Chapter 9 - The Final Stand
The air in the garage turned electric with imminent violence. Roman didn't hesitate. With his good shoulder, he fired two rapid shots, catching the lead thug in the shoulder and sending him crashing into a stack of spare tires.
"Get under the car!" Roman yelled back to Emma, firing again to pin Vance behind a steel pillar.
Emma ducked low, scrambling beneath the elevated Ford Mustang with Lily cradled tightly in her arms. Bullets sparked off the metal frame of the car, showering her in tiny metal flakes, but she stayed low, praying silently.
Roman fought with the cold, calculated fury of a man protecting everything he had left in the world. He dropped a second thug, but the sheer volume of incoming fire was overwhelming. Vance advanced step by step, laughing maniacally as he sprayed bullets toward Roman's cover.
"You're out of ammo, Callahan!" Vance taunted, stepping closer. "Give it up!"
Roman clicked his trigger, but the gun emitted a dry, empty click. He had run completely out of bullets.
Vance raised his weapon directly at Roman's chest, a triumphant sneer on his lips. "Goodbye, Roman."
Suddenly, the side office door of the garage kicked open with a thunderous crash.
"Drop your weapons! Chicago Police Department!"
A flood of tactical officers poured into the garage, led by federal agents carrying heavy riot shields. Sirens wailed outside, illuminating the dusty windows in flashing red and blue lights.
Vance froze, turning his head in panic. Before he could raise his weapon to fire at the police, a massive tackle from behind sent him crashing face-first into the concrete floor.
Roman let out a long, shuddering breath, lowering his empty gun as federal agents swarmed the remaining thugs, slapping handcuffs on them and securing the area.
A tall, weathered police captain walked over to Roman, extending a hand. "Good timing, Callahan. We tapped Vance's burner phone the second you pinged off the cell tower near the suburb. We found the digital backup of the ledger you uploaded to our secure servers from the cabin."
Roman shook the captain's hand, nodding tightly. "Thanks, Miller. Make sure these animals never see the light of day again."
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Roman turned immediately, dropping to his knees beside the Ford Mustang and peering into the shadows. "Emma? Lily? It's over. You're safe."
Emma crawled out from beneath the car, her face smudged with dust, tears of absolute relief streaming down her cheeks. She handed Lily to Roman, who gently scooped the baby into his arms, holding her close against his chest with a tenderness that defied every harsh angle of his dangerous life.
