Chapter 5

Tony's gaze was intense as he took a long drag from his cigarette, pulling his phone from his ears. 

"Alright, Luca," he said, exhaling a plume of smoke. "I've got a lead for you. There's a guy who needs you to get five pounds of drugs, and he needs them tonight. It's a big score, and it's right up your alley."

Luca's heart raced at the mention of the deal. He had no choice but to take the risk. "Where should I find him?" he asked.

"It's the last house on Howard's street. Be careful, though. This is a serious business. They don't take kindly to mistakes."

"Thanks, Tony. I owe you one."

"Don't mention it," Tony said. "Just get this done and get out. I don't want you getting mixed up in anything worse."

Nodding, Luca stuffed the paper Tony handed him for recognition into his pocket and headed out of the alley. 

As he turned onto the main road leading out of the city,

Suddenly, the blaring sound of a horn jerked him back to reality. He glanced up just in time to see a car speeding toward him. The driver had managed to stop on time before hitting him.

The driver jumped out, running toward him.

Luca's breath came in quick, slow gasps as the driver approached him. 

"Are you alright?" the man called out,"You almost got yourself killed!"

."Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks for stopping." Luca said.

The man's frown deepened as he glanced at Luca. "You sure you're not hurt?"

"I'm fine," Luca said quickly, trying to defuse the situation. "Just a bit shaken up. I didn't see you coming."

The driver's expression softened slightly, though he still looked wary. "You need to be more careful out here. These streets are dangerous at night."

Luca nodded, his mind already shifting back to the deal. "I appreciate your concern. I really need to get going, though."

The driver hesitated for a moment, then his eyes shook as they landed on Luca's arm.

 His expression shifted from concern to utter shock. He pointed at Luca's arm, where a birthmark was visible. "Is that...?"

Luca looked down, puzzled by the man's reaction. "What's wrong?"

The man's eyes widened in disbelief, and he took a step back. "Antonio? Is that you?"

The name hit Luca like a jolt. "How do you know my middle name?" he demanded.

The man's reaction was almost frenetic. He paced back and forth, muttering under his breath, "Antonio is alive. Antonio is alive!"

"Hey, calm down. What's going on?" Luca asked.

The man's face was flushed with emotion as he stared at Luca, his voice trembling. "The La Russo family thought you were dead! They've been searching for you for years!"

Luca's heart skipped a beat. "La Russo family? You have mistaken me for somebody else.

"No, I am not." He replied. "You're Miguel."

Luca took a step back, his mind racing. "This doesn't make any sense. Why would they be looking for me? And how do you know about it?"

"It's a long story. But if you're really Antonio La Russo, it changes everything."

Luca shook his head, trying to process the information. "I need answers. Why would they think I'm dead? And what do you know about me?"

Seeing Luca's distress, the man took a deep breath, his expression softening slightly. "Listen, there are things I can't explain right now. But if you are who I think you are, you should come with me. There's much more you need to know."

He glanced back toward the path ahead and then at the man. "I don't know. I'm in a hurry."

"Please, just come with me. It's important."

Luca had a bad feeling about this. He had heard about people getting kidnapped in this part of town, and he didn't want to be one of those people.

Without hesitation, he took a step backward.

"I'm sorry!" Luca said.

"Hey come back!" The man called out as he ran.

Luca didn't stop walking until he got closer to Howard's street.

When he got to the last house, he saw a man standing by the entrance. Luca's instincts told him this was someone he needed to be cautious of. The man's eyes narrowed as he took in Luca's approach.

"Who are you?" the man asked.

"I'm here for the deal," Luca said, trying to sound confident despite his nerves. "Tony sent me."

The man's eyes flicked at the crumpled piece of paper in Luca's hand. "Tony, huh? Alright, come on in."

He opened the door and led Luca inside,

Luca followed the man deeper into the house, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of trouble. He could see a group of people gathered in one corner, their attention focused on a large wooden crate.

The man gestured toward the crate. "That's what you're here for. Five pounds of stuff. Make sure you handle it carefully."

Luca nodded, trying to keep his composure. "Got it."

He approached the crate, his hands trembling slightly as he opened it. Inside were several packages wrapped tightly in brown paper. He could see the unmistakable bulge of the drugs through the wrapping.

"Everything looks alright?" the man asked, watching him closely.

"Yeah," Luca said. "It's all here."

"Good," the man said, nodding approvingly. "Get it out of here and deliver it to the buyer. They're expecting it tonight."

Luca nodded again, grabbing the packages and left. As he neared a quiet alley, the wailing sound of sirens pierced the air. 

Immediately, I ducked behind a nearby dumpster, crouching low as the flashing blue and red lights zoomed by. The sound of the police sirens grew louder, then began to fade as they passed, heading further down the street. Luca waited until the noise finally disappeared. 

Slowly, Luca rose from his hiding spot, brushing the dirt from his clothes. His heart rate was slowly returning to normal as he cautiously continued forward.

"Stay calm. Just keep moving," he muttered. But no sooner had he rounded the corner than his heart sank again.

Blue and red lights flashed at the end of the block.

Luca froze. Several police cars were parked in a semicircle, and officers were pouring out, positioning themselves strategically.

A commanding voice boomed over a loudspeaker, "Stop right there! Don't move!"

Luca's pulse spiked. His mind raced as he considered his options: hide, or surrender. 

He glanced around, searching for an escape route, but before he could act, a second officer shouted, "Hands where we can see them! Stay where you are!"

Reluctantly, Luca raised his hands. "I'm not doing anything wrong!" he called out.

"Stay where you are!" the officer barked again, stepping forward with his hand resting on his holstered gun. 

Luca swallowed hard, as he stared at the officer. "Look, I'm just walking home. I don't know what this is about."

The officers moved in closer, their eyes focused on him. 

One of them stepped forward, speaking up. "We've had reports of suspicious activity in the area. You match the description of someone we're looking for. Hands behind your head, slowly."

Luca's heart raced. He hesitated for a moment, but seeing the police cars lined up he knew he had no choice. Slowly, he interlaced his fingers behind his head, trying to stay calm.

One of the officers began patting him down, checking his pockets. Luca's mind raced. The drugs were in his bag. If they found that, it was over. His mind flashed to his sister, lying in that hospital bed. She needed him, and if he got caught now…

"I'm telling you, I haven't done anything wrong," Luca repeated, but his voice wavered as the officer rifled through his bag.

The officer paused, pulling out a small package wrapped tightly in plastic. His expression hardened as he held it up for the others to see. "What do we have here?"

Luca's stomach dropped. "That's not—" He stopped, realizing how futile it was to lie. He was already caught. There was nothing he could do.