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Al Ricci.
My first instinct is to try to fight, but I dismiss that idea. Al is over fifty pounds heavier than me, has muscles to rival Angelo’s, and he’s pointing a gun at me.
“Hi, Al,” I say, shakily. “Did… did my father send you?”
“Who else?” Al puts an arm around my shoulders and draws me away from Saint’s body, and the stench of cigarette smoke fills my nostrils.Please let him still be alive. “I saw the videos Corvi sent. Don’t worry, we’ll avenge you. One of my men is infiltrating his little office as we speak.”
The fact that he saw them has my cheeks burning red. I don’t want anyone to have seen them at all, and I wonder just how many people my father has shown them to. “Th-thank you,” I whisper instead, not sure what else to say. I glance down at Saint, aching to go to him to check his pulse and make sure he’s still breathing, but I don’t dare.
“What about—” I start, and I’m unsure of what I can say that won’t tip off Al how little I want to leave. Does he know Angelo is looking for him? Have they actually killed Victor already?
No, I have to trust that Angelo can stop one of Al’s underlings. But if Al gets me out of the mansion, I’m fucked. I’ll go straight back to Daddy and Pavone, and I’ve got no delusions of what Pavone will do to me. If Al has seen the videos, then there’s a good chance Pavone has too.
“Sai-Santino. He said Victor is in the safe room,” I say haltingly.
“Safe room?” Al’s arm slips from around my shoulders. “Impossible. We’ve got the hallways monitored. Victor’s dead.”
“I heard him.” A plan starts to form in my head. “They’ve got walkie talkies. Santino confirmed with Victor.” I’m glad my voice is already shaking now. “Please, Al. You can’t… You can’t let Victor live. I’m so…” I sniff loudly and blink to make a few tears fall. I don’t know if Al can see them, but it helps the effect. “I won’t be able to sleep knowing he’s still out there.”
The dim lighting lets me make out the frown on Al’s face. He’s got what I assume are night vision goggles hanging around his neck, and he still hasn’t holstered the gun. I can only hope my father stressed that I need to be brought back alive.
“Where’s the safe room?” Al growls. “We don’t have time for this. We need to be out before anybody notices.”
I don’t actually know, but if I say that, I’ll get dragged out. “I think it’s down here. B-by…” Shit, I don’t know the basement’s layout. There’s the room they kept me captive in, and the small medical facility. The server room… and another halfway off to the side of that, leading to some mysterious dark space. That’s as good as any place for a wild goose chase.
“I… I think it’s in that direction.” I point into the darkness.
Al growls and pulls the goggles back on. He’s got one hand on my shoulder and starts pushing me down into the darkness. My body doesn’t want to move, but it’s either obey or trip, and I can’t afford to piss Al off.
Suddenly Al stops. “What the fuck is this?”
“I don’t know?” I say, half-hysterical and wishing I’d thought of a different plan that hadn’t included utter darkness. “I can’t see anything.”
I hear a door creak open, and suddenly a light turns on.
It’s a bathroom.
I start to giggle and immediately cover my mouth to muffle the sound. I don’t mean to, but I’m both relieved to be able to see something, and so afraid of what Al is going to do now. He can’t kill me, I remind myself.
“Where the fuck is the safe room?” Al takes the goggles off again and glares at me. “Are you stalling me?”
“No!” I shake my head vehemently. “I swear, it’s around here somewhere, I just—”
Suddenly the overhead lights go on. Al curses and pushes me in front of him. Glad to see how much he cares about my safety.
“Alfonso Ricci, I presume?” a calm, familiar voice calls out.
Victor. I can’t see him—he’s smartly hidden himself around the corner, but it’s such a relief to hear his voice.
Al is less happy about this turn of events. He was looking for Victor, but I guess he’s not thrilled Victor found us first. He hooks one arm around my neck and presses himself along my back. If Victor attempts to shoot, the bullet will likely go through me, first.
“Victor Corvi! I was hoping to meet you,” Al answers, voice dripping in sarcasm. “I shoulda shot you when I got Guerra. Would have saved us a lot of trouble.”
“I appreciate that you didn’t.” In comparison to Al, Victor sounds completely in control. “You’ve really livened up the party. But I can’t let you leave just yet. I know a lot of people here who would love to meet you.”
30
Victor
