A Mob Boss's Territory (Book 4-About Vincenzo)

41. 4 Minutes

Francesco was standing there in front of a building he never thought he would step foot in. He never wanted to revisit his past. But his eldest son was stubborn enough not to leave him a choice. He was left no choice but to go inside his father's lair. The man had no address but Francesco knew this was the place he was likely to be that night. It was owned by a ghost company. It was wealthy. It was guarded well. There was no way to get inside but through the front gates that had a camera. He was looking into the camera as he was pressing the buzzer. His security team were restless watching him not liking the idea one bit. He didn't like the idea either but he had raised a stubborn son like Vincenzo and he had to be the one to bring him home to his mother. The door opened and he was greeted by armed men. He could hear his men a few yards back getting ready to shoot. He turned to them "Don't fire. Unless they fire first." He then turned to the armed men. I am here to see my son. Vincenzo. Take me to him."

The metal door behind him closed. He was faced with familiar faces he hated. They were his father's loyal men. They were silently looking at him. They were waiting for orders. He waited and saw movement from a distance and heard a voice he could link to one of his father's trusted men most likely more highly ranked "Drop your weapons, the Don requests."

Francesco raised his eyebrows as the men dropped their weapons.

From the shadows he saw a man approaching them. The man said "We apologise sir. This is security protocol."

Francesco said harshly "I don't need your apology. Take me to my son. He is either here or you are communicating with him."

The man said "Sir. Please follow me. The Don is a underground. Three levels down." He then bowed and walked away "This way sir."

Francesco walked behind the man as he was looking around sizing the place up planning on how many ways he wanted to burn the place down and destroy it. The bricks reminded him of his father. They just did. He cursed his eldest son in his mind. Why did he have to be so stubborn. He just want not interested to even acknowledge his father's existence let alone enter his lair. This was the worst idea he ever had. But he had no other choice. He wanted his son now.

As he went down the steps to the underground he noticed the portraits. He was familiar with them. They were his father's. He was feeling sick. This was the closest he had come to his father's lair.

As the man opened the door to the last floor down he turned to Francesco "After you sir."

Francesco entered. There he was. His son was surrounded by his so called Sicilian commanders. There was no lost between him and them. His son was standing behind a military looking desk with glass cover on it and pointing to different part of the map on the desk. He could not hear his son. The room was huge. Vincenzo was right at the end of the long room. He walked towards his son with every intention of taking him out there but of course the one he didn't want to see again popped up out of nowhere in front of him like the phantom that he was.

"Hello Son." His icy cold eyes and icy cold voice held no feelings that he was interested in. He didn't care. He wanted to punch him senseless for daring to call him son but he didn't want to taint his fists in his blood of a man who had no right to call him son.

Francesco glanced past him and looked at his son who hadn't noticed his entry. He then looked at his father. He reached his hand up and grabbed his neck only to hear the sound of guns pointed at him from around the room.

He whispered "I can't wait to order your funeral invitations. Aren't you dying yet."

His father whispered back "I have unfinished business in this world yet."

Francesco was surrounded. They were in the shadows and some came forward in the light of torches that were hardly visible in the dimly lit room.

That got Vincenzo's attention. He ordered "Drop your weapons. Father I will be with you in a moment." He then carried on talking to his commanders.

The weapons went down and so did Francisco's hand. He saw his son indeed took no longer than one moment. He stepped away and walked towards him and ordered "Grandpa I need you to be in the next room. Is that reasonable?"

Francesco didn't feel like as much bitterness for all the pain he had suffered but every time his son called his father his grandpa it was like a dagger piercing his heart. He died every time he heard the word and he watched his father come alive giving him a knowing look.

Paulo turned to Vincenzo "It's a reasonable request." He then walked past Vincenzo and put his hand on his shoulder and in a fatherly way touched his hair as he walked by.

Francesco declared "You come with me. Now." He then walked away to the exit."

Vincenzo walked behind him silently. As his father walked out he walked out with him and closed the door. He watched his father walk further to the meeting room at the bend in the corridor. It did surprise him his father knew the building. His father never mentioned it.

His father was all familiar with the room. He went straight to a cabinet and got some bottle of vodka out. He became curious "Father you have been here before? Grandpa said you hate the place."

Francesco said "Don't mention him. He put you up to this suicide mission. I don't want to hear his name. He poured himself a drink in a glass "Now. What do I do with you my unruly son?"

Vincenzo walked to his father as he was drinking from the glass. "Unruly? In what way. I have always been loyal to you father. I have followed your advice word for word. What I do will have repercussions and I will face them."

Francesco put away his drink and glanced at his son "You must face me first."

Vincenzo shook his head "Father? What do you mean?"

Francesco said "You heard. I am taking you away. Whatever the Sicilians are planning to do is not my concern and it shouldn't be yours either."

Vincenzo said "I can't walk away. Vienna is my concern..."

Francesco said "She is my concern too. But she is Tristan's concern too. Jackson won't try to hurt Vienna. He knows already you are coming at him. You made sure he knows by sending him messages through his people via third parties that he is being watched. He is prepared. You want a show down. I don't. This is not my way. This is not the way I deal with Jackson's kind. There are other ways."

Vincenzo said "He deserves much worse than what I am going to do to him."

Francesco said "He doesn't deserve your time and effort that must be focused elsewhere. Leave dealing with him to me and come with me now..."

Vincenzo simply stated "No. I can't."

Francesco closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened his eyes he said "So he it the hard way then. I am not leaving without you. I am taking you with me to your mother tonight. Safe and sound." He then slowly walked around the table that was in front of him "So you want this done the hard way?"

Vincenzo said "Father... I don't wish to argue tonight..."

Francesco walked slowly to his son "It won't be arguments. There is no case to argue. It's just you and me. I am taking you with me whether you like it or not. But I give you one more chance... I give you five minutes to think about this. You can't go out there and do what you are planning to do. It's impossible."

Vincenzo decided to sit down on a sofa "Alright. I think about it. But first tell me father... You seem to know this place well. What do you know about this place?"

Francesco sat opposite his son.

Vincenzo eyed his father.

Francesco didn't change his expression "Built in 1800s. This place is a dump. It's preserved by some heritage organisation... You want a history lesson on it?"

Vincenzo spoke cautiously "You know it well. Too well... Even I didn't know this room existed. Only grandpa could uncover it... You knew what to push. You know what's where here... Grandpa said you don't come here."

Francesco said "I said not to mention him..." He stood up "You have 4 minutes.