CHAPTER 290
The room was filled with tension as Ellis Barker locked eyes with Angelo Messina, satisfied with what they had decided. Akeem and Amina returned to the room, curious about the outcome of the conversation.
Akeem directly asked Ellis, “So, what's your decision? What have you both decided?”
Ellis looked at Messina, who appeared tense, and replied, “Angelo has shown cooperation. He will help me find Donna while you will be in charge of searching for Jake.”
Akeem, skeptical, questioned, “Are you sure about this? It seems like a risky strategy.”
Amina, more confident in Ellis's decision, intervened, “Ellis is doing this to keep an eye on Angelo in case he's involved in all of this. It's a necessary precaution.”
Angelo Messina, in turn, confirmed, “Yes, I'm willing to help. In fact, I will find out right away what happened because I'm absolutely certain none of my team was involved.”
Angelo Messina grabbed his phone and tried to access the security system of his mansion in Sicily. However, he soon realized that the entire system was offline.
Frustrated, Angelo muttered to himself, “What the hell happened to the system?”
Akeem, informing about his previous attempts, explained, “I've tried to access your system, but all the images were deleted by whoever invaded it. The only image I managed to get was from outside your property, and I can guarantee it was one of your associates.”
Angelo, visibly disturbed, commented, “I need to make a call to sort this out.”
As Angelo Messina stepped away to make a call, Akeem took the opportunity to speak with Ellis. He was still concerned about her decision to trust Messina. “Ellis, are you sure you're doing the right thing? Walking alongside Messina, even if he's just a suspect, can be extremely dangerous.”
Ellis looked deeply into Akeem's eyes. “Akeem, my only priority is to find my daughter. I will do anything, align with whoever is necessary, and face all dangers. If Messina is involved, I will find out.”
Akeem nodded, respecting Ellis's determination. “Very well, Ellis. I'll assign some of my men to accompany you and ensure your safety. They will be at your disposal.”
Ellis thanked Akeem for his offer with gratitude and concern in her eyes. She knew that this journey was far from easy, and each step was laden with uncertainty. Akeem continued, saying, “I hope we have news soon about Jake's whereabouts.”
Akeem nodded firmly, sharing the same concern. “Don't worry; we'll work together and find your loved ones as soon as possible.”
Angelo Messina returned to the room with a serious expression. Ellis broke the silence, asking Messina, “So, what have you managed to find?”
Messina sighed and replied, “Not much. I've ordered the rest of my men to depart for Sicily. I've also instructed them to prepare my private jet.”
Ellis, visibly irritated, inquired, “Where are you planning to take us this time?”
Messina looked at her seriously and declared, “We're heading to Japan.”
Ellis furrowed her brow, puzzled. “Japan?” she repeated.
Messina nodded, explaining, “Yes, we need to find a common old friend. Kenji Ito, the leader of the Yakuza.”
Akeem and Amina exchanged looks, appearing intrigued by the news. Ellis pondered for a moment before saying, “Kenji Ito... This is risky, Angelo. Are you sure it's a good idea to involve the Yakuza?”
Messina responded with conviction, “Kenji is a trustworthy ally, and the Yakuza has resources and information that can be useful to us. Besides, he owes me a debt of gratitude.”
Akeem, showing his suspicion, asked, “Are you sure Kenji Ito is not somehow involved in all of this?”
Messina shook his head, “Kenji would have nothing to gain from Donna's kidnapping, believe me. He is a man of honor.”
Ellis, realizing that the trip to Japan was inevitable, nodded and concluded, “If Angelo believes that Kenji can help us, then we should trust him.”
Akeem looked steadily at Messina and nodded, “I'll inform my men about the departure.”
Messina nodded in agreement, saying, “Great, do that.”
As Akeem left to carry out his tasks, Messina turned to Ellis and said, “I'll need to pack my things and change the bandage on my hand.”
Akeem commented, observing the gunshot wound Messina had received, “It seems not even a gunshot can shake you, Diablo.”
Messina shrugged, “Believe me, I've been through worse. Now, let's go; we need to leave before we lose track of Donna too.”
When the two men left the room, Ellis and Amina were left alone. Amina looked at Ellis with a keen gaze, analyzing her carefully.
