The Mafia's Undoing-Chapter 137: The Shadow

Eighteen minutes.

That’s all we had to save Bella and David.

Tony was driving like a madman at full speed, weaving through Manhattan traffic, running lights, and not caring about the consequences.

I was in the passenger seat, preparing mentally.

"If this goes wrong-" I start.

"It won’t."

"But if it does, tell Elliot I love him. Tell him-" My voice breaks. "Tell him I tried to be a good sister."

"Katherine-"

"Promise me... promise you’ll live your life. Please do not let revenge destroy you, as it destroyed Charles’s students. Don’t let my death define you."

Tony’s jaw clenches. "You’re not dying tonight."

"Promise me anyway."

He takes my hand and squeezes it. "I promise, but you’re coming back to me, and we’re both walking out of this."

I wanted to believe him.

But Alexander Reece was Charles Sterling’s masterpiece. He had 20 years of training, was a perfect operative, and an invisible assassin.

And I was walking into his trap unarmed.

We reached the penthouse building in 15 minutes, which was record time and definitely broke a dozen traffic laws.

Luca was already there, his tactical team assembling, but they needed time to position.

"Thirty minutes minimum," Luca says. "To secure the building, position snipers and plan breach points."

I don’t have thirty minutes.

"I’m going in," I announced.

"Katherine, no-" Tony starts.

"He said alone. If you come, he kills Bella immediately. You know he will."

"Then we wait for tactical-"

"Bella doesn’t have thirty minutes. None of us do!" I was shouting now, couldn’t help it. "I’m going in. Give me fifteen minutes, then breach."

"Fifteen minutes is-" Luca starts. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Long enough to keep Bella alive. That’s all that matters."

Tony grabs my arm. "Katherine, listen to me. Alexander is trained; he’s a professional. You’re walking to your death."

"Maybe, but I’m walking anyway... and you know that’s what we do. We protect the people we love."

I pulled away and headed for the entrance.

Tony caught up with me. "At least take a weapon."

"He said unarmed. If he finds a weapon, he would kill everyone immediately."

"Then I’m coming with you."

"No. You’re breaching in fifteen minutes with Luca and with the FBI. Don’t be stubborn about this, please, you’d be here saving all of us."

I kissed him long and deep. Maybe for the last time.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you too. Don’t you dare die in there."

"I’ll try not to."

Then I walked into the building alone, unarmed and terrified.

But moving forward anyway.

Because Bella’s in danger, and I won’t let another person die because of me this time around.

The elevator ride up felt endless.

I checked my watch and realised we had 14 minutes left until the breach.

I needed to keep Alexander talking, keep Bella alive and give Tony time.

The doors open on the penthouse floor.

Our apartment, the one we just moved into, had top security and a fresh start.

Now, all were violated by The Shadow.

I walked through the door with my hands visible and no sudden movements.

I saw that Bella and David were on the couch, frozen and terrified, with Bella crying silently.

A figure in black stood behind them, face covered by a mask, with the voice modulator active.

"Katherine Blaire, you came. I’m quite impressed."

"Let them go. You wanted me, now you have me."

"Not yet. First, we talk. I want you to understand why you’re dying tonight."

He was walking around them in circles with his gun trained on Bella’s head.

"Thirteen minutes," I say. "That’s all you have before the FBI breaches this building."

"I know, and I’m counting on it."

That stopped me. "What?"

"You think I’m alone? That I’m stupid enough to corner myself?" He laughs. "Katherine, Charles trained me better than that."

He gestures to the windows, and I saw movement, figures on adjacent rooftops who were armed.

"I have people positioned throughout this building. When the FBI breaches, they trigger explosives. This entire floor goes. You, Bella, David, Tony, Luca... everyone."

My mouth went dry. "You’re bluffing."

He pulled out a detonator and showed it to me. "Am I?"

I began calculating my options - escape routes... anything to get out of here.

But if he’s telling the truth, breach means death for everyone.

"So what do you want?" I ask.

"I want you to understand." He reached up and removed the mask, and I saw his face for the first time.

He appeared to be in his late forties or maybe more, I couldn’t tell. He was handsome in a cold and dangerous way. His eyes were equally cold as ice.

"I am Alexander Reece, Diane’s older brother."

"Well, nice to meet you then," I said dryly.

He grimaced but continued. "Charles Sterling’s first student. His favourite, until Diane came along. Charles trained me for twenty years. He made me invisible, untraceable and perfect. I was his son in everything but blood. And then he met Diane. She was young, brilliant, female: different from me, and he loved her more."

I edged closer and slowly, trying to buy time.

"Jealousy?" I ask. "This is about sibling rivalry?"

"This is about being replaced!" His voice rose, a first crack in the perfect composure. "About being made obsolete. Watching my father figure choose someone else and give her everything that should have been mine! The legacy, the empire, the love... all of it went to Diane, and I got nothing."

Alexander’s circling again, his gun never wavering.

"Charles was my surrogate father. He rescued me from foster care at age ten when I was a scared kid, broken and alone. He trained me, loved me, and made me feel important and special. For twenty years, I was his. His very own perfect creation.

Then Diane entered the picture at seventeen. Brilliant and beautiful - everything I wasn’t."

His face showed real pain now. "Charles sidelined me, forgot about me and chose her for his legacy. To help guide his daughter, Victoria, if she ever faltered and left me with nothing."

"So I waited and watched. When he died, I let Diane have her revenge. Studied how you defeated her and learned from her mistakes."

"And now you’re what?" I ask. "Getting revenge for being replaced?"

"Now I’m finishing what we both started, but smarter, better, and invisible."

He was closer now, and I was already within striking distance.

But Bella’s still in danger, I can’t risk it yet.

"Diane died for Charles," Alexander continues. "A quick one by shooting herself. It was almost noble in its stupidity."

"But you? You will die slowly. Watching everyone you love die first."

He points the gun at Bella. "Starting with her. Tony’s half-sister, who’s now your friend."