Chapter 28 Renato
We're going about this all wrong.
The thought hits me as we navigate through Rome's industrial sprawl while I stare at my phone, willing it to ring with useful intelligence.
"Pull over," I say suddenly.
"Boss?"
"Pull over. I need to think."
Matteo finds a deserted parking area behind a closed factory. I get out, pacing in the shadows while my mind works through the tactical reality we're facing.
Torretti is a professional. He has security, resources, established protocols. His facility is a fortress, his transport will be heavily protected, and he's expecting us to come. Every advantage is his.
But Alessandro Rossi?
Alessandro is a businessman who thinks money solves everything. He's sitting in his villa right now, probably celebrating the successful elimination of his family's problem. Feeling safe. Feeling clever.
"Change of plans," I announce, getting back in the car.
"What kind of change?"
"We're not chasing Torretti. We're going after the man who hired him to make sure Camilla disappeared, one way or the other." I pull out my phone, scrolling through contacts. "Alessandro thinks he's won. Time to show him exactly what he's started."
Matteo's eyes light up with understanding. "Go after the client instead of the contractor."
"Exactly. Torretti's a professional, but Alessandro's an amateur playing in a game he doesn't understand." I find the number I'm looking for and dial. "Sergio? It's Renato. I need everything you have on Alessandro Rossi's current location."
"The old man? What kind of information?"
"Residence addresses, office locations, security details, daily routine. Everything." I check my watch. "And I need it in twenty minutes."
"That's fast work for detailed intel—"
"Then you'd better start now. And Sergio? This is worth triple your usual fee if you deliver fast and accurate."
I hang up and turn to Matteo. "Alessandro hired Torretti. Which means he might can call him off. We just need to persuade him."
"And if he refuses?"
"He won't refuse. Not after I explain the situation properly." I lean back in the seat, planning. "Alessandro wanted to solve his problem with money and hired muscle. He's about to learn what happens when you come after her."
My phone buzzes. Sergio.
"I've got preliminary information on Alessandro Rossi."
"Go."
"He's currently at his private villa outside Rome. Via Appia Antica, gated estate. Security is tighter than expected. Four guards on rotation, comprehensive camera system, panic room in the master suite. He's been nervous lately, beefed up protection."
No shit. He's expecting trouble. Not from me specifically, but he knows he's made enemies.
"Current status?"
"Home for the evening. Wife is visiting relatives in Naples. Household staff live off-site except for a housekeeper and cook who have private quarters in the back wing. Guards are ex-military, professional."
Not ideal, but manageable. "Send me the address and layout details."
"Already done. Check your email."
I open the files he sent. Satellite images, security assessments, floor plans from a renovation three years ago. The security is better than I hoped, but there are still vulnerabilities.
"Matteo, head for Via Appia Antica. Time to pay Alessandro a visit."
"What's the play?"
"We take Alessandro somewhere private and explain why hiring Torretti was the worst decision of his life. Then he calls off the transaction and tells us where she is."
"Four guards, cameras, possible panic room. This isn't going to be quiet."
"Then we make it fast." I check my weapons, ensuring everything is ready. "Alessandro thinks this is about business. He's about to learn it's personal."
As we drive through Rome's ancient streets toward Alessandro's villa, I think about Camilla. What she's enduring right now. What Torretti's "preparation" might involve. The fear she must be feeling.
The rage building in my chest is focused and deadly.
"There," Matteo points ahead. "The villa."
Even in darkness, it's impressive. Ancient walls surrounding manicured grounds, elegant architecture that speaks of old money and older privilege.
"Security assessment?" I ask, studying the perimeter.
"Four guards visible. Two at the main gate, one mobile patrol, one at the service entrance. Cameras covering main approaches. This is going to be messy." Matteo parks where we can observe without being seen. "How do you want to handle entry?"
"We can't avoid the cameras entirely, but we can move faster than their response time." I study the layout. "There, the east wall. Cameras have a blind spot where the landscaping creates shadow. We go over, neutralize the patrol guard first, then work our way in."
"Equipment?"
"Full tactical. Suppressed weapons, flash-bangs if we need them, zip ties." I gather my gear. "We're in and out with the target in twenty minutes maximum."
"And the guards?"
"Neutralize, don't kill unless necessary. I don't need more bodies to explain." I check the suppressor on my pistol. "But if they force the issue, we do what we have to do."
Matteo nods grimly. "This is going to get ugly."
"Alessandro thought he could solve his problems with violence. Time to show him what real violence looks like."
We approach the villa through shadows, moving along the perimeter until we reach the blind spot Sergio identified. The wall is high but scalable. We're over in under a minute, dropping into manicured gardens on the other side.
The patrol guard appears exactly on schedule. Matteo takes him down with a sleeper hold, quick and efficient. We drag him into the bushes, zip-tie his hands and feet.
"One down," Matteo whispers.
The service entrance guard is harder. He sees us coming, reaches for his radio. I'm on him before he can speak, my hand clamping over his mouth, Matteo's taser dropping him unconscious. Another zip-tie, another body hidden in the shadows.
"Two down. Main gate guards will check in soon."
"Then we move fast."
The lock on the service entrance is electronic, but Matteo's bypass device overrides it in thirty seconds. We're inside, moving through darkened corridors with weapons ready.
A guard appears at the end of the hallway, flashlight sweeping toward us. Matteo's suppressed shot takes him in the shoulder, spinning him around. I'm on him before he hits the ground, rendering him unconscious with a sharp blow to the temple.
"Three down. One more."
"Master bedroom, second floor."
We move up the stairs, every sense alert for the final guard. He's standing outside Alessandro's bedroom door, professional and vigilant.
Too bad for him.
The flash-bang goes off with a deafening crack, blinding and disorienting him. We're through his position before he can recover, zip-ties securing him before he even understands what happened.
"Clear," Matteo says, checking the hallway.
I kick open Alessandro's bedroom door.
He's sitting up in bed, eyes wide with shock, reaching for something in his nightstand. I cross the room in three strides, my pistol aimed at his face.
"Don't."
His hand freezes.
"Renato? What the hell!"
"Get up. We're going somewhere private. We need to have another conversation about Camilla Colombo."
His face goes pale. "I don't know what you're talking about."
I grab him by his expensive silk pajamas, hauling him out of bed. "Sure you do."
"You're making a mistake."
Matteo appears with zip-ties. "Let's go, old man. You and Renato have a lot to discuss."
"You can't do this!"
I force him toward the door. "Of course I can. You're the man who hired Torretti to make sure Camilla disappeared. And now you're going to tell me exactly where she is."
"Wait! I can fix this!”
"You had weeks to fix this." I push him into the hallway. "Start walking. And Alessandro? How cooperative you are in the next hour will determine whether you ever see daylight again."
His face drains of all color as understanding hits him.
He fucked with the wrong woman.
And now he's going to pay for it in ways his money can't fix.
Time to collect my debt in blood.
And this collection is going to be very, very personal.