La Fiamma Nera: Bound By Death

CHAPTER FOUR

The ghost of blood and ashes

Uncle Sam’s hands shook where he stood, his back against the ruined wall. His chest heaved as the dark man towered before him, fury burning in his eyes. The boss’s grip was like iron as he seized Sam by the collar, dragging him close.

“Please,” Sam begged, his voice breaking. “I gave you the right address… you promised… you promised to spare us!”

The man didn’t answer at once. His nostrils flared, and he exhaled heavily, his gaze cutting into Sam like a blade. Then, in a tone low but sharp as steel, he asked:

“Where is she?”

Sam froze. His lips parted, but no words came out. His heart raced in his chest.

“She… who?” he stammered, trying to keep his voice steady, trying not to betray anything.

The man’s grip tightened around his collar, almost choking him. His words came out slow, deliberate, terrifying:

“Where is Richard’s daughter?”

Sam’s body turned cold. He was not prepared for this, how did they know Richard has a child he thought? This question made his knees weak. He swallowed hard, praying for strength.

“I… I don’t know…” he whispered.

The man slammed him against the wall with a grunt. “There’s no way you don’t know. You’re his brother. His blood. His family. You must know where she is.”

Sam gasped for air, his mind racing. If he slipped now, Maya would die. He forced his voice to stay calm, even as his heart screamed.

“The girl in the portrait…” the man continued, his voice rising with fury, “…she looks just like Richard. That little girl is his blood. His child. Where is she?” His hand shifted from Sam’s collar to his throat, squeezing tighter.

Sam choked, struggling to speak. His vision blurred, his knees buckled. “That… that girl…” he coughed, “she… she died. Years ago. Two years back. Richard never recovered, so he kept the portrait to… to keep her memory alive.”

The boss’s eyes narrowed, suspicion and rage clashing in them. He drew his fist back and drove it hard into Sam’s stomach. Sam groaned loudly, collapsing to his knees, blood spilling from his lips.

“Liar!” the man thundered. “Where is she?!”

Sam coughed violently, clutching his stomach, but he forced the lie out again, even louder this time, his words desperate. “I’m telling you the truth! She’s dead! She’s been gone for years!”

The boss glared down at him, breathing hard. His men shifted uneasily, exchanging looks, unsure if Sam was telling the truth. After a long silence, the dark man finally exhaled and stepped back. His voice dripped with venom.

“If you’re lying…” He leaned closer, his shadow swallowing Sam whole. “…I’ll come back and tear this place apart with my own hands. And I’ll make sure you and your wife beg for death before I give it.”

He turned sharply and stormed out, his men following like wolves behind him. Their boots thudded against the broken floorboards until the sound faded into the night.

Sam stayed on his knees for a long moment, his chest heaving, sweat and blood dripping down his face. He didn’t move until he was completely sure that the house was silent again. Only then did he drag himself up, every step heavy with pain.

With great effort, he staggered back to the hidden bunk, thankfully it was not far from his house. His knuckles tapped the small wooden panel twice, then once, then twice again their secret code.

Inside, Lila’s heart pounded as she heard the faint taps. At first, she hesitated, fear clawing at her chest. But when the pattern came again, weaker this time, she rushed forward, unlocking the hidden door.

Sam stumbled in, leaning against the wall. His shirt was torn, his lip bleeding, his eyes weary. Lila caught him quickly, wrapping his arm over her shoulder.

“Samuel!” she cried softly. “What did they do to you?”

“They’re gone,” he muttered breathlessly. “For now…”

Lila eased him onto a chair in the small, dimly lit space. She rushed to the corner, boiled water in a kettle they always kept ready, and brought it back with a clean cloth. Gently, she pressed the warm cloth to his wounds. Sam winced but stayed silent, his mind racing.

On the small cot nearby, Maya had finally cried herself to sleep, her tiny body curled up, her face streaked with tears. Lila glanced at her, her heart breaking. She whispered to Sam, her own eyes wet.

“She saw too much tonight. She saw them take down her parents…”

Sam closed his eyes and let out a trembling sigh, leaning back against the chair. “I know,” he whispered. His hand clenched weakly on his knee. “But she can’t know it was me who led them here. She can’t ever know.”

Lila stopped, her hand frozen mid air. The silence between them was heavy, broken only by Maya’s soft breathing. Sam reached out, gripping Lila’s hand firmly despite his weakness.

“Promise me,” he said, his voice low, urgent. “We protect her. No matter what it takes.”

Lila nodded, her tears spilling freely. She kissed his hand, whispering, “I promise.”

The lamp flickered, casting shadows across the walls. In the corner, Maya shifted in her sleep, murmuring something faintly perhaps her father’s name.

And Sam, broken and bleeding, stared into the dim light, knowing the fire of La Fiamma Nera hadn’t ended tonight. It had only begun.

Sam sat on the small wooden stool in the bunker, one hand pressed against his ribs where Lila had just finished bandaging him. His shirt was stained with blood, his face pale. Lila was kneeling by the pot of hot water she’d boiled to clean his wounds. Maya sat quietly in the corner, her small arms wrapped around her knees, eyes swollen from crying.

Sam’s voice came out rough but clear.

“She can’t stay here.”

Lila turned sharply, cloth dripping in her hand. “Who? Maya?”

“Yes,” Sam said. “The mafia… they’re too smart. They’ll keep looking. If she stays here, it’s only a matter of time before they find her.”

Lila’s lips parted in shock. “Sam, no. She’s just lost her parents. You want to send her away now? To where?”

Sam inhaled slowly, wincing from the pain in his ribs. “To my friend’s place in Ravenbrooke. It’s a small town far from here. He’s someone I can trust with my life. Maya will be safe there until things calm down.”

Lila shook her head, tears filling her eyes. “Oh my God… Sam, you’re talking about months. You’re talking about taking her away from us. She only just stopped crying a little.”

Sam’s eyes softened as he glanced at Maya. “I know. But this is the only way to keep her alive. Here, every knock on the door is a risk. Out there, she’ll have a chance to sleep without fear.”

Lila clenched the cloth in her hand. “God help us…” She looked at Maya again, heart breaking.

Sam lowered his voice. “We’re not abandoning her, Lila. We’re saving her.”

Lila wiped her eyes and whispered, “Alright. If this is what it takes…”

Sam gave a small nod, then turned to Maya, who looked up at him with wide, tired eyes.

Early the next morning

Uncle Sam prepared Maya for the journey

“Maya,” he said gently, “you’re going to stay with a good friend of mine in Ravenbrooke for a while. It’s a quiet place. You’ll be safe there until Uncle can come get you.”

Maya blinked back tears but only nodded slowly. She was too drained to speak.

Lila hugged her tight, kissing her hair. “You’ll be alright, my baby. We’ll make sure of it.”

And just as Sam had predicted, the dark mafia boss didn’t stop. For weeks his men monitored Sam, following him from a distance, waiting for him to slip up. But after finding nothing, they eventually pulled back, though the boss himself remained suspicious.