Page 91 of Mafia Kingdom

"That's our thinking," Tony confirms. "The question is, what do we do about it?"

It's the central dilemma—how to respond to this intelligence without walking into another ambush. The O'Reilly compound is a fortress, designed to repelthe kind of direct assault we'd need to capture Gerald and potentially my father. Yet, doing nothing isn't an option. Gerald knows too much, and every hour he spends with the O'Reillys increases the damage he can do to our operations.

"We need eyes on the compound," I decide. "Surveillance only, for now. I want to know who's there, what security measures are in place, and any potential vulnerabilities."

Tony nods, already mentally selecting the team for such a delicate operation. "And if we confirm Gerald and your father are both there?"

The question hangs in the air, heavy with implication. Am I prepared to launch an attack that could potentially kill my own father? Cross that final, irrevocable line?

"Then we assess our options," I say carefully. "But we don't move without solid intelligence this time. Last night taught us the cost of rushing in unprepared."

Tony accepts this with a nod, though I can see he's already anticipating the eventual assault. He knows, as I do, that this confrontation is inevitable. The only questions are when,how, and at what cost.

As Tony leaves to organize the surveillance operation, Sasha approaches, having maintained her distance during the post-meeting discussions. Her expression is contemplative, thoughtful in a way that suggests she's been processing all she's heard with her usual perceptiveness.

"You handled that well," she observes. "They needed your strength today."

"They needed certainty," I correct her gently. "Direction. Purpose. After a betrayal like this, men either unite more strongly or fracture completely. There's rarely middle ground."

She nods. "And now you're going after Gerald. After your father."

It's not a question, but I answer anyway. "Yes. If the intelligence is correct, if they're both at the O'Reilly compound, then that's where this ends. One way or another."

"When?" she asks.

"Not immediately," I assure her. "We need proper intelligence, proper planning. The compound is a fortress—we'll only get one chance at this."

Relief flickers across her face, though she tries to hide it.

"There's something else we need to discuss," I say, changing the subject to an equally important matter. "Lily and Karen. They can't stay here, not with everything that's happening."

Sasha nods. "Where will they go? They can't go back to our house or Karen's place—those are the first places the O'Reillys would look."

"I have a property in Kerry," I tell her. "A farmhouse, isolated, with good natural security features. It's not in the Walsh family portfolio—I purchased it privately, years ago. Very few people know about it."

She considers this. "Lily won't want to leave without me," she says finally. "And honestly, I'm not sure I want her that far away right now."

The admission doesn't surprise me. Despite Sasha's remarkable adaptation to our dangerous reality, her protective instinct toward Lily remains her core motivation. It's one of the qualities I admire most about her—this unwavering loyalty to family, to those she loves.

"You could go with them," I offer, though the words cost me more than I care to admit. "Take a step back from all this until it's resolved."

She looks at me for a long moment, something complex and unreadable passing through her eyes. "Is that what you want? For me to go?"

"What I want," I say carefully, "is for you to be safe. To be spared what's coming next. The confrontation with my father, with the O'Reillys—it will be ugly, Sasha. Brutal in ways you haven't seen yet."

"I'm not fragile, Marco." There's steel in her voice, a reminder of the strength that has carried her through horrors most people never imagine, let alone survive. "I've chosen this life. Chosen you. I'm not running from the consequences of that choice."

Pride and fear war within me—pride at her courage, fear for what that courage might cost her. "And Lily? Karen? They haven't chosen this."

She acknowledges this with a nod. "They'll go to Kerry. I'll explain it to Lily—that it's temporary, that we'll be together again when it's safe." She hesitates, then adds with quiet determination, "But I'm staying with you."

The decision shouldn't please me as much as it does. I should insist she go with Lily, remove herself from the danger that surrounds me like a gravitational field. But the thoughtof facing what's coming without her beside me is suddenly unbearable.

"Alright," I concede, knowing I should argue but unable to muster the will. "But you stay removed from direct operations. You've been incredible, Sasha, but this final confrontation—I need to know you're secure while I'm focused on what must be done."

She accepts this compromise with a nod, recognizing the practicality of my concern. "When will they leave for Kerry?"

"Tomorrow morning," I decide. "Tony will arrange transportation—discreet, indirect routes to avoid being tracked. He'll select a team to accompany them, men I trust absolutely."

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