Final Goodbye
Final Goodbye
The next morning, sunlight cut across the polished floor of Andre’s private office at the Cimaro estate. He sat behind the wide desk, methodically cleaning his pistol. The soft metallic clicks of the disassembled pieces were the only sound in the room. On the wall opposite him hung the formal portrait of his late father—stern, cold-eyed, the man who had once demanded a level of ruthlessness Andre had never fully embraced.
It was as if his father was in the room with him, as if he were staring directly at his walking ghost. There were many things Andre had on his mind and in his heart to say, things he never said to his father back when he was still alive. But now, he was ready to get those things off his chest and let them go forever, so he could finally have some real peace, fully liberated from the imprisoning hold of the memories he had of his dad.
Andre spoke to the painting as if the man could still hear him.
“You're too busy rotting in the ground so you've missed out on pretty much everything I've accomplished since you joined the devil in hell. Allow me to fill you in on all of it."
He crossed his arms. "I restored our clan's honor. I ended the trafficking that stained this family. I finally put Carolina Rossi in the ground—our biggest rival, the thorn that had been in our side for years, and you'd been so weak and uninspired, you couldn't figure out how to finish her off, ultimately settling on collaborating with her instead in her inhumane business. I even got the police off our backs. I made the Red Cobras the number-one family in New York again.”
He gave a short, dry laugh. “You always said I wasn’t ruthless enough. Yet here I am, still the way I've always been, and I’ve surpassed you. I’m a better Capo than you ever were. I'm a better Cobra than you ever were.”
He finished reassembling the weapon, set it on the desk, then stood and took the portrait down from the wall. He carried it to the fireplace where a low fire already burned. For a long moment, he stared at his father’s face.
“This is the last time I talk to your ghost. I'm finally free of you, now that I've dealt with the problems I inherited from your stupid legacy. This is my final goodbye, Father. Hope you rest in pieces.”
He tossed the portrait into the flames and watched the canvas blacken, curl, and turn to ash. When the last of it was gone, Jay appeared in the doorway and cleared his throat.
“It’s time, boss.”
"Then let's get to work."
Andre picked up the gun and followed him out.
.
.
.
At the Rossi estate, Gabriella stood in front of the mirror in her private room, dressed entirely in black—fitted shirt, leather jacket, tight leather pants. A holster sat on her hip and there was a loaded handgun strapped in it. She looked like a queen that was ready for war. She left the house and walked toward one of the waiting SUVs. Lancelot approached as she reached the vehicle.
“Are your Knights ready?” she asked.
“Yes, they are and we're simply awaiting your orders.”
“Good. Assemble the rest of the assault team. We move now.”
She climbed into the SUV. Lancelot turned and began issuing sharp orders. Armed King’s Gold soldiers moved at once, loading into a convoy of seven vehicles. Engines started. The entire force rolled out of the estate gates in tight formation.
.
.
.
Across the city, a large house sat behind a high fence, not a mansion but substantial. On the front lawn, a birthday party was in full swing. Armed men drank, laughed, and danced under strings of lights. Music thumped at quite a deafening tune. At the center of it all stood Damien Winchester, glass in hand, celebrating like he'd won a lottery.
The music suddenly cut after the DJ noticed the hand signal from the last heir of the Sailors. Damien raised his drink high.l and addressed his full house.
“To the return of the Black Sailors to pur former glory,” he shouted. “And to the final defeat of Carolina Rossi and the King’s Gold! We've already come close to finishing them off a couple of times. Soon, we will finish the job and get justice for what they did to our family. To vengeance.”
"To vengeance," the others echoed in good cheer.
Glasses clinked and the music started again.
Then, the sound of engines at full speed tore through the moonlit evening. Twelve vehicles smashed through the front gate, tore across the lawn, and slammed to a stop in a perfect circle around the party. Doors flew open. King’s Gold soldiers, all the remaining members of the Knights, and Red Cobra gunmen poured out, weapons already trained on every Sailor present on the grounds.
Damien and his men scrambled for their own guns, but they were completely surrounded and outnumbered. They could try to attack, and although they might gun down a few of their ambushers, they surely didn't stand a chance of coming out of it with their lives.
Gabriella stepped out of the lead vehicle. Andre stepped out beside her. Both of them held weapons. They walked forward together until they stood a safe few yards away from Damien.
Gabriella’s voice carried clearly. “Damien Winchester! We meet at last. I've been hearing a lot about you from my Knights. Do you know who I am?”
Damien’s eyes narrowed. “No, I don't,” he arched a brow. "Should I?"
“I’m Carolina Rossi’s daughter and only heir. The new Capo of the King’s Gold. I know you have a grudge against my family. My mother is dead. When she came after your house and slaughtered your family, I was still a child and had nothing to do with it. I’m offering you the chance to let that hate die with her. Walk away and live however you want. Don’t come after the King’s Gold again. They're mine now, and I intend to protect them.”
Damien spat on the ground. “That’s never going to happen. I won’t stop until every last one of you is destroyed.”
Gabriella exhaled once, almost regretfully. “I was told you'd say that. However, I wish you hadn’t.”
The combined force opened fire. The Black Sailors, trapped and vastly outnumbered, had no chance. The bullets heaped over them like a flurry of rain from the heavens. One by one, they all hit the ground.
When the shooting stopped, none of them remained standing. It was truly the end of the Black Sailors Mafia Family... Now and forever!