Page 140 of Mafia Kings: Dario

“It’s okay, Papa. It’s all going to be okay.”

“And it will,” the Turk agreed, interrupting the heartfelt moment. Then he gave me an evil smile. “As long as you give me everything I want.”

I didn’t believe him.

I wasn’t sure what would happen. Maybe he would give me to the Oldanis, so I could become the prisoner ofanothermafia family –

But I didn’t see the Turk letting my father go free.

What could I do, though, with him holding a gun to Papa’s head?

The Turk’s men drove into the village and parked at the base of the hill, the one leading up to the ten-foot stone wall with the crack in it.

When we got out of our car, the Turk pointed at Papa. “Tie him up and throw him in the trunk.”

Two thugs grabbed my father and started binding his hands and legs.

“No!” I cried out.

“What did youthinkwould happen?” the Turk asked me. “That I’d leave him here to cause mischief? He can either go in the trunk, or we can shoot him. Which do you prefer?”

“Don’t hurt him,” I whispered.

“It’s alright,” my father reassured me. “Everything will be alright.”

“Spoken like a true optimist,” the Turk said.

Then his men threw Papa in the trunk and shut it tight.

“Now,” the Turk said, gesturing with his gun. “Lead the way.”

Fourteen of us went up the hillside – me, the Turk, and 12 of his men.

Every man but the Turk had a pistol with a silencer attached to it.

The Turk’s gun was short and stubby – the better to press up against his victim’s head.

Except that he letmewalk ahead of them like a dog.

The gun pointed at my back was my leash.

I did my best to retrace my path in the darkness. Once I got to the wall, I had to search for several minutes before I finally found the crack.

“Here it is,” I said. “But aren’t you afraid of cameras?”

“Thereareno cameras back here,” the Turk said confidently. “There haven’t been for the last 50 years.”

I stared at him. “How do you know that?”

He smiled. “I have my sources.”

One of the Turk’s men went through the gap first. He pointed his gun at me as I went next so I wouldn’t run away.

One by one, the others followed until all 14 of us were through.

I thought about what would happen once we got close to the house.

If I screamed, would Dario or anyone else even hear me?

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