Page 105 of Hard Wired

Victor’s brow wrinkled. “This is a real conundrum, Charles. Because here’s what I know. We’re the ones who told you, just last night, that somebody tried to hack us. And you acted so shocked that anyone would have the audacity.”

“Yes. Yes, of course. And then I learned it was Dominic. It was him. He put her up to it. That’s what I told you as soon as I found out.”

Victor walked along the edge of the pool, gesturing as he spoke. “But how did we know about it in the first place? Because a source from within your Syndicate told us the truth about five minutes before we called you. Told us all kinds of things. That you intended to play us for fools? Learn everything you could about our operation and then fuck us over? You had one chance to come clean when we called you last night, but you played as innocent as a girl at communion.”

“But I would never—”

Victor’s focus shifted to Raymond. “Why don’t we ask your second in command?”

“It’s all true.” Raymond’s voice rang out against the hard surfaces of the pool area. “I heard Charles give the order. Sylvie was supposed to hack your system, and Dominic would take the fall for it. But I never agreed to any of it. That’s why I came clean with you. I knew this would blow back on us.”

The Syndicate captains were starting to narrow their eyes at Charles. They didn’t know who to believe. A Traynor, or a Crane?

“What the fuck are you doing, Raymond?”

Charles grabbed a gun from the nearest enforcer and pointed it at Dominic’s brother. Their uncle was several yards away, but still, Dominic sucked in a panicked breath.

“You called me last night to tell me about Dominic’s plot to betray us,” Charles said, “right after I spoke to Victor. I didn’t know about the hack until they informed me. But you did. Fucking tell them.”

Dark metal appeared all over the patio. The Russians pointed their weapons across the pool. The Syndicate did the same, aiming across at the Russians.

Dominic and Sylvie were pretty much the only people in view not holding a gun. Fuck. On what planet had this seemed like a good plan?

“You’re the one bringing this shit down on our family business, Charles,” Raymond said. “I didn’t want any part of it. I just want to take my brother and the girl and walk away.”

Dominic locked eyes with Sylvie. She seemed just as bewildered as he was. His muscles tensed. If people started shooting, he was going to make a run for her.

He spotted Sandford, who was slowly inching away like he could predict the same future that Dominic could. The lawyer didn’t have a gun either.

Victor held up a hand. “Everyone, relax. The timeline of last night’s little game of telephone is getting convoluted, isn’t it? It’s he said/he said. But we’re going to work this out. For one, because we’ve got you outmatched. I have twice as many guys behind me as you do, Charles. Any of yours does something foolish? We’ll lay waste to the lot of you, since you’ve so conveniently gathered for us to play target practice.”

Nobody replied. Nobody moved.

Victor sighed, like he was overworked and underpaid. Middle management. “Now Raymond, we already agreed to let you go. You’re adding more conditions? That wasn’t the deal.”

“I didn’t know Dominic or Sylvie would be here. I—”

“No!” Uncle Charles screamed. “I’m not letting you roll on me, you little fucking punk.”

He opened fire.

And so did everyone else.

The pool area exploded with gunshots. Raymond tried to drag Dominic to the ground. But Dominic was already scrambling toward Sylvie. She dove behind a concrete planter.

People were shouting and falling left and right. Blood spattered the patio.

Dominic made it behind the planter and grabbed for Raymond, who was right behind him, panting like he’d sprinted a mile. Dominic looked around for Sandford, but the lawyer had vanished.

Raymond dashed out beyond the planter and back again, grabbing a gun from a fallen Syndicate member. Pieces of concrete exploded from the planter as bullets plowed into it. Dominic couldn’t even tell who was shooting at them. People had scattered everywhere.

Then Dominic noticed his brother’s leg was bleeding. “Jesus, are you hit?”

“It’s nothing. I’m fine.” Raymond handed the gun to Sylvie. “Where’s Charles?”

Sylvie checked the magazine and slapped it back into place. “He’s facedown in the pool. Tends to happen when you start shooting and a bunch of Russians with machine guns are already aiming at you.”

He couldn’t even tell how many Syndicate members were still alive. But Dominic didn’t expect any favors or mercy from Victor and his men. He just wanted to get the people he cared about as far away as possible.

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