The wine cellar was a tomb of silence, thick with the scent of damp earth and old oak. Dust swirled in the lantern's dim glow as Luca knelt beside the heavy hatch, fingers brushing rusted bolts and ancient hinges. The air felt wrong, too still, like the house itself was holding its breath.
Sarah sat against a stack of wine barrels, pressing a torn strip of cloth to her ribs. Her face was pale, but her eyes were sharp, scanning every shadow that moved across the walls.
Enzo stood near the barricaded door, his back against it, breathing slow and steady. Blood streaked his temple from the grenade blast, but it was the man himself who broke the silence first.
"Damn it, You sure this leads to him?" he asked, voice low, rough.
Luca didn't look up. "It should. According to Anton's notebook, Rocco never leaves the underground chamber unless he has to."
Sarah exhaled sharply. "That means we're going deeper into this hellhole."
Luca nodded, wrenching one of the final bolts free. With a groan, the hatch gave way, revealing a narrow stone stairwell descending into darkness. Cold air rushed up to meet them, carrying the scent of river water and mildew.
"Then let's not waste time," Enzo muttered, pushing off the door.
They moved fast, slipping through the opening one by one, Luca leading with his pistol raised. The stairs spiraled downward, uneven and slick beneath their boots. At the bottom, they emerged into a long, arched corridor lined with flickering sconces, gas-powered, judging by the smell.
The tunnel was tight, claustrophobic, the ceiling barely high enough for Enzo to stand without ducking. Pipes ran along the walls, some leaking steam, others pulsing with the dull hum of electricity.
Halfway down, the corridor split, left or right.
Luca studied the map again, tracing their route with a gloved finger. "Left," he decided.
Sarah followed close behind, her steps careful, deliberate. "We're walking straight into his den."
"We don't have a choice," Luca said. "If we hesitate now, we lose the element of surprise."
A distant sound echoed from ahead, footsteps. Not many. But enough.
They froze.
Voices followed, low and tense.
"Check the west tunnel. I heard something."
Two men. Armed. Moving toward them.
Luca motioned silently, positioning them against the wall on either side of the junction. Sarah took point, crouching low, weapon ready. Enzo pressed against the far side, knife in hand.
The guards came around the corner.
Two shots rang out, Sarah's silenced pistol found its mark, dropping one instantly. Enzo lunged at the second, driving his blade into the man's throat before he could scream.
The body slumped to the floor with a wet thud.
Luca stepped over it, checking the man's pockets. He pulled out a keycard and a small radio.
"They're using comms," he muttered. "Means backup's close."
Sarah wiped blood from her cheek. "Then we keep moving."
They reached another steel door at the end of the corridor. Luca swiped the keycard. It blinked green.
Beyond the door, the space opened into a subterranean garage, a cavernous chamber filled with black SUVs, polished and gleaming under harsh overhead lights. A row of lockers lined the far wall, next to a security station where two more guards sat watching monitors.
No time for stealth.
Luca fired first, taking down the nearest guard before he could react. Sarah followed, shooting through the glass panel of the security booth. The second guard barely had time to scream before Enzo tackled him to the ground.
They advanced cautiously, weapons sweeping the area.
A hallway led from the garage into what looked like a private armory. Rows of rifles, pistols, grenades, Rocco wasn't just prepared for war. He expected it.
But they weren't here for guns.
They kept moving.
Another staircase, steeper this time, led upward. The air grew warmer, drier. Voices above, louder now.
Luca stopped halfway up, signaling for silence.
Footsteps. Heavy. Deliberate.
He recognized the voice before he saw the man.
"I don't care how many bodies you find upstairs... just find them goddammit."
Vince.
Luca's grip tightened on his weapon.
Sarah whispered, "We can't take him head-on, not like this."
"Its not like we have a choice," Luca replied.
Enzo leaned closer. "I'll draw him out."
Before anyone could argue, Enzo moved. He slipped up the last few steps and kicked open the door at the top.
Silence.
Then...
"What the hell?"
Gunfire erupted.
Enzo dove back down the stairs, bleeding from his shoulder, but still standing.
"Dammit He's got backup!" he growled.
Luca grabbed him, pulling him behind cover. Vince's voice boomed from above.
"Luca!! I must admit I underestimated you... but you are trapped, why not surrender and let me put a bullet in your head."
Luca didn't answer. He checked his magazine, twelve rounds left. Sarah had fewer. Enzo was wounded, but still fighting.
They needed a plan.
Vince's men started descending the stairs.
Luca made the call.
"Back!" he shouted.
They sprinted down the corridor, bullets ricocheting off the walls behind them. Smoke filled the air, the acrid scent of gunpowder mixing with sweat and blood.
They burst into the garage, slamming the door shut behind them.
Vince's voice crackled over the intercom system. "You're running out of places to hide."
Sarah pressed a hand to Enzo's wound. "He's losing too much blood."
Luca scanned the room. His eyes landed on a vehicle, keys still in the ignition.
"Get him in the car and get out of here I'll end this once and for all," he ordered.
Sarah's eyes widened. "I'm not leaving you behind."
Luca shouted in frustration. "There's no time goddammit, Enzo will bleed to death I can't afford to lose him." Luca smiled faintly. "Besides... I'm not planning on dying.. I'm going to put an end to Rocco."
Sarah hesitated for a moment. Then nodded. Luca placed Enzo in the backseat of the car.
Tires screeched.
The car shot out of the garage, headlights slicing through the dark.
Luca went to the private armory they saw earlier on and stocked up a few grenades, ammo, bulletproof vest, a Glock 19 with a switch, and lastly an M4a1 rifle. He's was ready now waiting for Vince's men to push through.
It was time
The end was closer