Enzo's POV)

The narrow staircase leading into the tunnels was steep and uneven, forcing the group to move in single file. The only light came from a small flashlight Enzo had grabbed before they fled. Its weak beam illuminated the walls, revealing crumbling bricks and faded markings that made his stomach churn.

He didn't need to read them to know what they meant. Syndicate territory.

"You know where these tunnels lead, right?" Isabella's voice broke the tense silence behind him.

"More or less," Enzo said, though the truth was far less comforting. The Syndicate had a network of tunnels spanning the entire city, many of which he'd used during his time with them. But he hadn't set foot in these tunnels in years, and he had no idea if they were still safe.

"More or less?" Nico echoed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "That's great. Really fills me with confidence."

"Would you rather take your chances with the Morettis up there?" Enzo snapped, not bothering to look back.

"Stop it, both of you," Isabella said, her voice firm despite the tremor Enzo detected beneath it. "We don't have the luxury of fighting each other."

Her words were a bitter reminder of how far they'd fallen. Once, they'd been a team. Now, they were little more than a fractured group held together by necessity.

As they pressed deeper into the tunnels, the air grew colder, and the oppressive darkness seemed to close in around them. The weak light from the flashlight barely cut through the black, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

Enzo's grip on the flashlight tightened as he spotted something carved into the wall ahead. He stopped, his breath catching in his throat.

"What is it?" Isabella asked, stepping closer.

He hesitated before shining the light on the marking. It was a crude symbol of a snake coiled around a dagger-the emblem of the Syndicate.

"What does it mean?" Isabella's voice was soft, almost hesitant.

"It means we're not alone," Enzo said, his voice grim.

Isabella's brow furrowed. "You've seen this before."

It wasn't a question, and Enzo knew there was no point in denying it. "Yeah," he admitted. "The Syndicate used these tunnels to move people and supplies. This was their way of marking territory."

"Great," Nico muttered. "So we're walking straight through Syndicate land. What's next? A welcoming party?"

Enzo ignored him, his mind racing. If the Syndicate still used these tunnels, they'd have patrols-or worse, traps. And if the Morettis knew about the tunnels, they could be waiting ahead.

"Keep moving," he said, his voice sharper than he intended.

They continued in silence, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Enzo couldn't shake the memories that clawed at the edges of his mind. He'd walked these tunnels before, back when he was a different man. Back when he'd still believed he could outrun his past.

"What aren't you telling us?" Isabella asked, her voice quiet but insistent.

He stopped, turning to face her. Her expression was a mixture of fear and determination, her eyes searching his for answers he wasn't sure he could give.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," he said, his voice low.

"Then start talking," she said. "Because if you think we're going to follow you blindly-"

A sound cut her off. Footsteps.

They froze, the sound echoing through the tunnel like a sinister heartbeat. It was slow, deliberate, and unmistakably human.

Enzo's hand went to the gun at his side, his fingers tightening around the grip.

"Did the Morettis follow us?" Nico whispered, his voice barely audible.

"No," Enzo said, his voice hollow. "This isn't the Morettis."

The footsteps grew louder and closer. A shadow flickered at the edge of the flashlight's beam.

"Who's there?" Enzo called out, his voice steady despite the fear twisting in his gut.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, a voice emerged from the darkness, smooth and cold as ice.

"Hello, Enzo."

His blood ran cold. He knew that voice. He'd hoped he'd never hear it again.

"Who is it?" Isabella asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Enzo didn't answer. His heart pounded as the figure stepped into the light.

It was Dante, one of the Morettis' enforcers. A man who'd once been his closest ally-and his greatest regret.

Dante's lips curved into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Long time, no see."