The last gamble
Chapter 40: The Last Gamble
Viktor Romano sat alone.
For the first time in years.
No advisors.
No captains.
No bodyguards.
Just him.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The city stretched beyond the windows of his office.
Beautiful.
Alive.
And soon...
No longer his.
The realization settled heavily in his chest.
Along with the pain.
Always the pain.
The old mafia boss reached for another pill.
Then stopped.
Because suddenly...
He was tired.
Not physically.
Not entirely.
Tired in the way only old kings became tired.
Tired of fighting.
Tired of losing.
Tired of watching time take everything.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
His phone sat on the desk.
Silent.
Waiting.
Soon enough someone would call.
Soon enough he'd learn whether his final move succeeded.
Or failed.
Either way...
The game was ending.
Across the city, Lorenzo Vitale looked ready to commit several felonies.
Immediately.
The captain's radio transmission still echoed through the underground hospital.
Loaded with explosives.
The words hung in the air.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Terrifying.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Lorenzo grabbed the radio.
"Where."
The single word cracked like thunder.
The captain answered immediately.
"Parking garage entrance."
Silence.
Immediate silence.
Amara's stomach dropped.
Because the parking garage sat directly above one section of the underground facility.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
If the explosives detonated...
The damage would be catastrophic.
The realization hit everyone simultaneously.
Lorenzo was already moving.
Of course he was.
The king did not freeze.
The king acted.
Immediately.
"Let's go."
The order sent soldiers running.
Fast.
Efficient.
Terrified.
Reasonably terrified.
Amara followed.
Naturally.
The audacity.
The complete audacity.
Lorenzo noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
"No."
Silence.
Amara kept walking.
Immediately.
The betrayal.
The ignoring-him betrayal.
Undefeated.
"Amara."
"No."
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The surgeon didn't even look at him.
Just continued marching toward potential explosives.
Like a completely normal person.
The king looked offended.
Actually offended.
Reasonably offended.
The woman had apparently mistaken herself for immortal.
A recurring problem.
A very recurring problem.
Five minutes later they reached the secured entrance.
The atmosphere felt wrong.
Every soldier sensed it.
Danger.
Pure danger.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
A black delivery van sat abandoned near the loading dock.
No driver.
No movement.
No explanation.
The worst kind of vehicle.
Immediately.
A bomb technician approached.
Sweating.
Pale.
Concerned.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Boss."
Lorenzo looked at him.
The poor man visibly suffered.
"What."
The technician pointed toward the van.
"There are enough explosives in there to level this block."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Even the air seemed to stop moving.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Amara stared.
Then stared harder.
Because suddenly...
The scope became clear.
Romano hadn't wanted intimidation.
He hadn't wanted fear.
He'd wanted destruction.
The realization settled coldly inside her chest.
Very coldly.
Lorenzo's expression became terrifying.
Immediately.
The dangerous calm returned.
The one everyone feared.
The one that appeared right before something terrible happened to someone else.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The bomb technician swallowed.
Hard.
"We're trying to disarm it."
A pause.
"We're not sure how much time we have."
Silence.
The soldiers exchanged glances.
Nobody liked that answer.
Nobody.
Then suddenly—
A phone rang.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The sound came from inside the van.
Everyone froze.
Immediately.
The technician looked horrified.
Reasonably horrified.
Very reasonably horrified.
Because bombs generally weren't supposed to receive phone calls.
The realization seemed important.
Amara thought so.
Lorenzo definitely thought so.
The technician stared at the ringing phone.
Then toward Lorenzo.
Then back toward the phone.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The king stepped forward.
Without hesitation.
Without fear.
Without mercy.
The phone continued ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then Lorenzo answered.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The entire world seemed to stop.
A familiar voice spoke.
Old.
Tired.
Dangerous.
Viktor Romano.
"Hello, Lorenzo."
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Lorenzo's jaw tightened.
Immediately.
The old king sounded exhausted.
More exhausted than angry.
More exhausted than dangerous.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"You should've left her alone."
The words came softly.
Almost sadly.
Silence.
Lorenzo's eyes darkened.
Dangerously.
"You tried to bomb a hospital."
A pause.
The old man laughed.
Weakly.
Bitterly.
"I tried to stop losing."
Absolute silence.
The truth landed heavily.
Because that's what this was.
Not strategy.
Not power.
Desperation.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
For several moments neither man spoke.
Two kings.
One rising.
One falling.
The city balanced between them.
Then Viktor sighed.
Slowly.
Painfully.
"I'm tired, Lorenzo."
Silence.
Immediate silence.
The confession shocked everyone.
Especially Lorenzo.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"I know."
The answer came quietly.
Honestly.
Dangerously.
For the first time...
Neither sounded like enemies.
Just men.
One at the beginning.
One at the end.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then Viktor spoke again.
The final words carrying something unexpected.
Regret.
"Take care of her."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Lorenzo froze.
Immediately.
Across the city, Viktor Romano hung up the phone.
The call ended.
The line went dead.
And somewhere inside his office...
The old king finally closed his eyes.
While at the hospital loading dock...
Lorenzo slowly lowered the phone.
The bomb technician stared.
Terrified.
Confused.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then Lorenzo looked toward the van.
Toward the explosives.
Toward the destruction that almost happened.
And finally toward Amara.
Standing stubbornly beside him.
Still refusing to leave.
The traitor.
The complete traitor.
Their eyes met.
And for the first time all day...
Lorenzo smiled.
Small.
Real.
Dangerous.
Because somehow...
They were still here.
Still standing.
Still together.
And the war?
The war was finally coming to an end.
End Chapter 40