Chapter 16: The Escape

[Landing on Rayfield undetected or unknown to anyone is a great move, boss. Whale division should be drowning in pressure now, especially your father's back on action. Do you have any instructions for me?]

(A/N: Whale Division is one of the three divisions in the Rossi family structure. Tiger - Dominic heads the division that deals with the legal business the enterprise has. Bear manages the entertainment business of the RE and Whale division. Whale division deals with the illicit business of the Rossi mostly weapons and money laundering.)

"No, Code, everything is going on plan as we speak. Don't worry I won't antagonize anyone in the process."

[Isabelle and Emily went back to Porta Sole safe and sound. Emily mentioned she'll be moving in with Isabelle in the apartment. I'm slipping the news just because I badly want to drop this call now.]

"Unnecessary information, Richard's team had written that in a report this morning."

[You know what, boss, you are a borderline stalker.]

"It's my business to know."

If my grandfather, Tobias, was famous for his master manipulation of businesses [and people] in Porta Sole; while my father, Anthony was as calculative as he could be. However, I, Dominic Rossi was known for something they would not even figure out. 

The code Shadow was not only for show, it had to do with my prior identity when I was abroad, they say beware of the shadow that lurks around he must know something you are not even aware of.

When I saved Richard 10 years ago, I quit my boring life as a frivolous gang member and started a start-up company focusing on cybersecurity and gaining profit. The company grew until I was called back to Porta Sole and "sold" my company to a tech mogul who berated me for years. 

My idea of that program was simple, protect the users and mine information. I had people working secretly on gathering information, you could call it illegal but knowing a lot of things - advantageous things helped me to get around. However, knowing too much and too many was like a double-edged sword. I knew the truth but accepting it was another conversation for another day. 

Visiting an old friend in Rayfield City was yet another excuse to go back to Porta Sole and suffer. I missed her. I missed the chance to say sorry and I missed another opportunity to say what I really wanted. 

"Old friend, going up against your father anonymously will only drive you to dangerous dead ends."

"I did not know that we were friends, Carl,"

"I am friends with many, except for someone as mysterious as you."

"I am not mysterious."

"Really, Shadow?"

I sipped the coffee his secretary placed on the coffee table and looked at the new boss of the McConnell family. 

"How's your family, Carl McConnell?"

"Tough, since Solomon decided to take a step back."

"Nice."

"What's your business here in Rayfield?"

"I came to see you and make a deal."

"Rossi Family is chaos, right?"

I nodded. "A feel a storm is about to happen. I need to be prepared at times. I can't be blindsided now, can I?"

Carl chuckled and I could see the spark in his eyes, "I, too, experienced this gush of emotion when I first dated someone important. I thought I had it all under control, the constant idea in my head was how to stop it or how to keep them safe from this lifestyle."

"Did you regret it? I mean, putting everything on the line."

He shook his head and raised his hand, he lost his pinky in the process and gained a wedding ban, 

"No, I did not. But then I got married."

"Sick bastard! You did not send an invitation!"

"We never had the ceremony, I married him on a whim and now instead of constantly fearing what danger will happen, I just close my eyes and kiss my lover to appease the fear."

"If Code said anything—"

"Yes, he did. I have known you Dominic for years and never once in your life have you entertained a woman like you do on Isabelle. So as your friend and business partner, let it happen and enjoy it while it lasts."

Suddenly the door hung open and a hunk blonde guy in a police uniform came inside the study room and hugged Carl,

"You did not mention you have a visitor."

"You could have at least called."

"It would not be a surprise if I did, would it be?"

"Don't tell me you're going on a mission again."

"We shouldn't really talk like this in front of the unnamed visitor, you know." 

Carl kissed his forehead and introduced us to each other, he was Ethan Castro and the captain of the special forces division in Rayfield. The two met probably five years ago when Carl saved him from a mafia game and they got together - although not technically since Ethan was on an undercover mission to exploit the gang trade in Rayfield and the McConnells. 

"So, instead of escaping from what you feel, let it happen and enjoy while love lasts," Ethan advised as we all left Carl's office for dinner. 

I went back to my hotel and was immediately greeted by my secretary, Richard. 

"Sir, your father called. There was a problem in Porta Sole."

"Isabelle?"

"The Association made contact, again."

The Association was a group founded by my grandfather back in the 70s, they had rules all over the crime families and when my mother died Rossi family disbanded the organization and only a few families continued to support the Association. There was not any resurgence of the group up until Antonio came back to the family. 

My father was frequently requested to join again and take a seat in the council but Tobias did not want to be part of anything in the Association ever again. The deep-rooted cause of my grandfather's refusal was still a mystery to everyone except me. 

I knew why he refused to go back and lead the Association, old mafia families had adapted the vices and perception of the new age - that meant loyalty to the code was no longer as vital as it was in the 70s. Many families could stir trouble or instigate fights if their objectives were contested. 

Tobias knew the Association was behind the assassination of the Rossi madames but, he never had the exact evidence to put them liable so he went directly to the cause and removed them by himself. Those murders were proved to be done by the Rossi thus mafia families lost their confidence to the Association when it came to the subject of controlling the unpredictable Tobias Rossi. 

"What did they do this time?"

"They have unearthed a skeleton of a missing person your grandfather killed years back. The Association is pressuring the police department and your father to address the situation."

"Who was found?"

"No one knew for sure yet."

"Let our people work and make sure this will not affect the family business. Give Code a call to hack into the system and monitor any anomaly."

***

The international airport of Porta Sole was one of the projects my mother and Aunt Erin funded back in the 90s. There have been too many changes since then, better furniture, and facilities, and the airport policemen were more active than before.

People from different places converged to this very place to go around the country, this place would have at least thousands of visitors each day but one figure caught my attention the moment I arrived in Porta Sole. 

She wearing her scrubs, her hair was untied and she wore no makeup. Her shoes were white and grey, probably old but not too old. Her backpack was slung on her shoulders and when she saw me walking outside the arrival area, Isabelle ran fast towards me and smiled like a fool. 

"Hi stranger, nice to see you again." She greeted me as she reached out for a handshake. 

Isabelle placed her arms on my shoulders gave me a hug and whispered, "After days of harsh debate, Emily allowed me to see you again."

"You're not mad at me for leaving you?"

"I called Code, and he explained why you left and after a nerve-racking decision to make, I just know you are more important than anything in this world," 

She grabbed both of my cheeks and gently placed her lips on mine, 

"I need to mark my territory after all." and blushed as she pulled away after the kiss. 

Immediately my eyes panned over the area and canvassed the whole place, we were in public, and displaying these actions would endanger her alone. Then softly chuckled when I remembered what Ethan said back in Rayfield, 

'If the person is worth the shot, then go for it. Don't lose love because of your fears.'

"That sick bastard,"

"What?"

"Emily's watching us,"

"She drove me here. Plus she's waiting for Code." 

'My cousin and my business partner' that strange pairing, strangely dangerous.

Isabelle noticed my face contorted so she immediately said, 

"Oh no, she doesn't like Code like how I like you, she has some business with him." 

And just like that, I was on the wagon on uncertainties again. However, this time I was not alone. I have her, my solace. Amore Mio...