A Dangerous Bargain

The air inside the car was tense as we drove Viktor to a secure location. Rain hammered the roof, creating a steady rhythm that did little to soothe my nerves. Dante sat beside me in the backseat, his posture rigid and his jaw clenched, while Viktor sat across from us, flanked by two of Dante's men. His expression was a mix of defiance and fear, though he tried to mask it with a smirk.

"You think you're clever," Viktor sneered, glancing at Dante. "But Maria won't let this go. She'll burn the whole city to the ground before she lets you win."

Dante's gaze was ice-cold as he leaned forward, his voice low and lethal. "Then she'll burn alone. Because after tonight, she won't have you to bankroll her."

Viktor swallowed hard, his bravado faltering for a moment. I couldn't help but wonder how someone like him had climbed so high in Maria's ranks. He was cunning, no doubt, but the cracks in his confidence were beginning to show.

---

The Warehouse

The secure location was a dilapidated warehouse on the outskirts of town, chosen for its isolation and reinforced security. As we arrived, Dante's men pulled Viktor from the car, dragging him inside despite his protests.

"This is illegal," Viktor spat, struggling against their grip. "I have rights, you know!"

"You lost your rights when you decided to work with Maria," Dante said coldly, motioning for his men to secure Viktor to a chair in the center of the room.

I followed close behind, my heels clicking against the concrete floor. The warehouse was dimly lit, with a single bulb casting harsh shadows across the room. It felt like a scene from a crime drama, but this was no fiction.

"Elizabeth," Dante said, drawing my attention. "Stay back."

I crossed my arms, fixing him with a pointed look. "I'm not a fragile flower, Dante. I want to hear what he has to say."

Dante sighed but didn't argue. He turned to Viktor, who was glaring up at him with barely concealed hatred.

---

Interrogation

"Let's make this simple," Dante began, his tone calm but menacing. "You give me access to Maria's accounts, her safe houses, and her supply chains, and you walk away from this alive."

Viktor let out a bitter laugh. "You think I'm just going to hand over everything? Maria would kill me faster than you ever could."

Dante's lips curved into a dangerous smile. "That's where you're wrong. Maria doesn't need to kill you because I'll make sure she thinks you've already betrayed her."

Viktor's smirk faltered, his eyes narrowing. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means," I said, stepping forward, "that we'll leak just enough information to make it look like you sold her out. Whether you help us or not, she'll come after you. The only way you survive this is by working with us."

Viktor's eyes darted between us, weighing his options. He was a man used to dealing with threats, but Dante's ruthlessness and my calculated logic seemed to unnerve him.

"Fine," Viktor finally muttered, slumping in the chair. "What do you want to know?"

---

Breaking Maria's Network

For the next hour, Viktor spilled everything: account numbers, locations of warehouses, and names of key players in Maria's organization. Claire joined us midway through, her fingers flying across her laptop keyboard as she recorded the information.

"This is bigger than we thought," she murmured, her brow furrowed as she scanned the data. "Maria's network isn't just local. She has ties in Europe and South America. Taking her down will create waves in the entire underworld."

"That's the idea," Dante said, his expression unreadable.

But something about the scope of Maria's operation unsettled me. If she was this powerful, how could we be sure she didn't have contingencies in place?

As if reading my mind, Dante placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "We're not doing this alone. I've already called in reinforcements."

"Reinforcements?" I echoed, my eyebrows raising.

"Old allies," he explained. "They'll help us dismantle Maria's network piece by piece."

---

A Sudden Attack

Just as we began to pack up, the sound of shattering glass cut through the air. I spun around to see a smoke canister rolling across the floor, hissing as it released thick, choking fumes.

"Ambush!" Dante shouted, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward cover.

Gunfire erupted, the sharp cracks echoing through the warehouse. Through the haze, I could make out the silhouettes of armed men storming in.

"Maria's men," Claire coughed, ducking behind a stack of crates.

Dante's men returned fire, their shots precise despite the chaos. I clutched my gun, my heart pounding as I tried to steady my breathing.

"Stay down," Dante ordered, his voice firm but protective.

I ignored him, popping up just long enough to take a shot at one of the attackers. The man fell, and I ducked back down, adrenaline surging through me.

"We need to get Viktor out of here," I said, glancing at the terrified man still tied to the chair.

"No," Dante growled. "We're not risking you for him."

But I knew Viktor was our key to taking Maria down. Without him, everything we'd worked for would be lost.

---

A Narrow Escape

The firefight raged on, but Dante's men slowly gained the upper hand. As the smoke began to clear, the remaining attackers retreated, leaving behind a scene of chaos.

"Is everyone okay?" Dante asked, his gaze sweeping over the room.

Claire nodded, though she looked shaken. I was bruised but otherwise unharmed. Viktor, however, was pale and trembling, his earlier bravado completely gone.

"You see now?" Dante said, turning to Viktor. "Maria won't stop until you're dead. The only chance you have is with us."

Viktor nodded mutely, too terrified to argue.

"Let's move," Dante ordered, leading the way out of the warehouse.