act21side

...*sigh*.

Come on in, signor istigatore.

I came back alive, bartender.

Your skills aren't half bad. But neither you, Gambino, nor that friend of yours who left for Lungmen eight years ago, Capone, are good enough.

Don't start talking like you're some hot shit, cub!

You're just like the rumors said. Completely clueless as to when you should and shouldn't press your luck.

Is that not how the last Sicilians lost the favor of Signora Sicilia?

Look at the ones today. What can they do now, except cling to their last pathetic scrap of glory?

Listen up, Gambino. I don't give a shit what you and Capone came back to Siracusa to do, nor do I care who's backing you behind the scenes.

All I care about is your ability, and the kind of work you can do.

So, what do you think of our work then?

You're not one of us, and you've got guts. Both are good.

So you keep doing good work for me, and I pay you. The better you do, the more you get paid. Simple as that.

You want to see Bellone. Once you've satisfied me, I'll arrange a meeting.

I'm going to do such a good job that you'll regret it.

You know, I don't hate the fact that you Sicilians ooze ruthlessness from your bones.

That's something Siracusans could use more of these days.

So, let's see you try.

When the time comes, you'll realize that I never regret a thing.

The banquet is about to begin, and people have been lining up early to wait outside the door.

Welcome, Mr. Beato.

And you are?

Rubio. We met at the banquet last week.

Ah, I remember now, il Segretario di Sicurezza Alimentare. Rubio. I do apologize for this porous mind of mine.

Seeing as you're here, I'm sure tonight's meal is not to be missed.

Hardly, good sir. But as we are expecting some rather esteemed guests tonight, I did put in a little extra effort.

I see, I see.

Over here, Beato.

I'll be right there. Now, if you'll excuse me.

Who was that?

Rubio, Segretario di Sicurezza Alimentare.

What? He's actually a government official, looking like that? I ignored him when I first came in because I thought he was just a doorman.

Not that you're missing out on much. He might as well be a clown.

Why do you say that?

He's not from one of the famiglie, and after a lifetime of struggling, the best position he could claw himself into was the director of that no-name dipartimento.

And after he landed the position, he went around kissing the asses of various famiglie until he somehow managed to bumble his way into some renown.

Nowadays, his dipartimento pretty much caters all events in Volsinii, large and small.

He doesn't care about his image at all, standing in front of the door to greet the guests like that. I mean, you saw him.

I see. That said though, there is a thing or two we could learn from his sorry mug.

I must congratulate you, Rubio.

Oh my... What might the occasion be?

Word on the street is that young master Leontuzzo will be attending the banquet tonight.

The heir to Famiglia Bellone, the great celebrity by Carracci's side, has never attended a banquet like this before.

This is your big break, isn't it?

Haha... Signor Wallach, you must have been quite pleased with the batch of steaks I sent you the other day.

Otherwise, I'm sure you wouldn't be calling me just to joke around in such a manner.

Hahaha.

Things have changed, Rubio. I may be the boss of Famiglia Rossati in this city and made a bit of a name for myself, but there are still plenty of rules I must abide by.

For example, I have to break the bread of fellowship with a guy like you.

Your support is always appreciated.

It's good that we all treat each other like family. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. If we have any issues, we settle them on the table.

None of us enjoy spending all day fighting and killing each other. It's just, a necessity born of circumstance. Isn't that right?

Indeed. You work too hard these days, Signor Wallach.

Il Ministero dei Trasporti is headed by a Bellone, and he normally keeps his distance from me. Tch, not much I can do to him.

But il Ministro al Commercio is a smart man, a good friend of mine. Naturally, he enjoys the Rossatis' full support.

The host of tonight's banquet, Carracci, Ministro dei Lavori Pubblici, is an unpredictable man, though. Even though he's got Bellone's little pup following him around, he manages to stay on decent terms with everyone.

Rubio, food safety is very important, is it not? I do hope you are also a smart man.

Of course, of course.

The VIP arrived just now. Excuse me, I must be off.

See you.

I know how strong you are, Signorina Texas. Unfortunately, I am not a man who enjoys resorting to violence.

Using force is the least efficient method.

So if you were expecting to leave Siracusa after making a few heads roll on my behalf, I'm afraid you'll be quite disappointed.

Just... tell me what I need to do.

Carracci, Volsinii's Ministro dei Lavori Pubblici.

He is responsible for the construction of the new nomadic city plate. He's also one of our men, and I need you to protect him.

A government official?

I know what you're going to say.

'The government is just the cloth draped over Grey Hall's round table.'

Every associate of every famiglia remembers Signora Sicilia's lament.

There was once a time when we never took stock of the vases and cutlery sitting on our tablecloth.

But right now, it's something we must pay close attention to.

When the Columbians brought new things back with them, what disturbed me most was not their technology, but rather...

How they do things nothing like we do in Siracusa.

They knew that Siracusa's officials were never going to turn their backs on the old guard of the famiglie, so they never required those officials to defer to them in public.

All they needed was for them to turn a blind eye at just the right moment, or whenever it was convenient for them.

And what can we do? Getting rid of those officials won't solve anything.

Try to settle things with them directly? They're not stupid enough to give the game away.

Despite the not-insignificant amount of power and influence we have here, there is nothing we can do about them.

I believe that you, having spent a number of years living in Lungmen, should be more familiar with their way of doing things.

...To the point I almost thought I was back in Lungmen.

Hah. But here in Siracusa, few people even realize how big the shockwaves from the Columbian approach might end up being.

You know, Signorina Texas, when I really dove into the nitty-gritty of this approach, to better understand it, the only thing I felt was...

Admiration.

The weapons they deploy are profits and negotiations, not violence and bloodshed.

So you also studied their methods.

Studied? No... I'll do it better than them.

And Carracci is my trump card.

Recently, there's been a sudden outbreak of assassinations on government officials around the city. Though I haven't confirmed who's behind the attacks yet, I must ensure the safety of Ministro Carracci.

He's an interesting man, and prefers to walk over taking the car. Even though I have people protecting him in secret, I do not feel at ease.

Now, I've already given them a heads up. Go bring him over to the banquet venue.

(The target is crossing the street right ahead. There should be at least seven mafiosi covering him from the shadows.)

(Seems like there won't be any major issues...)

Would you look at that. Didn't I just say something good was about to happen?

Texas, care for some mille-feuille?

Texas.

Salvadore Texas. What am I to think of you? Should I trust you?

You are a Siracusan. They all say that violence and ambition runs in your veins. That you and your famiglia will devour this place... No, all of Columbia.

Is the man I see before my eyes truly you? So refined, so upstanding?

But I've also seen the way you throw a punch, the blood dripping between your fingers until your opponent is not able to utter even a single curse.