Breaking the Omertà Code

City of Rome

Brambilla~

My conscience couldn’t let me rest as I watched Elletra leave my office.

I knew I was sending her on a very dangerous mission, but I couldn’t help it. Brutus is an incoming threat and I can’t sit and watch him come in because it would be nearly impossible to eliminate him then. I knew it was better to carry out the plan when he least suspects anything.

I felt bad for Elettra. I don’t know if she’ll survive it, but I just hope she kills Brutus first.

I’m not selfish, but I just want Brutus dead at all costs.

Elettra could die in the course of doing so. I don’t care. Yeah, she’s so useful to me, but she wouldn’t be the first to sacrifice her life for the family.

~Elletra~

As I walked into my room, I met Aunt Donisha and Umberto waiting for me.

“What did he say?”

“Are you being sent on another mission”?

“Why is your face that way”?

“Come on, talk to us.”

Their voices kept chattering over each other. I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to be by myself.

“Please, you two should leave,” I said. I would notice my voice failing me. I was almost breaking down, I then knew I still had human feelings in me.

“Come on, Amorino, talk to us. What’s the matter?” I could hear concern written all over Umberto’s voice.”

Aunt Donisha pulled me into a hug. There’s always soothing about Aunt Donisha’s hug. It always pulls my worries away, but this time around, I felt the worries being increased. I couldn’t help but cry out.

I never discussed my mission with anybody. I had just received the information from my father and started to plan for it, but this time around, I needed to share.

A few minutes after sharing with Aunt Donisha and Umberto, I could feel the wrath burning in them, but I felt it more in Aunt Donisha.

“You won’t go for that mission,” she shouted and left the room angrily banging on the door.

“Everything will be fine, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to," Umberto whispered to me.

~Aunt Donisha~

As I heard Elettra explain the kind of mission Brambilla sent her on, I couldn’t explain the kind of rage that boiled inside me. I didn’t know when I ran out to confront him, I wouldn’t watch him do this, not anymore.

I didn’t know if I was overreacting, but I couldn’t explain the kind of pain I felt either. I just needed to vent my anger out.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked him as I bagged into his office.

“Is that the tone you should talk to your husband now, so do you need me to bridle your tongue?” he thundered.

“Oh, husband my foot, how can you send Elettra on such a dangerous mission, do you even care about her at all?”

“And who are you to detect how I care about my own daughter?” he said to me, rising from his seat.

“Daughter indeed,” I cried out.

“What did you say?” I could hear the anger in his voice?

“What do you know, answer me at this moment”? He came to me, holding my chin up, almost dividing my mouth in halves.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m just concerned about the kind of mission you would dare to send someone you call your daughter,” I mumbled with difficulty.

“Mind your business then, she’s not your daughter," he said, pushing me away.

“If anything happens to her, you’ll have me to contend with”. I stomped out of his office.

I felt my heart shattered, I wouldn’t point out where the pains were coming from, but all I knew was that I didn’t want Elettra to go on that deadly mission because I felt like I wouldn’t see her again.

My heart was heavy, my tear bags were filled, my legs couldn’t carry me again.

I struggled to lift my legs as I walked to Elettra’s room.

I met Umberto leaving the room.

“I’ve just put her to bed, she’s resting now. I tried convincing her not to go on with the mission, but she was hell-bent on making father “proud.” Umberto demonstrated with his fingers in the air.

“Let me see her”. I said as I trolled into Elettra’s room.

I met her covered neatly with the blankets, sleeping heavily. It seemed like she had no worries at all. I sat down at the edge of the bed, admiring her pretty face and patting her hair. I didn’t realize how much time I spent there till I felt myself drifting away to sleep.

~Elettra~

I made sure I woke up early in the morning, I had slept off earlier after Umberto tucked me to sleep like a baby.

I didn’t want Aunt Donisha or Umberto to see me leave.

I met Aunt Donisha fast asleep before me.

I looked at her and imagined the kind of pain she would go through if I didn’t come back from this mission. I watched her closely as she slept, kissed her forehead and made sure not to wake her up.

I went down the basement to map out some plans for how the mission would go. After that, I went ahead to meet my father before I left.

I took my flight, it took a couple of hours for me to get to Rome.

I landed, and got to my hotel reservation already made by my father. The conference isn’t until tomorrow, so I still had a little time to map out things.

I decided to take a stroll around the streets of Rome. As I walked around, I observed how peaceful and coordinated everywhere is. I couldn’t help but think about how disarray everywhere could be tomorrow after Brutus or my death.

It felt like everybody was looking at me as I passed.

“Is my mission already written all over my face?”

“Does my face represent the logo of assassins?”

I couldn’t help but wonder, but I guess nobody was actually looking at me. It was just my conscience already pricking me.

I kept walking, carried out a survey of the environment, and went to “Piazza havena” where the event would take place the next day. I looked around for the most hidden and convenient place where the great kill would shoot out.

“Hey beautiful,” I heard a bold but sweet voice say behind me.

I turned to see who called for my attention.

“You must be new to the great city of Rome.”

“Are you taking a headcount of people in Rome?” I asked, raising my eyebrows at him.

“Relax, I don’t bite,” he said, smiling. I scoffed.

“Even if you do bite, I would definitely not be your prey.

“Whoa, fine lady, relax, there’s no need for ultra protection.”

“Who said I was protecting myself and from what exactly?you asked, taking a close look at him.

“Okay, I think this is the point where I will introduce myself. My name is Alberto, I’m an artist and a painter. I’m actually here for an artistic sketch conference. I just finished one of the meetings. I went out to get some fresh air because it had been hot in there. Then, I saw a beautiful girl walking alone. I decided to come and walk with her”.

“I don’t see how all these explanations have anything to do with me,” I replied harshly.

“Oh,” he replied, feeling embarrassed. I suddenly felt sad for him. I don’t know why I had such feelings, but I just felt an urge to be nice.

“Don’t mind me, my name is Elettra, I’m from Italy, and am on a project here in Rome.”

His eyes suddenly lit up with excitement.

“Wow, that sounds interesting. May I know the kind of project you’re here for?

“You wouldn’t want to know,” I said as I started to walk away.

“Why do you say so? I’m eager to know “.

“Aren’t you too inquisitive for a total stranger?”? I asked him, already getting irritated.

“Oh, that’s right, I’m sorry for not respecting privacy.”

“May I know where you are going? I’m actually doing nothing right now. I would love to keep you company.”

“Nowhere, I’m just strolling.”

“That makes two of us then”. He replied.