Chapter 3 Nathan ’Scorpion’ Bridger #3
Vito winked and nodded. "Let us lay all of our cards on the table. You're DEA Agent Darryl Castiglioni."
The man's jaw tightened, a sure sign that he knew he was in danger. "I don't know who that is."
"It's you," Vito said with certainty. "How much did you tell the DEA about us?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, I swear," the man protested.
"Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think this is the first time we've ever had a fucking rotten rat bastard try to get shit on us?" Vito asked him.
"I swear—"
Vito gripped the man's chin, stopping him. "I've read your file. You have a wife named Rebecca and two children, Anthony and Lisa, who are at Henry Sullivan High School right now."
The man's eyes widened then, and he tried to shake his head, but Vito's grip was too strong. Nathan watched, his expression unreadable, as Vito revealed information the man knew was supposed to remain a secret.
"Just listen to me, because when I'm done talking, I'm going to ask you to answer my question again, and this time, if you don't give me the correct answer, I'm going to send one of my men to visit your family," Vito said.
The man's breathing quickened, and the desperation in his expression was evident.
Vito released his chin.
"Please don't hurt them. Please," the man begged.
"What did you tell the DEA about us?" Vito asked again.
"Not much, I swear. I've been undercover here for almost a year, but haven't been able to find anything. Your records are clean, and every dollar is accounted for," the man said.
Vito nodded. "My lover has done an excellent job, then."
"What does the DEA know?" Demir asked.
"We know you're in a turf war that's spanning several states.
We know that you're working with the Lords of Chaos MC and that more men from their LA and Vegas chapters are arriving in New York and Chicago as backup.
We know that strings were pulled to get Diego Murphy and Tim Davis released from prison early," the rat said.
Nathan remained quiet as he listened to the confession and watched the Castiellos break down their enemy.
The DEA will know who pulled the strings, but it won't matter.
They couldn't touch the Bridger family, and if by some miraculous chance they got caught up, that's where his line of the family would take action.
If money couldn't buy collaboration or silence, then a bullet, poison, or a convenient "accident" would solve the problem just as well, if not better.
"Any other rat bastards we need to know about?" Vito asked the man.
"We had an agent who was working undercover in the prison where Diego and Tim were. Milan Patel, but he turned on us and joined the Lords after he fell in love with one of their members," the man said.
"Did he report any activity?" Vito asked.
"Not a damn thing. Kept lying, giving us information that was already known. The DEA wanted to implant another agent, but with the war going on, we knew adding any new members would put the Lords on alert. It's just me now," the man lied.
Vito laughed. "I believe that is the first time since I've threatened your family that you weren't completely honest with me, agent."
"No, I swear!" the man protested.
"Oh?" Vito asked, one eyebrow arched. "So, you don't have another UC hidden within the ranks of the Lords of Chaos Chicago Chapter?"
The man's eyes gave him away as they widened ever so slightly. "I—I don't know. They don't tell us who's doing what. I just know about my own mission."
Vito sighed and waved his hand. "Doesn't matter. He won't live to see tomorrow anyway. And neither will you." He turned to walk away.
"Wait!" the man blurted out.
"Wait?" Vito asked, then turned around. "Wait for what?"
The man nervously licked his lips. "If I tell you this, will you let me live?"
"There's nothing you can tell me that will allow me to let you live," Vito said.
The man continued to pant and sweat in his desperation, but he knew it was already too late for him. The Castiellos wouldn't let a man they found was a cop live. What would be in it for them if they did?
"I... I get it. And you would know how to make a DEA agent disappear easily."
"So easily," Vito said as if the words he spoke were seduction incarnate.
"Please, may I ask this one thing, then?" the man begged.
"Out of curiosity, what is it?" Vito asked.
"Please see that my son gets accepted into Yale University."
Vito stared at the man for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. "The fucking gall of this one." He pointed at the man. "I will kill your son if you don't tell me whatever it is you're trying to bargain with. That's my counteroffer. Take it or leave it."
The man cursed, then took a deep breath. "I'll take it. Just please don't hurt my family."
"Talk!" Vito snapped, his voice full of authority.
"Your uncle, Nico, is in New York," the man said.
Vito snarled at the mention of his uncle. "How long has he been there?"
"He landed this morning and is staying at the Marquis Hotel," the man said.
Vito sighed. Nico Castiello was the man the family wanted to take over when he had refused to take Rico's place.
Their father's younger brother was the golden child of their grandfather, as he was the youngest son of his beloved mistress, whom their grandmother killed once she discovered her existence.
Unfortunately for Nico, he was a raging lunatic, gay, and irresponsible—all bad traits in the eyes of their grandfather.
Where Rico was calculating, Nico was impulsive.
Both men were smart, but Nico's cunning was more savage and often got him into trouble.
He wasn't as wise as Rico, and when he went to prison, Rico became the head of the Castiello family.
That never settled well with Nico, and now Vito wondered just what kind of threat Nico was about to be.
Nathan looked at Vito's expression and knew something was amiss. The man's arrogant demeanor faltered just a bit as worry flashed behind those intense eyes of his. "Is this something I need to be concerned about?" he asked.
Vito looked at him. "No, family business. We can handle it."
"Very well," Nathan said.
Vito looked down at the agent. "Demir, take care of him."
"Yes, sir," Demir said and proceeded to drag the man out of Vito and Nathan's sight.
Nathan rose and adjusted his suit. "We'll get started on the job tonight after I coordinate with my sons."
"Good. I won't be in town until later tonight. I'm leaving to visit my brother in New York. It's been months since we've seen each other, and after nearly losing him, I need to see him with my own eyes," Vito said.
"You'll be back tonight, though, right?"
Vito nodded. "I should be back by midnight. I'm taking our private jet; Zindel and Demir will accompany me. But you don't need me here in order to carry out your mission, do you?"
"Certainly not," Nathan said.
"Good." Vito returned to his seat. "Before you go, let me treat you to a drink and a courtesy lap dance from one of our famous performers. It's the least I can do for the favor."
"I hope you don't think this covers the quid pro quo?" Nathan asked.
Vito smirked and shook his head. "No, of course not. The Castiello family knows how to treat our friends, is all."
"Well, in that case, I will accept the offer," Nathan said.