Chapter 40: An Unexpected Encounter

Café Venosa – 4:30 AM

Marco was sitting in his usual corner, his eyes fixed on the screen as he reviewed the data Colombo had sent him. Franco was turning the coffee cup over in his hands, while Salvo was looking at Luca, who looked like he was about to explode with anger.

Luca loudly: "You're telling me now that we were just pawns in someone else's game?! Why didn't we see this before?!"

Colombia quietly: "Because you rely on your muscles more than your brain."

There was a sudden silence, then Franco burst out laughing, trying to stifle his laughter but failing.

Franco slammed the table: "Colombo, I swear you'll be the reason I die of laughter one day!"

Luca glared at Colombo angrily: "Me? No, you'll be the reason you die of your own."

Marco ignored the small conflict between them and said firmly, "We have to focus now. If one of the ten men is behind all this, then that means we need to change our plan."

Salvo chewed his gum: "Good, so our new plan is?"

Marco took out a cigarette, lit it, and said: "We find out who exactly he is, and why he's playing with us."

Columbo opened the laptop again and said: "I can try to hack his communications networks, but that will take time."

Franco sarcastically: "And what if he has stronger protection than last time? Are you going to ask him nicely to tell you his secrets?"

Columbo didn't reply, just looked at Franco coldly and continued typing on the keyboard at an amazing speed.

Unexpected Break-in

Before anyone could say anything else, the door to the cafe swung open violently, and two men rushed in, looking like they had just gotten out of a fight. They were panting, their clothes were torn, and one of them was bleeding from a wound on his forehead.

Luca was the first to move, immediately pulling out his gun and aiming it at them, but Marco raised his hand to stop him.

Marco: "Calm down, let's see what they want."

One of the men, a short man with a light beard, said in a broken voice: "You... you're Marco, right? We need your help!"

Franco, surprised: "And who are you?"

The other man, a little taller and more nervous, quickly said: "We were working with Carlo... but he betrayed us! And now someone is after us, and they're coming here!"

Marco narrowed his eyes and said slowly: "Carlo? Does that mean he's starting to move against us?"

Colombo closed the laptop and said: "I told you he's just a puppet... but a puppet can decide to rebel sometimes."

Luca gripped his gun tightly and said with a wry smile: "Well, it looks like we're going to have some fun soon."

Salvo, getting up from his chair: "So, should we welcome them our way?"

Marco threw his cigarette on the ground and crushed it with his shoe, then said: "Prepare yourselves... The battle has begun."

End of Chapter