Luna was in her father's store, absorbed in the news that echoed from the shop's screens. Her father approached her and asked her to turn up the volume. As she complied, the news continued to report the story of Vincenzo:
“This is Vincenzo in the eyes of the media, but his record is much more extensive. Vincenzo is part of a large criminal organization, popularly known as the Italian Mafia. He is one of the most important members of the organization, being part of one of the five families that have dominated the U.S. Mafia. The families in this group are considered the royalty of the Mafia, including the Gambino, Lucchese, Genovese, Bonanno, and Colombo families. No one would be crazy enough to go against someone from this exclusive group.
“Capo Vincenzo Gambino from New York, with only the Don above him, who happens to be his father, Don Carlo Gambino. Vincenzo is a cold and heartless man. He was trained from childhood to be his father's successor. At 13 years old, he committed his first homicide under his father's supervision.”
Curious, Luna turned to her father and asked, “Who is this Vincenzo the news keeps talking about?” Her father sighed, looking at the screen with a somber expression, and replied, “He is the devil's son, Luna.”
Luna looked at her father with a confused expression. “Devil's son?” she thought, not fully understanding what those words could mean.
Soon after, her father interrupted her, asking, “Where is your brother?” Luna frowned and replied, worried: “Davis hasn't come home yet, he spent the night out.”
Her father, now concerned, ordered, “Call him now, tell him to come home immediately.”
Luna grabbed the phone and started dialing her brother's number, feeling a latent nervousness. Luna tried every way to call Davis, but to no avail. Her heart began to beat faster, and a sense of unease took over. She looked at her father, her eyes filled with concern.
Luna said, “Dad, Davis isn't answering.”
Her father, now visibly distressed, grabbed the phone and started dialing Davis' number repeatedly, each unanswered call increasing the tension in the air. In a moment of frustration, he muttered to himself, “Damn, what's the point of having a phone? This boy doesn't answer, where could he be?”
Luna looked at her father, noticing the tension in his eyes, and asked urgently, “Dad, what's happening? You got nervous after that report. Is something going on?”
Her father stared at her for a moment, then gently placed a hand on her face, caressing her tenderly. He sighed deeply before speaking: “Daughter, it's better for you not to know about this situation. I don't want to put you in danger.”
“Now you're making me worried,” Luna said, showing concern.
“Don't worry, trust your father. Come on, let's close the store. Until your brother shows up, we're not leaving the house, understood?” Lorenzo said.
“Okay, Dad,” she said, obeying her father without understanding.
Luna closed the store, putting away the last products on the shelves. Beside her, her father, Mr. Martinez, seemed worried and continued trying to call his son, but the call was unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, night was falling over the small town, enveloping the main street in twilight shadows. It was then that a shiver ran down Luna's spine when she heard quick footsteps approaching. She and her father exchanged nervous glances, not knowing what to expect.
Suddenly, the door was kicked open with force, making a deafening noise echo through the walls. Luna and her father looked at each other in panic, their eyes wide with surprise and fear.
At the doorway, masked men appeared, their faces hidden by darkness and masks. They were threatening shadows, moving with sinister determination.
Mr. Martinez immediately protected Luna with his body, trying to stay calm. “What do you want from us? Who are you?” he asked, his voice slightly trembling.
The masked men remained silent, but one of them stepped forward, revealing a revolver in his hand. The threat was evident, and the room was filled with palpable tension.
Luna felt her heart pound, but her determination didn't waver. She looked into her father's eyes, seeking strength, and together, they awaited the intruders' next move.
The masked men kept their gazes fixed, creating an oppressive silence in the room. Mr. Martinez held his firm stance, protecting Luna with determination, while she clung to the hope that her brother would appear at any moment.
Finally, one of the masked men broke the tense silence. His voice was hoarse and menacing. “Where is he? Where is Davis Martinez?”
Luna's heart raced at the mention of her brother's name. She felt terrified and confused. “Who are you? What do you want with my brother?”
The masked man remained expressionless, keeping the revolver visible. “It doesn't matter. Where is he?”
Mr. Martinez looked at Luna, seeking the courage to respond. “We… we don't know. We haven't heard from him for a while.”
The masked man seemed dissatisfied with the response, his eyes narrowing under the mask. “This has to be a joke; you guys are trying to fool us.”
Luna felt a chill of terror run down her spine. She knew they were in danger, but she also knew she couldn't reveal any information about Davis; he was their only hope.
The masked man who spoke seemed impatient, his hoarse voice echoing in the room. “Davis will have to appear. Until he does, your daughter comes with us.” He said this, grabbing Luna.
Luna's heart pounded in her chest as she struggled, desperately trying to escape the masked man's grip. She screamed, “Help! Help! Please, let me go!”
Her father, Mr. Martinez, fought with all his strength to reach Luna, but the other masked men held him back firmly, preventing him from reaching her.
The masked man holding her tightened his grip, ignoring her desperate cries. The tension in the room reached its peak, creating an atmosphere of terror and anguish.
At this critical moment, a strong voice echoed through the room. “Let her go now!”
Everyone turned to see that it was Davis, Luna's brother, standing at the entrance of the house. His eyes burned with determination, and he held a gun aimed directly at the men.
The masked man holding Luna hesitated for a moment, assessing the situation. Then, aware of the imminent threat, he released her abruptly.
Luna staggered backward, panting and frightened, but is now free.
Davis stepped forward firmly towards the masked men, his expression stern. “You don't know what you're getting into. Where's my father?”
The masked man, who had spoken before, glared at Davis with a mix of anger and defiance. “You're going to pay dearly for this.”
As Davis confronted the masked men, Luna ran to her father, worried about the injury he had suffered. Davis saw that Luna was safe and took a step forward, holding the gun firmly in his hands. He aimed precisely at one of the masked men's knees and, without hesitation, pulled the trigger. The sound of the gunshot echoed through the room, followed by the man's cry of pain as he fell to the ground, clutching his wounded knee. Davis looked at the man with cold, merciless eyes. “Now you tell your boss that this is my message to him. Leave my family alone, or the next bullet goes straight to his head.”
The atmosphere became charged with the gravity of the situation. The remaining masked men retreated, visibly shaken by Davis's show of force. While the wounded man groaned in pain, the other masked men quickly helped him out of the house, disappearing into the night..