Page 5 of Mafia Kingdom

"Find anything?" I ask, my voice strained with tension as the other two men join us; they must have circled the property.

They shake their heads, frustration etched on their faces. "Nothing. It’s like they vanished."

Tony curses under his breath, his face a mask of anger. "We need to find them before they come back. This wasn’t random; they knew you’d be here."

I nod, feeling the weight of his words. "We’ll split up and cover more ground. Stay in touch, and be careful."

We spread out, each of us moving through the trees, our senses on high alert. Every snap of a twig, every whisper of wind pushes my nerves further on edge. I can't shake the feeling that we’re being watched.

Minutes pass like hours as we search. I can hear Tony and the other two men’s occasional muttered curses, their frustration mirroring my own. Suddenly, I spot something—a faint trail of blood leading deeper into the woods.

"Over here!" I call out, my heart pounding. Tony rushes to my side, his flashlight converging with mine on the trail.

"This way," I say, leading him forward. The trail winds through the trees, and we follow it with renewed determination.

The blood trail leads us to a small clearing. In the center, there’s a makeshift camp, a few belongings scattered around. It’s clear someone was here recently, but they’re gone now.

"Damn it," Tony mutters, kicking a canteen lying on the ground. "They were here."

I kneel down, examining the items. "They were definitely waiting for us, maybe a few days."

I scan the area. "We need to ring all the local hospitals to see if anyone has been brought in tonight with a gunshot wound."

We return to the safehouse.

My adrenaline is wavering; the pain becomes almost unbearable.

“You boys stay here. Secure the perimeter. I’ll send more men back. I need to get Marco to the doc,” Tony says.

I’m ready to object, but he’s right. I’m in no condition to drive.

“Don’t go into the basement.” I fire the warning over my shoulder. The guns will have to stay here for now. I’ll get someone to move them.

Tony waits for me at the door. But, I’m hesitant to leave. “They are good men, Marco; they will do what you say.” Tony’s words have me leaving with him, because I trust him, and he works with most of these men, training them in.

As I get into Tony’s car, I can’t shake the image of Danny bleeding out. He’s strong; he has to survive.

Tony is already on the phone as he instructs more men to arrive.

My phone buzzes. It’s a message from Mike: "Danny’s at the hospital. He’s in surgery now."

A wave of relief washes over me.

"You think Danny will be alright?" Tony asks, his voice barely above a whisper; he’s like a second dad to us and cares about us like we are his sons.

I nod, trying to reassure him. "Yeah, he’s tough. He’ll pull through."

Silence falls between us, each of us lost in our thoughts. I still can’t shake the feeling that we’re being watched, that the attacker is still lurking in the shadows.

I want to ask Tony if he knows what was in the basement or has any idea what my dad is thinking of doing with so many weapons. He’s close to my father, but the words don’t leave my mouth. If he knows, I can't allow him to think that my dad has kept Danny and me in the dark. It will weaken our stance among the men, so I stay quiet and try to control the pain that’s burning my shoulder and racing down my arm.

CHAPTER THREE

Sasha

I SIT ON the edge of the chair, my fingers tapping a restless rhythm against my knees. Every creak and groan of the house sends my heart racing. I can't shake the feeling that they'll be back. Those men—angry, demanding, unpredictable. What if they come tonight? What if they come when I'm not ready? What if Dad is wrong, and they won’t wait until the morning?

I glance over at Lily, my little sister, who is absorbed in the colorful animations dancing across the TV screen. She's giggling at some cartoon character's antics, her earlier fear almost gone. I wish I could shield her from all of this.

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