Ellis then broke the silence, saying, “I'll go to my room, take a shower, and get my things ready for the trip.”
Amina waited until Ellis turned away and finally shared her thoughts, “Be careful with what you're doing, Ellis.”
Ellis turned to face Amina, determination in her eyes, “I just want my daughter and Jake back, Amina.”
Amina continued with her keen analysis, “You're good, very good, but I've figured out what's going on.”
Ellis replied, maintaining her confidence, “Whatever you've figured out, Amina, it doesn't compare to what's really happening.”
Amina, with a touch of curiosity, asked, “Does Messina know about Jake?”
Ellis explained, “It seems that Messina is not aware that Jake is not Vittorio's son, and it's better for things to stay that way.”
Amina warned Ellis with a serious admonition, “Be very careful with men like Messina and Akeem; they don't like feeling used.”
Ellis smiled with determination and said, “If anyone is using anyone, it seems to be you, Amina. Akeem thinks he's in control, but I bet he has no idea how much you're using who he is.”
Amina retorted with a mysterious smile, “One ghost recognizes another, my dear.”
The two women exchanged an intense look, aware that they were involved in something much bigger than they could imagine. Ellis left the room, leaving Amina with her own thoughts.
***
Ellis walked towards her room to prepare for the imminent trip to Japan. Time seemed to stretch as she pondered the twists her life had taken.
In her room, she entered the bathroom and began to undress. As the hot water from the shower fell on her, she observed the blood on her hands, a disturbing reminder of the initiation ritual she had witnessed. That blood wasn't hers, but the feeling of being tainted wouldn't leave her. It was a constant reminder of how her life had changed dramatically in recent times.
Memories of her previous life resurfaced, when she was a woman struggling to survive, working two low-paying jobs, with a mortgaged house and a brother in rehab. In the past, she would never have imagined being involved in dark rituals or having to make drastic decisions.
But time and circumstances had turned Ellis into someone she no longer recognized. Now, she was a woman involved in the criminal underworld, where the lives of her daughter and nephew were at stake. She had made unthinkable choices to protect those she loved, and the blood on her hands was the physical evidence of her transformation.
When she finished her shower, Ellis stepped out, wrapped herself in a towel, and looked in the mirror. Her reflection showed a mother willing to face any challenge to reunite her family. She got dressed, choosing practical and comfortable clothing for the trip to Japan.
With her luggage ready, Ellis left her room, ready to do whatever it took to reunite her family.
***
Ellis Barker walked out of the room and headed for the car, where Angelo Messina was waiting for her. The two of them got into the vehicle in silence, preparing for the journey that would take them to the Benin airport. Akeem's men, responsible for their security, left them at the foot of Messina's private jet, where the aircraft's crew was already prepared for the flight. Ellis and Messina boarded the jet, and as the aircraft took off, leaving behind Amina Omoregie's mansion in Nigeria, Angelo, with his typical seriousness, tucked a sheet of paper into his suit.
Ellis curiously observed the action and asked Messina, “What's that?”
Messina looked at her before replying, “It's the list you requested.”
Ellis's curiosity deepened, and she took the paper from Messina's hand. On it, she saw a list of names of various partners of Messina. The list included the five Italian mafia families in New York: Genovese, Bonanno, Gambino, Lucchese, and Colombo. It also mentioned major Mexican drug cartels like Sinaloa, Jalisco New Generation, Gulf, Zetas, and Tijuana. There was also a mention of the Yakuza families, Chinese triads, and, of course, the Kurganskaya Bratva.
Ellis looked at the list with a serious expression and then turned to Messina. “When are we dealing with them?”
Messina took a deep breath before responding, his voice filled with gravity, “We'll only start when you're absolutely committed to doing it.”
Ellis stared at him with determination, “I'm ready for it.”
Messina further clarified, “It's not enough to just say you're ready, Ellis. You need to do this for the right reasons, for the motivations that drive you.”
Ellis didn't fully understand what Messina meant. “What are you trying to tell me, Angelo? Are you saying that Donna's disappearance isn't reason enough?”
Messina fixed his gaze on her and asked, “What would you do, Ellis, if you found out that the real villain in this story isn't Giacomo Grecco but Vittorio? What if everything that happened to you and Donna was orchestrated by him, not Grecco?”