The door swings open. Water babbles down a wall to his left. Sunlight pours in through locked square windows. Beanbag pillows line up to the end of the room where hanging plants crawl down.
"Ms. Petali? Your mom-"
His silence gives him company in the empty room. "Boss. She's not here."
Lt Russo's heart kicks against his sternum. Imagining the woman lied to him, he storms back to the desk to find she also isn't there. His trigger finger twitches.
"Should we tell Signor?" his female subordinate asks.
He dismisses her with a wave. "No. We are going to find that receptionist and go from there. Spread-"
Bang!
It came from outside. The corrupt officers rush past the entrance. Lt Russo jumps to cover behind a pillar. The blood of his outside man decorates the driveway. A small item clatters near them.
The flash disorients their eyes. Ears ringing from the concussive blast.
"Stay in cover!" the lieutenant yells.
The loss in balance leads to the rest of his subordinates being sniped away. One by one. Lt Russo leans against the pillar to reorient himself. His vision blurs. Seeing more than double of his dead subordinates.
He smacks himself in the face to focus his senses. Two objects become singular. He taps his radio.
"I need backup at the Boca Recovery Center! Four down!"
.....
"Requesting backup!"
....
"Pick up, damn it!"
"Sorry. That part took some time," a thick Spanish accent flows like honey.
"Who the hell are you?"
He peeks his phone out to get a sense of where the sniper is.
"Just a friend of El Segador."
Bang!
A moment of delay before Lt Russo screams out. His fingers drop with his phone. They clatter to the floor.
He grips his bleeding hand. "Fuck! Fuck you!"
He now knows where the sniper is. He remembered a house across the rehab facility on the way in.
He takes off his jacket and wraps his left hand several times to stop the bleeding. Finding himself in a FUBAR situation, he can't outwait the sniper. Entering the facility again is risky, but it was the only way. He can phone Signor that things have gone wrong. And take a hostage.
His footsteps race to the entrance with his head low--
Bang! Bang!
He grunts from the bullets lodged into the back of his vest. His body sprawls out from the impact. He attempts to crawl but bullet tears into his leg.
He screams obscenities before the bullets of silence take over. The sniper waits several minutes before climbing down to inspect the scene. His hurrying feet towards Lt Russo before putting another slug into his head. He takes the dead officer's phone and uses his fingers to get through the biometric lock.
He sees the frequent contact "R" and texts the following. {We have acquired the package. What's the next step?}
The bubble for dots appear.
{Hold her until Orchidea comes for the ransom}
{Understood}
The sniper takes his phone to keep in contact. After sneaking back to the house for a change of a Hawaiian shirt and khakis, he pulls out his phone.
"Hey, Miguel. It's all taken care of."
"Thanks, Diego. You're a lifesaver."
He strokes his handlebar mustache. "Anything for you, amigo. I'm going to meet you at the next spot."
"I appreciate it....I'm sorry for bringing you into this. You had a life-"
"You would do it for me if things were different. And Miguel?"
"Yes?"
"It sounds like you found a good woman. Happy for you."
He chuckles. "I think so too."
"So will I get an invite to the wedding?"
"I will see what I can do."
"Got it. See ya soon."
Diego Sanchez hangs up to make another call. He reaches Marco and tells him that it's almost finished. He tells him to continue staying at his apartment until Orchidea says otherwise. After his call, he takes one of the patrol cars to his next destination.
---
20 minutes later....
Ricardo Moretti tenderly strokes the cold champagne bottle that's calling his name. Imagining the sweet taste of victory once Bianca is taken care of. With Xianmao's aid, Vmey and Kelpie will have no choice but to acknowledge him as the new leader of the Moretti Famile.
Thoughts of ramping his protection fees cross his mind to keep his clients in check. The next part would be restarting the cocaine operations with the supplies provided by the Triad leader to help him at the beginning.
