Chapter 10 - Saving Little Leo
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The rain turned into a blinding downpour as our four-vehicle convoy sped toward Northwestern Memorial Hospital with sirens blaring.
Luca sat in the passenger seat of the lead Suburban, coordinating our tactical units over an encrypted radio channel.
I sat in the back with Eleanor, holding her bandaged hands while she clutched a worn wooden rosary between her scarred fingers.
"We're almost there, Eleanor," I reassured her, feeling the massive SUV swerve aggressively around late-night city traffic.
"My brother's men have already secured the perimeter of the pediatric ward."
"Arthur Sterling's thugs won't get within ten feet of little Leo."
Eleanor looked out the tinted window at the glowing skyline of Chicago, tears streaming silently down her weathered cheeks.
"All my life, I've watched the powerful crush the weak without ever facing justice, Gianna," she whispered softly.
"I thought God had forgotten about an old nurse and a sick little boy on the South Side."
I smiled gently, squeezing her fingers with warmth.
"God didn't forget you, Eleanor," I told her.
"He just made sure you dropped those glasses in front of the right table."
Our convoy screeched to a halt outside the emergency entrance of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Six armed Moretti guards immediately formed a protective perimeter around our vehicles, their umbrella canopies shielding us from the storm.
Luca stepped out first, his trench coat billowing in the wind as he extended a hand to help Eleanor from the vehicle.
We moved through the sterile white corridors of the hospital with the speed and precision of a military strike force.
Staff members and nurses stepped back in awe and fear as Luca Moretti swept through the halls, his dark presence commanding total obedience.
When we reached the fourth floor, the double doors of the pediatric oncology unit swung open to reveal four Moretti soldiers standing guard.
On the floor near the nurse's station, two of Arthur Sterling's undercover mercenaries were already bound in heavy zip-ties, their weapons confiscated.
"Room four-twelve is secure, Boss," the lead soldier reported, saluting Luca with crisp professionalism.
"The boy is resting peacefully, completely unaware of the commotion outside."
Eleanor let out a breathless sob and rushed down the hallway toward the door marked with colorful paper butterflies.
Luca and I followed her inside, stepping into the quiet, dimly lit hospital room.
In the center of the room, a frail, bald seven-year-old boy lay sleeping beneath a blue superhero blanket, an intravenous drip humming softly beside his bed.
Eleanor collapsed onto the bedside chair, burying her face into the boy's tiny, pale hand, weeping tears of overwhelming relief.
"Leo, my sweet baby," Eleanor cried softly.
"You're safe now... you're finally safe."
The little boy slowly opened his heavy, tired eyes, blinking against the dim light until his gaze settled on his great-grandmother.
"Grandma Eleanor?" Leo whispered, his voice thin and raspy from chemotherapy.
"Did you get the medicine from the wealthy people?"
Luca stepped to the edge of the bed, his imposing frame casting a protective shadow over the sick child.
He reached out with a gentle hand and brushed a stray lock of blanket away from the little boy's face.
"You don't ever have to worry about medicine again, little warrior," Luca said, his voice softer than I had ever heard it before.
"The Moretti family is taking care of everything."
Luca turned toward the chief of pediatric oncology, who had hurried into the room with two terrified assistants.
"Doctor," Luca said, pulling a black titanium business card from his pocket and pressing it into the physician's hand.
"I want the finest pediatric specialists in the United States flown into Chicago by sunrise."
"I am personally depositing five million dollars into your hospital's research fund tonight."
"This boy receives the experimental bone marrow treatment, a private recovery suite, and twenty-four-hour specialized nursing."
"If he needs blood, you call me."
"If he needs the moon, you find a ladder and bring it to him."
"Do you understand me?"
The doctor swallowed hard, looking at the titanium card bearing Luca's name, and nodded vigorously.
"He will receive the absolute finest medical care on earth, Mr. Moretti," the doctor promised with trembling respect.
"I swear it on my medical license."
Eleanor stood up from the chair and fell to her knees before Luca, but he immediately caught her beneath the arms and lifted her back to her feet.
"No, Eleanor," Luca said firmly, looking into the eyes of the woman who had carried him through the fire twenty-six years ago.
May you like
"You do not kneel to me."
"A Moretti never lets their debts go unpaid, and my family owes you our very lives."
