Page 128 of Roberto

“Massimo, Adriano, and Lars are going after Aurelio and a bunch of Russian mercenaries in Venice.”

“WHAT?!”

Niccolo gave me the short version:

Massimo had been lying low in the Alps with the Widow’s granddaughter, but a bounty hunter had flushed them out of hiding.

After nearly killing Massimo, the bounty hunter kidnapped the girl and took her back to Venice.

Now Massimo, Adriano, and Lars were storming the island where Aurelio was holding her hostage.

“Jesus,” I whispered.

Guilt gnawed at my guts. I had spent the last week pursuing my own selfish obsessions; now my brothers and Lars were putting their lives on the line for the family.

“Come home,”Niccolo pleaded.

“I will,” I promised. “Money or no money, I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

“Do I need to make arrangements?”

“No, I’ll handle it. Just – don’t worry. I’ll be home within 24 hours.”

“Alright.”

“Let me know what happens with Massimo, Adriano, and Lars. Good or bad.”

“I will. Good luck.”

Then he hung up.

Good luck.

I felt ashamed. It was my brothers who needed the luck – not me.

I forced myself to put my emotions aside and prepare to go home.

Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be coming back with the money.

My only consolation was that I wouldn’t be going back alone.

54

Ibegan calling private jet brokers.

After the tenth ‘no,’ I finally got a ‘yes’ –

But it was a pricey one.

“I can have a plane for you in Hong Kong tomorrow morning at 11 AM,”the broker told me.“But it’ll be $500,000 US.”

“That’s highway robbery!” I snapped.

“They have to shift two other flights around to make it work, which is extremely inconvenient. Do you want it or not?”

“…yes,” I said through gritted teeth.

“They also want the money upfront.”

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