Chapter 32—Salvatore

Cut off the head and the body is weak...

Dead.

Just like the Fontaines would be if we cut their power source.

I’m on the streets with Nick, Gabe, Claudius and his guys. We’ve started the search for this underground facility.

We’re in the worse part of town anybody could be, scouting out places with access to the underground.

I figured there was no time like the present and we can’t afford to lose any more time than we have.

I fucking hate this area. We call it The Void. It’s the slums. The kind of place you can go to get the hook up on the black market. It starts just beyond the stretch of the mall. There’s a noticeable distinction. One street runs across it like a marker. It feels more like a warning though not to venture any further, or if you are shady as shit and looking for trouble like we are, then it’s like an arrow pointing the way.

We’ve already checked out a few places but they were clean. Now we’re walking together down the market style road passing a lot of bars and clubs. There are people outside. They see me, Nick and Gabe and they look wary. Some go inside. One look at Claudius though, and fuck, some of them run away and he fucking loves it.

It’s all good and well to be so revered because mostly people cough up information if their too afraid. Sometimes though—like we’ve been experiencing lately –it’s the reverse. The other guys have paid them more. The other guys have more power than us and see us as street rats.

It’s a tell of who’s hanging the blade over their heads.

Claudius nudges into me and I glance at him.

“Hey, try to stay calm. Getting worked up screws with your ability to focus,” he states.

“I’m trying,” I answer, unsure how he can tell me to stay calm.

Since he and his guys are the most skilled people here I’m listening though and trying. It hasn’t escaped me either that we’ve had to call on him a lot over the last three years for one reason or another. Him and his crew are the only people we know strong enough to help when serious shit’s going down.

“Try harder.” He smirks. “See my guys, we focus by thinking of the goal. The end goal.”

I glance back at Gio, Dante and Alex walking behind us looking like fearsome formidable demons from hell.

“The goal,” I say returning my attention to Claudius.

“Yes. You can’t do shit if you don’t have that in mind.” He tucks a lock of his hair behind his ear.

From as long as I’ve known him he’s always had long hair, and he’s grown it longer too. It’s so long it’s swishing over his elbows. Long hair and long black leather coat billowing out in the wind like the angel of death.

I haven’t always known him with the cross on his cheek though. I knew him before that happened. It’s for his first wife. His enemies killed her.

Him and his crew have been through a lot. We have too and as we grow in assets it just gets worse. That’s my take on things.

Doesn’t matter what it is that’s happening it always seems to come back to that. The Fontaines never came for Claudius though, not like they have with us. It’s like fucking high school when you pick on specific people and leave others alone.

“Claudius,” I begin and he looks to me. “The Fontaines, what the hell is your take on them?”

He laughs. “I don’t know where to start with that answer. What exactly do you mean? Do you want me to tell you what I think about their government links or them in general.”

I sigh. “Both. They got to feds. Mobsters don’t deal with feds.”

“Salvatore I don’t even like that word, but I have fed associates who are useful. I hated it like nothing else when I first took over business but I understood. Anyway, that’s not the point here. I agree that the problem with the Fontaines is the government link. It’s their support system. What would be good for everyone is to find out who the fuck it is.”

“Don’t I know it. Claudius …” My voice trails off. I’ve been thinking about it all since Vincent’s speech. Thinking about everything in its entirety. “It feels more like this thing with Stephanou is more them. I mean only the Fontaines, without the government link. It’s too elaborate, and there’s the matter of revenge for Joey Fontaine’s death. They want to get us for that, but they also want to take us down.”

“I agree.”

“When you have government on your side it’s power, but if their link was so powerful, or they wanted us out of the picture, wouldn’t they have crushed us already?” That’s the conclusion I came to earlier.

Claudius looks to me with that smirk and nods. “Salvatore, consider this. If we were dealing with the Antonellas, we’d all be dead. Every last one of us.”

I glance at him and blow out a breath.

The Antonellas are what we call an assassin family who are far worse than the Fontaines. Stephanou and his crew are sick fucks but the whole Antonella clan are psychotic. All of them.

That’s not what gives them the power though. It’s their own government ties. A few years back Claudius and his men had a run in with them and it was revealed that they were working with the governor. We knew from back then that that was just a piece of the puzzle.

