The Fears Of A Billionaire

Chapter 65: The Devil's Hand

Dominic's mind was a storm of panic and fury as he cradled Alyssa, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Blood seeped between his fingers as he pressed his jacket against her side, desperate to slow the bleeding. The sounds of chaos outside the echoing footsteps, shouted orders, the clinking of glass faded into the background. All he could hear was Alyssa's labored breathing and the hammering of his own heart.

"Stay with me," he whispered fiercely, fighting the rising tide of terror. "Don't you dare give up now."

Alyssa's eyes fluttered open, her gaze meeting his. "You... you always did have terrible timing," she rasped, a weak smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Dominic forced a chuckle, his throat tight. "I'll work on that."

Footsteps echoed from down the hall, fast and purposeful, growing louder by the second. Dominic knew their window was closing, but there was no way he was leaving without Alyssa.

He reached for his earpiece, his voice low but urgent. "Marcus, I need you. Alyssa's hit, and we're pinned down."

There was a brief crackle of static before Marcus's voice came through, tense but clear. "I'm on my way. Hang tight."

Dominic's gaze flicked toward the door. They were sitting ducks here. He scanned the room, his mind racing for a plan. They couldn't wait for backup; they had to move.

He gently lifted Alyssa, her body limp in his arms, and made his way toward the far side of the room, where a heavy velvet curtain concealed a small service exit. He shouldered the door open and slipped through, into a narrow corridor dimly lit by emergency lights. The distant murmur of voices and footsteps echoed through the space, but for the moment, they were alone.

"Hold on," he whispered as he moved quickly down the hall. "Just hold on a little longer."

Alyssa's hand weakly gripped his sleeve. "Dominic... the deal. It's not... about Orlov."

Her words were barely a whisper, but they hit him like a sledgehammer. "What do you mean?"

"They're... playing us," she gasped. "Orlov was a distraction. Zorin... he's after something bigger."

Dominic's heart sank. Of course. Zorin's arrogance, the ease with which they had tracked him it had all been a ploy. The real target wasn't the energy deal with Orlov. Zorin had been one step ahead of them the entire time.

"What's the target, Alyssa?" Dominic urged, his voice tight with urgency.

Alyssa winced, struggling to speak. "The summit... it's about control. Veritas... they're after global power, but they need the right leverage. The deal tonight... it's not just about money."

Dominic's mind raced. "Leverage? What kind of leverage?"

"Digital infrastructure," she whispered, her breath hitching. "Control the flow of information... control the world."

Dominic's blood ran cold. He knew exactly what she was talking about. In the modern world, whoever controlled data, communications, and global networks held the keys to every government, every economy, every military.

"They're going to use Orlov's energy network to take over the digital backbone," Dominic realized aloud. "It's not just oil and gas—they'll control the infrastructure that powers the global internet. Every transaction, every secret—"

Alyssa nodded weakly. "Once they've got their hooks in, they can hold the entire world hostage."

Dominic cursed under his breath. They had been so focused on stopping Zorin's alliances, they hadn't seen the real play. The Veritas Group was after something far more dangerous than money or political influence. They were after total digital control.

"Where's Zorin now?" Dominic asked, his voice tight.

Alyssa's eyelids fluttered, her strength fading. "He... he's in the control room. Basement... east wing. You have to stop him, Dom... before it's too late."

Dominic's jaw clenched as the weight of her words settled in. They were running out of time.

"Hang on, Alyssa," he said quietly. "I'm getting you out of here."

But before he could take another step, the door at the far end of the hallway burst open, and a group of armed men stormed in, guns raised.

Dominic's heart dropped. He had no cover, and Alyssa was too weak to defend herself. There was nowhere to run.

The leader of the group, a tall man with a cold, calculating gaze, stepped forward, his weapon trained on Dominic. "End of the line, Mr. Cross."

Dominic shifted Alyssa's weight in his arms, his mind racing. He needed to buy time just a few more minutes for Marcus to reach them.

"Let her go," the man said calmly, his finger resting on the trigger. "She's dead weight. And you don't need her to complete your little hero mission, do you?"

Dominic's eyes narrowed. "If you think I'm leaving her behind, you don't know me very well."

The man's lips twisted into a cruel smile. "Oh, we know you quite well. You're just like the rest of them arrogant, thinking you can outplay us. But Veritas always wins, Dominic. Always."

A slow, deliberate step forward. "So, why don't you do yourself a favor and surrender? You might just walk away with your life."

Dominic's grip tightened around Alyssa as he set her gently on the ground, his pulse steadying. He raised his hands in mock surrender, keeping his eyes on the leader. "You talk too much."

The man's smile faltered for a split second—just enough time for Dominic to act.

With a sharp, fluid movement, Dominic drew his concealed pistol from his jacket and fired. The shot hit the leader square in the chest, sending him crashing to the floor. Chaos erupted as the remaining men opened fire, bullets ricocheting off the walls.

Dominic ducked low, using the narrow corridor to his advantage as he fired back, each shot precise and lethal. One by one, the men fell, their bodies crumpling to the ground. But the firefight had taken precious seconds, and he could hear more footsteps approaching from the direction he had come.

Just as Dominic prepared to make a last stand, a familiar voice crackled through the earpiece. "I'm here."

Marcus. Finally.

Dominic glanced toward the stairwell just as Marcus appeared, flanking the remaining guards and taking them down with brutal efficiency. Within seconds, the hallway was clear.

"You look like hell," Marcus said, a grim smile on his face as he approached.

Dominic managed a weak grin. "You're one to talk."

Marcus crouched beside Alyssa, his expression darkening. "We need to get her out of here."

"I know," Dominic replied, his mind already working on the next step. "But Zorin's in the basement. He's going to take control of the global infrastructure, Marcus. If we don't stop him now, nothing else will matter."

Marcus met his gaze, the weight of the decision heavy between them. "I'll get her to safety. You finish this."

Dominic nodded, his throat tight with emotion. He gently squeezed Alyssa's hand, whispering, "I'll be back for you."

With one last look, he rose to his feet and turned toward the stairwell.

The final battle had begun.