Losing a dear friend.

Two weeks later, I finally recieved the details of my next mission. According to my Underboss, I was to hunt down Gavino, one of our main suppliers who sold us some fake weapons for a large sum of money and then went underground. Apparently, the Boss of Diff'rent Strokes was not happy about his betrayal and wanted him dead as possible. 

The only problem is that everyone under my command knew that old man, Gavino and no one was happy to receive this order. He had been serving us loyally for years and had never cheated anyone before. This whole stuff smelled fishy to me so I decided to do some of my own private investigation. If he was innocent, I could take him back to the Underboss and prove his case but if he really was guilty, then I would have no choice but to end him myself.

During twilight, my men and I go to his workplace first where his men unsuspectingly continue their jobs, not knowing what that their boss just offended a very dangerous mafia and had just run away. They would have all been dead if the Underboss had sent a different Capo but luckily for them, I wasn't someone who was keen on taking lives for no reason. 

Frederico spots Gavino's second-in-command and brings him to me. He seems a little frightened and uncertain on how to deal with the situation since this must be his first time dealing with someone like me. "Welcome, Capo. How may I help you?"

"I want to know where your boss is, Ryan." I notice his hands tremble slightly at my words which only confirm my faint suspicion. Someone like him may not know where Gavino may have run off to but he would surely have lot of things to tell me about this little problem. "Why don't you take a seat?"

Ryan obediently takes a seat opposite me in his former boss's office and looks at me with fear. I lean into the desk and threaten him. "Tell me everything Gavino has been up to this past few weeks. If you lie or keep quiet about anything, you and everyone here will die before I leave this place. Now talk."

I step out of the warehouse a few minutes after my little talk with Ryan and Frederico who follows my footsteps suddenly stops and asks me. "Capo, do you really think Gavino was that kind of person? I mean... how could he be selling us out to the War Lords?"

I clench my fists and close my eyes in response to his words. Gavino had gifted me my very first gun from his private collection and I knew his family very well. The fact that he betrayed us because of money and greed proved to me once again that no one was trustworthy. 

Just as I am about to respond to Frederico's words, one of our men approach us so we halt our small talk. The man bows a little and tells me. "Capo, we just discovered Gavino's location. According to our sources, he seems to be crossing Californian borders."

My second-in-command and I share a look. 

We finally arrive at the border where I spot the old man holding some files and talking to some men from War Lord. I step out of the car and call out to the man, trying to perform my last act of kindness to save his life. "Gavino, stop!"

Gavino hears my voice but he seems more frightened than happy to see me as he retreats further towards the border. Frederico looks around and pulls my sleeve to get my attention. "Capo, Merciless is here."

I whip my head around immediately I hear his words and there is Dante standing behind a car watching the scene. It is now clear to me that the Californian War Lords are up to no good with the series of operations they have been carrying in our territory so my hand tightens around my belt. I talk to Gavino. "Don't do anything stupid, Gavino. If you give them those files, you will never be able to leave this place alive."

"T-They have promised my freedom." The old man holds the files to his chest like it's some sort of treasure as his eyes dart both sides. "They have offered me a new life."

"No." I shake my head. "The only thing you will get out of this is a gunshot to your head and a manhunt on your family. Is that what you really want?"

My words seem to get to him this time because he seems more hesitant than before and I spot Dante frowning as he begins to approach us. I quickly turn to Gavino and stretch out my hand to him before this turns into a bloodbath. "Here, take my hand. Let's go and talk to Vincenzo Corsi, I am sure he would spare your life as long as you give him a reason to."

We stare at each other in silence for a while but then he starts to walk over to me. Dante calls out to him but he doesn't pay him any attention as he comes to me in a steady pace. 

All of a sudden, I hear a gunshot out of nowhere and Gavino falls before my very eyes. The people around me immediately raise their guns for protection but my eyes stay on Gavino's dead body, his chest bloodied with a gunshot. I finally turn around to see Davide, the last person I expect to see walking over to me with a satisfied grin on his face. He raises an mocking eyebrow and says. "Marcella, I thought the Underboss told you to get rid of the traitor. Good thing, my father sent me to follow you."

He walks over to the dead man's body and spits on the floor with disgust on his face. "Stupid old man. That's what people like him deserve."

I grip the gun in my hand tightly.