CHAPTER 7 – The Final Vote of The Circle
09:00...
The countdown echoed through the underground command bunker.
Nine minutes until every hidden headquarters of The Circle either self-destructed... or activated the deadliest contingency plan ever created.
Vincent looked at the old man standing before him.
"My father died forty years ago."
The old man smiled faintly.
"The man they buried did."
"The one standing in front of you..."
"...has spent forty years becoming someone else."
Elena stepped closer.
"You knew Marco would betray Vincent."
"I allowed it."
Sophia gasped.
"You sacrificed thousands of lives!"
The old man turned toward her without emotion.
"No."
"I sacrificed criminals."
Then he pressed his palm against a hidden console.
The bunker transformed.
Steel walls slid apart.
Gigantic holographic screens lit up the chamber.
Twelve empty chairs slowly rose from the floor.
Each carried the crest of one of the founding families.
At the center stood a circular black table.
Vincent recognized it instantly.
"The Council Chamber..."
His father nodded.
"The real one."
"The Circle has never gathered in person."
"Until tonight."
One by one...
Encrypted video feeds appeared.
The surviving leaders of the twelve families joined from secret locations around the world.
Some wore masks.
Others hid in darkness.
None revealed their true identities.
A cold female voice spoke first.
"Chairman Moretti..."
"Why have you summoned an emergency vote?"
Vincent stared in disbelief.
"Chairman?"
His father looked around the room.
"Because one of us has been lying for forty years."
Silence.
Another voice laughed.
"We've all lied."
The old man nodded.
"True."
"But only one founded The Circle."
Every screen suddenly froze.
The room became eerily quiet.
Then...
One masked figure slowly removed his disguise.
Marco Bellini.
He smiled calmly.
"There is no reason to hide anymore."
Vincent slammed his fist onto the table.
"You murdered my wife!"
Marco shrugged.
"I followed orders."
"You stole my daughter!"
"I protected the heir."
"You destroyed my empire!"
Marco leaned closer to the camera.
"No, Vincent."
"I protected the real empire..."
"...from you."
Before Vincent could respond, another screen switched on.
Then another.
Then another.
Every masked leader removed their disguise.
Not strangers.
Not rival bosses.
Government ministers.
Intelligence directors.
International bankers.
Media owners.
Military generals.
The Circle had never been just a mafia.
It had quietly infiltrated governments across the world.
Vincent whispered,
"My God..."
His father answered softly,
"Now you understand."
Suddenly every monitor displayed one message.
FINAL VOTE INITIATED.
AGENDA: ELIMINATE THE MORETTI BLOODLINE.
Eleven green lights appeared.
Only one vote remained.
Everyone looked toward the Chairman's seat.
Vincent's father slowly reached for the voting button.
Elena shouted,
"No!"
He looked at her...
...and smiled.
Then pressed it.
A twelfth green light illuminated the chamber.
The system announced in a mechanical voice:
UNANIMOUS DECISION CONFIRMED.
EXECUTION PROTOCOL ACTIVATED.
Vincent felt his entire world collapse.
May you like
His own father...
...had just signed his death warrant.
