Lahat ng Kabanata ng Mafia's Nemesis : Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬°°°“What is this?”Breanna's agitated voice cut through her office.Sophia flinched, retreating a step away from her presence. “Ma’am — I'm —”Breanna flung the folder and a rain of scattered A4 sheets fluttered to the floorSophia could only watch her two-weeks’ effort crumble at her feet.“What came over you, Sophia? I leave for two weeks and everything goes haywire.”“I did my best,” the aide breathed, voice taut. “I’m sorry if I didn’t meet your expectations.”“Expectations?” Breanna tried to laugh, but it came out brittle. She bit down on her lip instead, eyes wide.“Any information on John Minnelli?”“Yes,” Sophia replied, voice strained but steady. “Tomorrow’s the eve of the Sombra Azul Sundance Ritual. He never misses it.”“That’s more of a relief” Breanna exhaled and reclined elegantly. “Tell dispatch to prepare a welcoming convoy. Things are about to get interesting.”“Yes, Ma’am.”Without lingering, she turned and exited.—--When Nevena scrunche

𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚'𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬°°° Antonio cracked a blow against his jaw with the kind of force meant to silence, not warn.The room turned hollow. No one breathed.Grinch staggered a step, and his reflex muscles relieved its grip on Antonio's lapel.“You were never appointed to lecture or question me,” Antonio said quietly. “Remember your place.”The latter wiped a smear of blood from the corner of his mouth, exhaled hard through his teeth. “De todas las razones para perder el filo… escoges a una mujer. {Of all the reasons to lose your edge… you choose a woman}”A slow, wrenching guilt washed over Antonio but it was already late. Grinch exhaled through his teeth as though he’d been counting the seconds, “Sombra Azul Sundance Eve is tomorrow. John is coming back.”“And you waited this long to say it?” Antonio demanded.Grinch didn’t react. “Breanna’s people already caught scent and She’ll tear through your walls with his information” Without waiting to be dismissed, he turned and

𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬°°°Liza’s pull was instinctive—maternal, insistence.It cracked Antonio’s resolve in a way bullets never had.He followed her into the hut and sat.She fussed with his collar, fingers gentle and reverent. Surprisingly he didn't resist once. Instead he loosened his tie, unbuttoned his shirt once, shrugging it off and she inspected the faint scar along his ribs. He stiffened as she reached to apply a paste, but Maya nudged her and smothered a grin.“Mother! I think the bus is here” Her head snapped up. She glanced outside, then back at Antonio. Her attention fractured.“Run along,” she said finally. “I’ll come shortly.”With that awareness, Maya maneuvers through the door. Antonio studied her as she lingered, her fingers tracing the paste along the faint ridge of his old wound— Distracted.“Something wrong?” he growled.She startled, smiled faintly. “Nothing— just that my Willow is outside.”“Your son?” his voice dipped an octave and she nodded. “I will

𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬°°°“Where is John Minnelli?” Breanna demanded, stopping the first cluster of villagers they encountered.The response wasn’t an answer— just a low murmur rippling through them. Conversational.“He went to the mountain. For the offering.” An elderly woman finally spoke.Breanna’s gaze cut toward the jagged silhouette looming beyond the lanterns. “How long has he been gone?”“For a while now” an undefined voice answered.She turned sharply to Sophia “I think we should meet him up there”The villagers that heard her statement quickly formed a human barricade —blocking their path.“Move.” she barked, her jaw tightening. “No,” they chorused sharply. “It is forbidden. During Sundance, women do not ascend the mountain. It invites misfortune.”“Ma'am please it's urgent" Sophia cracked through, but the village head shook his head. “You wait.”With a defeated sigh they waited.Seconds turned into minutes and soon stretched into thirty minutes.The eve's ceremonia

𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬°°°“…I’m outside her building.” Carlos’ voice crackled faintly from the speakerphone on the table.“Say it again,” Lucas said calmly into the phone. “Where are you?”“—I’m outside her building. Say the word.”Antonio’s chest seized. He didn’t raise his voice, or threaten because it would only worsen the situation.Lucas didn’t look at him. He lifted a finger instead, almost bored.“Finish it clean,” he said mildly. Then he ended the call and face-down the phone.The sound of it landing felt louder than a gunshot.“Lucas—” Antonio took one step forward.“Careful,” he warned. “You wouldn't want to do something stupid.”“Call him back,” Antonio pleaded quietly but Lucas didn’t turn. “Call Carlos.”“Carlos doesn’t like being interrupted.”“Please,” the one ugly sound scraped out of Antonio's throat before he could stop it. “Not her. I’ll do anything”“You forgot the rules— but I'm not punishing you” Lucas chuckled as if inconvenienced, “instead I'm only silenc