“Romeo, have you collected the money from the main safe?”
“Yes, sir, and all access has been granted to every account. Soldiers deceased. Ladies are waiting for exit plan. Charges planted and ready to blow when you give word.”
“Thank you. Severu? Mariko? Have you transported our guests to our clinic for medical care?”
“Two more to move out, sir. Am assured all charges in place. Will advise when last one is safe,” Severu answered.
“Thank you.” Val glanced at his watch. “No takers?” He lifted the gun he’d been holding against his side and shot the most defiant of the lot in the head, deliberately at close range so his brains would splatter all over the man in line nearest him.
“Again, I’ll ask the same question. This time I’m not waiting as long. I’m looking for information on the young virgin teens that were to be auctioned off. Where they are being held. I will also accept information on any children being held. Young boys or girls or who handles them. I’m being generous. That’s a broad scope.”
One of the men shifted nervously in line, but another glared at him and muttered a single name. Marco. Instantly, everyone was quiet. No moving. Blank faces.
Val wandered over to the third man in line, pressed the barrel of his gun between his eyes and waited a heartbeat so it would sink in that he was in charge.
“I’ll ask again, gentlemen. You can see that I’m not playing games. Marco may be a scary badass, but he’s not here right now, and I am. I suggest you play nice with me. If you’re worried that Marge is going to rat you out, she will not survive her time with Dario. No one survives their session with Dario. The only choice they have is to decide if it will be short or if they will prolong the agony for hours, days or even weeks.”
Valentino had no idea who Marco was, but the name seemed to inspire fear in everyone. It was possible he was behind the human trafficking ring, or at least one of the bigger connections. Val simply played it off as if he knew who Marco was.
He glanced at his watch. “Five seconds and another one of you dies.”
The man on the end cleared his throat. The one next to him glared at him. “Don’t you dare. You took an oath.”
Valentino shot him through the throat and then through his eye. When he fell, Dario spit on him.
“He took an oath first to the Saldi name. To Giuseppi Saldi first before all others, as did Miceli, and he turned traitor. That oath is binding. Any oath that comes after is not binding,” Val said. “That is our world.”
The man on the end nodded. The second man looked confused. Valentino shot him, reloaded and holstered his weapon. “Give me the information you have.”
“Don’t you dare,” Marge screamed. “I’ll kill you myself.”
“You’re a dead woman walking,” Val said quietly. “You can’t kill anyone.”
Quintu came out of the back office. “All of the money has been transferred from the safe to the cars. Also, from the bars to the cars. The accounts are open.”
“No.” For the first time, Marge looked really scared. “Val, you can’t take the money. It isn’t just Miceli’s. He’ll kill me if it disappears. You can’t take the cash. You know how Miceli is about money. He’ll hunt me down.”
“Marge,” Emmanuelle spoke gently for the first time. She stood near the woman, but just out of arm’s reach. “You really don’t seem to understand. You aren’t going to live through this. You’re part of a human trafficking ring. You sold women and children into sexual slavery so you could have whatever luxury you wanted. They need information you have.”
“Well, I’m not giving it to them unless I get something out of it. I want ten million dollars, all the money I already have in my bank accounts, a new identity and a place free and clear where Miceli and his people will never find me. I might consider cooperating with Val then.” She looked at the man in front of Val. “Don’t be such a fool, Aldo: Bargain. Get something back before you give them what they want.”
Val smiled. “He is getting something, Marge. He doesn’t die by being burned alive with his intestines scattered across the floor.”
Aldo paled and let out a groan, looking as if he might vomit any moment. Valentino ignored him.
“As for you, you can say whatever you want, make any demand you want, scream, beg, cry, yell—none of that matters now. I have no say. I have turned your interrogation over to Dario. He is solely in charge of you. You killed two women in this dungeon one night with a smile on your face, Marge. It seems Dario took great exception and asked for this favor. I granted it to him.”