Capo Dei Capi (Secrets of the Famiglia Part 1)

Chapter 24 (Marco)

Time, it always comes down to time. The amount of it can make a small inkling of a difference or the

deciding factor between life and death.

“2 days and all we have is a fucking bullshit story blaming the Irish. We all know the fucking Irish didn’t

whack Ren. The Cartel isn’t going to admit to fuck-all if they did it. Aleksei sure as shit has no beef with

us. His fight has only ever existed with the Cartel and Lucca. We can't just go guns blazing, killing

every fucking man that happens to sound like a foreigner because we want revenge. We need to think

when it's all clear, let the dust settle,” Vincent states from the big screen in my boardroom.

The high-rise building is a place I conduct legal business. It's owned by the Delroy family in Texas.

The Delroy's hold the biggest latex company in the world.

The building hosted their offices and a few ‘silent partners’ like myself. I didn’t deal in latex. However, I

did have a few hands in their other ventures, like artifacts and rare gems.

But the two floors I currently called mine were for the Real Estate agency I kept for legal purposes of

my own.

This meeting, however, is not a legal matter or a civilian one. But I needed it to be done here. There are Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

things I don’t want anybody finding out apart from the ones in attendance.

Which drew the reason as to why Vincent is on a skype call.

My brother's death came sudden, too sudden. We are all in mourning, some more than others. His

death is our common ground for this evening's meeting.

A lot of people liked Lorenzo, some of those people extended into unchartered territory. We didn’t talk

much about his extra murals with his friends when the 5 of them lived in Chicago. Or the few times

people they knew disappeared after an altercation.

In return, he never questioned me or the reasons I asked him to do random shit, like making sure Kylie

Bray and Aliyana met. And the accidental meetings he stumbled upon between Gabriel and his uncle.

Except for a few days ago. He questioned my judgment, he was going to go behind my back and make

things right. I was proud of him for standing up to me. I love my siblings, and Ren was the best of all my

father’s children. He was the sacrifice that tied the rest of us together.

He killed only when he really had to, he loved without any preservation. Yes, Ren was a Made-Man,

and like all of us, he had his fair share of enemies. But, with all those who would want revenge, there

weren't many of those who wanted him dead. The handful of people was small but significant. Finding

his killer would be the walk in the park. Taking care of the one responsible is going to take a patient,

well-boarded game of chess.

The opposition already has one little flaw - We know our brother's enemies.

The Russo’s are one of them, and though none of us have mentioned their names, they are right on top

of that list. My brother never complained much about Chicago on his weeks back home, but when he

did, it was always a fucking Russo. I was gone for most of his time at home; like him, I was pushed into

war. But where mine was self-decided, his and the other 4, war was forced upon them. Those kids

never stood a chance of getting out of the Russo's territory without blood on their hands.

Somehow by sheer luck, my brother came out the least scattered. The others protected him. To what

extent? I don't know, but judging by the lost girl who kissed me on that rooftop, I can only guess it was

a big fucking sacrifice.

It's funny how his friends did for him, what his siblings did for him. Yet, still, he has fallen. The first of

my father's children.

Marcello Catelli is not a bad Capo, but over the years, like any leader, he made mistakes. He caused

riffs between those the Catelli's called allies. He almost started a few turf wars, one landing Deno in a

prison cell.

My father made choices that snipped many families from that unquestioned loyalty they once had for

us. But over the years, my siblings and I have forged our own alliance with people, while tying a few of

those parted bridges, creating something stronger.

We’ve kept him out of it and, at many times, intervened when my father made the wrong move that

stirred us a bit further from our own goal.

Marcello Catelli knows he isn’t the one in charge.

He was well aware, Ren was going to become a Capo of his own turf once Deno took over. And

Leonardo, dangerous as he is, my father won’t even sit in the same room as him for longer than an

hour.

We love my father, but he had his turn, and it was ours now. Of that, we have made clear.

I want to believe my father is innocent, but I wouldn’t be the man I am if I didn’t suspect him for

murdering my brother. It won’t be the first time he has killed his own blood. Take out the weakest link to

rile the rest up. It could be his move, only I hope I am wrong.