Chapter 16 - THE TOWER
Vitali Tower glowed against the Chicago night.
Police blocked three streets.
News helicopters circled above.
Matteo had locked himself inside the forty-second-floor boardroom with eight directors.
He claimed he had a dead-man switch connected to financial files capable of destroying Vitali Holdings.
Federal negotiators believed he was bluffing.
Alessandro did not.
“He built the offshore structure.”
“If he releases everything selectively, he can make innocent transactions look criminal.”
“He can collapse the company before investigators understand what they’re seeing.”
I stared at him.
“You care about the company.”
“Thirty-two thousand people work for it.”
That answer reminded me why Matteo had underestimated him.
Matteo believed power existed to protect the man holding it.
Alessandro believed power created responsibility.
They were not the same.
A negotiator approached.
“He wants you.”
“Of course he does.”
“No weapons.”
Alessandro nodded.
I grabbed his arm.
He looked at me.
“Don’t let him make this about your father.”
“He already has.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“He wants you angry.”
“He wants you to choose blood.”
“Choose evidence.”
Alessandro held my gaze.
Then nodded.
He entered the tower.
I stayed inside the command vehicle with Gabriel and federal agents.
Every second felt endless.
Audio from Alessandro’s wire played through a speaker.
The elevator opened.
Matteo spoke.
“My favorite nephew.”
“Release the board.”
“Still giving orders.”
“Still pretending you have choices.”
“You should have taken my advice about the girl.”
Alessandro’s voice remained calm.
“She has a name.”
“Elizabeth.”
“Yes.”
Matteo laughed.
“She survived because your father hesitated.”
I froze.
Alessandro did not respond.
Matteo continued.
“Vittorio ordered Thomas stopped.”
“But when I told him there would be collateral damage, he lost his nerve.”
“So you acted anyway.”
“Someone had to.”
There.
The room around me became silent.
Gabriel pointed toward the recorder.
We had it.
A confession.
But Alessandro kept going.
“And Patrick Carter?”
“Persistent man.”
“North Shore?”
Matteo laughed softly.
“Daniel always did enjoy outsourcing.”
Another confession.
Gabriel whispered.
“Enough.”
The federal commander raised his radio.
Before he could speak, Matteo continued.
“But you still don’t understand the most important part.”
“What?”
“Your father knew I had killed Thomas.”
Silence.
“And he covered it up.”
My chest tightened.
Alessandro’s voice changed.
“You’re lying.”
“He discovered the truth before his stroke.”
“He planned to turn me in.”
“Then why didn’t he?”
“Because I gave him a choice.”
Matteo paused.
“Expose me and destroy the Vitali name.”
“Or remain silent and protect you.”
Alessandro said nothing.
“He chose you.”
That was the knife Matteo had saved for last.
Gabriel looked at me.
I shook my head.
Something was wrong.
My father’s letter.
Trust the son only after he chooses truth over blood.
Thomas had known Vittorio failed somehow.
Maybe not because Vittorio was evil.
Because Vittorio was afraid.
Matteo continued.
“Your father protected the family.”
“Now you will do the same.”
“No.”
The answer came instantly.
Matteo fell silent.
Alessandro continued.
“My father made his choice.”
“I make mine.”
“You would destroy your own name?”
“If truth destroys it, then it deserves to be destroyed.”
Gabriel closed his eyes.
My father’s test.
Truth over blood.
Alessandro had passed it.
Matteo shouted something.
A crash followed.
Gunfire exploded through the speaker.
The transmission cut out.
I stood.
“Alessandro?”
Nothing.
“Alessandro?”
The federal commander ordered the tactical team forward.
I stared at the silent speaker.
Then somebody inside the tower screamed over the radio.
“Officer down.”
Another voice followed.
“Shots fired on forty-two.”
May you like
Then came the words that stopped my heart.
“Vitali has been hit.”
