"Can we make this quick? I have businesses to attend to.", Anthiope Christofis, 30, the leader of the Greek syndicate called Asturia said as she sipped wine from her glass.
"Hasty as usual, Anthiope. Can you be more patient?," Ioannis Primavera, 30, the Don of Del Fuego mafia in, Spain.
"I don't know, can you be quiet? That'd be nice,Ioannis."Anthiope retorted.
"Can you two stop bickering? You guys are making this meeting more insufferable than it already is.", another woman said but this one's quite older, with gray streaks of hair on her coiffed locks. The woman is called Madam Ynez Sao Paolo, the Head of the Portuguese mafia called Barocco.
"No, we need to wait for the representative of Passione.", a younger man with round framed glasses said as he crossed his arms above his chest. The man is named Juvere Sant-Versailles ,25, the young leader of the Koinopraxia and of the French syndicate called Fraternité, the most dominant syndicate in the Mediterranean.
"I agree, let's wait for that Giorno Giovanna to explain himself.", a brawny middle aged man said from his seat on the 3rd seat on the long table he is, Mosés Ameer, the boss of the Turkish mafia.
"I knew that brat would screw up. Tsk. Imagine, he just waltzed in the Koínopraxia after years of being a no show playing this mysterious bullshit. ", the man who was called 'Ioannis' scoffed as he tapped the ash on the end of his cigar on the glass ashtray in front of him.
"Shush. We need to be patient, am I right, Juvere?", a woman with waist long braided hair dismissed the noisy man before facing the young man with round framed glasses, this is Madame Cristi Crescendi, the head of the Ventimiglio familigia, the second largest gang in all of Italy next to Passione.
This is Koínopraxia, the consortium of all the major syndicate across the Mediterranean. Composed of the major gangs around the Mediterranean sea, the Koínopraxia, regulated and serves as the major mediator of the mafia syndicates in different parts of Europe and Passione is one of it's leading syndicate. After Diavolo was defeated, Giorno became the face of Passione. Every Don and leaders of the said committee were shocked to find out that the boss of the one of the most prominent gang in all of Italy is just some boy. A fifteen year old boy who spoke as if he have seen everything. It seemed to them that this boy is just some idealistic brat, no wonder he didn't show his face through all of those years. They thought the reason why the man behind the said syndicate didn't show his face is because he is just a kid and he have to hide his youth, and after years of being in the shadows the man had finally revealed himself with this "dream" a peculiar and nonsensical one. A dream of making Italy drug free is just ridiculous. But to their surprise, the kid managed to make it work for several months until they've heard about the fire in the Passione's mansion and the rumor that there is this new gang in Giorno's territory that's been interfering with everything. The Koinopraxia actually didn't care as long as it doesn't affect the flow of their organization. But recently, three major gangs from several parts of the organization started vanishing, the Cretan mafia, the mobs from Cyprus and Egypt suddenly vanished and now they got the news that one of their major stake holders just decided to put Italy on lockdown.
" How is the whole situation in Italy going?", Juvere asked towards Madame Crescendi.
" Not good. And earlier I have this letter chucked inside one of my men's skull delivered into my doorstep saying that we should surrender Koinopraxia"
" You too? ", Ioannis said as he raised an eyebrow shocked to know that they have the same letter from an unknown sender.
" Is there anyone who have received the same letter?" Juvere, asked as he clenched his right fist inside his other hand. everyone in the room fell silent, the confirmation that answered his question. "Who in the world would do this? I mean this is clearly stupid! Do they really think that we would give them the Koinopraxia that easy?", Moses said as he lit a tobacco stick and huffed it's smoke.
" We knew you will say that, and to make things clear we are not asking for the Koinopraxia to be surrendered. That's a notice, an invitation so that you could all watch as we massacre each and everyone in this room."
"What?! Who let you in? Who the hell are you?!", Ioannis angrily yelled toward the man who suddenly appeared from seemingly nowhere.
