Blood Oath, Velvet Heart

The rain was pounding profusely on the old, deteriorating roof and had slowly found its way inside the warehouse. It trickled through the broken roof in thin, uneven streams, tapping softly against the concrete floor. The warehouse smelled damp, metallic, and oily, with the scent of something older that had soaked into the walls long before tonight. A man knelt helplessly beneath the hanging bulb. It swung gently, creaking with each movement of air, casting shadows that crawled across his face. His jacket lay discarded on the floor beside him. His hands were clasped together so tightly that his fingers had gone numb. “I didn’t know,” he said again. His voice was hoarse now, worn thin from repeating the same sentence over and over. “I swear to you. I didn’t know.” Luca Giovanni stood a few steps away, listening. He learned long ago that people eventually tell the truth, not because they want to, but because fear strips everything else away. The man’s knees slipped slightly on the wet concrete. He gasped, steadied himself, and looked up. “You can ask anyone,” he said quickly, desperation speeding his words. “I don’t ask questions. I am just paid to move things from point A to point B. That’s it. That’s all I do. I swear, if I knew, I wouldn’t have done the job. Pleasssseeee” Luca just stood looking at him and didn’t answer right away. He examined the man closely, maintaining a neutral expression. Two Moretti soldiers, Bert and Tim, stood silently near the door behind him. Their presence filled the room with a quiet intensity. Luca had trained them personally, fully aware of their capabilities. “How long have you been doing this?” Luca asked finally. The man blinked. “What?” “Running packages.” “Oh—uh—two years. Maybe a little more.” “You like it?” The question caught him off guard. “Like it? No. I mean—no. It’s just work.” Luca nodded faintly. “Work,” he repeated. The man swallowed. “I have a sister,” he said suddenly. “She’s in school. I help her pay the fees. That’s why I—” “I know,” Luca said gently. The word landed heavier than a shout. The man stared at him. “You… know?” “She studies Economics at the Pinshure State University.” Luca continued. “Second year. She wants to leave the city when she’s done.” The man’s mouth opened, then closed. His hands trembled. “How do you—” “You sent her money last week,” Luca said. “You were so proud of yourself.” Tears welled in the man’s eyes. “I’m not a bad person,” he pleaded, his voice trembling as tears streamed down his cheeks. “I promise you, I’m not. Please… just don’t take my life.” Luca believed him. That was the problem. “You crossed into Valerio territory,” Luca said. “Twice.” “I didn’t know it was theirs,” the man said quickly. “I was told it was neutral ground.” Luca took a step closer. His shoes splashed softly in a shallow puddle. “But you knew it wasn’t ours.” The man’s shoulders sagged. Silence settled between them, broken only by the rain. “I thought if I stayed within the neutral grounds, I would be safe and invisible…” the man said, his voice breaking. “If I didn’t cross any territories …” Luca exhaled slowly. “That’s what everyone thinks.” He reached into his coat. The man let out a sound halfway between a sob and a prayer. “Please,” he said. “My sister and I will disappear. Tonight. We won’t even pack. We’ll go anywhere. ” Luca drew the pistol from his waist. It felt familiar in his hand, as though he had used it countless times, and indeed, he had. “Look at me,” he said. The man hesitated, then lifted his head. Their eyes met. Luca did not believe in showing mercy to anyone; regardless of his judgment or opinion, if a person offended the Moretti family, they had to die. “I’m sorry, but you have gone against my family, and you have to pay for it with your life. ” he said quietly. The gunshot echoed, sharp and final. The man fell forward, his body hitting the floor with a hollow sound. Blood spread slowly beneath him, darkening the concrete. The bulb continued to sway. Luca stood there for a moment longer than necessary, his jaw tight, his chest rising and falling once. “Clean it up,” he said. One of the men nodded and moved. Luca turned away and walked out of the warehouse. The rain soaked through his coat as soon as he stepped outside. The city of Pinshure lay before him, wet and glowing, with streetlights creating long lines of gold across the asphalt. Somewhere in the far distance, music flowed from an open window. The streets were mostly deserted, a result of the rain and the fact that the warehouse was located in Pinshure’s quarry site, a place that most residents seldom visited. The quarry was one of the many businesses owned by the Moretti family. The black sedan waited at the curb. Luca slid into the back seat and closed the door. The driver glanced at him in the mirror. “You want to go home?” Luca stared out the window. “No,” he said. “Take me to headquarters.” The car pulled away. He loosened his tie, letting his head rest briefly against the seat. He didn’t close his eyes this time. Faces of all the people that he had killed drifted through his mind, not just the man in the warehouse, but others. There were too many to count. The first one had been the hardest. He killed the man after Don Marco Moretti, the head of the Moretti family, handed him a gun to end the man's life. He was only nineteen at the time. That night, he transformed from the innocent Luca into the beastly Luca that he is today. After that, it became very easy to eliminate people through any means. The Moretti headquarters building stood silent and immovable, its glass façade reflecting the city as if it owned it. Inside, the building exuded a posh and modern atmosphere. Every business owned by the family was managed from this location, which served as the headquarters. Various teams and units were dedicated to each of the businesses. Although they had several buildings across the western part of the city, this particular one was the central hub. As Luca walked through the lobby towards the elevator, the secretary and several staff members greeted him, bowing in respect. They knew he was the boss’s favourite and had heard numerous rumours about his ruthless nature and powerful influence. As a result, no one dared to offend him, and he was allowed to pass without interruption. The elevator ride to the top floor was silent. When the doors opened, Don Marco Moretti stood by the window, his back to the room, hands clasped behind him. “You’re soaked,” the Don said. “It’s raining,” Luca replied. A soft chuckle. “So it is.” Marco Moretti turned slowly. Age had not softened him; it had sharpened him. “Was there any trouble?” he asked. “No.” “Good.” He gestured toward the chair. “Sit.” Luca did. “The Valerios are acting recklessly and taunting us. They are provoking war,” said the Don. “They believe we won’t retaliate.” “They’re wrong, right? ” Luca said. “Yes.” The Don’s eyes gleamed. “But we won’t respond the way they expect.” He leaned forward. “We need something to leverage on, something they can’t ignore.” Luca felt the shift then. The subtle tightening of the air. “What do you want?” he asked. Marco Moretti held his gaze. “We take his daughter.” The words settled slowly. “Elena Valerio,” the Don said. “We will keep her safe. We will remind her father what he stands to lose if he attempts to start a war, and if he does start a war, we will kill her.” Luca looked at the Don and asked, “Why don't we negotiate with the Valerio family and hear their demands?” “We can do that, but the Valerio family won’t back down from starting a war. They are determined to draw blood, especially since they know we’ve killed some of their couriers, who were gathering insider information for them. Moreover, they understand that going to war would impact us more than it would affect them. We can’t afford a war right now, as it would jeopardise our ongoing deal with the Eduardo family. Ramirez Eduardo is scheduled to come into the city to finalise the deal in two weeks,” said Don Marco Moretti. “This leaves us with one option: to kidnap Elena. She is very dear to the Valerio family and manages their finances, so I’m sure they wouldn’t want any harm to come to her.” There was a brief pause. “You’ll lead it.” Luca nodded once. “When?” he asked. “Soon.” Luca stood. As he turned to leave, the Don spoke again. “You’ve always been reliable,” Marco Moretti said. “That’s why I trust you. Don’t let me down.” With a subtle nod, Luca turned away from the office, the weight of the day lingering in the air as he stepped into the elevator. As the elevator doors closed, the image of a woman he had never met flickered faintly in his mind. He didn’t know why. But deep down, he sensed it: this job would be unlike any he had tackled before.