chapter Two: The rules of engagement

Andretti looked at the terrified lady on the floor,

'lady!', he called out, he got no reply from her, just then Andreo walked in probably wondering what took so long to leave the house.

'woah, what the heck!' Andreo exclaimed once he saw the lady on the floor, 'what's going on Capo', he asked.

'Here take this' Andretti gave Andreo his gun and walked towards her and crouched down, shaking her slightly, she didn't move, he propped her up on her shoulders, she seems to have fainted, he carried her up and his shoulders, it was easy to carry her, he carried her out the room, down the stairs and into the driveway where Amato ans the rest of the crew waited.

'who's the girl?', Amato asked, looking at Andreo for an answer. Andreo shrugged his shoulders and looked at Andretti.

' I found her in one of the rooms, she fainted, I'm taking her to my house, ride with the rest of the men and call the doctor to come over', he told Amato while carrying her into his car and driving off.

His men followed suit.

Andreo drove to Andretti's mansion, he stopped and quickly stepped out of the vehicle and offered to carry the lady inside.

'No', Andretti answered, stepping out of the vehicle with her in his arms, she was still unconscious, he carried her into his house, straight to his bedroom, and placed her on his bed adjusting a pillow to support her head, she was still unconscious. He had a good look at her now, she is pretty, he said to himself, her clothes drenched in sweat looked expensive, the dried tear mark was still obvious. He wondered what her connection to Jimmy was, he was so engrossed in his thoughts of who she could be that he didn't realise that the doctor had walked in.

Dr Roberto has worked with their family even before he was born, he was close to 70 at this point, it is hard to go to the hospital with gunshot wounds there would be no explanantion for, Dr Roberto proved to be pretty handy in such situations.

'Andretti, what's going on?', Dr Roberto asked, only Dr Roberto and his family members called Andretti by his name, he was Capo to his mafia members and Andre to the rest of the world

' I think she fainted ', Andretti answered.

' okay', he replied pulling out his stethoscope, ' why don't you go sort out the issue at hand, I will take good care of her'.

'dont leave her side until she wakes up and call me when she does', Andretti said, pulling his phone out, enough of this distraction he thought, the had a major issue at hand, now that Jimmy is gone he needs a plan to get this shipment back from the feds.

Andreo drove him back to the plaza where Marlo the family lawyer was already waiting for him, they walked into the office where most of their business deals took place, Marlo was already sitted with Amato. They stood up to greet Andretti.

' so what's the plan?', Andretti asked.

'We are going to need a lot of money to bribe whoever we can if not it's going to become a real problem', Marlo revealed. ' I already went to the office and spoke to one or two people but they are not going to help us for free you know'.

'thats not an issue Marlo, Andreo will get you all the funds you need and will also go along for extra support ', Andretti said.

'okay, we best get going now...' Marlo said picking up his briefcase getting ready to leave.

Andreo got the keys to the safe and came back with loads of cash and handed it over to Marlo.

'lets go, when the shipment is released I will contact the men to transport it to the safe house', Andreo said looking to Andretti for approval. Andretti nodded his head and they left.

Amato who had silently observed the conversation said, 'we need to find out what happened to Jimmy '.

' it has to be those serpent bastards ', Andretti cursed.

' we need to find out if it was then and teach those bastardi lessons they will never expect '

' we need to let them know that the black lotus cannot be crossed', Andretti said fiddling with the skull ring on his finger.

'where is the signorina we found in the Jimmy house', Amato asked.

' in my house'.

'what do you mean in your house?, you never let any lady in your house ', Amato said, Andretti has been known never to let a girl in his house, all is flings happened in hotels or in the apartment he rents specifically for flings.

' I need to question her, she must know something ', Andretti said, 'Dr Roberto is meant to call when she awakes', he continued.

His phone started to ring, looking at the screen Andretti said 'speak of the devil' and picked.

'she is awake ', the caller Dr Roberto said.

'i am coming back right now', Andretti answered ending the call.

' I'm coming with you', Amato said standing up.

'No, I'm going to interview her myself ', Andretti objected.

' Andretti, I don't trust you to handle it gently, I've seen you interrogate people, you are brutal, extremely brutal, I should be there to make sure you don't go overboard, she is a girl'.

' What do you mean? of course I know to take it gently... what do you mean?, I'm not that vicious ', Andretti argued.

' every one calls you the macho man for a reason', Amato said chuckling.

' no one calls me that', Andretti said, hitting Amato on his back playfully.

Andretti was known to be the most vicious interrogator in the mafia, his father when he was Capo made him interrogate their enemies whenever need be and that's when he earned the nickname, the day he celebrated his 16 year old birthday, his father made him kill his first as an induction into the mafia , he grew up resenting his father for making him the way he is.

They walked out of the building.