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His English was perfect – just the slightest hint of a European accent, not even identifiable as Italian.
“You speak English,” I said in shock.
He chuckled. “So do you.”
I looked down at his beige uniform. There was a small hole torn in the front.
“How are you not dead?!” I exclaimed as I pointed at the rip.
He smiled and lifted the hem of his shirt.
Underneath were several thick phone books duct-taped in a cylinder around his abdomen.
A jagged rip in the duct tape showed exactly how bad the shiv would have injured him –
If he hadn’t been wearing the improvised body armor.
“Holy shit,” I said with a laugh. It was the cleverest thing I’d seen in years.
“I had some help from connections on the outside,” he explained as he dropped his shirt back into place. “And from you. Again, thank you.”
“I didn’t do much,” I said, then pointed at his stomach. “That’s what saved you.”
“It only saved me because he didn’t have time to stab me in the throat, which he would have done next. I owe you my life.”
“Happy to help. I’m Lars.” As I extended my hand, I remembered I should use the name I was convicted under – not my real name. “Lars Andersen.”
The handsome stranger shook my hand. “Dario Rosolini.”
95
After we retreated to the relative safety of the inner depths of the prison, Dario explained what the hell had just happened.
“The three men who attacked us were hired to kill me. But the rest of the fights that broke out? That was just people taking advantage of an opportunity. There are many bitter enemies in San Vittore. Some hated each other before they went to prison, while others came to hate each other after they arrived. Either way, what you just saw was widespread revenge. Either that, or board room decisions being carried out.”
“Board room decisions?”
“Business competitors removing their rivals, probably on orders from the top.”
Huh.
“Who hired those guys to kill you?”
“Most likely the Camorra.” He pronounced it kuh-MOR-uh. “The man who tried to stab me was definitely Camorra. The other two were probably hired soldiers from other factions.”
“…the Camorra?”
“There are many organized crime groups in Italy,” Dario explained. “Some are big; many are small. The Camorra is one of the largest. They control Naples and the surrounding area. Or rather, they used to control Naples. They’ve had some competition in recent years.”
“But why would they come after you?”
Dario hesitated for a split second.
“…I have friends in the most powerful group of all, the Cosa Nostra.”
“The mafia,” I said.
“Yes, and no. ‘Mafia’ is a term for all organized crime in Italy. The Cosa Nostra was originally founded in Sicily, but they’ve slowly expanded their reach over the last 40 years.”
