Blood On The Streets

It was a quiet night, for the most part, except for the steady rumble of the Romanos' cars threading through the city's side streets. Sofia had been taken to an undisclosed location a cabin in the mountains outside Trento. She protested the move, but Luca's orders were final. The Bratva wanted her dead, and as long as that threat loomed over her, her safety was paramount.

Marco's Dangerous Game

Inside the Bratva's compound, Marco found himself seated in a dimly lit office, face to face with Viktor Ivanov. The walls were lined with maps and photos of Trento, with circles drawn around Romanos' key properties in red. The air was heavy with vodka and tobacco, and Viktor's piercing blue eyes were locked with Marco's face.

"You've shown yourself to be useful," Viktor said, pouring himself a drink. "But it takes time to earn loyalty."

Marco nodded, keeping his cool. "What do you need from me?"

Viktor reclined in his seat and spun his glass. "We're going to hit the Romanos tonight. A modest test of their strength. You must be the one to lead the charge."

The words hit Marco like a kick to the stomach, but he didn't flinch. "What's the target?"

"One of their safe houses," Viktor replied, sliding a file across the desk. "Via Verona you, there's a warehouse. We will send them a message they won't forget."

Marco's heart sank. Via Verona was more than a safe house it was where the Romanos kept their emergency funds. It would severely cripple their ability to retaliate if the Bratva succeeded.

"I'll take care of it," Marco said, disguising his dread with bravado.

Viktor smiled, a hungry light in his eyes. "Good. Don't fail me."

The Warning

And immediately after Marco exited the meeting he retreated to a corner to place a call. Through a pre-arranged signal, he hit up Luca.

"They're going to hit Via Verona tonight," Marco said, his voice subdued. "Viktor's testing me. "I'm going to stall as much as I can, but you've got to be ready."

Luca's response was swift. "We'll secure the warehouse. Stay where you are and keep feeding me intelligence. And Marco be careful."

"Always," Marco said, hanging up the phone.

The Ambush

A few hours later, Marco showed up at Via Verona with a crew of Bratva soldiers. The plan was straightforward: burgle the safe, take the money and torch the premises. But Marco had different plans.

Within the warehouse, Luca and his men bided their time. Every corner was fortified, and every window was covered. Sofia's absence meant their force was smaller than they would have wanted, but they couldn't afford to lose the battle.

Marco wilfully slowed their approach, pretending to be cautious, as the Bratva closed in.

"We might want to check the perimeter first," Marco said, gesturing to a side entrance.

One of Viktor's subordinates scoffed. "We're not amateurs. Stick to the plan."

Marco ground his teeth but did as he was told. Cops made a forced entry of the warehouse with guns out, only to be greeted by a barrage of gunfire.

The Romans sprung their trap, catching the Bratva off guard. Pandemonium ensued as gunfire and shouts reverberated. He Betrayed his allies, but the skirmish around the Romanos was so fierce, he redirected his shots to avoid killing them.

A Close Call

As the fighting continued, Marco saw one of Viktor's lieutenants priming explosives next to the main support beams of the warehouse. Marco jumped in without breaking a sweat, taking him out with a quick punch to the noggin.

In the distance Luca stared at Marco's movements, their eyes meeting for a short moment. It was an unspoken nod of recognition for Marco's loyalty, but the threat had not passed.

The Bratva started to pull back, their numbers diminishing. Marco did the same, making sure his cover wasn't blown.

The Fallout

Back at the Bratva compound, Viktor seethed. The loss at Via Verona was a major defeat, and he wanted answers.

"We were ambushed," one of the surviving soldiers said. "Someone must have ratted them out."

Viktor's gaze narrowed, surveying the room. "Find the rat. And when you do, make an example of him."

Marco stayed calm, but the pressure was building. He knew that his time was large with no remaining.

The Romanos' Next Move

Meanwhile, at the Romanos' villa, Luca and Sofia reconvened.

"Marco's gambled everything," Sofia said, pacing the room. "We have to get him out before Viktor gets wise."

Luca shook his head. "Not yet. He's the best shot we have to take down the Bratva from within. But we need to move quickly. If Viktor starts to suspect, then it's finished."

Sofia sighed but did not protest. She had faith in Luca's judgment, even if the stakes made her anxious.

The Revelation

Later that night, Marco had learned another important detail: the Bratva's cooperation with the Scarlattis was contingent upon a huge delivery of weapons that was set to arrive in three days. If the Romanos managed to intercept it, they would obliterate the alliance and reverse the tide of the war.

But delivering that information to Luca would be all but impossible. The Bratva had eyes on him, and one wrong move could prove deadly.

Marco knew what he had to do. He started to sketch out a plan one that could either save the Romanos or annihilate him entirely.