Chapter 100: Hell on 41st Street

Susan, in search of answers, went to Evan's apartment, pacing back and forth, her eyes red, her hands shaking. She felt a tight knot in her stomach, a mix of anger, frustration and guilt. She was about to leave when she stopped in front of her uncle, who was watching silently, sitting on the edge of the sofa.

“I was an dumb…” she murmured. “How could I believe that stupid message? How could I not realize it was a trap?”

“Susan... you had no way of knowing. It was convincing.” Evan tried to console her.

“Robinson.” She murmured the name as if it were poison. “That message... came from YOUR cell phone. And now he's gone. Do you want to tell me where he is, Uncle?”

Evan frowned, confused.

“I... I don't know. I woke up and he wasn't here anymore. I thought he had just left early.”

“Wake up, Uncle!” she shouted. “He tricked us! And helped kidnap Théo!”

Evan was silent for a moment, the impact of the accusation hitting him hard.

“No... It can’t be.”

“He used you, Uncle. And I was stupid enough to leave Theo alone.”

Susan sat on the floor, leaning against the wall, her hands on her face. Evan knelt beside her and hugged her.

“We’ll fix this, Susan.”

**Meanwhile...**

On the other side of the city, DK and Oliver were in full swing.

They had spoken to taxi drivers, gym employees, pedestrians in the area, and even hacked security cameras. Time was precious, and the tension was unbearable.

That’s when DK’s cell phone rang.

“Speak, brunette. Did you find out anything?”

“Susan found out, Robinson was the one who helped set up the kidnapping.”

DK gritted his teeth, looking immediately at Oliver.

“Don’t worry, Bella. I’ll find him. In person.”

A short time later, at a private airport on the west side of New York

Robinson walked quickly down the runway, a carry-on bag and his coat flapping in the wind. The small plane was already ready, the engine running. The pilot was waiting for him.

But before he could climb the metal ladder... a silhouette appeared in front of him.

“I found you, damn you.”

Robinson froze. He looked around for a way out, but before he could react, Oliver appeared from behind and struck him with the butt of the gun, making him fall to his knees.

“Give me one reason not to kill you now,” DK spat, his eyes blazing. “Just one!”

“Listen... I... I didn’t have a choice.”

“Yes, you did!” DK grabbed the man by the collar. “And you chose to betray the Hanh family. You put my son in the hands of psychopaths!”

“They offered me money. Security. I thought we could... we could put an end to all this!

DK punched Robinson hard in the face, then another. And another. Oliver watched silently, just waiting for orders.

“Speak! Where’s my son?!”

Robinson spat blood, his face unrecognizable.

“In a warehouse in the industrial zone... on 41st and Lexington. They have Andrew Frazier... he’s the boss. Rebecca’s there too. They want revenge... they want to make Bella pay... and you too.”

DK dropped the man to the ground and turned to Oliver.

“Finish him.”

Without hesitation, Oliver pulled out his silenced gun and fired. A single shot. Robinson fell for good.

Then, as he got into the car, DK made a call to Bella

“Morena... I got it. Robinson confessed everything before he died. They have Théo in a warehouse in the industrial zone. There’s another name involved: Andrew Frazier.”

There was a brief silence on the other end.

“Andrew... Frazier?”

“Yes, you know him?”

“He was an enemy back in Miami. A self-important mobster who went into hiding when our operations swallowed up his. Now I understand why Rebecca sought him out.”

“So he’s dangerous?”

“Extremely. Manipulative, treacherous, and violent. DK, if they have Theo, and this man is involved, we don’t have time.”

“I’m already on my way there with Oliver. We’ll meet at the nearest entry point.”

“I’ll be there.”

And as the snow fell thinly, covering the industrial warehouses with a silent layer of white. Inside the old warehouse at 41st and Lexington, a war that promised to be even colder and deadlier was about to begin.

Theo was unconscious, and now lying on a dirty mattress in the back of the place. Tied up and with a slight bruise on his forehead, and Rebecca was standing, armed, with her eyes fixed on the boy. Her fingers caressed the gun with the coldness of someone who had already crossed the moral line. Beside her, Andrew Frazier coordinated surveillance with his henchmen.

“As soon as they appear, shoot to kill. I want Bella crying blood, understand?”

“Boss...two cars approaching...with their lights off."

Andrew’s eyes widened.

“This is it. Attack position!”

Outside, DK and Bella approached with Oliver and three other armed and highly trained allies. Each one had a defined role. DK was focused, but Bella...was on fire.

We'll go in from the side. Oliver, cover the rear.

"Understood," Oliver replied, seriously.

"And Bella..." DK grabbed her arm. "If something happens to me..."

"Shut up, Dylan. No one is going to die today. Except the bastards who touched our son." He nodded. And then, in one perfect movement, everyone was inside the warehouse, analyzing every detail of their targets. Oliver entered through the side, where a man as big and strong as he was waiting, starting a fierce fight. The rest of the team invaded with precision, at the same second that Miller hit two of Andrew's henchmen and the sound of bodies falling to the ground made the enemies alert. Rebecca didn't hide and soon went after Bella, who was advancing like a lethal shadow. "We're finally going to make things right, bitch." "That's fine with me." "You took everything from me! Now you're going to feel the same way!" In another part of the warehouse, DK faced Andrew in a brutal fight. With no time for weapons, they fought with punches and elbows, knocking over boxes and cans. "Why align yourself with a war that's already been lost, Andrew?" “And you? I thought that the great DK was a man who commanded respect and was feared by everyone, but now I see that he is nothing more than a sentimental idiot running to his death.”

“You are wrong. My family is what motivates me.”

DK, with a quick movement, grabbed an iron bar and hit Andrew in the head. The mobster fell, bleeding, unconscious and Kicher points his gun to finish Andrew, but feels a shot that hits the gun making her fall and when DK looks in the direction of the shot he notices the presence of Ester

“Get away from him, now.” she continues threatening

But at this moment Susan also appears like a shadow and knocks Ester to the ground who drops the gun, but she quickly recovers and in a matter of seconds the two were face to face starting another battle, at the same time a shot is heard, it was Oliver who finally ends his fight, thus motivating DK to end his too, leaving only one final fight. Bella, her eyes fixed on Rebecca, saw the woman try to run to the back — where Theo was starting to wake up.

“NO!” Bella shouted, shooting at her.

Rebecca ducked at the last second and fired back. A shot grazed Bella’s arm. The woman staggered, but didn’t stop.

Theo sat up stunned, his eyes wide as he watched the scene in shock.

“MOTHER?!”

Rebecca saw her chance. Bloody, injured, but with pure hatred in her eyes... she pointed the gun at the boy.

“You’re going to feel what I felt…”

“NOOO!”