The silence on the ship was as thick as the darkness that cloaked the docks. Luca's heart pounded in his chest as he and Maria crouched behind a stack of crates, their breath shallow, their bodies tense. Franco's silhouette loomed at the top of the dock, his presence as menacing as ever. They had to move fast, but any sudden movement could spell disaster.
Luca glanced at Maria, her eyes wide but determined. The ledger they had stolen from the mafia's ship held everything—the proof they needed to bring down the Montalbano family and expose the mafia's war profiteering. But first, they had to get off this ship alive.
"We can't stay here," Luca whispered, his voice barely audible. "If Franco spots us, it's over."
Maria nodded, her grip on her rifle tightening. "We need a distraction."
Luca's mind raced. They were surrounded by mafia soldiers, with Franco at the helm of this operation. The odds were slim, but they had no choice. He scanned the dock, his eyes falling on the fuel barrels stacked near the ship's edge. An idea began to form.
"Those barrels," Luca whispered, nodding toward them. "We can use them. If we cause an explosion, it'll create enough chaos to cover our escape."
Maria's eyes followed his gaze, and she nodded, understanding immediately. "We'll need to time it perfectly."
Luca pulled a small bundle of explosives from his pack. It wasn't much, but it would be enough to ignite the fuel. They had used these makeshift explosives before in their guerrilla warfare, small devices designed to disrupt enemy supply lines or create distractions. Now, they would have to rely on it to escape the mafia's clutches.
As they moved toward the barrels, Luca kept his eyes on Franco, who was still speaking to one of his men, unaware of the danger lurking nearby. Every step felt like an eternity, the sound of their boots barely more than a whisper against the metal floor of the dock.
Finally, they reached the barrels. Luca worked quickly, securing the explosive device to the largest barrel, positioning it so the blast would spread toward the others. Maria kept watch, her rifle at the ready, her gaze never leaving Franco and his men.
"It's set," Luca whispered, standing up. "We have thirty seconds."
They moved back into the shadows, slipping between the rows of crates, inching their way toward the dock's edge where the cold waters of the harbor awaited them. The plan was simple—jump into the water, swim to the nearby pier, and disappear into the maze of Palermo's backstreets before the mafia could regroup.
The explosion hit before Luca could brace himself. A deafening roar shattered the stillness of the night as flames erupted from the barrels, sending a shockwave across the docks. The sky lit up with fiery plumes, and the ground shook beneath their feet. Shouts erupted from the mafia soldiers, their calm demeanor turning to chaos as they scrambled to put out the fire and figure out what had happened.
Luca grabbed Maria's arm, pulling her toward the water's edge. "Now!"
They dove into the cold, murky water just as a second explosion tore through the ship, sending debris raining down. Luca felt the shockwave ripple through the water, pushing him deeper below the surface. He kicked hard, his lungs burning as he struggled to swim toward the safety of the pier.
Maria surfaced beside him, gasping for air, her face a mix of exhaustion and determination. They swam silently, avoiding the beams of flashlights that now crisscrossed the docks as the mafia scrambled to regain control.
When they finally reached the pier, Luca pulled himself up, dripping and cold, but alive. He helped Maria out of the water, both of them breathing heavily, their clothes soaked and their bodies trembling from the cold. But they had made it. They had the evidence, and they had escaped.
Luca glanced back at the docks. The ship was engulfed in flames, the chaos of the explosion spreading as the mafia soldiers tried to contain the fire. Franco was nowhere to be seen, but Luca knew this was only a temporary victory. Franco wouldn't rest until he found them.
"We need to get this to the resistance," Maria said, clutching the soaked ledger to her chest. "This is our chance, Luca. This is how we end them."
Luca nodded, his mind already racing with the next steps. The resistance would have to move quickly, mobilizing their allies and spreading the truth before the mafia could retaliate. But as he stared into the flames, he knew that this fight was far from over. Franco would come for them, and the mafia's power wouldn't crumble easily.
"We'll end them," Luca said, his voice hard. "But we have to be ready. Franco's not going to let this go."
Maria gave him a grim smile. "Then we'll be ready for him."
As they slipped into the shadows of Palermo's narrow streets, Luca felt the weight of the war pressing down on him. They had struck a blow against the mafia, but it wasn't enough. Not yet. The real battle was still to come, and Luca knew that the next time they faced Franco, there would be no escape.
But for now, they had what they needed. The ledger was their weapon, and Luca would wield it like a sword against the mafia's corrupt empire.