Claudius smiles again. “Salvatore. Whoever the Fontaines are working with just wants money. Money and power and they’re happy with their association with their mobster friends as the bitches that do the dirty work. I don’t think they’re interested in starting a mafia war, or getting revenge. Government don’t get down like that. They don’t need to sneak around unless they can’t do shit and they’re few who can’t do shit.” He spreads his fingers. “This situation feels like the Fontaines using their company benefits to get shit done. Their links enables then to pulls stunts like this. Rest assured though, if you can rock the fucking nest and cause a stir you can take them out.”

That would be good. Again it’s the question of how. How do we do that?

And really now’s not the time. It’s a separate issue. Another thorn in our sides that needs to be pulled out.

Stephanou and his assholes are the priority.

A bullet whizzes past my ear, I swear I hear it before I see it hit the ground in front of me. Like fuck, do we all snap into action though.

The people around start screaming and running into the buildings, taking cover.

I get behind one of the empty market stalls and Gabe and Nick both cover me.

Ahead of us on the roof of the Chinese takeaway is Davide and Riccardo. They both have machine guns and like us they didn’t come alone.

Motherfuckers. There’s ten mean, thuggish looking men with them and they all jump down ready for war.

That’s fine we’re ready too.

While seven of the men go for Claudius and his crew, the rest follow Davide and Riccardo. Heading for us.

They come for us guns blazing, ready to take us down.

“Looking for us?” Davide snarls as he starts shooting up the place.

“Salvatore, this fucker needs to be stopped,” Gabe shouts to me.

“Leave him to me, you two get rid of the others,” I order.

Riccardo is more dangerous than Davide, and cunning. I glance at him and see the broad smile on his face. A smile like we’re already lying dead on the ground and he’s going to haul us back to Stephanou and present us as the catch of the evening.

Asshole, let him think that.

“Ready boys,” I shout and like we’re unit we move knowing exactly what to do.

Gabe and Nick run out from my left and start firing at the back up guys. One goes down.

That’s all I see because as soon as Davide is getting ready to load up and fire off another round I shoot him in the arm. I get him and step out shooting at both him and Ricardo who rush over to a wide pillar to take cover.

I just love when people underestimate me. It’s clear that’s what these two have done. Clear as fuck. They saw Vincent wasn’t with us and thought they’d try to wipe us out.

I don’t hide anymore I head straight for them running with the rage of everything that’s happened. More bullets come my way, but dodge them.

When I get to the pillar I only see Davide. No Ricardo.

Where the fuck is he?

Davide drops his gun and flies at me like a feral animal.

Before he can make contact with me I send a kick to his face that makes him snap backwards from his speed and the impact of my kick. I put my gun back in my pocket then because I don’t want to lose it. It’s all about timing when dealing with guys like this. I won’t have time to fire a bullet but I can use my fists.

When he comes again I’m ready to fight this fucker. This fucking dog is definitely gonna get it tonight.

I unleash my psycho too and we punch each other giving blow for blow.

This is not like the rage filled punches I gave Gabe the other week.

Every hit I give this fucker is designed to kill and as such it weakens him.

I headbutt him, stunning him and he staggers backwards. I use that moment to whip out my gun and shoot him straight in his chest.

He grabs his chest and cries out in the pain but he still tries to come for me.

It’s a loss cause though.

I got him good, near his heart. He doesn’t have long left.

He drops to his knees in complete disbelief and looks up at me. The asshole then smiles. Smiles wide.

“Where are you meeting?” I demand. I know he’s not going to tell me shit but I’m trying here.

He laughs and blood runs down the side of his mouth.

“Really? You seriously think I’m going to tell you that Giordano?”

“Motherfucker, you shouldn’t have come out tonight.” I shake my head.

“That’s the difference between us and you people. we always try no matter the loss. It’s fine though. I’m just one down. Stephanou’s going to butcher you and yours. You people have taken too much away from us this time. Too much. You’re all dead.”

“Fucking come for us, we’ll deal with you and yours,” I counter and he laughs.

“And we’ll just keep taking from you. That girl didn’t even know she was dead when I cut off her head.” He wobbles but still laughs. These assholes always know how to strike a nerve. “Got a good fuck from her first though. Got her good when she bent down to pull on her panties. Her head just came right off. Fresh and ready to gift wrap. Hot girl, although I would have loved to start with Mimi. What a cute name. Your babygirl….”

His eyes close and he drops to the ground.

Gabe comes back with Nick and Claudius.

“Ricardo got away,” I tell them.

There’s nothing more to say. I don’t bother to talk about the guilt I feel or the worry over Mimi.

I’m an asshole for thinking I’m lucky it wasn’t her.

I’m a prick for even contemplating it.

I push the guilt and worry to the back. They’re both emotions I can’t afford.