The Mafia's Undoing-Chapter 179: Into Danger

Thomas’s intelligence was detailed, precise, and well executed.

"Dante owns a private island near Venice in a fortified compound with twenty-plus trained security operatives. All with military-grade weapons and advanced surveillance."

Luca stated the obvious. "This is a suicide mission."

"Then it’s a suicide mission, but Dante dies. That’s non-negotiable."

Thomas continued. "I’ve been planning this for weeks since I escaped prison. I know the layout, the guard rotations, their schedules and the security weaknesses."

"Why didn’t you tell me sooner?" I asked him.

"Because I hoped it wouldn’t come to this and that the FBI would catch him. I had hoped he’d negotiate or make a mistake. But now-" He looked at me, his eyes hard. "Now we finish what our family started and end the Marvin curse, together."

Our team was small but efficient and deadly.

We had four of Luca’s best people, all operators who were former special forces, loyal and skilled.

Thomas, my father, who is fifty-eight years old but experienced. He knows the criminal world intimately.

And I, driven by rage and desperation towards protecting my family.

Seven people in total.

Katherine asked the obvious question. "Seven people against twenty? You’ll be slaughtered."

"Maybe, but Dante will be dead too, and that’s what matters."

Last night before the mission, Katherine and I were together with Rose asleep in her crib beside our bed.

"Don’t go, Tony." She pleaded with me, suddenly reconsidering and being scared. "Let the FBI handle this."

"FBI can’t, and Dante’s too smart. He’s connected and cautious. This is the only way."

"You could die."

"I know."

"Rose needs her father."

"Rose needs a world without Dante Marvin in it, and I’m giving her that world. Whatever the cost."

We made love slowly and tenderly, possibly the last time.

Memorising each other. I memorised her curves, her sound and all of her sensations.

The way she gasped and how her body fits against mine. The way she says my name.

"I love you. Always have and always will."

"I love you too. Come back to me, please come back."

"I’ll try. But if I don’t-"

"Don’t." She began to cry. "Don’t say it. You’re coming back... you have to."

We held onto each other afterwards, with Rose close by. As a family, we were complete and perfect.

Maybe the last time we’re all together like this.

I wrote a letter for Rose when she was older.

Explaining everything about why I went, why I had to and how much I loved her.

Dear Rose, If you’re reading this, I didn’t come back. But I died making sure you could live safely. That’s all a father can do: to protect his children from the monsters in the world. You are the best thing I ever done and the best part of me. I love you more than life itself. So be strong, be kind and be better than I was. -Dad

I sealed it and gave it to Katherine. "Only if I don’t return."

She took it, crying. "You’re coming back."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Bella visited, and her eyes were red. David’s funeral is scheduled for tomorrow.

She won’t be there, but she came to stay here for this instead.

"Kill him. For David, for the fifteen employees who died and for Rose. Kill Dante Marvin."

"I will."

"And Tony? Come back. I need you, Katherine needs you, and Rose needs you."

"I’ll try."

We hugged, probably for the last time. "You’re a good brother, better than I deserved."

"You’re a good sister, better than I knew I needed."

We board a private plane to Venice. The team was silent as we were focused.

Thomas was reviewing intelligence: the maps, guard schedules and security protocols.

"Security rotates every six hours. We hit at 3 AM when they are at their lowest workforce. The shift change creates vulnerabilities."

"What’s our entry point?"

"Sea approach, underwater insertion. The surface inside compound walls, and we’d bypass perimeter security entirely."

I looked at him. "You’re fifty-eight years old. You can’t-"

"I trained for this, and I’m ready. One last mission, then I turn myself back in to pay for my crimes and face justice. But first, we end Dante and end this curse I started."

By night, we were already approaching Venice, the dark Mediterranean waters.

We saw a boat in the distance and could see the compound. There were lights with guards patrolling in a fortress.

"Last chance to turn back," Luca offered.

"We’re not turning back. We end this tonight. One way or another."

The team geared up. All weapons were checked, night vision ready, and explosives prepared.

"Remember, Dante is the priority target," I instructed. "Everything else is secondary. We’re here for him."

