Page 11 of Bratva's Captive

"I want to know everything, Alexei. His connections, his assets, his weaknesses—every time he takes a shit. I need to understand exactly what we're going up against," I emphasize firmly.

"You got it, boss. I'll get back to you with the information soon," Alexei assures before ending the call.

Tatyana leans in closer to me, sharing a piece of information she acquired. "There's one thing I know about Mario Alfonso," she discloses. "He's set to marry Adalina Gaito, an Italian mafia Princess. It's an arranged marriage, and she just turned 18."

A rush of thoughts and possibilities floods my mind. "Angel Gaito's daughter?" I inquire, impressed. "I've heard of her."

Feeling a surge of adrenaline, I take decisive action. "Text Alexei immediately and instruct him to gather every detail about that wedding. If there's a weakness to be exploited, we will find it," I declare.

Tatyana nods in agreement. "I'm sending the message to Alexei now."

Curiosity getting the better of me, I conduct a quick Google search on my cellphone, finding a picture of Adalina Gaito. She appears young and remarkably beautiful, far too good for someone like Mario Alfonso.

My cellphone rings.

As I accept the FaceTime call, Alexei's face appears on the screen, and his determined expression is evident. Wasting no time, he gets straight to the point.

"Nikolai, I've gathered some information on Mario Alfonso," he states, his tone serious.

Leaning forward, I respond eagerly, "Give me all the details."

"I'll send you an email containing everything I've found," Alexei explains. "Aside from the wedding, I discovered that he owns a massage parlor located just outside of Chicago in an unincorporated area. It’s his pride and joy, based on the emails I managed to hack into."

My mind races with possibilities. The massage parlor could serve as a valuable source of information about Alfonso and his activities. "Send me everything you have," I command.

As the call concludes, a smile creeps across my face. With Alexei's assistance, I may have just uncovered the key to taking down Mario Alfonso.

Chapter 6

Nikolai

At 3:00 a.m., darkness shrouds our surroundings as we navigate our way towards Mario Alfonso's dilapidated massage parlor. The deserted streets echo only with the steady hum of our engine. I glance at Misha, my loyal lieutenant, and the two soldiers seated up front.

"Is everybody ready?" I inquire, my anticipation of dismantling Mario Alfonso causing my heart to race.

"We're ready, boss," Misha responds, his voice composed and resolute.

As we approach the massage parlor, a palpable tension fills the air. The rundown strip mall appears as though it has been abandoned for years. Neglect and decay mar the entire structure, evident in the broken windows, missing shingles, and signs of disuse scattered about. Parking the car, we approach the entrance, clad in black attire and donning ski masks to evade unwanted attention. Two of my men carry Molotov cocktails, just in case. We must remain prepared. My grip tightens around my Glock, its weight reassuring in my hand.

"Be careful," I caution my comrades. "Alfonso may have surveillance on this place. Stay alert."

As we enter, the dim lighting exposes a squalid and dilapidated interior. Stained and peeling walls, mold and mildew thriving in select areas, and warped, creaking floors greet our senses. Debris litters the surroundings, and a corridor lined with small rooms beckons. Each room holds only a cot and an array of discarded items. But there is an eerie absence. No girls. No guards. Nothing. What the fuck is going on?

As we continue to explore the deserted massage parlor, Misha's question breaks the silence. "Do you think somebody tipped Alfonso off?"

I shake my head. "I doubt it." I glance around, scanning the small rooms for any sign of Alfonso or his men.

We walk around and start looking in the small rooms. Inside one small room is a table covered with guns and knives. Caches of money. Bottles filled with gasoline. Gas masks. Molotov cocktails.

Misha's voice breaks the silence once again. "This is fun, isn't it?"

I give a small smirk in response.

Suddenly, the sound of a door being forcefully kicked open reverberates through the air. I swiftly turn around, only to find a naked man aiming a gun at me.

In an instant, I pull the trigger, and a deafening blast fills the room. The man collapses to the ground, his head erupting like a ripe watermelon. Blood and brain matter splatter across the walls and floor. There is a sick satisfaction in eliminating one of Mario Alfonso's men, but I am well aware that this battle is far from over.

Moving through the aftermath, I advance towards the back room. There, I discover a naked woman trembling in fear, huddled in a corner. Tears stream down her face, her sobs filling the room. With my gun aimed at her, I demand, "Are there others here?" She shakes her head, indicating there are no more. Without further hesitation, I grasp her by the hair and forcefully usher her out through the front door. While I do not take the lives of women, I am not above leveraging them to achieve my objectives.

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