The man chuckled as he stood from his from his seat, the spot at the other end of the long mahogany table . Everyone in the room is silent, the only sound that can be heard is the footsteps of this unknown man, as a feeling of a heavy aura loomed on everyone. Who is this man? He had the audacity to waltz inside a room of Mafia bosses and gang leaders with a calm and innocent smile. This man walked behind Juvere's seat and grabbed his shoulders making him slightly twitch from the man's deathly cold touch.
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"So, mind to give me a short briefing before we land?" Josuke asked with a small smile towards Trish and Giorno. The three has been silent and Josuke , being the most extroverted out of the group decided to break the silence, 'better than sitting down and stare at the void.'
"We must be vigilant. After going out of this plane, we are on ourselves now. You saw the stand users that attacked us, you must be very careful. Now that Passione is on it's edge, you should expect danger from the fact that the estate burned down and thus will create the idea that the boss is dead and the Passione is up for grabs.", Giorno said with a stern look on his face.
"Everything is suspicious. Everything and everyone could be an enemy. Do you think the Koinopraxia have already noticed this, Giorno?"
"It's hard to say. The Koinopraxia will not engage unless the organization itself is threatened."
"What's a Koinopraxia?"
"It's an organization that controls and mediates the whole Mediterranean underground. An organized syndicate composed of the major mobs in Europe and in some parts of Africa. " Giorno explained as he shifted his gaze outside the airplane window beside him as if he was being paranoid, the assassins got under his nose back in London, being extra observant is the way to avoid those encounters again
"Speaking of Koinopraxia, remember Madame Crescendi from Milan, GioGio?"
"Yes, what about her?"
"I contacted her before we left off from the SPW, she agreed to help us since looks like she is the only ally that we have left inside Italy. She said that we should meet her outside Venezia"
"Very well. What did she say?", Giorno leaned forward attentively. He was expecting that the Passione aoone is the only participant in their predicament, but it seems that their enemy had escalated their plans.
"She said that there is this unlisted organization that puppetted Passione. It just sprouted from nowhere. According to her, this organization is so mysterious that nothing was ever written about them. She suspected that the arson attack at the mansion, is a front for something bigger. I am thinking that the organization that Madame Crescendi mentioned could either be a rogue group from the old Passione or one of those foreign groups that chose Passione as it's first victim since our Mafia is the third major stake holder in Koinopraxia." Trish said as she crossed her arms above her chest. She had this unsettling fear in her heart that they maybe too late but she shook her head dismissing the thought. she maybe wrong and she hopes that she is.
"And if they have already infiltrated Passione from the inside, then... this, Koinopraxia is next?", Josuke said as he caught up on the conversation, his tone shifting to a nonchalant but serious one, a sudden change from his bright demeanor.
"Exactly, Josuke. Since the members of the Koinopraxia and the other Capos probably presumed that I am dead from the fire, They could use the commotion as leverage to catapult themselves up towards their goal, whatever it maybe." Giorno said as he shifted his sight back at them.
"Wait, in the fire, the reports said that there are two bodies found in the ruins of the mansion right? Only two bodies were found no more no less. My guess is Mista and the others are still alive and the requiem arrow is with them since Mr. Polnareff had the arrow with him."
"Arrow? A stand arrow?"
"What's the matter Josuke? Do you know anything about the Requiem Stand arrow", Trish asked intriogued by how the young man beside her knew the said artifacts. Josuke took a sigh as he leaned on his seat, explaining the brief story of their 'stand arrow' incident way back in 1999.
"Two years ago, a stand arrow has been retrieved in our town in Japan and it gives people stands or in some cases stronger stand abilities. After that serial killer incident in my place , Mr. Jotaro told us that there are 6 stand arrows in total but most of them are missing and we must be vigilant for anything that may come as out of the ordinary. I've never encountered a requiem arrow but it is obvious that it is one of the six arrows that the foundation and Mr. Jotaro has been looking for. Those arrows were powerful enough to be considered a very serious threat."
