Losing All But The Fight. (complete) updated.

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

My father escorted Alexandra into the kitchen and a spread of uniformed and suited men reached in each possible direction, filling the space.

With my father close by I stood off to the side looking over the group of men, expressions changing from one face to the next, many with surprise. Ally was of small stature compared to most women, next to many in the room she might only come up to shoulders.

Looking at Ally shuffling through photos on the counter, I bet that was the reason she left the top portion of her scars visible. In her own way Ally had managed not to become a product of her environment. She might have had the credentials to give law enforcement a run for their money and the skills to back it up but I don't think she ever wanted them. Somewhere in there I think she longed for a normal life. At least not one where everyone was out for her.

She slapped a few pictures on the board and nodded for me to come around and see and looked for Vance in the back of the room before she swung around and the whispers stopped.

"My name is Alexandra Grace Trovessa." Her tone and posture radiated authority as she stood confidently in front of the small crowded room, all previous anxieties locked away. The change was unnerving, everything about the way she held herself was different than moments before.

Taking her time she looked at each and every face before continuing in a strong voice. "Everything that happens from this point on, I will be aware of. Everything you run by your superior officer, will be something I am informed of." She glanced at my father. "I only trust four people in this room so remember your badge doesn't earn that trust, you do."

Ally abruptly pointed at the first picture on the board, her father. "Elijah Tovovessa. As of his release he will take his position back from his son." She pointed at the picture and went over the key points of the relationship between the two and threw another picture up on the board drawing an arrow from Elijah to a man in a dark suite with a beard and a scar that ran up his mouth and introduced him before putting an X over his face. "For each position of power their is a right hand. The one below. This was Elijah's right hand. His death brought my... " She paused and shook it off, refusing to introduce anyone as family. I frowned she skipped over this man for a reason.

"This is Drake Trovessa, Elijah's son. Elijah has been making moves through him since his incarceration. Drake will almost always be spotted with this man." She threw up another picture and studied it for a moment writing his name beneath. "This is Domino. If Drake were to have full leadership Domino would become second as his right hand."

She began to scribble stats, ranking and relationships below each picture as she threw a few more up on the board. "I need the file with only pictures. No names." She asked Dad and whispered in his ear.

He looked a bit shaken and nodded retrieving it from his office and set it on the counter. "Domino." She began sifting through pictures as she spoke. "Once you reach a certain standing in the family where you are able to appoint a right hand...that person can only steal your position if you die by a different means. That person is not allowed to challenge for that position directly because it would be considered disloyal. The person holding the higher position can change their second if another candidate moves up high enough in rank." She paused.

"It's not leadership by blood but by a combination of both blood and rank. Domino being lead enforcer, Drakes chosen second hand, believes that by gaining control of me and making an attachment will secure his position putting him at an even playing field with Drake and gaining favor from Elijah through me. He would have a direct path to leadership if the time presents itself."

A hand popped up for her attention. "Couldn't this Domino just have Drake killed."

"No because if suspected the penalty is a long execution in front of everyone." My chest began to hurt at her emphasis on long. The look on her face told me she's seen it more than once. She turned and threw a few more pictures up. "Rico, Domino, and Ryker make up the first round of enforcers. Rico is dumber than shit when it comes to self preservation but he doesn't hesitate, he's fast, and knows how to fight. If it weren't for the fact that he fought his way up so fast and he's about as obedient as a German Shepard he would have been replaced by now. He hasn't been challenged for his position for about a year before I split. If its still standing that makes it two."