Chapter 10 - The Siege of the Estate Gates-1
The heavy iron perimeter gates of the Moretti estate loomed out of the swirling mountain fog like the portcullis of a medieval fortress. Behind the spiked bars, two armed guards wearing tactical vests bearing the estate’s security insignia paced lazily near the security kiosk, smoking cigarettes and chatting in low tones, completely unaware of the storm gathering in the darkness beyond the treeline.
Three hundred yards down the winding access road, the lead armored Suburban idled with its lights completely killed.
Inside the cabin, the amber glow of tactical monitors cast a dim light across Gabriel’s rugged face as he tapped away at a ruggedized laptop linked to the estate’s local subnet.
"We’re patched into the perimeter sub-grid," Gabriel reported quietly, his eyes fixed on the streaming data lines. "Thanks to Sophia’s diagram of the kitchen junction box, I’ve managed to spoof the biometric authentication protocols on the main gate sensors. The auto-turrets on the north wall are currently offline."
Alessandro sat in the passenger seat, calmly checking the magazine of his Beretta before sliding it back into his shoulder holster. He looked back into the rear seat where Elena sat holding Sophia, who had finally drifted off to sleep, her head resting against her mother’s shoulder despite the impending violence.
"How many men does Victor have inside the perimeter?" Alessandro asked.
"According to thermal ping scans bouncing off the greenhouse heat vents," Gabriel replied, scrolling down the screen, "there are roughly fourteen active combatants inside the main house, plus two snipers stationed on the upper slate roof. Victor’s command post is set up in your private study on the second floor."
"My study," Alessandro repeated, a bitter edge to his voice. "Fitting. He always did covet my chair."
"What's the play, boss?" Gabriel asked, gripping the steering wheel. "Do we breach through the south conservatory, or do we hit the front doors head-on?"
"We don't sneak in anymore, Gabriel," Alessandro said, his voice dropping into a register of absolute, cold finality. "When a usurper takes a throne, creeping around the back stairs only projects weakness. We open the front gates, we turn on every light in the mansion, and we let them know the master has returned."
Gabriel grinned, a fierce, feral expression. "Consider it done."
With a sharp click, Gabriel pressed a sequence of commands onto his tactical laptop.
Up at the main entrance, the heavy iron perimeter gates gave a loud, metallic CLANG as the electromagnetic locks disengaged simultaneously. The massive gates swung slowly outward into the fog, inviting the darkness in.
The two guards in the security kiosk whipped around in shock, dropping their cigarettes. "What the hell?! Who opened the gates—?!"
Before they could reach their rifles, the lead armored Suburban surged forward out of the mist, its high-beam LEDs blazing like twin suns. It plowed straight through the open gates, stopping sideways across the courtyard to block any escape routes while Gabriel and his six loyalists spilled out of the doors with tactical precision, weapons raised.
"Down on the ground! Hands behind your heads!" Gabriel bellowed, his voice echoing off the stone facade of the mansion.
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The two guards didn't hesitate; they dropped their weapons and hit the wet gravel, recognizing Gabriel’s voice and the terrifying reality of who was leading the assault.
Alessandro stepped out of the Suburban last. He adjusted the lapels of his suit coat, pulled his tactical gloves tight over his knuckles, and walked past the kneeling guards toward the grand mahogany double doors of the mansion—doors that were about to be knocked wide open.
