Death And Love Poems (2) Mafia Romance

33. Truth as a concept

Thiago

"Welcome back, Thiago!"

My former colleagues start clapping. Davi is right in front, savoring his triumph. I still don't know why he did it. With me back he has a direct rival that he didn't have before.

Then again, we have been friends since forever and I am not competing. I don't care about money or titles; what I maybe care for, is a bit of glory and the greater good.

"Come have a beer," says Bruno and hands me an already open bottle.

I toast the bottle against his and take a sip.

"Glad to have you back," he says.

"But what?" I have known Bruno since we were children and that sentence was not complete.

"Nothing."

"Out with it."

"I thought you were out with a reason, because, among other things, you didn't want your father to use your reputation in his campaign."

I sigh. He does know me well.

"So what made you change your mind?"

"Caterina."

"What's her real name?"

"Roxana."

"Pretty." Bruno smiles. It's genuine. Unlike with Davi, with Bruno what you see is what you get. "But is a girl worth compromising your principles for?"

"I am not. I am protecting the innocent." In her case even from herself if need be. She is very special but also very lost.

"Well, you must know best, but your father will not just change and let you do what you want." Good observation but I am older now; I know better. "I mean no disrespect but do you think it's a good thing that he wants to become president?"

"Good for whom? The people? His methods are questionable but he does love our country with passion. And there is no one better."

"Fair but, you know... There could be."

I raise an eyebrow.

"You. In a few years. But if you get associated with him and he messes it up..."

"Look at you, Bruno. And I thought Davi is the master schemer."

"I am not a schemer; I only say the truth and care about our country. You are not the only one that got into this line of work out of idealism."

That is true. Bruno also comes from a good family, has a clean background and enough financial resources but he chose this work to make a change. He is through and through a good guy.

"If these are not my favorite people. We only need to bring Henrique back and it's again the four of us." Davi gives us a characteristic, confident grin.

"Henrique is happy as he is. He asked Carla to marry him."

"I think Thiago is right. This is not a good life if you want a family."

Davi rolls his eyes. He is sometimes insufferable, thinking he knows better what you want than you do yourself.

"All-nighter today?"

"Why?" I frown. I don't like leaving Roxana alone for long, most of all now. Since the kidnapping, she looks sometimes so odd, so deeply depressed... I don't know. She should be happy that she is alive and reunited with her brother and me. But well, she was kidnapped and left to die in the jungle. That can fuck you up.

What a sadist. To just tie her up and place guards around her to wait for her to die. What an odd way of operating also.

The guys we caught on-site can be loosely traced back to João Costa's criminal organization. We obviously cannot prove anything. There was only one foreign guy caught, who committed suicide in his cell before we could question him. This means he is more afraid of his boss than of life in prison; that says something.