Lucas smiled as he observed the unfolding scene. Lion and Tiger, noticing the shift in Henas and Leo’s intentions, quickly adapted their movements. Their fighting style transformed, seamlessly countering the threat posed by the daggers.
The intensity of the battle escalated, but it was clear that Lion and Tiger had the upper hand. Despite the weapons, Henas and Leo struggled to keep up, while Lion and Tiger moved with a calm and effortless grace.
Tiger began to taunt them, “Is that all you’ve got? I thought you were holding back.”
Lion joined in, “Yeah, seems like you two are the ones who haven’t changed.”
Irritated, Henas and Leo found themselves at a loss, unable to comprehend how Lion and Tiger had become so skilled. The realization hit them like a wave, and Leo glanced over at Lucas, who was watching the fight with a relaxed demeanor.
Leo, piecing things together, asked Tiger, “How did you know?”
Tiger grinned, “I didn’t know. But Lucas did. The moment he suggested using the same tactics, I understood.”
Lion added with a mocking tone, “You should have seen it coming.”
With that, Lion and Tiger delivered powerful kicks, sending Henas and Leo sprawling backward. They landed hard, coughing up a mouthful of blood, the impact of the blows evident.
Henas and Leo struggled to their feet, wincing in pain. Henas, despite his discomfort, closed his eyes and asked, “What happened to you, Lion and Tiger? How did you become so strong?”
Lion replied simply, “Lucas trained us. He’s our boss now.”
The revelation didn’t shock Henas and Leo much, having witnessed Lucas’s prowess. However, they hadn’t expected Lucas to train Lion and Tiger so effectively.
Tiger stepped forward, his expression serious. “What do you want now? We know what happened back then was intentional.”
Henas and Leo hesitated, refusing to admit anything. Tiger and Lion approached them, each taking a side. With every denial, they delivered a stinging slap.
“Why did you betray the gang?” Tiger demanded.
The two remained silent, enduring the blows until their faces swelled painfully. Finally, Henas, unable to bear the pain any longer, confessed.
“It was the Costa Familia,” Henas began, his voice strained. “They wanted the entire gang wiped out. We were under their protection, and we had no idea why they wanted it. But the police that came-they weren’t real cops.”
Tiger’s brow furrowed in anger. “Not real police? Then what happened to our brothers?” he asked, his voice filled with rage.
“They were all killed,” Henas admitted, struggling to speak.
Tiger, overwhelmed with fury, couldn’t hold back any longer. He punched Leo in the face, knocking him out cold. “You traitors! You betrayed us, your brothers, just for protection!”
Lion interjected, his voice filled with determination. “This Costa Familia, I’ll make sure they pay dearly!” With that, he delivered a punch to Henas, rendering him unconscious as well.
…..
…
Costa Familia Villa…
Don Ramon Costa sat in his dimly lit office, a dark expression etched across his face. The room was tense, filled with the weight of recent events that threatened the stability of the Costa Familia.
A subordinate stepped forward, reporting the troubling news. “Don Ramon, our business is experiencing significant setbacks. Information about our hidden major clients has been leaked, and we can’t figure out how. Tyrone is the only one with the list, unless there’s a traitor among us. But we know Tyrone wouldn’t betray us; he’s too afraid.”
Don Ramon listened, his anger simmering beneath the surface. “And what about our cash flow?” he demanded.
“It’s continuing to decline, sir. If this keeps up, it could affect our other businesses,” the subordinate replied, concern evident in his voice.
Another member of the group approached, adding to the grim news. “We’ve found Xander’s body. He was killed by pirates.”
Don Ramon’s fury intensified at the cascade of bad news. His consiglier was currently occupied patching up issues at Dragon’s Gate Trading, and the underboss was investigating the information leak. This left him to handle the mounting problems alone.
“Who is behind these consecutive disasters?” Don Ramon shouted, his patience wearing thin.
“We haven’t found any leads yet,” the subordinate admitted, only to be met with a sharp slap from Don Ramon, his anger boiling over.
“Conduct a faster and more thorough investigation!” Don Ramon bellowed, his voice echoing through the room. “I want answers, and I want them now!” He slammed his hand down on the armchair.
….
…
Back to Lucas.
After dealing with the two traitors, Tiger drove back to their secret base with the two unconscious men in the backseat. They planned to use them to gather more information about the Costa Familia.
During the drive, Lion, Tiger, and Lucas engaged in conversation. Lucas remarked, “I never expected to gain so much from my mission, and now we have the bonus of two people connected to the Costa Familia.”
Tiger chuckled, “Boss, your luck is something else. An unexpected bonus indeed.”
Lion chimed in, “There might be more secrets hidden by the Costa Familia.”
Lucas nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Find out everything they know about the Costa Familia. I’m sure these two have valuable information.”
….
Upon returning to the villa, the members of the Mercado and Abate Familia gathered quickly, ready to hear Lucas’s plan. The Gallo Familia was not present, as they were already out executing parts of Lucas’s broader strategy. Lucas stood before the assembled group, prepared to outline their mission for the following day.
“Listen up, everyone,” Lucas began, his voice cutting through the room with authority. “The Costa Familia has several key businesses that are crucial to their power. If we can disrupt these, we can significantly weaken them. Our targets are their gambling operations, smuggling routes, high-end escort services, and money laundering fronts.”
He paused, allowing the gravity of their task to settle in. “We’ll divide into four groups,” Lucas announced. “The first group, led by Diego and another member from the Iron Wolves, will target the gambling operations.”
He continued, “Marco, you’ll lead the second group to focus on the smuggling routes. Carlo, you’ll head the third group, which will target the escort services.”
Finally, Lucas addressed the remaining members. “The fourth group, led by the two remaining members of the Iron Wolves, will be assigned to disrupt the money laundering activities.”
Each leader nodded, fully grasping the importance of their roles. Lucas’s strategy was clear and direct: strike the Costa Familia at their core, dismantling their financial stronghold.
“Remember,” Lucas emphasized, “gather as much information as you can. We need to know every detail about their operations. Let’s ensure the Costa Familia feels our presence.”
The room buzzed with a sense of urgency and determination as everyone began preparing for the mission. Equipment was checked, strategies were reviewed, and the air was thick with anticipation.
Before they dispersed, Lucas addressed them once more, his tone firm and resolute. “This mission is set for tomorrow. Remember, failure is not an option. We have one shot at this, and we need to make it count.”