Chapter 3 - The Sister Who Came Back From the Dead
Rosa reached the security room before anyone could stop her.
“Open the gate.”
Marco blocked the controls.
“No.”
“Move.”
“She could be wired.”
“She's my sister.”
“Your dead sister.”
Rosa grabbed him by the jacket.
Mateo stepped between them.
“Enough.”
“Open it.”
Mateo looked at the monitor.
Isabella stood alone.
“Search her.”
Rosa glared.
“Mateo.”
“Or she stays outside.”
Thirty seconds later, two guards escorted Isabella inside.
Rosa stared.
Isabella stopped six feet away.
“Rosie.”
Rosa slapped her.
The sound echoed through the room.
Marco raised his eyebrows.
Isabella touched her cheek.
“I deserved that.”
“You let me bury you.”
“I know.”
“I stood over an empty coffin?”
“Yes.”
“I thought everybody I loved was dead.”
“I know.”
Rosa's voice broke.
“No, you don't.”
Isabella stepped closer.
Rosa backed away.
“Don't touch me.”
Mateo quietly ordered everyone else from the room.
Isabella noticed him.
“Mateo Caruso.”
Mateo folded his arms.
“Apparently I'm the least surprising person here.”
Isabella almost smiled.
Rosa didn't.
“Talk.”
Isabella pulled a flash drive from her coat.
“Lobo didn't kill Daniel.”
Rosa froze.
Mateo looked at her.
Rosa whispered, “What?”
“He ordered it. But Daniel survived.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I helped him escape.”
Rosa grabbed Isabella.
“You knew?”
“He made me promise.”
“Why?”
“Because Lobo had put a tracker inside your extraction documents. Daniel realized anyone near you would lead Lobo straight to you.”
Rosa's grip loosened.
“So Daniel disappeared.”
“To protect you.”
“And you?”
“I helped him. Lobo found out.”
Rosa's eyes narrowed.
“You faked your death.”
“I had no choice.”
“You had a sister.”
“And I wanted her alive.”
Mateo interrupted.
“What's on the drive?”
Isabella handed it over.
“Names. Accounts. Payments. Lobo has people inside Mateo's organization.”
Marco had returned at the doorway.
“How many?”
“Enough.”
Mateo's face became unreadable.
“Names.”
“I don't know which ones are current.”
“Then why come here?”
“Because Lobo's plan changed.”
Rosa stared at her.
“What plan?”
“He doesn't just want Mateo dead.”
Isabella looked at both of them.
“He wants a war.”
Mateo gave a humorless laugh.
“People have wanted that for years.”
“This time they can get it.”
Isabella explained.
Lobo had spent months forging communications between Mateo and rival families. Payments had been routed through shell companies. False orders had been created.
If Mateo died tonight, the evidence would point toward three different crime families.
“They'd blame each other,” Rosa said.
“Yes.”
“And Lobo takes what's left.”
“Yes.”
Mateo looked at Marco.
“Check every account.”
Marco nodded and left.
Rosa remained focused on Isabella.
“Why expose me?”
“Because Wraith changes the story.”
Mateo understood first.
“If footage shows Rosa killing Lobo's men while protecting me…”
“Everyone assumes Mateo Caruso hired the world's most infamous assassin,” Isabella said.
“And the other families panic.”
Rosa closed her eyes.
“They hit first.”
Isabella nodded.
A technician rushed in.
“Boss, we have a problem.”
Mateo turned.
“What?”
“Three vehicles approaching the front gate.”
“Lobo?”
“No.”
The technician swallowed.
“Don Salvatore Romano.”
Mateo's expression changed.
“Why is Romano coming here?”
The technician looked at the screen.
“He's not alone.”
Another convoy appeared.
Marco's voice came over the radio.
“Boss, Moretti's here too.”
Mateo stared at Isabella.
She whispered, “It's starting.”
Rosa reached for her weapon.
Mateo caught her hand.
“No.”
“Let go.”
“You walking into that room armed proves Lobo's story.”
“He may have men inside.”
“Then find them.”
“How?”
Mateo leaned closer.
“You spent 547 days convincing everyone you were harmless.”
Rosa stared at him.
Then understood.
Five minutes later, Mateo entered his library.
Three powerful men waited.
Salvatore Romano stood beside the fireplace.
Adrian Moretti stood near the window.
Both had armed escorts.
Romano pointed at Mateo.
“You hired Wraith.”
Mateo poured himself a drink.
“No.”
“We have footage.”
“Then whoever sent it wanted you to see it.”
Moretti's voice was colder.
“Where is she?”
A side door opened.
Rosa entered carrying a silver coffee service.
Everyone stared.
Rosa lowered her eyes.
“Coffee, gentlemen?”
Romano looked offended.
“Is this a joke?”
Mateo sat down.
“No. That's Rosa.”
“The assassin?”
“My waitress.”
Rosa poured coffee.
Moretti watched every movement.
Then he noticed something.
A guard behind Romano had shifted his right hand beneath his coat.
Rosa noticed too.
Their eyes met.
Neither reacted.
Rosa finished pouring.
“Sugar?”
The guard moved.
Rosa threw the coffee pot.
Moretti tackled Romano.
Mateo overturned the table.
The guard's hidden weapon hit the carpet as Rosa drove him into the wall.
Marco's men restrained him.
Romano stared at his own guard.
“What the hell?”
Rosa searched the man's coat.
She found a phone.
One message was displayed.
WAIT UNTIL ALL THREE ARE TOGETHER.
Rosa handed it to Romano.
“Lobo sends his regards.”
Nobody spoke.
Then Mateo looked at the three rival leaders.
“Gentlemen.”
He raised his untouched glass.
May you like
“I believe we have a mutual problem.”
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