The meeting room featured a substantial brown wooden table at its center, exuding an air of timeless sophistication. Its polished surface glinted under the soft overhead lighting, casting a warm and inviting ambiance. Surrounding it, plush leather chairs stood ready for occupants, their deep hues harmonizing with the rich wood to create an atmosphere of understated elegance. Marco was the first man to enter, his appearance was changed, more targeted, and more professional. He was wearing a black suit as he had managed to restore the communication and carry with him by the means of a very small discreet cord that curled up inside his left ear finding its destination back to the end of his suit's collar.
He had selected three new pistols from Bella's armory and two spare mags for each, before being prepared for all possibilities. Only five minutes remained, so he checked on more time just to make sure there were no traps. Once he was satisfied, he left, going to collect Giorgio from where he was being held. He walked Giorgio into the room, his face impassive and intact aside from a small gash above his eye that he got while being held by Vincenzo's men.
Bella entered the meeting room with an aura of controlled confidence. Her commanding presence was accentuated by a tailored black pantsuit that fit her form perfectly, exuding authority. The sharp lines of the jacket emphasized her shoulders, while the straight-leg trousers added an element of sleek professionalism. A scarlet silk blouse peeked out from beneath the jacket, a bold statement against the monochrome ensemble. Her raven hair was pulled into a sophisticated bun, and a single strand of pearls adorned her neck, adding a touch of classic elegance. As she walked, her patent leather heels tapped softly against the floor, each step echoing her unwavering determination.
The faces that stood among her were familiar. Those who had left were known and someone could say almost all her men were untouched. She looked up at them as Giorgio sitting in his chair cuffed, a silver shotgun was placed across her seat pointing to where Giorgio was.
"Hello everyone, you may sit" She instructed them to stop standing as she sat herself on her black leather chair "Vincenzo Romano has been caught and captured. The small camp of his men was also captivated and executed paradigmatically. Your plan didn't work Giorgio. I told you; you couldn't save him but because I'm very kind I will give you a choice, one will live, one shall die. You can choose to save yourself or him. In case you want to save him, the terms are simple. He will be treated as a common low-standard worker, with no position and no protection. If he dies on the street so, be it none will kill for him, none will run after him."
"That is not a life Bella, that is slavery " he answered in realization.
"I am granting you a choice, a very compelling choice and that is your answer? Better slave than dead. It will be the right punishment for what he has done. If I give no punishment I will have no word, no respect, and no honor and I'm trying to build a name sir. A name isn't built without hard decisions" She crossed her legs waiting for his reply.
Giorgio meticulously weighed his options before finally mustering the words, "I will save my son's life," marking his concluding statement. Bella promptly stood up, seized the firearm, and advanced towards him. Placing the gun directly against the left side of his head, she declared, "Giorgio Romano, your service has been valuable, but it is no longer required. May your soul find peace." With a swift pull of the trigger, she ended his life, placing the weapon in a transparent, shielded bag. Her associates rose and carried his body away for a hasty departure. "Everyone, exit the room except you, Marco," she instructed. One by one, her subordinates stood and left, leaving them alone.
"I was certain he would choose his son. With someone like him alive, my empire could never flourish. His inclinations toward rebellion and protests were the last things I needed. Vinnie lacks strength, and few would stand by him, especially now that Giorgio is dead," she conveyed, fixing her gaze on him. "Share your thoughts."
He watched them file out, carrying the dead body with them, before fixing his gaze on her. "I am no strategist. I leave that for you. My job is to silence." He replies, rubbing his chin. "However, since you asked me so nicely, I think it is a solid plan. Keeping him alive and effectively a slave, giving him no name to stand on. He will be forced to make a living in much the same way I did when I first began my rise through the ranks. Might teach him a thing or two." He walks over to her, pulling her into a hug.
She found solace in his embrace, yet the daunting task lay ahead – she had to inform Vincenzo of her decision. Walking downstairs into the dimly lit basement, she flicked on the light switch. Vinnie was bound to a rusty iron chair, mouth gagged and tightly restrained. While Bella anticipated Marco's presence, she desired a few moments alone with Vinnie to honor the years they had spent together. Taking her seat opposite him, she uttered his name in a hushed tone. Vincenzo's eyes opened, brimming with fury, though his uncontrollable trembling began to subside as he recognized his helpless situation. With his irises still affected by the sedatives Marco had administered, he managed to comprehend her words.
