Owning the Mafia Don

Schwartz

He crouched low in the undergrowth and trained his gun on the hill, the rise where the vehicle would appear. All about him, the massive trees stretched their bare arms to the sky in supplication. The harsh winter wind whipped through the dry leaves, causing them to shower onto the ground. The eerie sound of the wind as it wailed added to the desolate feeling. A land of emptiness despite being so rich, he thought as he waited. The stories these trees could tell, he thought as he glanced around quickly, the tales of wanderers going hiking, never to be found again.

James Schwartz had positioned himself in such a way that he could see the slope from where the car would emerge. Having donned his camouflage jacket, he blended well with the dull brown of the world around him. Having been a sure shot snipe in the US Army for many years, he was already calm and watchful, alert as ever, his mind clear as he focused on sounds and movement. He shut an eye and peered through the scope. He had had the foresight to dismantle the sniper rifle and bring it along, apart from the small revolver he always carried. Now he waited, sweating despite the chill.

The minutes ticked by. The car should be here any time, he thought. He could still feel Proserpina’s soft lips beneath his and he swore, shutting his eyes for a split second. Then the sound of the car filled his ears as it drew nearer and he stiffened. He was close enough to fire.

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Proserpina

I bit my lower lip hard to keep from crying. I was worried about Schwartz, the man who had selflessly stepped forward to buy us time so that we could save Lucien. At that moment, I knew I loved him, a friend, yes, but one who was very, very dear.

Aiyana’s husky voice interrupted my thoughts.

“He will be fine,” she said gently and I spun to look into her eyes.

“He…he…’ I began but my voice broke.

“So you love him, do you?” she asked and I glared at her. Her face remained expressionless. If she had been asking about the weather, I would imagine that she would have had such a look. Bland and uncaring. How could she be so calm, I thought as I wrung my hands.

“How can you think of such a thing?” I hissed fiercely but softly, “James is my friend, more like my brother. And yes, I care for him because he has been there with me through so much.”

I swallowed hard and turned to look outside. There was a pause. The car was slowing.

The man with us turned as Aiyana spoke sharply in the local dialect.

I understood what she was saying.

“Here? Over here?” she said sharply.

And I saw why she was astonished.

*

We had stopped near the centre of the road, the place where the slope was steepest. I threw open the door and stepped out, swaying for a minute.

The descent was precarious, to say the least. But as I looked closely, I saw that the leaves ahead of us were crushed, as though someone had been repeatedly walking this particular path.

The branches of the overhanging trees had also been cleared to make way for a person to walk. It was not a proper path, with the overgrown hedges of brambles visible on either side. I could not imagine how anyone could walk this way at night. But if one listened carefully, it was possible to hear the sound of the water gushing on its way. Loud and thundering in the silence of the dusk. For now, the gloom was setting in. It would be difficult to make our way down, inexperienced climbers as we were. but I thanked my stars that I had chosen to wear a pair of sturdy boots. Aiyana was similarly attired.

Toth’s man was on the phone, he turned to look back just as there was a distant sound of gunfire. But it came from down the road, back down the way we had come. I leaned against the car.

I knew what that meant.

Handsome James was buying us time.

Schwartz, I thought, please God, let him be alright.

*

Lucien

They reached the door, the two people half dragging him He made sure he was a dead weight on them. Gustav’s fingers dug into his arm as the old man swore and tried to heft him along. Ivica was perspiring furiously, muttering curses under her breath.

‘We will take him to the tree stump,’ she ordered breathlessly, furious that her plan was not going on as she had intended.

“I will shoot him when you keep him there.” she panted.

Gustav growled something indecipherable under his breath.

*

Proserpina

We set off down the slope, steep though it was. I turned to look back along the way we had come. What must have happened to Schwartz, I thought and then suddenly, there was no time to think. We were slipping and sliding and rolling down the slope, all at once, Aiyana and I. My face and my arms were slapped by branches along the way and I sobbed out at the pain.

Toth’s giant of a man bellowed as he came after us, skidding to a halt and grabbing my hand, to stop my downward descent as I shot pell-mell down the slope. I panted and he held me, dragging Aiyana up too. I knew we must look like proper clowns. There were leaves in my coat and some twigs and bracken stuck up out of Aiyana’s neat black braid comically.

But we continued. The men with us were more adept. Holding my hand, one of them helped me to scramble down.

“Walk sideways,” he suggested gruffly, and I realized that walking crablike down the slope was a lot safer. Aiyana was doing the same, her features set in a grim mask.

And then we saw it.

*

A small house in the gloom with the light of a lantern streaming outside. It was not too dark and we could make out the three figures tottering in the doorway.

As my eyes grew accustomed to the light and I could make out the figures, I cupped my hands over my mouth in horror.

My husband, my lover, Lucien Delano, was being dragged out by two people, one was the woman we had seen in the shop, and the other was a diminutive-looking man, bony and aged but with a feral expression on his gaunt face.

No! I thought panic-stricken, No!