Chapter 28: The Storm Approaches

Rome – Night

The sky was overcast, and the wind was whipping through the trees in the narrow streets of Rome. In the dark alley where the team had hidden, everything was quiet, but behind that quiet was an invisible storm.

In the car, Marco sat contemplating the bag full of money they had stolen from Grimaldi. Salvo smoked a cigar, and Columbo was hunched over his tablet, reviewing the phone numbers and addresses he had stolen from Grimaldi's database.

"Are we going to get more information?" Marco asked.

Colombo looked up and said seriously, "Yes, but that's not what matters now."

"What do you mean?" Franco asked curiously.

"I told you we had a much bigger problem. Grimaldi is just a small player in this game."

Salvo laughed sarcastically. "Good! Even Grimaldi thought he was a big player!"

But Columbo continued with his serious face. "The one we should be worried about is the real boss behind all this. Someone with a bigger network than Grimaldi, and who already knows everything about us."

Marco looked at Columbo, then at the bag, and said, "Who is this person?"

Columbo looked out the window and said slowly, "The name that will change everything… 'Filippo Scarletti'."

"Filippo Scarletti?" Franco asked inquisitively. "Do we know him?"

Columbo nodded. "Of course. He's a powerful mafia boss, and he has connections everywhere. If he finds out that we stole money from Grimaldi… it will be the end for us."

Red Lines

"So, are we facing Filippo Scarletti now?" Marco muttered in a low voice.

Columbo nodded. "Yes, and he's not someone to be taken lightly. He has spies everywhere, and he'll know right away if there's any unusual movement. When he finds out… it will be the end."

Salvo sighed and said, "So what do we do? Hide?"

"No." Marco said firmly. "We play his game. But we'll be faster."

Franco raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Marco smiled wickedly. "We need to hit Scarlett before he hits us. We need to get to the heart of his kingdom, and pounce on him before he discovers us."

The game is on

The plan was simple to Marco, but its execution was complicated. Filippo Scarlett controlled several European cities, including Rome, and had a network of assistants and collaborators, including Grimaldi, who was just one link in a long chain of people working for Scarlett.

Marco held a meeting with the team in a safe place, a place known only to him and his gang members.

"The mission is clear." Marco said, looking at the faces around him. "We need to get to Scarlett directly. We don't want to waste our time with Grimaldi's men or anyone else. We need the big money, and we need to target Scarlett directly."

Franco looked at the map on the table and said, "Where are we going to find this guy?"

"Somewhere safe." Marco replied. "At a villa outside the city. But there's one condition…"

"And what is it?" Salvo asked as he adjusted his watch.

"We have to get there undetected. There will be guards everywhere, and surveillance devices." Marco said with a mysterious smile. "But I think there's a way to evade them."

Breaching the Fortresses

The group set off for Scarlett's villa later that night, but this time the mission was much more complicated. The villa was surrounded by high walls, and surveillance devices were scattered around every corner, making infiltration extremely difficult.

Colombo was busy hacking the security system, while Franco and Salvo were looking for any loopholes in the protection.

Marco remained silent, considering each step before taking it. "If we can get to the main office where the sensitive data is, we'll have hit Scarlett right in the heart."

But as they approached the office, they heard footsteps approaching them.

"Quick, everyone to their place!" Marco said, as everyone disappeared behind the walls.

They stood in the shadows, watching a large guard pass by.

"If anyone told me I was going to spend the night sneaking around, I'd kill myself," Franco whispered.

Salvo laughed and whispered, "You're always a positive person."

Success and Failure

With a little luck and careful planning, the team reached the main office of the villa. The lights were dim, and the place was dark enough to allow them to sneak in undetected.

Colombo began hacking the security systems to access the data they needed, while Marco, Franco, and Salvo made sure the way was safe.

But suddenly, they heard a voice coming from below.

"The police?" Salvo whispered.

"No." Marco said in a very low voice. "Worse than that."

At that moment, the lights suddenly turned on, and sirens sounded.

"Scarlett knows we're here!"