"Vinnie, no beating around the bush. Here's the deal. I offered Giorgio a choice – your life in exchange for his, and he took it. Your father is gone. The terms are clear: you're no longer in charge. You start from scratch, as a low-ranking worker. Choose your path and your expertise. You'll need to climb the ladder again. Show me bravery and determination, and I'll forget what has happened. You'll be part of my family," she laid out.
"So, you've even granted me a favor?" He wanted to grieve for his father, but the overwhelming emotions displayed a blank response.
"Given the alternative was a bullet in your head, I'd say it's a far better outcome. Your games with the cameras left me no choice but swift and severe consequences. But if you can show respect and loyalty, I'll ensure you're looked after."
Marco joined them a few minutes after she had entered his cell, wiping blood off his hands with a cloth before tossing it in a corner of the cell. He leaned down to her ear and whispered low enough that only she could hear. "Giorgio had one final man within our ranks. Killed two low-level informers before I slit his throat. Best to keep a close eye on all your men." Once he was done speaking, he returned to his full height, standing just behind her at her right shoulder, crossing his arms. Vinnie knew nothing of what he had transpired but he could see the hate plain enough in his eyes. Hate he knew too well.
Her gaze from neutral turned solemn and she clenched her fist behind the chair, her anger started to slowly build up as she breathed in to finish the conversation with Vinnie. "I will send someone to get you clean clothes and then you will start training. We have many packages for delivery tonight." She stood up exiting the basement as she shouted Marco's name in rage while climbing up the ladders.
She entered the main office and looked around. Marco managed to follow her, and she whispered "Pick four loyal men and recruit them as informers. My goal is to gather intelligence about any potential rebels, their conversations, timing, and planned actions. I will crush them from their own source. Find a Romano man and recruit him along with the rest, dress him in gold as soon as he becomes loyal to me and when I know I will execute them in the middle of a valley and hang their heads at my entrance door " she looked up at him as she began pacing back and forth.
He nods, listening to her orders. "Understood. Anything else you wish for me to do?" He asks, watching her carefully and walking towards her, pulling her against his chest. "Look at me, my love. You are safe as long as you stay calm. That I promise you." He whispers, kissing her softly and holding her close.
She touches her forehead with his as she feels his arms slowly while whispering. "They can slaughter us in our sleep, I will not accept a rebellion right inside my own house."
She looked around to see if someone was watching them only to notice only a few were in and those were absorbed in their work. "Marco, listen to me the situation is tight, and I want you to be careful, no matter what happens they can't kill me. I mean too much but they can attempt to kill you, so promise me you will be careful". She held his chin while looking up at him.
He nods, smiling, and kisses her head. "No, they can't. They can try, but I mean too much to you for them to take me out right off the bat. But I see your point. And I will be. I promise." He whispers, returning his face to an impassive slab. "If that's all, I'll get to work."
That was the last exchange they had, Bella was sitting in her office skeptical about the last events, a lot of things were troubling her mind. Suddenly, her assistant instructs her to come down to sign some papers. She gets off her chair annoyed and fixes her suit before closing her office door.
As she exits the elevator and walks down the corridor to her office, she notices a man with a pistol and three other people. They grip her wrists and sit her down on her chair while exchanging a few curses. As she stands there, she hears them discussing going after Marco, so she raises her arms and pulls a little dagger from her boot, slashing one in the neck and the other in the liver while hitting the one who has turned back on her.
The struggle was lengthy and terrible. She tried to summon her guards, but none would listen. Before the fight was through, he had died. She opened the door and tried to scream, but her strength failed her, and she collapsed on the floor. Her face was bleeding and damaged, with scars covering her eyes and lips. Her right leg had been stabbed, and her wrists were swollen from the battle.
In need of information, Marco rode the elevator to her location. Upon the elevator doors sliding apart, he was confronted with the sight of her lying unconscious on the crimson carpet.
