Chapter 34 - The Tarmac Standoff
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The drive to the private airfield in New Jersey was a high-speed blur. Luca drove his SUV like a man possessed, weaving flawlessly through midnight traffic, while his security convoy trailed closely behind us.
We breached the perimeter of the small, exclusive airport by violently ramming through the front security gate, the heavy iron chains snapping under the force of the armored SUV.
We tore onto the darkened tarmac.
A sleek, unmarked Gulfstream jet was sitting near the end of the runway, its powerful engines already whining loudly, preparing for immediate takeoff. The boarding stairs were still lowered.
Luca slammed the brakes, skidding the SUV horizontally to violently block the jet’s path of departure.
We jumped out of the vehicle, flanked by heavily armed operatives.
Vivian emerged at the top of the boarding stairs, clutching a briefcase, looking down at us with a mixture of absolute fury and desperate panic.
“You’re too late, Luca!” Vivian screamed over the deafening roar of the jet engines. “If you try to stop this plane, my cartel associates will burn your entire family to the ground!”
“Your cartel associates are the ones looking for you, Vivian!” Luca shouted back, stepping forward. “Derek sang like a canary. The feds have him, and they are routing a tactical team here right now. It’s over!”
Vivian looked wildly at the flashing red and blue lights of local police cruisers finally beginning to breach the far end of the airfield. Her escape window was rapidly closing.
She reached inside her coat and suddenly pulled a sleek, silver handgun, pointing it directly down the stairs at me.
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“If I’m going down, I’m taking Antonio’s beloved legacy with me!” Vivian shrieked, her finger tightening on the trigger.
Luca moved with terrifying, instantaneous speed. He threw his body violently in front of mine, shielding me entirely with his own chest, just as the gunshot echoed sharply across the tarmac.
