Chapter Eight

Lockdown

Third Person POV

Cesare Borgia did not react the way men expected him to, he did not rage, did not shatter glass or bark incoherent orders, he went quiet.

That silence was enough to stop an entire room. His silence was much more sinister and dangerous than anything one could think of.

His men stared at him with fear written all over them. One single order and they were done for.

“What happened?” He asked, his voice cold as ice.

His men began kowtowing, “We're sorry sir…we're sorry sir.”

Cesare ignored them and turned to the big screen where Rosette was displayed. Her body was limp, her face pale, wires strapped to her chest, the bomb was there too. ‘Thirty minutes.’

Cesare turned away before the men behind him could read anything on his face.

“City protocol,” he said.

Oliver stiffened. “Sir–”

“Now!”

The word fell like a verdict. Oliver’s fingers flew across his tablet,but he hesitated. Just for half a second.

“Sir,” he said carefully, “if we activate city protocol without cause–”

Cesare turned, his face devoid of emotions, his gaze cold as ice. He simply looked at Oliver.

“Do you want to be the man who explained to me why she died…” Cesare asked quietly, “...or the man who followed orders?”

Oliver swallowed hard, “Sir, I was only making sure–”

“...Activate it,” Oliver snapped to the tech team. “All levels.”

The room exploded into motion, Screens changed, maps lit up.

Red lines sealed bridges, blue dots froze trains mid-route, airports went dark one by one, ports locked, private runways shut down. The city groaned as it came to a standstill.

A technician looked up, pale. “Sir…government channels are lighting up.”

Cesare didn’t turn. “Mute them.”

“They’re issuing emergency override threats.”

“Let them,” Cesare said.

Another man spoke, voice tight. “This is going to bring heat. Federal heat.”

Cesare finally faced them. “I am the heat.”

Oliver froze at his words, “Sir–”

The screen shifted, it was Rosette again.

Her chest rose slowly. The wires on her chest weren't left out, it trembled with the rhythm of her chest.

The red numbers on the bomb blinked calmly, ‘Twenty-seven minutes.’

Cesare’s jaw clenched, “Find who took her,” he said. “I don’t care how long it takes or who you step on.”

A tech snapped his fingers. “We’re tracing hospital footage. Someone tampered with it, but it wasn't clean enough”

“Good,” Cesare replied. “Mistakes mean fear–”

The doors burst open immediately and Luis, Cesare's step brother walked in like he owned the room.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Luis barked. Cesare didn’t look at him.

“You shut down a city,” he continued. “Do you have any idea what you just did? The council is losing their minds.”

Cesare spoke calmly. “Then they should sit down.”

Luis stepped closer. “This isn’t how leadership works. This is panic.”

That made Cesare turn, slowly. “You don’t know what panic is,” Cesare said. “Panic is watching someone you love bleed out on a screen while men argue about permission.”

Luis scoffed. “So this is about a woman?”

“She has a name,” Cesare warned.

Luis threw his hands up. “You didn’t even tell me what happened. You expect me to cover for you blind?”

“I didn’t ask you to cover for me.”

“You expect me to stand by while you burn everything?”

Cesare took one step forward, “Everything can burn,” he said, voice flat, “if it brings her back.”

Luis stared at him like he was looking at a stranger. “You’ve lost your mind.”

Cesare leaned in close. “I simply found my priority.”

Luis' phone rang. He glanced at it and cursed under his breath. “That was the minister,” he said. “They’re authorizing forces, warrants… they might end up seizing our assets.”

Cesare smiled faintly. “Then they’re late.”

A tech cut in. “Sir…we’ve got a hint.”

Cesare moved instantly. “Show me.”

A face filled the screen. A man in hospital scrubs, everything about him fell off immediately.

“He entered through the service elevator,” the tech said. “His badge’s fake. We tracked the signal.”

“Where is he now?” Cesare said immediately.

The screen changed again, and a blinking dot appeared. “Warehouse district…Dock seventeen.”

Cesare grabbed his coat. “Take me to him,” he said and attempted to leave.

Luis stepped into his path. “Cesare, don’t.”

Cesare stopped inches from him, “If you stop me,” Cesare said softly, “you will regret it for the rest of your life.”

Luis searched his face for cracks and found none. Whatever he saw there made him step aside.

******************

The warehouse smelled like oil and rust.

A man screamed his lungs out.

Cesare stood in front of him, hands in his pockets.“Where is she?” he asked.

The man cried. “I don’t know, I swear!”

Cesare nodded once at Oliver who broke the man’s finger, he screamed again.

“Where is she?” Oliver asked.

The man began sobbing, “Please…I just moved her”

Cesare crouched to his level, “Who gave the order?”

The man shook violently. “A number…An unknown.”

Cesare straightened, “Useless…” he said.

Gunshots echoed through the warehouse, followed by immediate silence.

Back in the car, Cesare’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, it was an unknown number.

‘You shut down a city for her.’

Cesare stared at the screen and another message appeared, ‘Twenty minutes gone.’

Cesare’s grip tightened.“Track that number,” he ordered.

The tech guy shook his head through the speaker. “It’s bouncing sir… it's masked.”

“Oliver, drive!” he ordered.

His assistant started the car and zoomed off with Cesare giving endless instructions over the phone.

“Stop!” Cesare said abruptly.

Oliver screeched the car to a halt, “What is the matter sir…”

“Lights Warehouse…”

Oliver turned around, “What about it sir?”

“The abductors passed through this district, I saw that sign…” He pointed at a sign ahead, “Lights Warehouse.”

Oliver nodded, “So what's the next step sir, Times of the essence.”

“Take me back to dock seventeen.”

Oliver's eyes widened, “What?”