"Fuck!" He yells, seeing her unconscious body. "Guards!" He yells again, picking her up. They weren't safe in the HQ. But he had a few holes that no one knew about where they could hide. He quickly backed up everything she had, storing it on a flash drive and activating the system wipe, that way the intel wouldn't fall into enemy hands. He proceeds to exit into the garage and places her in the backseat of one of the older cars, getting in the front and pulling away, swearing and slamming his hands on the steering wheel.
When they got to his safehouse he quickly pulled her inside and started tending to her wounds, using his field experience to patch her up as best he could. Once he was done with that, he started up the automated defenses he had installed when he first bought the place.
She began to turn around, she could hardly feel her bones as her sides were practically shattered from the battle; she placed her palms to rise only to find Marco seated beside a screen, checking over the camera's storage input. She stepped behind him, struggling to keep her balance as she hugged him from behind. "You're safe," she said as she kissed the side of his neck and wrapped her arms over his shoulders.
"I am always safe. You on the other hand worried me." He replies, reaching back and ruffling her hair, glad that she was awake. "I've taken the liberty of wiping the system back at Headquarters and moving everything here. A safe house I have not touched since my early days in the Mafia. Almost no one knows of its existence, and no one knows I own it."
"Okay, what about my information did you remove it?" she asks worriedly. She looked around, even though the warehouse was rusted and full of dust with a bit of work and the right equipment it could turn into a functional lab. She took a chair and sat next to him as she moved her neck around to feel her bones.
"I wiped everything. Full system reset just as you taught me all those years ago when we first started working together." He replies, looking over at her.
Her hands touched the keyboard rapidly, opening the inside system of the old Martinos Headquarters. She accessed a clear visual field on the entrance, the reception, her office, the escalators, and the storage places, and the panic rooms. "I anticipated those types of unpredictable events, there is a bomb that activates with a click in every room. If they want open war they will have it, they'll be caught like mice in a trap." She looked up at him "But to have the advantage we need to go in again, both of us'" Marco would hate this, and she knew but there was no other option.
"I need the controller with the activation password, which is in the basement, and I want you to get it. I'll sneak inside my workplace and shoot a video inside begging for assistance from the continental. They broke a harsh rule, the law of disobedience. It's an old rule that we still adhere to, no hit should occur within a family headquarters. Few people are aware of this regulation, yet it remains relevant. They will be long gone if I can persuade the president to provide help. We're talking about nuclear weapons, inside eavesdropping systems, merchants, and executors. It's an army capable of bringing down a whole country."
"I hate that plan. They will be waiting for us, you know that. We won't get in and if we do, we won't leave alive." He says, staring at her. "I may enjoy risky situations, but this is certain death you are suggesting."
"You say you're not a strategist, but you're doing just fine in the strategy game, sometimes better than me. Considering we can't get in; we need to get them out. How many men do I currently have? Let's provoke a battle and then retreat; they'll come after us. What they don't realize is that Romano's cut expenses, so once you leave your gates, you lose control. There are no assistance towers, and I can lock all the doors with a single click. No way forward, no way back, I'll kill them right on the street," she says as she waits for his reaction.
He frowns for a moment, thinking, and quickly flips through some files. "We have enough to launch an assault on the building if you're okay with losing about 50-60% percent of your men. We need better weapons. Something similar to what the continental arms their men with." He gets up, goes to a locker, and opens it, pulling out an M4 rifle. "Something like this. Four position safety switch, armor piercing rounds, and an ACOG 4x tactical optic."
"We need to close deals with the other families and that cannot be rushed. Also, if I attack them today, they will expect me. They know Martinos never backs down from a fight. Call my left hand. We need to announce our deaths, yours and mine, meanwhile, we will train and when the day comes and I'm strong enough we will barge in and then they will have nowhere to hide."
He nods. "Good idea. I'll put word out that you were killed in your office by unseen assailants and that I was killed by a full team of professionals. I know a few people who would claim those kills." He replies, getting to work immediately.
She walked down to his basement in his trainee arena. She ditched the boxing gloves that were available and started punching the wall with her hands making a few small ridges on the wall. Her fingers were bleeding, but she couldn't feel pain anymore she was screaming and unleashing her anger as sweat ran down her forehead to the floor. One of her gauzes opened and fell to the floor exposing her wounds while Marco entered. Once the word was put out, he went to the basement and watched her for a little bit before walking over and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Save your strength. You'll need it."