Chapter 5 - The Deal
Giulietta slowly raised her hands into the air as the armed men surrounded her.
She expected them to shoot her right there in the dirty alleyway.
Instead, the side door of the black van slid open.
A tall man with silver hair and a sharp scar across his cheek stepped out.
It was Viktor Petrov, the ruthless leader of the Russian syndicate in the city.
"You are a very hard woman to kill, Giulietta," Viktor said with a thick accent.
"My uncle hired you to finish the job?" she asked coldly.
Viktor chuckled and ordered his men to lower their weapons.
"Silvio paid me twenty million dollars to ambush your father's convoy today."
"But your uncle is a fool who talks too much, and I do not like working for fools."
Giulietta lowered her hands, realizing she might actually have a chance to turn this around.
"Where is my father?" she demanded.
"He is safely locked in one of my warehouses," Viktor replied.
"I will trade your father's life for the remaining twenty million dollars that the Hales stole."
Giulietta knew that money was already gone, spent by Silvio to buy loyalty from the corrupt capos.
But she could not let Viktor know that she was completely broke.
"You will have your money by midnight," Giulietta lied smoothly.
"Bring my father to the docks at midnight, and we will make the exchange."
Viktor smiled and tossed her a burner phone.
"If you double-cross me, I will send you his head in a box."
The Russian mobster got back into the van and drove away into the night.
Giulietta was completely alone, without an army, and without the ransom money.
Then, the burner phone in her hand instantly rang.
May you like
She answered it and heard her uncle Silvio's voice on the other end.
"Your father is already dead, Giulietta, and you are next."
