SMILE, SWEETHEART. HE'S AN IMPORTANT GUEST

Luca stared at the heavy brass key in my mother’s hand.

The fog swirled around us, thick and damp, but the air felt suddenly electric.

“The original charter,” Luca whispered, the weight of the words heavy on his tongue.

I looked between them, confused. “What is the charter?”

“It’s the founding document of the Five Families,” Luca explained, his eyes never leaving the key. “It contains the original blood oaths, the true names of the founding members, and the hidden locations of the syndicate's foundational wealth. Whoever holds the charter, holds the absolute authority to dismantle the Commission from the inside.”

My mother nodded slowly. “Arthur knew they were corrupt. He knew they were planning to assassinate your father, Luca. He stole the key to the vault where it was kept to use as leverage. But he died before he could use it.”

“Where is the vault?” Luca asked.

“Beneath the old St. Jude’s Cathedral downtown,” my mother replied. “In the catacombs.”

Luca took the key from her.

“If the Commission knows you have this, they will never stop coming,” Luca said grimly. “They will burn Chicago to the ground to get it back.”

“Then we have to get it first,” I said firmly.

Luca looked at me. He saw the determination in my eyes, the refusal to back down.

“Daniel,” Luca called out to his security chief. “Take Emma’s mother and sister back to the estate. Lock it down tighter than a drum. Nobody gets in or out.”

“Yes, Boss.”

I hugged my mother one last time. “I'll be back soon, Mom. I promise.”

She squeezed my hand. “Be careful, Emma. Both of you.”

Luca and I got into the lead armored SUV.

We drove toward downtown Chicago as the city began to wake up. The morning commute hid our black convoy perfectly.

St. Jude’s Cathedral was a towering, gothic structure of blackened stone and stained glass, nestled between modern skyscrapers. It hadn't held a service in twenty years.

We pulled up to the rear alley entrance.

Luca and I stepped out, flanked by four of his best men.

We entered through the heavy iron service doors, moving silently through the dusty, echoing halls of the abandoned church.

We found the entrance to the catacombs hidden behind a false wall in the crypt.

The air grew cold and smelled of ancient stone and decay as we descended the narrow spiral staircase.

At the bottom, a heavy iron gate blocked our path.

Luca inserted the brass key. It turned with a loud, protesting screech.

The gate swung open.

We stepped into a circular stone chamber. In the center sat an ornate, heavy stone altar.

Resting on top of the altar was a simple wooden box.

Luca walked forward. He opened the box.

Inside was a rolled parchment, sealed with black wax.

The Commission Charter.

Luca reached out to take it.

“I wouldn't do that, Luca.”

The voice echoed from the shadows of the chamber.

We spun around, weapons raised.

Stepping out from behind a stone pillar was a man I recognized from the news.

Senator Robert Vance. One of Illinois' most powerful politicians.

But he wasn't acting like a politician now. He was holding a suppressed pistol, and he was flanked by six heavily armed mercenaries.

“Senator,” Luca said coldly, not lowering his weapon. “I didn't know you were on the Commission’s payroll.”

Vance chuckled, a dry, humorless sound.

“I'm not on their payroll, Luca. I am the Commission. Or rather, my family is. My grandfather signed that charter. I can't have a rogue Boss holding my political career hostage.”

He aimed the pistol directly at me.

“Step away from the altar, Luca. And hand over the girl. She knows too much.”

Luca stepped in front of me, shielding me completely with his body.

“You’re going to have to shoot through me, Robert,” Luca said, his voice entirely devoid of fear.

Vance sighed.

“If you insist.”

He raised his gun to fire.

But before he could pull the trigger, a small, silver object rolled out from the shadows near Vance’s feet.

It was a flashbang.