Chapter 5 - UNMASKING THE RATVittorio strode out of the shadows, his face an impassive mask of stone. He holstered his weapon, walked straight to Elena, and quickly knelt down to rip the duct tape off her mouth, followed by slicing the thick zip-ties biting into her wrists.
Elena gasped for air, coughing heavily as she slumped forward, her arms trembling. "Wh-Who... who are you?" she choked out, looking up at the towering, dark-suited figure standing over her. "Are you... are you going to kill me too?"
"Relax, signora," Vittorio said, his voice softening just a fraction. "I'm a friend of Leo's."
Elena’s eyes blew wide open. "Leo?! My son? Oh God, is he safe? Did they hurt him?"
"He's at my estate, eating hot soup and waiting for his mother," Vittorio assured her, lifting her gently to her feet. "He walked through my gates in the middle of the night because the police wouldn't help him. He's a brave boy. Just like his mother."
Tears streamed down Elena’s face as she buried her hands in her face, sobbing out of sheer relief. "I didn't mean to... I thought it was just a normal date. The man called himself Luca. He seemed so charming online. But during dinner, he left his briefcase open, and I saw documents detailing illegal arms shipments through the port—shipments tied directly to high-ranking city officials and the Moretti syndicate. When I tried to leave, they ambushed me in the parking garage."
She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small, blood-stained metal object, pressing it into Vittorio's palm. "This is the drive. They wanted it back because it proves that the local police chief and Marco Moretti are working together to traffic weapons through our harbor."
Vittorio stared down at the small black drive in his hand. The plot was far deeper than a simple missing person case. It was a massive conspiracy that threatened to destabilize the entire criminal and political landscape of Naples. And by stepping in, he had just declared open warfare on both the corrupt authorities and the Moretti family.
"Keep the drive," Vittorio said grimly, pocketing it. "We're leaving. Now."
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Before they could reach the exit doors, however, the heavy metallic boom of distant sirens echoed across the pier. But these weren't regular police sirens—they were private armored vehicles, bearing the unmistakable crest of the Moretti syndicate, surrounding the warehouse on all sides.
"Boss!" Rocco shouted, sprinting back inside from the perimeter check. "We're boxed in! Moretti brought fifty men. They've sealed every exit from the pier!"
