Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: The Heart of Vengeance

The safehouse was a small cabin tucked away in the woods, a place Ethan had chosen for its isolation. As he and Sarah approached, his stomach twisted. The door hung off its hinges, splintered wood scattered across the porch. He drew his gun, motioning for Sarah to stay back, but she followed anyway, her own weapon ready.Inside, the air was thick with the metallic tang of blood. Ethan's heart stopped as he saw her: Lily, sprawled on the floor, her dark hair fanned out around her pale face. A deep gash marked her throat, the signature of Tommy Vega, Moretti's deadliest enforcer. Ethan dropped to his knees beside her, his hands trembling as he touched her cold skin. "No," he whispered, his voice breaking. "No, no, no."Sarah stepped closer, her expression grim. "Ethan, I'm sorry."He didn't hear her. Tears streamed down his face as he pulled Lily's body into his arms, clutching her dog tag against his chest. She was gone. His little sister, the one he'd sworn to protect, was gone. The guilt crashed over him like a tidal wave, drowning him in what-ifs. If he'd been faster, smarter, if he'd never trusted Moretti.Minutes passed before he could move. Gently, he laid Lily down and stood, wiping his eyes. His grief hardened into something else: rage. "Vega did this," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "And Moretti ordered it. They're both dead men."Sarah nodded. "Then we keep going. For Lily. For David. We end this."Ethan pocketed the dog tag, his resolve steeling. He wasn't just fighting for survival anymore. This was vengeance. As they turned to leave, a shadow shifted in the corner of the room. Ethan spun, gun raised, his pulse pounding. Someone was watching.