THE BETRAYER'S GAME

CHAPTER 3

As we stood in the dimly lit restaurant, the tension crackled in the air. Leo had just flipped the sign to "We Are Closed," and the flashlight beam flickered ominously as we pointed it at the bound figure in the corner.

"Scare tactic number one," Leo grinned, but it fell flat as the guy didn't even flinch. Instead, he squinted against the harsh light, his expression bored as if he'd seen it all before

"Alright, let's try this again," I muttered, more to myself than anyone else. I stepped forward, gripping the edges of the black rubber mask that obscured his features. With a swift tug, I ripped it off his face.

He blinked, momentarily blinded by the sudden brightness. As his eyes adjusted, I got my first good look at him. Carlito was younger than I expected, maybe in his late twenties, with sharp cheekbones and a hardened glare that spoke of countless battles in the underworld. His dark hair was slicked back, and his clothes were tailored but stained, hinting at the life of chaos he led. His aura was one of confidence and danger—a predator who had survived in the ruthless game of the Mafia.

"Who the hell are you?" he sneered, struggling against his bindings.

"Let's cut to the chase, Carlito. When are you planning to assault Mr. Dominic? And why?"Carlito leaned back against the wall, feigning nonchalance. "You think I'm going to just tell you? Not a chance."

I took a step closer, my voice low and firm. "You must know the plan. How many men will you have? What's your timing?"

He hesitated for a moment, then his eyes narrowed. 

"Why do you care so much about Mr. Dominic? You think you can just take down the Mafia?"

"Let's just say he's a problem we want to solve," I shot back. "And we're not afraid to make it happen."

"Interesting," he said, leaning forward slightly. "But tell me, who's your spy? Because without one, you'd never know where we were meeting."

A chill ran down my spine. He was onto something. I couldn't let him know that Vinny had sold out the Mafia, but it was becoming harder to keep my composure.

"What do you mean?" I tried to sound casual, but it came out more strained than I intended.

"Don't play games with me," Carlito shot back, his gaze sharp like a hawk. 

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Someone tipped you off. Without a spy, you would never have time to plan an attack or locate our basement.

I exchanged a glance with Zane, and I could see the wheels turning in his head. Carlito wasn't just fishing; he was starting to connect the dots.

"Vinny, isn't it?" Carlito continued, a sly grin creeping onto his face. "Everything is falling into place now.He has been feeding you info from the inside huh? He was playing both sides the whole time."

"Listen—" I began, but Carlito's expression changed. His eyes sharpened, and he leaned in closer, a dangerous glint in his gaze.

"Wait a minute... You. You're Coolio Adriano, aren't you?"

I froze. I had been so focused on the interrogation that I hadn't even considered how he might connect the dots!

Carlito's eyes widened with realization. "The traitor who sold out the Mafia to the cops. That's why you're here. To finish what you started.

The weight of his words hung in the air, and I could see him piecing it all together like a sinister puzzle.

 "And now you're trying to finish what you started," he continued, his voice lowering to a menacing whisper. 

"But that's not all, is it? You've got Vinny feeding you information from the inside. Everything makes sense now. That's how you knew where we were. That's why when we found were you were hiding, he came back empty handed with a stupid excuse!"

My heart raced as I realized the gravity of the situation. If Carlito fully connected the dots, our entire operation could come crashing down. I needed to regain control.

"You're mistaken," I said, trying to sound convincing. 

Carlito laughed, a cold, hollow sound. 

"You think I don't see through your lies? You're not as clever as you think. This is why I'm here in this chair. Because of you and your little puppet."

The door behind us creaked ominously, and the air shifted as if sensing the impending danger. Just then, the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoed in the empty restaurant.

"Leo, we need to—" Zane started, but before he could finish, a group of men stormed in, their expressions dark and ready for a fight.

Carlito's smirk widened, satisfaction washing over his features as he watched the chaos unfold.

"Looks like your little plan backfired. Welcome to your downfall, Coolio."

As the first punch landed squarely on my jaw, I realized I had walked straight into a trap. The last thing I saw was Carlito's triumphant grin before everything faded to black.