• This chapter is dedicated to PEACE_MAKER06 You have managed to overcome the suffocating boundaries of words and even through your silence, a story can be heard. Thank you Lauryn •

"Sergio Mallozzi." Zeke grounded out the name between his teeth. Hearing that bastard's voice was the last thing Zeke wanted. Sergio was the common point for all the problems in Zeke's life.

After Zeke's father, Mason Cardini, had drowned himself in unhealthy habits of gambling and found himself in massive amounts of debt, it was Sergio who had came to Mason with an offer.

This offer had eventually resulted in the selling of Fiona, Zeke's 19 year old sister. His father had no conscience and Zeke was powerless against the East Coast Mafia boss Sergio Mallozzi.

But the title or position Sergio held hadn't stopped Zeke from trying to get his sister out of this. Unfortunately this hadn't resulted all that well either. For months Zeke had tried to keep track of Sergio's men without getting noticed.

Not too long ago, just as Zeke was starting to think he was getting somewhere and thought he would finally be able to get to Fiona, he had ran straight into a dead end.

Zeke was so furious that he had messed with one of Sergio's drug shipments. The truck full of drugs had burned down thanks to a gallon of gasoline and one simple match.

Thats why one of Sergio's men had been trying to kill Zeke that day in the alley. Sergio had told Zeke not to intervene with anything when they were first signing the handing over of Fiona with Mason. But Zeke hadn't listened and by messing with Sergio's deal, he had signed his own death warrant.

If Althea hadn't been there to save his ass that day, Zeke wouldn't be here living and breathing right now.

Having problems with one mafia boss and residing with another was a conundrum on its own.

"What do you want?" Zeke asked as he fought to keep his voice steady and calm.

"I had sent out your father to bring you in for a talk. Face to face. But what I heard was much more interesting." Sergio spoke with a slight Italian accent accompanying his words.

Zeke didn't contribute to the conversation and waited for Sergio to continue and get on with his point. The faster he voiced his demands and called out his threats, the sooner Zeke could end this call.

"Apparently you had company while you were visiting your house." Sergio said.

With that statement, Zeke finally started to understand what Sergio was getting at. This would not be good.

"There aren't that many people around this district that carries guns, have expert knowledge on fighting and look like business men. I'm betting my money on you having your loyalties with another mafia." Sergio said.

Zeke wanted to object about not having loyalties towards any type of mafia but he stayed silent. He couldn't show Sergio his hand before he figured out what his intentions were.

"We both know you made some bad decisions in these past months." Hardly, Zeke thought. He wouldn't call his actions bad decisions at all. "But now you are in a place where we can all forget that it happened. We'll turn a new page, a fresh start if you will."

Zeke was still waiting to know what this so called 'fresh start' would cost him. His first guess was his head on a platter.

"I know you are with the West Coast Mafia Zeke." Sergio's voice turned monotone and serious. "Supply me with information that will benefit me and your wrongs will be forgotten."

A mole. A double agent. An informant. Whatever the term, Sergio wanted Zeke to work for him to bring down Althea's mafia.

"No." Zeke simply said. He took the phone away from his ear, moving to end the call, when Sergio's voice spoke up again.

"I knew you would say that. So let me provide you with a little incentive."

Zeke heard rustling and indistinct sounds coming from the other end of the line before a voice spoke up.

"Z-zeke?"

The sweet voice of Fiona rose up with a scared and unsure stutter. Zeke's chest caved in and he had to lean against the wall for support in order to stay up straight. This was the first time Zeke had heard his sister's voice in 12 months.

One whole year, all communications had been blocked between Zeke and his sister. He hadn't been able to see her or talk to her. It was torturous. He had spent every moment thinking about what Fiona was going through in that bastard's hands. And after twelve freaking months, when Sergio had finally allowed Zeke to hear the voice of his sister, it was to use her to blackmail Zeke.

"Fi?" Zeke's voice cracked with emotion. Fiona's sob was heard from the line and Zeke tightly closed his eyes. A single tear escaped his eye. His hands formed into fists and at this moment, he wanted nothing more than to take Fiona in his arms and shield her from everything this twisted world had to offer. He had missed her so damn much and hearing her sobbing and crying without being able to comfort her, being beside her was tearing Zeke apart.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you Fi?" Zeke spoke with urgency and anger. He was going to tear Sergio's limbs apart if he found out that he had touched or raised a hand to Fiona. Scratch that, even if he hadn't harmed a single hair on Fiona's head Zeke was still going to kill Sergio.

Before Fiona could reply to Zeke's questions, the rustling sounds were heard once more and Sergio's voice came up again. "Was that enough of a motivation Zeke?"

Zeke wanted to shout at the top of his lungs. His whole body was shaking from held back anger.

"I don't think I need to voice the fact that your sister will pay for your incompetence if you fail to do your task. So for the sake of sweet, innocent Fiona, be sure to do your job well." Sergio warned.

Zeke didn't say anything, couldn't find anything to say even if he did want to speak up.

"I look forward for your calls Zeke." Sergio said and then the line went dead.

Zeke let the phone slip from his fingers and it fell on the floor with a thud. He plopped down on the bed. Exhausted, powerless and frustrated. All the fight had left Zeke and now in it's place there was only this sickening feeling of defeat.

He placed his elbows on his knees and covered his face with his hands. Zeke released a loud frustrated and angry sigh as he dragged his hands down his face.

No matter what Zeke did, he only seemed to be digging a deeper hole for himself. By the time he would be finished, that hole would serve as a grave for himself. And at least it wouldn't be a shallow one.

He didn't need any time to think about what to do. It was already decided. Zeke would do anything for his sister and he didn't care what it would take to make her safe.

Even if it meant taking down the West Coast Mafia.

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Two updates in one day. Surprise, surprise.

And that change of direction of the story huh? That can count as a surprise too right?

Thanks for reading the story and sticking around for the torturously slow updates.

The song is called 'Impossible Dreams' by Versus Them.

Love,
Blake 💙