Chapter 44: Crossroads

Café Venosa - Night

The café was plunged into the stillness of the night, while the dim lights emanated from the lamps that decorated the walls, as if they were hiding great secrets. Marco, Franco, Salvo, and Colombo were sitting with the large man who had entered the café at the last moment. Everyone sat in anticipation, not quite knowing what to expect. The atmosphere was tense, but at the same time, this moment was pivotal in their path to the top.

The large man, looking at everyone with a mysterious smile: "So, are you ready for the adventure that will change everything?"

Marco, looking at the man cautiously, whispered: "You still haven't answered my question. Who is behind all this?"

The big man, sighing, then calmly said: "The person that everyone thinks is under his control is nothing but the strings of a puppet in the hands of another. This person is stronger than any of you can imagine. And you, Marco, even if you have the best plan, it will not succeed unless you know who the real enemy is."

Franco, frowning: "And what guarantee do we have that you are honest? You are just a stranger who suddenly entered our lives."

The big man, laughing loudly: "You are right, Franco. But who said I am here to be honest? I am only here because I want to show you something different. The path you are taking is full of traps, and the enemy you are chasing is stronger than you can imagine."

Salvo, winking sarcastically: "And you, are you more than just a threat to us? Are we supposed to believe that you are here to save us?"

The big man, raising his hands in surrender: "I'm here to show you the truth. But the decision is in your hands now. If you think you're strong enough, you can continue chasing "Veriano", or you can find out who's hiding behind the curtain."

Columbo, closing the laptop with a sharp look: "I've heard enough. It seems that this is bigger than I thought. Who is this person?"

The big man, smiling wickedly: "Ah, now you're starting to understand. His name is "Valerio". He's the one who directs everything in the shadows. You can't break him like you would a normal enemy. Valerio is no ordinary person, he's the King of Shadows, and as you can see, everything revolves around him."

Marco, sighing deeply: "That's a new name for us. Where do we start?"

The big man, sighing slowly: "You should start getting out of this cafe. Valerio is watching you. The longer you wait, the worse the consequences will be. I'm just here to give you a chance to retreat, before you find yourselves trapped in an inescapable web."

At that moment, there was only a deadly silence filling the place. They were all thinking about what this man had said, and each one of them had their own questions. This wasn't just a threat, it was something much bigger. Everything was starting to become clear to them, but they knew that they couldn't back down now.

Marco, looking at everyone with eyes full of determination: "We won't retreat. We're here for something bigger. We've decided to play this game until the end."

Franco, raising his head confidently: "If Valerio is behind everything, we'll find a way to deal with him. We don't have time to worry about who's watching us."

Salvo, smiling wryly: "It sounds like a detective movie, doesn't it? But we're just here to make sure no one can control us."

Colombo, turning to the screen: "I don't think Valerio is dealing with things normally. We're talking about someone who controls a network of information and resources that has the power to destroy anyone who stands in his way."

The big man, staring at everyone: "If you decide to go ahead, don't even think about turning back. This game is bigger than just a robbery or a conspiracy. If you stick to this path, you'll be part of something big. Are you willing to pay the price?"

Marco, smiling confidently: "There's no such thing as a big price when it comes to success. We'll face it all, and we won't stop until we reach the top."

Franco, also smiling: "We won't let anyone control our destiny. We'll write this story ourselves."

Salvo, coldly picking up a glass of water: "If Valerio is the enemy, then we need a plan that won't fail. I don't want to be in a weak position anymore."

Colombo, finally closing the laptop: "You have to hurry. Valerio doesn't let anyone live easily."

With those words, the big man quietly walked out of the café, leaving behind a group of characters who didn't know exactly what awaited them. But their decision was decisive. There was no time for regret. They had to move quickly.

Marco, looking at everyone with determination: "We're here to dominate. We won't let anything or anyone stop us."

This was a new beginning for them. Every step increased the intensity of the game, every moment revealed a new secret to them. But they were ready for this battle, whatever the consequences.

End of Chapter Forty-Four.