RANCOR

THE VILLAIN OUT OF HIS LAIR

IN A PENTHOUSE IN MILAN, ITALY

A henchman was walking through the lobby and reached near the luxurious bar of the penthouse, where the one and only Ethan Rodriguez, the tall muscular man with long hair, as before, perched on the bar stool, swirling a glass of whisky while the bartender dutifully replenished the drink. He approached Ethan with trepidation and bowed before him. "Boss!...", his voice laced with apprehension, ".. we are unable to reach Emilio Cassano!" Ethan's hand halted in mid-air, the grip around his glass tightening as he turned his gaze sharply toward the henchman "What do you mean, he is unreachable? He should have been here by now with that envelop!" His tone dripped with fury, and the tension in the air thickened palpably.

The henchman, visibly nervous under Ethan's scrutiny, stammered out his response, " B..Boss  we've attempted to contact him but his cellphone is switched off and his whereabouts cannot be traced!" Ethan's reaction was immediate and explosive; he rose from his seat, shattering his glass against the floor in a display of unrestrained anger. The sudden commotion sent the servants scurrying, their faces a mask of fear. 

"What are you morons doing then?, Ethan roared, his voice echoing through the lavish surroundings." That worthless Emilio, is trying to betray me!" His frustration was tangible, his patience worn thin by this unexpected turn of events.  "Track him down," he commanded, his voice a steely edge, "find out where he is by any means necessary!"

As if on cue, another henchman hurried towards Ethan, breathless. "Boss! Emilio hosted a party at one of his mansions in Brooklyn, not long ago," the henchman gasped out, struggling to regain his composure. "There was a chaos at the party! Emilio even left a voicemail for you as you were unavailable at that time." Ethan then listened intently to the voicemail that Emilio had left for him (flashback-when Emilio had left the mansion in his car, after asking his henchman to get rid of Claire). 

"What was the chaos about?", asked Ethan, after he had finished listening  to Emilio's voicemail. The henchman faltered under his gaze, his words stumbling out in a rush of nervous energy. "We...we're not certain, but it seemed to revolve around a young woman. Maybe she is an undercover spy and managed to track Emilio!" Ethan's patience wore thin at the henchman's conjecture, he moved forward with purpose, delivering a swift and punishing slap to the henchman's face, "Do not speculate," he warned, his voice a dangerous whisper, "bring me facts, or suffer the consequences.". 

With a wave of his hand, Ethan dismissed the henchmen, their orders clear and their mission urgent. "Emilio holds the key to our survival," he declared, his tone resolute. "We must retrieve that envelope at all costs, lest the SGO's wrath be unleashed upon us." As the henchmen bowed and departed, Ethan's mind raced with possibilities, his determination unyielding in the face of adversity. The stakes were high, and failure was not an option!