Cold Brew and Bullets (Part 1 of the Syndicate Series)

Alessio:

Leaving Eliana alone in the kitchen with Angelo probably wasn't my best moment, but I was distracted by everything that had happened. I trusted the man, probably even with my life, but he wasn't the best with social graces and I wasn't sure if he was the person to be with Eliana after everything she had been through.

My judgement was slightly inhibited with the full shock of everything. There was no reason to think that Eliana wouldn't have figured everything out that was going on, especially after spending a week in captivity of the Russians. I had no reason to underestimate her like that, maybe it was some type of hope deep down that she would have been none the wiser about who I was and what I did, and after she healed I could find a vague explanation to make her look past everything without suspicion. It was an insult to her intelligence for me to think she wouldn't have figured it out.

Leonardo was more in tune to my moods than anyone else, it would be difficult to hide anything from him. "Are you doing alright, sir?"

The 'sir' part was more for my benefit, he was one of the few people that could skip the title without any repercussions. "Of course."

"That wasn't convincing, you may want to make it more believable for the meeting we're on our way to. What's bothering you the most?"

"She's not telling us everything," I muttered as we mounted the stairs on our way to my office. "I know she left some of it out for our benefit, but it's bothering me."

"You can't be suspicious of her...."

"No, of course not, but she's much more calm about this than I would have expected. I was ready to have to spin some elaborate lie, but she's barely faltered. She got a look in the mirror and she didn't even flinch at the bruises."

"Maybe the medicine that's dulling her pain is making her a little sluggish and more docile than usual?" Leonardo suggested halfheartedly. He wasn't blind to it either, I knew it didn't feel right to him, but he was trying his best to be helpful.

"It's possible, I suppose." I was trying to work out what the unsettling feeling was deep in my gut, not one of distrust or suspicion, but one that seemed to be telling me Eliana was holding something back.

Leonardo held the door open for me as we stepped into my office. My higher up capos were sitting around my desk and stiffened when I entered the room, but their eyes were somewhat wary. Normally this would take place in a conference room, but I knew they would have many more questions during this meeting and my office was admittedly slightly more comfortable than the bright and empty room that we usually used down the hall.

All of them seemed a little more on edge than usual, not that I could blame them- I had been slightly more tense over the last few days, and when Eliana was missing I had lashed out a few times. I took my seat behind the desk, "She confirmed it beyond a shadow of a doubt. It was the Russians."

The men in the room bristled, not shocked by the news but also angry that their suspicions were being confirmed. Stefano was the first to speak, "Should we wait for Angelo?"

"He's taking care of some things for me, but he'll be here soon. We'll start without him," I commanded. "As far as the Russians are concerned, I know what I want my next move to be. Of course I'll make the first call as far as the matter is concerned, but I would like your input."

They remained silent, a couple casting glances at the table or each other, but Leonardo was the only one to break the silence, "As far as I'm concerned, they've crossed too many lines. They've broken mutual honor codes, destroyed profits and trades, injured your men and now kidnapped and tortured your- a civilian that they only had a loose suspicion of affiliation to connect to us. That warrants aggression, and whatever extent you see fit fit to execute, I will follow your lead."