6? Trish and Giorno tensed upon hearing what Josuke have told them. One arrow is enough chaos to send someone in an alternate reality and to the fact that even Giorno himself or anyone didn't understand the arrow's truth is enough to put them walking on a thin line between suicide and bravery. They all knew that the Requiem arrow aren't their enemy but neither it is their friend. Giorno have witnessed what that certain arrow could do. Even Trish fell silent as the idea of her friends being hunted out like them made her heart go restless and now the thought of the arrow being in the wrong hands pressed her and Giorno in a very tight situation where they have to choose if they were going to save their friends and Italy in general or they have to look for the Requiem arrow and destroy it before it can be used as the greatest doomsday device or at least repossess the said artifact and fix everything that this mess had caused them.
Josuke saw the uneasiness on the faces of Giorno and Trish so he decided to shift the subject.
"Hey,hey,hey, what's with the long faces? C'mon there are still hope. You guys mentioned that your group could be alive, yeah? And I can tell that your group are skillful stand users. I'm sure they'll put up a fight against those bastards who's behind all of this." Josuke said with a reassuring smile, hoping that his words could reach out towards them. For some reason, Josuke reminded the two of Mista with his optimism.
"Thanks... You reminded us of that one friend that we have in Passione.", Trish said with a weary smile, attempting to replicate the same optimism that Josuke has.
"Really? Heh, bet he didn't have a hair that's as cool as mine.", He said as he smiled towards her.
"Well we aren't even sure if he has hair or not cuz he's always wearing this beanie hat over his head.", Trish humored trying to divert her attention for a while. Especially since neither of them inside the plane are in their element. She looked at Giorno's serious expression and can't help but to feel far more distant from him. She really wanted to help him with his conflict but Giorno only had his guard up and higher than ever. She wanted to say that everything will be okay but she can't do that since she knew that it will just upset him more. Once Josuke excused himself to the bathroom, Trish took a sharp breath before facing Giorno. But her words seemed to be caught inside her throat as she only ended up staring at him. No words came out of her as she tried her best to come up with something to say.
"Do you have something in mind, Trish?", He asked while still staring outside of the window. Probably noticing her at her reflection on the glass facade of the window.
"Erm... can I ask you a question, Gio?", She started off, trying to find the right way to articulate her words without being intrusive.
"Hm? I'm all ears."
Trish was about to ask him about why is he being so distant and cold all of a sudden but she never did. Instead, she gulped down her question and spoke, "N-nothing. I'm sorry I forgot. Never mind."
Giorno heaved a sigh and reached for her hand, his gaze still fixed on the distance. "I... I am sorry. I promise I'll fix this", he said as he gripped her hand tightly. She looked at him before giving off a smile and then putting her left hand over his like she was saying that 'we will fix this and you are never going to face everything alone'. She knew that her words may fail to express her but what else is left to do? There's nowhere to run in their case and looking back at the things that happen to all of them, she have to let them know that none of them are walking on this tightrope alone. This reminded her that time when she will have to face her father. She was scared and trembling but Bucciarati held her hand even though he is also unsure about the boss. Everyone is there for her, even Narancia told her that he'll be on her side and protect her, each and everyone in Bucciarati's team showed that they have warmth in their souls and even after most of the team was gone, she wanted to keep the warmth that was left. It's not about moral debt anymore for Trish.
For the other, he is a candle in the wind trying to not get extinguished, conflicted by the storm outside and by the storm inside him, afraid of loosing someone again. Eversince he have encountered them, he have found the meaning of the word refuge and he will not give them up. He have lost so much in his life that he is willing to risk. If he have to cross around the globe just to protect every one and everything that are important to him, he'll do it and do it a hundred more times.
But, he's only human, so was Trish and everyone that are in this death game. Who knows what this bloody war could do to them as their arrival in Italy will signify the true start as they set foot inside the blackhole.
To be continued...>>>