We did an underwater approach in scuba gear inside the cold water. Everywhere was dark and silent.

We surfaced inside compound walls, undetected so far; the security didn’t see us coming.

We moved silently as professionals, with Thomas leading. He knew the layout perfectly.

The guards patrolling, we neutralised them quietly; non-lethal when possible and lethal when necessary.

We had now reached the main building, which was Dante’s residence and our target location.

Breaching, we broke down the door loudly, no more stealth, now we’ve arrived.

The alarm triggered immediately, and guards responded with immediate heavy gunfire.

Our team began to engage in suppressive fire, moving forward through the chaos.

We already had casualties; one of Luca’s operators was down. A shoulder wound, though not fatal, and he kept on moving.

"Keep moving and find Dante!" I roared.

We began clearing the room by room, desperately searching.

The office was empty. So were the bedroom and living areas, all empty.

"He’s not here!" The rage building inside me was terrifying. "We came all this way, and he’s not here!"

Thomas realised it first. "He knew... somehow, he knew we were coming."

It was a trap, and the understanding hit me like a physical blow. "We need to leave. Now!"

The exits were blocked, and guards flooded in from all directions. We were surrounded in a firefight. This was intense and brutal. Our team was pinned down, and we had run out of options.

Thomas made his decision. "I’ll cover you. Get out and get back to Rose."

"I’m not leaving you-"

"This is my redemption and my choice. My sins to atone for. GO!"

Thomas was laying down suppressive fire and giving us the opening we needed.

The team began to escape through a window, running and surviving.

We ran past the guards chasing us, theirs and our bullets flying everywhere.

We made it to the water, swimming to safety as our boat waited.

I looked back and saw the building on fire. Thomas was still inside, fighting.

"Dad!" I screamed. "DAD!"

The explosion was massive; the entire compound erupted in flames.

Thomas was gone. He sacrificed himself and saved us.

Saved me.

On the boat, while we raced away and Venice disappeared in the distance, my phone buzzed with a message from Dante.

Nice try, cousin. But I’m always three steps ahead. Your father died for nothing. Now, you’ll never find me, but I’ll find you. And when I do, Rose dies slowly while you watch. This is just beginning. -D

I stared at the screen feeling rage, grief and failure.

Thomas was dead, and Dante is alive. The mission failed completely.

Everything was for nothing.

I returned to the safe house feeling defeated, broken and empty.

Katherine was waiting and took one look at my face.

"Thomas?"

"He’s dead. He died to save us, sacrificing himself so we could escape."

"And Dante?"

"Escaped. He knew we were coming. It was a trap from the beginning."

Katherine’s face crumbled. "So nothing changed. We’re still hunted. Rose is still in danger, and Thomas died for nothing."

Before I could respond, there was a breaking news story on TV.

"Explosion in Venice kills alleged crime lord. Italian authorities confirm Thomas Marvin, escaped U.S. prisoner, killed in raid on suspected criminal compound. Officials are investigating whether the attack was sanctioned by American intelligence or a rogue operation."

My phone rang, and it was Timothy, furious.

"Did you just start an international incident? The Italian government is demanding answers! You’ve compromised FBI operations across Europe!"

"My father is dead-"

"Your fugitive father died in an unauthorised military operation on foreign soil! Do you understand the diplomatic nightmare you’ve created?"

I hung up. I didn’t care about anything right now or the repercussions that would follow.

Thomas was dead, and Dante was still out there.

Katherine’s phone buzzed with a text message from an unknown number.

She opened it and gasped, her face going white.

A photo of Rose sleeping peacefully in her crib at the current safe house was attached.

This was taken hours ago while we were in Venice.

Dante’s message read:

You left her alone. Big mistake. I could have taken her tonight, but I’m patient. The game is just beginning. Now, say goodbye to everyone you love. One by one, they’ll die until only you remain... broken, alone and destroyed. Just like my father. -D

Rose was vulnerable. While I hunted Dante, Dante hunted Rose.

And he was still out there, closer than ever.

The war wasn’t over.

It was only escalating.