LEONARDO HELD THE door open as Vittorio was assisted in the back seat. When his grandfather was settled in the car seat, he went around the car and sat in the driver's seat. "Are you ready?" He asked.Vittorio grunted a reply that Leonardo took as a positive and then he started the car and drove out of the estate carefully. His eyes frequently darted to his grandfather through the rearview mirror. "Are you alright, Papi?" He asked. Vittorio nodded. "I got reports that a Russian flew into New Jersey today," Leonardo said. Vittorio scoffed and said, "Thousands, if not millions of Russians fly into New Jersey every day, Leonardo." Leonardo did not say anything to reply to that, instead, he said, "His name is Boris Shmanov. I got word out for him on the street already." Vittorio sighed, he was inwardly glad that Leonardo had an Instinct and was smart enough to follow it. He unrolled an Egyptian premium cigar and put it on his lip without lighting it. Leonardo noted the cigar on his
NICOLE NODDED AND helped Jon make flight arrangements as he called his parents for an impromptu goodbye. After spending almost 5 minutes on the call with promises to come to visit again (with the nice, beautiful lady), he ended the call and began packing his things as Nicole finished booking his flight. They showered and she offered to drop him at the airport, he nodded absently and followed her downstairs to check out and got into her Ford SUV."Who do you think is responsible?" Nicole asked. They were doing 60 miles per hour on the I-60 highway. Jon shrugged and rubbed his eye sockets, "I have no idea," He said. "But you know that eyes will be on you. You will be the primary suspect," Nicole said. She expertly overtook a car before continuing, "The hate between the Orsattis and your family was not secret. Everyone knew about it and you happen happen be the one person to gain from their death." Jon sighed and said, "I have a solid alibi. I was with you during the period. I was no
MAYBE IT WAS just his imagination or his mind was trying to play games with him but as soon as the plane entered New Jersey's airspace, Jon felt a queasy feeling in his abdomen. He stilled the feeling that made his tummy swirl and asked an air hostess for a bottle of champagne. He used the drink to calm his nerves. But when the plane landed and he got out, he immediately felt something like electric tension in the air. It made the hair on the back of his neck and his arms stand. Ignoring the feeling that he was being watched, he put on his dark sunshades and walked down the stairs, accompanied by the other few people who flew first class. Luke, his driver, drove to his front with a black SUV and stopped. He jumped out and held the door open for Jon to get it. "How's it going, Luke?" Jon asked as it got in. Luke bowed and gently closed the door before going around to the driver's seat. As he started the car, Jon asked, "How are things over there at home?" Luke put the car into g
"ARE YOU GOING to accept it?" Rick asked. Jon shrugged and asked himself the same question. He looked up at his friends and saw that they were all looking at him, waiting for an answer. He sighed and said, "Of course. I have to.""What?"Jon ran his hand through his hair, making the back end stand on end, "I don't have much choice now, do I?" He dropped the letter on the table in front of Rick who reached forward and read through. Jon poured himself another glass of scotch and took a drink before saying, "If I don't respect the invite, It will look like I have something to hide. The police would pounce on that." Lucas, who had been quiet nodded and grunted, "I don't like it one bit, but I'm afraid that Jonathan is right. He has to accept the invitation." Paxton and Rick scoffed. Rick tossed the letter on the table and gulped down his drink. "Bullshit." "And you can't go there alone…" Lucas continued, "That's why I am coming with you." "No no, that would draw too much attention,"
THE FUNERAL SERVICE of a billionaire of any state is not a small matter. The funeral service of Vittorio Orsatti – the man who lived through 3 generations, orchestrating chaos and taking out any rival or enemy he might have – was even bigger than an average billionaire. There was a slight drizzle on that day. It was a lazy rain that blew in from New York. It was more like dew, blowing around in chilly air but the sun still shone through It did not bring any heat, just light. It was the type of weather that you would during mid-July, where it was like rain and sun were deciding on who would take the day, but didn't come to any conclusion so they just took the day together. There was a long entourage of black, shiny cars. Over 10 SUVS and two limousines. One of the cars was equipped with a siren and lights, so it blasted the siren horn, making heads turn as hundreds of cars followed the entourage through the streets of New Jersey. They converged outside the cemetery and only the fami
ANTONIO SPOTTED AND recognized them from the moment they got in too, almost at the same time as Maxim. He turned to look at Maxim, who nodded and gave a wry smile. He turned his gaze to the two men whom he believed to be behind the murders in his family, he gave them a long stare before walking in the opposite direction. Maxim dropped his glass of champagne and replaced it with sparking water before walking forward to the two brothers. Jon had felt uneasy from the moment that they stopped in front of the Iron wrought gate and stepped out of their limousine. He rubbed his hands together and turned to Lucas, who had insisted on coming with him, and said, "This doesn't feel good," Lucas folded himself out of the limo and smiled at the mansion before them. He reached into his breast pocket and retrieved dark sunshades. He flicked it over his face and said, "Things that are worth it, hardly ever feel good. Come on." He walked abruptly towards the mansion."What does that even mean?" Jon
"ATTENTION EVERYONE," ANTONIO said, hitting his glass cup gently with a steel fork. He climbed a few stairs, a few heads followed his movements and gradually, the noise quietened down. Giovanni started to go forward to stop his son from doing whatever it was that the boy was doing, but before he took a step, he felt a hand on his arm to stop him. He turned and saw that it was Jon."Let's hear what he has to say," Jon said. Giovanni gave Antonio a hard look and mumbled something inaudible to himself, but he nodded and stood back. "Attention… Attention…" Antonio kept saying, trying to make everyone in the room listen to him. While all heads and eyes in the hall looked at Antonio, Jon was more focused on the inconspicuous Russian who stood on the floor, holding a glass of champagne lazily with a smug smile on his face. Lucas came up beside Jon and said, "You're seeing this too, right?" Jon nodded slightly, his eyes not leaving Maxim. "Maxim Ivanov is behind all this." Lucas nodded
"What the fuck?" Lucas snarled, "What do you mean under arrest? Do you know who this man is?" He asked. Sergeant Baker rested his hand on the roof of the limo and leaned down to stare at them through the slightly opened window. "I know exactly who he is, sir. Matter of fact, I know who both of you are, and for that reason, it's a house arrest." "That doesn't make things any better," Lucas flared up. Jon smiled wryly and said, "It does, Lucas. It does make things better. Just calm down or the both of us will end up arrested," He patted Lucas's hand. Lucas took a deep breath to calm himself down. Jon turned and stared at the policeman cooly, "Sergeant Baker you said?" The police officer nodded his head once. "On what grounds do you have to place me under arrest," Jon asked. The Sergeant opened his mouth to talk but Jon stilled him with a raised hand and said, "And it had better be a fucking good reason, or else, I'll make sure I put you and your buddies out of jobs for the rest of