Chapter 104: the Constantine Family

Enzo hadn't even had a chance to show off his fighting skills when his knee bent backward at a sickening angle. The pain was so intense he couldn't hold back a scream.

The suited thugs behind him saw their boss go down and immediately raised their guns.

But Olivia was faster.

She moved through the crowd like a ghost -- disarming, snapping joints, driving elbows -- over a dozen professional killers, all taken down clean in under twenty seconds. Every single one of them was badly hurt.

Enzo knelt on the ground, clutching his shattered knee, his shirt soaked through with cold sweat.

It was only then that he got a clear look at the small badge on Olivia's tactical vest -- a short sword shrouded in shadow.

He looked up at the young man in the black trench coat, his eyes deep and unreadable.

In New York's underworld, that look, combined with that badge...

"Reaper?!"

Ignoring the agony in his knee, Enzo slammed both knees hard onto the concrete floor and bowed as low as he could go.

Enzo's instant surrender sent Marlon's already limited brain into a complete halt.

In Marlon's world, Red Skulls ruled the port, and Mr. Rossi was the Grim Reaper himself -- untouchable. He couldn't begin to wrap his head around the idea that someone that terrifying would kneel before a young man without a shred of dignity.

"I was wrong!" Enzo said, dropping to his knees.

The speed of it caught both Olivia and Leo off guard. Marlon was the most stunned of all.

In his mind, Red Skulls sat at the top, followed by the other gangs. That hierarchy was carved into his brain. He couldn't imagine a major arms dealer -- a name that rang through New York's underworld -- kneeling in front of a stranger.

This was blowing up everything he thought he knew.

"Mr. Rossi, how can you kneel to him? He's just some nobody. You're the boss of Red Skulls!"

Marlon's twisted worldview had swallowed him whole, holding him prisoner inside the power structure he'd always believed in.

"I know I was wrong. I let myself get played. I had no idea who I was going up against," Enzo said, not even glancing at Marlon, his voice thick with remorse.

In a way, you had to give him credit. Not everyone could bend like that. He'd been running in New York for twenty years and had seen all kinds of powerful people.

This young man in front of him -- someone who could have a woman with skills like that at his side -- his background was anything but simple.

And in that brief moment earlier, Leo had emanated a suffocating killing intent.

The kind that only comes from someone who's walked out of mountains of corpses.

"At least you know how to read the room," Leo said, exhaling a slow breath of smoke.

"Get up. I have something to discuss with you."

"Since you already know who I am, this makes things easier."

Leo blew out a breath of smoke, his voice calm but carrying weight that left no room for argument.

"I'm not here to wipe out your syndicate. I'm here to make a deal."

"In three days, I have a shipment of... special military equipment that needs to get into Vienna, Austria -- quietly, bypassing European customs entirely."

Leo leaned in slightly, his eyes fixed on Enzo as he could see straight through him.

"I need Red Skull's top-tier smuggling route. Do this right, and you don't just walk away alive -- you become the only king in New York's underworld. No competition."

"But if you screw it up..."

A flash of cold violence crossed Leo's eyes. "You know what happened to Nightfall's South American base. That's exactly what'll happen to Red Skulls."

Just as everything was being settled, Leo's personal phone buzzed in his pocket.

"Leo, something happened to Sophia!" Chloe's voice came through the line, heavy with urgency.

"What's going on?" Leo's brow furrowed slightly.

"The Constantine family's son -- Nicholas Constantine -- showed up tonight with a crew and surrounded one of the Vanderbilt family's properties."

A cold glint flashed in Leo's eyes.

The Constantine family. Fourth among New York's five major families, with their fingers in real estate, hotels, and casinos.

He was about to leave for Europe. With no one holding things down in New York, it was the perfect time for people to try to reshuffle the deck.

"Send me the address," Leo said flatly.

Ten minutes later.

Manhattan. Fifth Avenue.

Outside a five-star hotel owned by the Vanderbilt family.

Over a dozen black Cadillacs had the entrance completely blocked off. Dozens of men in black suits stood at the doors, baseball bats and steel pipes in hand, radiating aggression.

At the front was a young blond man with blue eyes, dressed in a custom Armani suit, with a thick gold chain around his neck.

Nicholas Constantine.

"That bitch Sophia thinks she can hide in there?" Nicholas sneered, cigar hanging from his lip.

"Tear it apart. Smash this whole hotel!"

"Yes, sir!"

The mob surged toward the hotel entrance.

Then --

A black Maybach came roaring in and stopped smoothly right in front of the hotel.

The door swung open.

Leo stepped out, hands in his trench coat pockets, a cigar between his teeth, walking with easy, unhurried strides.

Olivia followed right behind him.

"Well, if it isn't the legendary Leo," Nicholas said. Rather than backing down, he got louder.

"Mr. Constantine, you're something else -- not even afraid of the Reaper!"

"Exactly! So what if he's Reaper? He's heading to Europe soon. After that, this city is ours!"

Laughter broke out.

Leo said nothing. He just looked at Nicholas quietly.

Those deep, still eyes showed no emotion at all.

But somehow, that stillness sent a sudden chill through Nicholas.

"What... what are you staring at?" Nicholas forced himself to hold his ground. "My father is the head of the Constantine family. And we have reached in Europe too. You think you run New York? In Europe, you're nothing. So if you're smart, stay out of Constantine's business."

The moment the words left his mouth --

A dull gunshot rang out.

The ground right at Nicholas's feet exploded with a bullet hole. Concrete chips flew.

"Ah!" Nicholas yelped and stumbled back.

Olivia's custom pistol was still trailing smoke.

"The next one won't hit the ground," she said, her face blank.

Nicholas went pale, sweat breaking out across his forehead.

But he pulled himself back together quickly.

"You... you actually shot at me? I'm the heir to the Constantine family! If you kill me, my father will come for you with everything he has!"

"I don't care about any of that," Leo cut him off. "I only care about one thing."

"New York is my territory."

"Before I leave, anyone who thinks they can cause trouble on my turf..."

Leo stepped up to Nicholas and looked down at him.

"Dies."

The single word hit Nicholas like a bucket of ice water, draining the warmth from his entire body.

"I... I..."

He opened his mouth to say something.

But Leo had already turned away, looking at the hired muscle.

"You have ten seconds."

"Get out."

The men exchanged glances.

"Move! What are you standing there for?!" Nicholas saw which way the wind was blowing and screamed at his crew.

They dropped their weapons and scattered like they'd been let out of a cage.

In seconds, only Nicholas was left.

"Mr. Ashford..." Nicholas forced a smile. "I didn't know what I was dealing with earlier..."

"I'll leave right now..."

"Wait," Leo said quietly.

Nicholas froze mid-step. "You... is there something else you need?"

"Call your father," Leo said, exhaling a slow breath of smoke. "Have him come pick you up. I'd like to have a word with him."

He knew his trip to Europe was strictly classified. There was no way Nicholas could have known on his own. The only explanation was that his father had gotten the information from someone on the inside.

Nicholas swallowed hard and pulled out his phone with a trembling hand.