His reign will be described by others as an iron fist. No more will clients try to skate their way out of paying "insurance". Mr. Toretto will be a great example once he slips up. Gia would be tied up to witness the brutal beating.
The majority of the men sit in the comfy black leather chairs while the others keep watch outside.
A wave of his hand motions them to keep quiet. A push of a button to contact his soon to be late boss on speakerphone.
Dialing.
"Richie?!" her voice wants to tear him apart.
"Mrs. Petali, it's Ricardo Moretti. That will be the new name-"
"For your headstone?"
Her chilling words crackle through the phone.
Ricardo chuckles. "You're no longer in control of the situation. I respected the Petali name until you showed weakness. A blight to your late husband's-"
"He took care of all of you! How could you disgrace him like this?"
"The Petali Organization died when you stopped his legacy. Selling out because of your drugged out daughter? He would have never stopped operations because of that. Speaking of, Marco is out of the picture."
He pauses to hear the gasp from her mouth.
"W-What?"
He smiles from the intended effect. "We will not harm her in exchange for giving me all of your financial information. The list of your wealthiest associates, including the Mayor himself. The summer home in Naples. The estate and everything else! Meet up for the exchange at the following address within 2 hours."
"...Alright! Just please don't hurt her."
Her chilling voice melted to the point of tears.
"Someone will be in touch with the address," before hanging up on her. He grabs the bottle of champagne. "How about a little bubbly to celebrate?"
His men shout in agreement. Glasses pass around, waiting to be filled.
He stops the cork from leaving the bottle. A shivering chill goes down his spine, reminding him of his boss. He shakes it off, thinking there's no way she would have gotten here in time.
He motions a few of his men to check the doors. Tommy guns in hand to wipe out the mysterious threat. Alejandro sticks close to Signor Moretti with a silver SW 19 in hand.
The men at the door pull it open. The man with the pompadour checks the area with his phone. The two men standing guard were no longer there.
"Signor! Anthony and Giano--"
Clink...Clatter...Boom!
The grenade's shrapnel tears through five of the men. The explosion almost makes the others jump out of their fancy shoes.
Ricardo yells at some of his men to provide cover. He and some of the men flip the long table on his side while the others head out.
Rapid fire. Bullets tear through the walls of the hotel. Grunts of pain followed by falling bodies. The smoke alarm goes off. The sprinkler system activates to everyone's confusion. Ricardo's gun hand trembles as his mind wonders what's happening out there.
Could it be Xianmao betraying me? If so...
The tinkling of water on the carpet is the only sound outside the conference room. His phone buzzes. He silences it. He motions his men to stay in the room. There's only one entrance that they can take.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
After the fourth time, he answers it.
"How does it feel not being in control?" Bianca Petali whispers through the phone.
Puzzling questions enter his mind. He clears his throat to re-focus. "I-I still have control! I will order Lt. Russo to kill your daughter!"
"I wonder how he's doing with bullet holes in his body."
Ricardo laughs it off before hanging up. He calls Lt. Russo.
"Hello, Diego speaking."
"Who...the fuck are you?!"
"I'm a friend of Miguel. The one you tried to eliminate."
Fear constricts his throat. Wrath bubbles up from his chest. His plan ruined by a third party. Before his mind pieces it together--
Alejandro's gut feeling pulls him down. From the opposite wall, bullets from a Tommy gun tear through the men. Disloyal blood decorates the walls and windows.
Ricardo peeks above and takes his shot. A heavy grunt comes out of the victim.
He finds that he's one of the last couple of people in the room. Fortunately, he still has a couple of people in his back pocket back in New York.
He clenches his teeth. "I will not lose to you! Not after what I built!"
He fires three more times. Holes spaced apart. Heavy breaths fill the room. Three of his available men crawl over dead bodies. The stench of crimson iron fills the air.
Ricardo refills bullets into the chamber. Now knowing how Bianca got ahead of him, he aims the barrel at Alejandro.
BANG!