Page 231 of Diego

Another broken sound follows, then a voice.

“—rear entrance secure.”

One of my people.

We are close enough to the property’s internal system now for the radio to reconnect.

I reach for my own. “Giacomo.”

Static answers.

Then Giacomo’s voice comes through. “Diego.”

“Status downstairs.”

“Secure. Everyone is alive. Safe room sealed. I have two people inside with them.”

I close my eyes for half a second.

I don't know if Ricardo heard through his own radio, but relief flows through me at the news that everyone's alive.

The words are the only thing keeping me from tearing through the rest of the house without thinking.

“Stay on them,” I tell Giacomo. “We’re inside.”

“I know. Cameras picked you up when you crossed the east side. We’ve got at least three hostiles still moving inside the property. One entered the north hall. Two are near the front.”

“Any of them downstairs?”

“No. Lower access is sealed.”

That is all I need.

“We’ll clear the rest.”

Mario switches channels. “Ricardo, everyone’s in the safe room; bring your group inside through the garage. We have three hostiles remaining.”

Ricardo answers immediately.

Within a minute, his group reaches us. Dante has blood across one sleeve that is clearly not his. Edoardo and Alessio are with him, both focused and breathing hard. Giovanni, Antonio, and Nico come in behind them.

Mario positions everyone without wasting time.

“Ricardo, Dante, Edoardo, take the east side toward the front sitting area with two of our people. Antonio and Nico go with you until you reach the split. Giovanni stays here with me. Alessio, you’re with Diego and Matteo. Tomasso holds this hall.”

Ricardo gives one nod and moves.

Mario looks toward me. “North hall.”

I lead only because I know the house.

We move through the corridor toward the office at the front. Giacomo feeds us updates over the radio as long as the cameras can track the attacker.

“He just left the north hall,” Giacomo says. “Went into the office.”

Mario stops us before the doorway and listens.

A chair scrapes inside.