Chapter 7 - Blood on the Asphalt
The rain was falling harder now,
turning the Chicago streets into a labyrinth of slick,
reflecting mirrors.
My armored convoy tore through the industrial district toward the abandoned railway yard where Vito Rossi was rumored to operate.
Seated beside me in the back of the SUV was Viktor,
checking the magazine of his submachine gun.
“Vito thinks he’s clever,
” Viktor muttered,
clicking the magazine into place with a sharp metallic snap.
“He thinks taking over Enzo’s crew makes him a kingpin.
” “He’s a street thug playing chess with grandmasters,
” I replied coldly,
staring out the window at the flashing neon signs of the warehouse district.
“Let’s show him what happens when the board gets flipped.
” We pulled up to the perimeter of the railyard without headlights,
cutting the engines fifty yards away from the main warehouse.
Sixteen of my most loyal enforcers fanned out into the darkness,
silent as ghosts.
The warehouse doors were cracked open,
spilling a thin sliver of yellow light across the muddy asphalt.
Inside,
voices echoed off the corrugated metal walls.
“Moretti’s safehouse is fortified like a bunker,
” a rough voice shouted—
Vito Rossi.
“If those idiots failed to wipe out the penthouse,
we need to regroup before Dante hunts us down.
” “Dante won’t find us here,
” another voice laughed nervously.
“We’re miles away from—
.
” A muffled gunshot cut him off.
I kicked the rusted metal side door wide open,
stepping into the warehouse with my gun raised,
my face carved from stone.
“Looking for me,
Vito?
” Vito whipped around,
dropping his drink,
his eyes bulging in sheer disbelief.
“Dante… how the hell did you—
?
” “Numbers don’t lie,
Vito,
” I said,
walking slowly toward him while my men fanned out,
surrounding his crew of twenty mercenaries.
“And neither do tracking beacons on your getaway vans.
” Vito lunged for a shotgun resting against a crate,
but Viktor’s submachine gun barked once,
shattering the wood inches from his fingers.
“Don’t even think about it,
” Viktor snarled.
Vito froze,
slowly raising his hands as my enforcers closed in,
disarming his men in seconds.
I walked right up to Vito,
the towering warlord of the docks cowering before me like a whipped dog.
“You thought you could step into Enzo’s shoes and wage war against my empire?
” I asked softly.
“Please,
Dante!
” Vito stammered,
dropping to his knees in the dirt.
“It was Enzo’s idea from the start!
” “He promised us a slice of the pie!
” “I know,
” I replied,
cocking my weapon.
May you like
“And now you’re going to help me digest the rest of it.
”
