CHAPTER 5 – The First Assassination
CHAPTER 5 – The First Assassination
The sniper waited.
His breathing slowed.
One heartbeat.
Two.
Three.
Through the high-powered scope, the Voss estate looked peaceful. Gardeners trimmed hedges. Housekeepers crossed the courtyard. Security guards rotated their patrols with military precision.
Then Iris appeared.
She stepped onto the second-floor balcony carrying a cup of tea, wrapped in one of Nikolai's oversized sweaters. The morning breeze lifted her hair as she absentmindedly rested a hand over her stomach.
The sniper smiled.
"Target confirmed."
His finger tightened on the trigger.
A single shot.
One bullet.
One dead witness.
One unborn heir erased before it ever drew a breath.
He squeezed—
"Sir."
A quiet voice sounded behind him.
The sniper frowned.
He hadn't heard anyone approach.
He turned.
Too late.
A silenced pistol flashed once.
The bullet struck the center of his forehead.
His body collapsed before his rifle hit the rooftop.
Standing over him was a woman dressed entirely in black.
She calmly picked up the sniper's phone and answered the incoming call.
Lucien Renard's voice came through the speaker.
"Report."
The woman smiled faintly.
"Wrong number."
She ended the call.
Two seconds later, Nikolai stepped out from the rooftop access door.
"You were right."
The woman nodded.
"They sent someone within twelve hours."
Nikolai looked down at the dead assassin.
"They'll send another."
"They'll send an army."
He wasn't surprised.
"My father?"
"Already moving the estate to full lockdown."
Nikolai looked toward the balcony across the grounds.
Iris was still standing there.
Completely unaware that death had just missed her by less than thirty seconds.
His expression hardened.
"No one gets another chance."
Inside the mansion, Iris had just finished breakfast when Doctor Emilia entered carrying a portable ultrasound machine.
"I'd like to check on the baby."
Iris forced a smile.
"I've never had one this early."
"It's routine."
Within minutes, soft static filled the room.
Doctor Emilia moved the probe carefully across Iris's abdomen.
Then—
A rapid rhythm echoed through the speakers.
Thump-thump.
Thump-thump.
Thump-thump.
Iris's eyes widened.
"Is that..."
The doctor smiled warmly.
"Your baby's heartbeat."
Tears filled Iris's eyes.
"It sounds so strong."
The door quietly opened.
Nikolai had returned without anyone noticing.
He froze when he heard the tiny heartbeat.
The room disappeared.
The war disappeared.
The mafia disappeared.
All he could hear was that impossibly small sound.
Doctor Emilia looked at him.
"Would you like to come closer?"
He hesitated.
"I don't know if I should."
Iris looked at him.
For the first time since the flower shop...
She nodded.
Slowly.
He walked to her bedside.
Doctor Emilia turned the monitor toward him.
"There."
A tiny flickering light pulsed on the screen.
"That's your child."
Nikolai stared without blinking.
His voice barely existed.
"...I made that?"
Iris couldn't help smiling.
"We did."
He reached for her hand.
This time...
She didn't pull away.
Three floors below, Victor Voss watched silently through the security cameras.
His chief of security approached.
"The Renards have begun buying weapons."
Victor nodded.
"As expected."
"Our intelligence also found something else."
"What?"
"They've hired an outside contractor."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"Which one?"
The commander swallowed.
"The Black Wolves."
Even Victor's expression darkened.
"They're not mercenaries."
"No."
"They're executioners."
That evening...
Lucien Renard poured himself a glass of whiskey.
Across from him sat five men.
Former soldiers.
Professional killers.
The Black Wolves.
Their leader placed a thick file on the table.
"Iris Beaumont."
He opened it.
Photos.
Addresses.
Financial records.
Medical history.
The ultrasound appointment.
The flower shop.
Everything.
Lucien pointed to one image.
"I don't care about the woman."
His finger slowly slid downward.
"I care about the child."
The leader closed the file.
"When?"
Lucien smiled.
"Before the pregnancy reaches twelve weeks."
"No mistakes."
"No survivors."
At that exact moment...
Miles away...
Iris suddenly woke from sleep.
She couldn't explain why.
She simply felt...
Someone wanted her baby dead.
She instinctively wrapped both arms around her stomach.
Outside her bedroom door...
May you like
Nikolai was already standing guard.
He had no intention of sleeping that night.
