Dry Your Tears

Twenty Eight

"This is it." Adam breathed as the car shook beneath them, the forest around them becoming thicker and thicker as they neared the Barletta mansion.

"Yeah, we're finally going to get them back." Elias smiled, James, Sander, Adam and Jonathon sharing similar looks. 

"If Barletta doesn't kill you first." Marchesi snorted, ruining the moment.  The men shared a look with each other before John got up to sit next to Marchesi, draping an arm over his shoulder. Some of Marchesi's men that were in this car looked on, guns at the ready however, Marchesi waved his hand, telling them to stand down. 

"Listen here mate, ya see, it's no secret you're a sly fucking bastard and so, me and me mates here took some necessary precautions." Marchesi's head snapped towards Elias who was looking at him smugly, the car jerking around them. 

"What is he talking about?" He asked with narrowed eyes, Johnny rolled his eyes before smacking the Italian upside the head. 

"Bloody hell, if you'd just let me finish then you would have known by now." Marchesi glared at John who just grinned cheekily back at him. "You are going to put your men under Elias' command, from now until this shit is all ovet, you will tell them to listen and obey his every word no matter where you are or what happens. Or else, " John pauzed, brushing some dust off of Marchesi's shirt before continuing. "Or else, well, Sander why don't you show him." Sander nodded, taking out his Ipad to show Marchesi an aerial view of two of his biggest properties in Italy, one of them being the place they had raided days ago. 

"We've planted explosives all around both these places, Elias, Jonathon and Adam send messages by the hour to the men controlling them there, if they miss one message or send the wrong coded message the men will take that as a sign to blow both theses places to pieces. Destroying everything, all your gold, all your money, all your most prized possesions gone before you can even blink." 

"You're bluffing." Marchesi scoffed and Adam sent a weary glance to John because they were bluffing, hardcore. There were no explosives or extra men, everything Elias had, every man, save for a few who were home protecting the girls at the base, was at this mission. However, Marchesi didn't need to know that.

"We ain't but you can always test that theory if ya want." Johnny shrugged nonchalantly, his confidence selling the show. 

"What about the women, your whole operation is about saving them so I highly doubt you'll just killl them off now." The Don smiled smugly, thinking he had them.

"You're absolutely right, that is why we evactuated them before hand." Sander showed him another picture of Ashe herding a large group of women towards their jet. This was real, it was a massive risk and incredibly difficult to do without Marchesi realizing but Ashe had insisted. So, while Elias, Adam and John spoke to Marchesi about the plans for the mission, Ashe, Jonathon, James and Sander guided all the women Marchesi kept against their wills to safety, right under his nose. 

"So, what will it be?" Elias asked when Marchesi's face fell, realizing he was trapped. 

"Ascolta e ascolta attentamente, la missione che stiamo per intraprendere è molto pericolosa e tutto può succedere. Devi ascoltare questi due uomini in ogni momento, qualunque cosa mi accada. Tutti i nostri soldi e l'oro sono in gioco quindi non disobbedirgli, cazzo, mi hai sentito? Prima facciamo questa merda, prima possiamo andare a casa e lasciare questi bastardi." Marchesi pointed at Elias and his men as he spoke to his men who nodded their heads at his orders. Elias looked at Jonathon who was fluent in Italian who nodded, assuring him that Marchesi had told his men they were under their command now and not something else. 

A few moments later, the car came to a halt and they all looked at each other, giving each other supportive nods. This was it. Time to get back their family.  They stepped out the van, the men in the other four vans doing the same, guns strapped to their bodies as well as a few already loaded and in their hands. They were still in the forest leading to Barletta's mansion, the tops of his estate already in view. They had stopped at the coordinates given by Lorenzo at the exact time he had given them. So now all that was left to do was wait.