Chapter 15: An Unexpected Encounter

The atmosphere in Venosa was unusual that afternoon. The café was busier than usual, but it wasn't because the customers were enjoying a cup of coffee. There was something different about the atmosphere, something that indicated that the moment they had been waiting for was approaching.

Marco sat in the corner, observing everything, his eyes focused on everyone who entered the café. Franco was contemplating his coffee cup, while Salvo was planning his next move in the game. Everyone knew that things were about to turn upside down, but none of them expected what would happen.

At that moment, someone new entered.

He was tall, carrying a dark leather bag, and his features were blurred from under large sunglasses. He paused for a moment at the door, as if to make sure of something, then began to walk towards the table where Marco and his companions were sitting.

"Who is this?" Franco whispered, noticing the man enter.

Marco, who had been watching the man intently, said in a low voice, "I think it's Nico, but that's not good."

However, before anyone could make a move, the man walked straight towards them. He removed his sunglasses and took a deep breath, then said, "I think I'm just in time."

"You're Nico, right?" Marco said, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, but I'm not here to be your friend." Nico replied, placing his bag on the table. "Luca Ferri isn't who you think he is. There's something bigger than that, and I'm here because I need your help."

At that moment, an unexpected laughter burst out from Salvo.

"Help us? In this game?" Salvo said, laughing. "If you want to help us, you should know that we have conditions!"

But Nico didn't seem impressed. "Luca Ferri is not just an arms dealer, he is working on something bigger, something that could change everything. If you don't help me, you will find yourselves in the middle of a confrontation you cannot escape from."

"A confrontation?" Marco said defiantly. "With whom?"

And the moment Marco asked that question, something unexpected happened.

Suddenly, an alarm went off outside the café, followed by a distant explosion. Then four men in dark clothes entered, their features blurred, but it was clear that they did not have good intentions.

"Get away!" one of them shouted, brandishing a gun. "This area is under siege!"

"What is happening here?" Franco asked, trying to quickly get out of the situation.

Marco was quicker to react. "These are not police officers. They are from the special agency that follows Luca Ferri."

Nico smiled strangely and said, "I knew they would come. But, I didn't expect it to be this close."

At that moment, everything was moving fast.

In an instant, shots rang out, and the struggle began. Niko was running quickly towards the back door of the café, while Marco, Franco and Salvo were fighting to defend themselves. The bullets were hitting the walls around them, as they hid behind the tables.

"We have to leave now!" Franco shouted, grabbing the gun from under the table.

"We won't be able to get away that easily!" Marco said, striking one of the attacking men. "Luca Ferri isn't just a dealer, he's part of something bigger. This is our chance to find out what that is."

The moment the clashes inside the café ended, a commotion erupted in the street outside. Niko had disappeared, but the attack wasn't over yet.

"It seems we have uninvited guests!" Salvo said, laughing between shots.

"Not now, Salvo!" Marco said, pushing him back. "We need to get out quickly!"

The atmosphere was tense, with every move in the café meaning life or death. Marco watched through the café window, planning every move. The attack was part of a bigger game than they had imagined, and the only chance of survival was to discover who was behind it.

However, before they could get out, another confrontation broke out. Luca Ferri, himself, had arrived at the scene.

"I think you regret it now." Luca said in a deep voice, smiling an unsettling smile.

As the gangs in the café confronted the attackers, the sky was raining heavily. Everything was moving very fast, and events were accelerating at an unexpected pace. But amidst this tension, one thing was certain: no one knew who was tampering with the big game, but they were all at the heart of it now.