“It is a tight window,” Elena said. “If anyone spots you before the audio plays, you are dead.”

“I have survived thirty years in this city,” I said. “I did not build this family to watch a snake like Tony tear it down.”

Elena looked at me, her expression neutral.

“This is not about the family anymore,” she said. “This is about ending the cycle.”

“For you, perhaps,” I said. “For me, it is about legacy.”

She did not argue.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small electronic earpiece, handing it to me.

“Keep this in,” she said. “I will signal you when the lobby is secure.”

I took the earpiece and fitted it into my left ear.

A low static hum filled my head.

“Romano, load the gear into the trunk of the sedan,” I said.

Romano nodded, picking up two of the canvas bags.

He walked up the stairs, his boots thudding softly against the wood.

I turned to Elena.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked. “You could have walked away when the agency pulled your cover.”