Chapter 222 The Hunt Was Over

Chapter 222 The Hunt Was Over
The weeks continued passing, but the search never stopped. Every lead was followed, every rumor investigated, every safe house raided, and every single time... there was nothing.

Marco always seemed one step ahead.

The frustration began wearing on everyone, especially Rico. Most of the time, he would spend long hours, locked in his office, going through files and emails from his men. 

He barely ate anything. His sleep schedule was messed up in the worst possible way. And that was slowing down his recovery.

But one morning, everything changed. Rico was in his office when the door suddenly burst open.

Bruno walked in so fast he almost forgot to knock. His face was flushed, his breathing uneven, and for the first time in weeks… he looked excited.

Rico immediately stood, irritated that he was rudely interrupted. His face scrunched with displeasure that he wanted to snap at Bruno for not knocking before entering.

“What is it?” He growled, jaw tight.

Bruno placed a folder on the desk. “We found something," he said, breathing fast. It was as if he ran all the way here.

Rico’s heartbeat quickened with what he heard. His frown dropped, and a furrowed brow replaced it.

Bruno opened the folder and pointed to several photographs. “A warehouse complex outside Palermo," he explained and Rico’s eyes narrowed, waiting for more context. 

Bruno nodded and continued. “We’ve been tracking one of Marco’s old men for days.”He pointed at another photo. “Last night, he led us straight there.”

Rico didn't say anything immediately and stared at the pictures. Then a slow smile appeared on his face. A dangerous smile. It was the first genuine smile anyone had seen from him in weeks.

Finally, after all this time, they had a lead. And this one felt different.

Rico slowly stood to his full height, his pulse racing, his eyes darkened with anticipation. Then he exhaled. “Get everyone ready.”

Bruno grinned. “Already done.”

Rico grabbed his coat. At long last... the hunt was finally coming to an end.



It was 12 a.m., dark and silent, and the night creatures seemed hungry for blood and violence.

A cold wind swept across the large open field belonging to I Sette, causing coats and jackets to flutter softly. The moon hung high in the sky, casting pale light over the hundreds of armed men gathered below.

More than a hundred soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder, waiting for orders, and for war.

At the front of the crowd stood Rico. His black shirt clung tightly to his broad frame, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. Dark pants disappeared into heavy black boots, and a gun strap crossed his chest, securing the weapon resting against his side. 

Several knives were hidden inside his boots and beneath his clothing. His expression was calm. The kind of calm that came before something terrible.

He had searched for days, weeks. And Marco had hidden well those past weeks. He had escaped every trap and every raid those weeks.

But tonight, that ended.

Rico stepped forward and looked at the sea of men standing before him. For a few seconds, he said nothing. His eyes moved across the crowd, gazing closely at every last one of them, before he finally spoke.

"You all know why we're here tonight," he started and the field became silent. "For years, Marco Bellini has left nothing but pain behind him. Everywhere he goes, he destroys lives. He takes what doesn't belong to him and kills anyone who stands in his way."

Rico paused, his fist tightening by his sides, and his eyes still danced over the crowd.

"Some of you standing here have lost brothers because of him. Some have lost friends. Some have lost men who fought beside you for years," he continued. "And if you haven't lost someone yet, then you've seen what he's done to innocent people."

A few men lowered their heads. Everyone knew it was true.

"Marco doesn't care about loyalty. He doesn't care about family. He doesn't care about honor," Rico said, his voice growing colder. "He enjoys making people suffer. He enjoys fear. He enjoys watching others break."

The field remained completely quiet. His mind drew back to Calla. He couldn't imagine the joy that bastard had derived from watching Calla break.

Rico inhaled sharply and continued. "But tonight, that ends." A murmur spread through the crowd. Rico took another step forward. "For too long, people have been afraid of his name. For too long, he's walked around believing nobody can stop him."

His eyes darkened.

"Marco thinks he can hurt our families and disappear. He thinks he can spill blood and escape the wrath. He thinks he can keep running," Rico said, slowly shaking his head. "He's wrong."

The men began nodding. Some tightened their grip on their weapons.

"Tonight, we remind him who we are." His voice became louder. "We are I Sette." The crowd erupted immediately, but Rico raised his hand and the noise dropped. "We don't run, we don't bow... and we don't forgive monsters."

The men roared in agreement. Rico pointed toward the darkness ahead.

"Tonight, we finish this! Tonight, we make sure Marco never hurts another person again!" A loud cheer exploded from the crowd. Then Rico's face hardened. "But hear me clearly," he said, and the noise died instantly. "When we find Marco... nobody shoots him, nobody stabs him, and nobody kills him," he warned, his voice dropping lower. The muscles in his jaw flexed, and a dangerous smile slowly appeared on his face. "Because Marco belongs to me."

The words sent a chill through the crowd. Even the men closest to him remained quiet.

Because they understood exactly what he meant.

This wasn't business anymore. This was personal. Marco had played with fire for too long. So naturally, he needed to get burned.

A second later, a deafening roar erupted from the crowd. The men began chanting his name.

"RICO!"

"RICO!"

"RICO!"

The sound rolled across the field like thunder. Many of them drew their weapons and raised them into the air—Pistols, shotguns, knives, and rifles.

Every man there was ready to fight, bleed, and kill.

Rico watched them for a moment before a dark smile spread across his face. Then he turned away. The time for speeches was over... now came action.

Several black vehicles waited nearby with their engines already running. Rico headed straight toward the first one.

The cold night air brushed against his face as he approached the car. Without hesitation, he opened the rear door and climbed inside. A moment later, Ezio entered beside him.

Behind them, Bruno, Costa, and Valentina climbed into the second vehicle.

Doors slammed shut, engines growled, and headlights pierced through the darkness. Then one by one, the convoy began moving.

The hunt was over... and the war was about to begin.