Marco

The coastline of Rio de Janeiro is rather beautiful, one of the most beautiful in the world, how the rocks rise from the sea, creasing it and making it stand out. And there is Cristo Redentor looking down on me and the city.

"Sir, can we go now? It's getting dark," says Gianni, one of my four very personal bodyguards. 

"No, not yet. I want to watch the sunset."

"But if you want us to hike back down it will take a while and if you want us to jog back to our accommodation, which I advise strongly against, we need to pass some dangerous places in the dark," enforces also Aurelio.

"Don't need to be afraid." I give him a small smile. "And yes I want us to hike and jog back." Right now we are on top of Pão de Açúcar and we were doing all that because I needed to clear my mind; still need to after the talk with Thiago.

"Sir, you cannot tell us that. Don Lorenzo will have our head in the most literal way if something happens to you. You went off-script more than enough on this trip. Respectfully, you were climbing unsecured on the sixth floor of a building. It's still beyond me why you did that," says Luca, agreeing very passionately with his colleagues.

"Yet nothing happened. But I am not fooling myself it's totally safe because it never is. For example, that guy over there, to your left, is watching us for a while. He isn't a tourist so you better find out whose man it is and if the one I left cold on the toilet twenty minutes ago is his colleague or part of a different gang."

Francesco's face gives a desperate 'you did not' stare.

"Just kidding, I didn't kill him. He is just unconscious but will stay so for a few hours. As a sign of goodwill, only hiking, you can call a car after that."

One of them mutters a grazzie a Dio. It's funny. I didn't have bodyguards before. Before I was the bodyguard. And if I am being honest to myself, when Stefano acted in a similar slightly bratty fashion, though in his case it was drinking or sniffing too much, or getting into a fight, it was rather cumbersome.

I sigh and start the descent. This time we are even quicker. I am pleasantly exhausted when we reach the foot of the hill but my mind isn't calm as I hoped.

His words still linger. The discussion was going well. I didn't expect him to be on board from the first moment; it's understandable that he needs to digest the proposal, verify the sources, and get over some aspects, but it looked like he understood where I was coming from.

I don't know how much Roxi told him about us. If they are even expecting a child, a fact that I'm still not entirely over, she should have told him most things and probably did...

How might she have phrased it? Marco is the guy I slept with to get revenge for my family. Sounds about right. And he cannot possibly like me in these circumstances.

I was aware of all this and it was as fine as it could be, but then he said that stupid sentence: And why would I do this?

You don't ask why you would punch a guy who left bruises on your girlfriend's arm if the occasion arises.

Doesn't he know it was Stefano? But wouldn't he fucking ask?! Or research?! Roxi has deep-rooted issues with these things; she doesn't just tell stuff. He should know... He should know her better.

Then there is that thought that worms its way into my head: What if it was someone else? What if it was him? Marco, stop it, you are again projecting. It's most likely what you want to see not what's actually there.

Back at the apartment, I shower and lay down on the bed. It's eight in the evening, too early to sleep. João should be out by now so tomorrow we can fly back.

The phone is ringing. It's probably Grampa. But when I look, there's Hitomi's name on the display. I am pleasantly surprised.

M: Hey! I am so happy that you called.

H: We are done here shortly. I can't wait to see you. Next time we meet, we will be finally official.

M: Yes, I miss you too. I have been thinking of you a lot. We didn't talk for a while. I was concerned. How is everything in China?

H: Very good. We have a foothold. But that's enough for now; we didn't expect it to be more. Everything is going according to plan. I can fly to Europe maybe tomorrow.

M: You can delay it a bit. I am still in Brazil.

H: What are you doing in Brazil?

M: Taking over the country more or less. Grampa has a partner here who got in trouble and I came to help out. We might sponsor a presidential candidate after all.

H: Cool. I love that! But don't take too long.

M: I won't. Thank you for calling. I long to talk to you and spend time with you. Maybe we can go on a date when we meet. A real one for once. 

H: Who's the presidential candidate?

M: Vitor Mendes da Rocha. Do you know him? No date?

I ask, half joking.

H: Not sure if I know him. Yamato might have tabs on him. Brazil and Peru are the countries where we can infiltrate the easiest on that continent. If you need a hand, tell me, I can fly over and after work, we can lay on the beach.  

M: No need. It should be done today.

H: Have to go. Bye!

And again she hangs up rather abruptly. I should stop being a crybaby. Goes for more aspects of my life.

Out the window, the sun has set. I should have dinner. I could go for a walk in Copacabana and eat there but the boys will be displeased. I could also just go and don't tell them. That would be fun. What wouldn't be fun is how Grampa will be screaming after that.

I guess ordering something is easiest. Who are you having dinner with, Roxana? It's so strange that she is so close by, maybe half an hour's drive, but just as far as before.

Aurelio enters without knocking. He never does that so I sit up alerted.  

"Sir, we have a problem. They released Signor João and they arrested him again only hours after." Ok, well shit.

"On what charges?"

"Drug trafficking this time." That's... Not good. I doubt they have again anything to hold him for long but that means only additional trouble, more days in jail for him and more nervous people around him.

