Submitting To The Devil - The Devil's Snare - Book 2

Chapter Eight Seven

Niko

My hand hovers near the reassuring weight of my gun, firmly secured in its holster at my waist, as I stride forward, flanked by Luca and shadowed by Drake. The tense atmosphere feels charged like we're stepping into the lion's den of Aurelio's lair with only two-thirds of our defences in place. I sense an unsettling truth with each cautious step: Aurelio might be the surprising adversary we had failed to anticipate, lurking behind the veneer of charm and deception that cloaks him.

His house stands as a striking testament to his wealth, an imposing structure cloaked in an elegant black exterior that commands attention. Surrounding it are expansive windows, gleaming like dark jewels, yet I can't help but notice the heavy shutters perched ominously at the top, hinting at the unsettling possibility of entrapment within those lavish walls.

As we step through the sprawling threshold, Mitchel takes the lead, guiding us through the grandiose halls. The other men—around seventy strong, a diverse mix of Luca's, Mitchel's, and Drake's warriors—scatter into various corridors, each crew navigating the opulent space with a sense of purpose. It's a curious assembly, united yet distinct, mirroring the complexity of the lives intertwined in this opulent battle.

"Call them off," Aurelio said, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he regarded Mitchel. "You won't need them here, son."

"They stay," Luca countered firmly, his voice cutting through the air and rising above whatever Mitchel had been about to protest.

Aurelio raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting to one of curiosity mixed with concern. "Why are you all here together? Is there a war I don't know about?" He halted in front of two imposing wooden doors, their intricate carvings hinting at the secrets held within. With an air of authority, Aurelio pressed his hand against the smooth panel, the heavy doors creaking open to reveal a vast study. The room was lined with towering bookshelves, their numerous tomes casting shadows in the flickering candlelight, and a grand desk loomed at its centre, littered with papers, pens and a two-screen computer set up.

"The room's not big enough for us all," Aurelio remarked, a hint of amusement colouring his voice.

"Jacob, Darren, Benzo, Lori," Mitchel called out, summoning his most trusted commanders with a steady hand raised in command.

In a similarly authoritative tone, Luca echoed his call, summoning our loyal men, their faces resolute with determination as they stepped up behind me. On the other hand, Drake remained silent, but as he made his move, his men instinctively split apart, four of them falling in line behind him without a word, their presence a silent testament to his unyielding command.

"All this for a little bit of information?" Aurelio chuckled, settling comfortably into his chair at the desk. With a dismissive wave, he beckoned us closer just as the heavy door began to swing shut behind us, sealing our secrets within the safe confines of the study.

"Show me what you know?" Mitchel demanded, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Here," Aurelio summoned him with a finger, pulling out booklets of paperwork from the top drawer of his desk. Mitchel moved at his demand, circling the desk to look down at the papers Aurelio was obviously researching.

Luca moves almost as if on autopilot, and I race to keep ahead of him, intent on keeping my body between Aurelio and him at all times.

At the desk, we look down to see files on over fifty people, each seemingly normal Italian women and men alike.

"The Puro group chose them specifically," Aurelio reveals. "It's said they brainwashed them from childhood, that they were trained below ground until they were broken, capable of horrors no child should be capable of. Only then were they let back into society. Very few knew of their existence. Your grandfather became obsessed with them, and I think that extended down to me over the years. I have so much time now that I wondered what to do with myself, and then I found myself researching them. Compiling any knowledge about them."