Chapter 4: Broken Codes**
The Detroit operation commenced with surgical brutality. Under the cover of heavy midnight rain, Marco’s team breached the rusting perimeter of the abandoned auto plant. Through the encrypted comms linked to Damon’s earpiece, the sound of muffled gunfire, shattering glass, and shouting echoed across three hundred miles.
Damon sat in his dimly lit parlor, a glass of untouched scotch resting by his elbow. Every second felt stretched to infinity. His heart beat steadily, free of the lethal dose Victor had intended to administer, but the psychological weight was crushing. He looked at the vintage portrait of his late brother hanging above the fireplace. *I promised you I’d protect her,* Damon thought. *And to protect her, I must keep our hands clean of innocent blood.*
"Target secure," Marco’s voice suddenly crackled through the radio static, slightly breathless but triumphant. "The boy is unharmed. We neutralized four hostiles and secured the transport. We’re airborne in ten minutes."
A faint exhale escaped Damon's chest. "Bring him straight to the estate. It's time for Victor to see the cost of his choices."
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Damon stood up, walking toward the grand staircase. He made a silent detour to the reinforced safe room in the basement. Peering through the small glass viewing port, he saw little Lily curled up on a plush sofa, fast asleep with her pink ribbon slightly askew, clutching the drawing pencils Damon had bought her. She had saved his life without ever firing a bullet or understanding the dark underworld she inhabited. In that quiet moment, Damon made a silent vow: this war with Moretti would be his last. He would dismantle his syndicate, take the clean assets, and build a sanctuary where Lily would never have to draw another clock to stay alive.
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