"Who called?"

"Paulo. Eduardo is already there and everyone is very angry."

"Of course they are. Call the lawyers back."

"On it."

"Who made the arrest?"

"Well, the drug guys."

"No shit. Who exactly? And who executed it? Get me the papers."

"Luca searched already. One of them is the boy you went to see. The son of the guy that runs for president."

Out of all people... And why in the name of Christ would he do that?!

"Dispatch security to his house."

"What?"

"You heard me. I want him followed around discreetly. Whatever he does, I want to know."

"Sir, I advise against it. It's... weird and..."

"Either that or I do it myself."

"Ok, right away, sir."

Luca comes in and hands me his phone.

"Sir, it's Don Eduardo."

I take a deep breath before answering.

"Our lawyers were called back. We are here for support. This will be handled, don't worry."

I need to recalculate. This is a disaster. 

"Yeah, about this. We got him."

"You got who?"

"The boy. He is the brain behind this. Mauro got a little bit crazy after he heard of the situation. He went off like he usually does when he has a fit of rage. The boy didn't see it coming. Neither did any of us, to be honest. He was driving with his girlfriend to the beach totally unaware when he snatched him. Mauro is a bit radical but the boy was a nuisance."

"And her?"

"What?"

"His girlfriend. Where is she?"

"With him, I assume," he answers, wonder very obvious in his tone. 

 "Are they hurt?"

"Don't know. He drove the car off the road, so probably."

"Are you fucking stupid?! Call your dimwit of a brother and make him release them right now!"

There is silence on the other line. That was too much honesty  in one go for someone I barely know.

"But why? They can easily disappear. I know it was tactically bad because of who he is but now it's done. If we release him now it will be problematic. Going through with it is the best way."

"No! You will release them right now because I fucking say so!"

"It's likely too late, for how I know Mauro. We should accept it and make damage control."

"Oh, it better not be. Where did he bring them?"

"I don't know, probably one of our storage places."

"You don't know an awful lot for your position. You have ten minutes to find out which. And regardless of that, if he doesn't do as told, he will die and I expect you to accept it as collateral damage," I say and hang up.

Aurelio and Luca are staring at me.

"What?" I sound like I feel: angry.

"Ah, nothing. You sounded just like Don Lorenzo. He would be proud. Very annoyed but proud."

"Now locate the storage houses, why are you staring at me?"

"But you said to Eduardo... We are not going to wait and see, aren't we?" asks Gianni. 

"Oh, most certainly not." 

There is an Ave Maria prayer humming in my headset. It's in Luca's voice.  I never had parents questioning my decisions, I had only Tomaso, and now I have four of him following me in the Rio de Janeiro traffic. 

"What can you tell me?" I ask into the headset on the other line. 

"Besides the fact that it's two a.m. here and I was about to get laid?" Alex's voice is steady, he is serious but still sprinkling in his sometimes rather annoying opinions. 

"Mhm." 

"He is very unstable, takes a lot of drugs, and has psychotic tendencies. Much like your brother but a bit more on the horror story of the psycho-killer side. He loves his father very much and is dying for his recognition and love because his mother seems to have hated him. He was rumoured to have been a rape child, but it's also possible that she was only pissed because João hadn't't left his wife and she left it out on the child."

"Great... A psycho who has a difficult history with women."

"Marco, do I need to spell out why you are doing this? Because on paper Eduardo si right. Letting this slide and dealing with the aftermath is smarter."

"No, I am aware of why."

"Ok, but you know you have a girlfriend."

"I do. Doesn't have anything to do with Hitomi."

"Okay, so. To the south, outskirts of the city, a former slaughterhouse. That's where the signals are coming from."

"Slaughterhouse? Seriously?"

"He is a serial killer but since his father made good use of his talents it didn't matter that he is not really sane. He let him slaughter prisoners and such and he was at ease. And now he is very upset that daddy is in prison and his useless brothers failed at saving him. He is probably also aiming to have fun."

"Ok. By the way, Can François work on this legal case together with Grampa's team? Pretty please? I need João out till the morrow."

"The man has a newborn, he will not appreciate that."

"Alex, I am not in the mood for jokes. I am there. Wish me luck."

"I wasn't..." I hang up.

The building looks just like expected, like straight out of a horror movie, but not silent. There are lots of people here. Too many. There are trucks with cocaine ready to be exchanged, so they are in the middle of a business deal on top of everything. Besides the Brazilian, there are also Asian foot soldiers walking around here. They sound like Chinese. Interesting. 

What would Stefano do? Stefano would have some fun first, or meanwhile. He would taste the product and play with the pretty girls or boys around. And after that, according to his profile, he would likely kill them. 

But to my surprise, Mauro just exits the building chatting with what looks like the leader of the Chinese. There is no blood on him, which I hope if a good sign. 

I signal the boys that I am going up. They look... horrified, but they will survive. 

Roxi, where are you? Oh shit, there she is! 

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I think we stop here. The next chapter is likely with some violence, gore and other stuff :P.