chapter 11 : the betrayal

Chapter 11: The Betrayal

The rain fell in steady sheets as Alessandro and Rachel huddled in their car, parked across the street from a dingy motel where Vinnie had been staying. Through the windshield, they watched him pace outside his room, phone pressed to his ear, his gestures frantic.

"He's spooked," Rachel whispered, zooming in with her camera to record Vinnie's conversation. "If he knows we're onto him, he might try to run—or worse."

Alessandro clenched his fists around the steering wheel. He couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal gnawing at him. Vinnie had been like a brother once. But tonight, it was clear something was very wrong.

Moments later, a black SUV pulled up beside Vinnie. A tall, burly man stepped out—Marco Marcone himself, heir to the Marcone empire. Alessandro's heart dropped. There was no longer any doubt.

"Marco came himself," Rachel murmured, her voice tight. "This is bigger than we thought."

Vinnie handed Marco a thick envelope—documents, maybe, or cash. They exchanged hurried words before Marco shoved Vinnie against the SUV, his face inches from Vinnie's. Even from the car, Alessandro could see the terror on Vinnie's face.

Then Marco's voice carried across the lot, cold and menacing: "You told me you could handle this, Vinnie. Now you've brought heat on all of us."

A flash of silver—a knife glinted in Marco's hand. Alessandro's instincts kicked in.

"Stay here!" he ordered Rachel as he flung open the car door and sprinted into the rain.

"Alessandro, wait!" Rachel called after him, but he was already across the street.

He tackled Marco just as the knife arced toward Vinnie's chest. The two men crashed to the ground, rolling in the mud. Alessandro punched Marco, adrenaline surging as the mobster fought back, slamming him into the side of the SUV. Vinnie stumbled backward, wide-eyed and panicked.

Gunshots rang out from the motel balcony—Marcone's men had arrived. Rachel leaned out of the car window, returning fire with precision as Alessandro wrestled the knife from Marco's grip.

"Go, Vinnie! Run!" Alessandro shouted, shoving him toward the street.

Vinnie hesitated, his face torn with fear and regret. Then he bolted into the darkness.

Marco shoved Alessandro away and scrambled to his feet, cursing. As sirens wailed in the distance—Rachel's call to the FBI bringing reinforcements—the SUV doors swung open and Marco's men dragged him inside. Tires screeched as the vehicle roared away, leaving Alessandro breathless in the downpour.

Rachel ran to his side, gun still smoking. "Are you okay?"

Alessandro nodded, chest heaving. "Vinnie knows everything now. He's the key to bringing down the Marcones."

They climbed back into their car, hearts pounding. In the distance, red and blue lights flashed as FBI vehicles flooded the street.

"Now we just have to find Vinnie before the Marcones do," Rachel said grimly. "Because if they get to him first, this is all over."

Alessandro stared out into the stormy night. The hunt for Vinnie had begun—and the fate of their plan rested on catching him before it was too late.