The library was suddenly filled with the cold click of metal.

No one moved.

No one breathed.

The yellow envelope lay on the floor between them, a small piece of paper sticking out from the torn edge.

“Put the guns down,” Silvio said, his voice deadly calm.

“You first,” Leo said, his face pale, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

I looked at Dominic.

He was slowly shifting his weight, his hand moving out from under his thigh.

The silver scalpel glinted in the dim light of the library lamp.

He was waiting for his moment.

“We all want the same thing, Leo,” Silvio said, his eyes never leaving Leo’s face. “We want the Romano family to survive.”

“Then let me lead it,” Leo said.

“Not if you lied to us,” Silvio said.

Silvio slowly bent down, keeping his gun pointed at Leo’s chest with one hand, while reaching for the yellow envelope with the other.

His fingers brushed the paper.

“Don’t do it, Silvio,” Leo whispered.

Outside, a sudden flash of lightning illuminated the room, throwing long, distorted shadows across the bookshelves.