A Mob Boss's Heirs (Book 3 of New York Mafia Trilogy)

69. Cruelty Hours

Vienna was standing behind a bush hiding as she was trembling in fear. This was the most disturbing task she had to undertake in school. Survival camp was going to be hell but she didn't expect him to be so cruel. After the first two periods on that Monday morning when exams were finished, all students had made their way to the survival camp to start their gruelling survival camp. Once they had arrived in the camp, Tristan and Vincenzo had split the camp into two as the basic level exercise of the first day of the survival week. The hawks and the sparrows were the groups. Of course the hawks were the members with a rank and sparrows were everyone else. The sparrows were prey of the hawks who were the predators. The task was simple. The sparrows had to hide in the  woods, in the bushes as the hawks tracked them down. If you were caught it was at the disposal of the superiors what happened to you.

There she was, Vienna was waiting to be hunted down. She was waiting to be tasting a painful outcome in this game of prey and the predators that she didn't want any part of. She was waiting to be found. She was well camouflaged our so she thought. She was standing behind the bush were she could see spiders and ants crossing in front of her on the branches as she was anticipating her fate.

Vienna closed her eyes shut and took a deep breath as she heard screaming. She had lost count of how many times she had heard screams and cries of pain or cries for help. What was happening? She had no idea. She didn't even know where the screams were coming from. Was it Vincenzo's end or Tristan's end. Of course she was placed on the side that Tristan controlled. The hawks territory split into two.

Vienna stiffened as she heard footsteps. It was coming closer to her. She tried not to move. She looked around as much as she could without moving her head. But saw nothing. She heard his voice warning " Come out now. I give you ten seconds. You really don't think I didn't know you were hiding there. Right? I left you till last." Tristan's voice was firm and emotionless making her tremble uncontrollably. She took s deep breath and remained motionless. She wasn't meant to leave her security. She knew that much. This camouflage was her life line that protected her from horrors of getting captured, interrogated and getting hurt. She had a ray of hope that he didn't know where she was and was only guessing.

Tristan taunted " Tsk, Tsk. Don't keep me waiting Private Rosario. You know... I hate that." He meant it of course. There was a double meaning there. Tristan didn't like waiting. He didn't enjoy waiting for his girl to become his. He didn't mind waiting but he didn't enjoy it at all. Vienna was the only soul he would have died for. She was the only souls he would have given up anything for to be with yet she was forbidden fruit to him yet since her father hadn't questioned him yet. That made his blood boil. The thought of waiting longer before being allowed to ask her out did not sit well with him. Over the weekend he had tried to convince his father to let him be interrogated by Francesco Rosario but he had said no. How much more of this could he take before properly challenging his father, he had no idea. His father said he was to see Vienna's father soon but when he had no idea. Only his father knew and he was t sharing the date and place with him to Tristan's frustration.

Vienna was battling with herself wether to surrender and walk out of her hiding place. She didn't want to give into black mail. She didn't want to accept defeat so soon. She wanted to fight for her freedom. She didn't want to be a prisoner. So she remained motionless in the bushes ignoring Tristan's warning.

Tristan sounded harsher " Private Rosario come out before I come and get you."

Vienna could hear his voice from behind her. He was getting closer. Her heart beats became faster and faster as she heard his voice to be closer " You can't beat a hawk, Private Rosario. Not yet. But you can try..."