Chapter 33
The old foundry was a cavernous, rusted cathedral of forgotten industry, smelling of damp earth and oxidized metal. Gabriel and Rachel arrived in a heavily armored SUV, flanked by Bruno and a dozen of their most elite enforcers. Rachel wore a sharp charcoal pantsuit, projecting the image of a fearless CEO, while Gabriel wore his signature tailored black suit, his presence radiating lethal authority.
They stepped into the dimly lit foundry, their boots echoing on the concrete floor. In the center of the vast space, a polished wooden table had been set up, incongruous against the decaying surroundings. Sitting at the head of the table was an elderly man with thinning white hair, dressed in a pristine, old-world tailored suit. He possessed an aura of quiet, terrifying power.
"Gabriel Moretti," the old man said, his voice a dry, rasping whisper that commanded absolute silence. "And the formidable Rachel. I am Victor Vance, the architect of Aethelgard."
"I know who you are, Victor," Gabriel stated coldly, stopping a few feet from the table. "I thought you retired to the Mediterranean a decade ago."
"Retirement is a luxury for men who lack ambition," Victor smiled thinly. "I have watched your ascent with great interest. You dismantled the Bellinis, you bankrupted the Romanovs. You sit upon a very lucrative throne. But Chicago is a port city, and my organization controls the ocean routes. I am here to offer a partnership."
May you like
"We don't need partners," Rachel interjected smoothly, refusing to be intimidated by the old king. "Hayes & Moretti controls seventy percent of the commercial freight in this city. Your unauthorized shipments are trespassing on our logistics network."
"Trespassing?" Victor chuckled, a sound like dry leaves rustling. "My dear, I am offering you a chance to expand globally. But if you refuse... you will find your ships stranded in port, your warehouses mysteriously burning, and your supply chains severed. The choice is yours. Partnership, or ruin."
