The Alpha Mafia King
Chapter 23

amie had no experience with gambling. However, since part of his mission required him to gamble, he learned crap. It seemed less complicated than others like Russian roulette, blackjack, or poker. He decided to risk in other locations before going to De Sina casino.

He had about three days of play to learn the game to at least an amateur level so as not to raise anyone’s suspicion. He sucked at shooting the dice. What was worse was that he was miserable with the dice, and he predicted wrongly every time he made a pass or didn’t pass bet. Anyone could tell that he was a beginner. Alonso was in Russia, in the casino he was supposed to spy on.

“Don’t beat yourself up, man,” Laslow said as they went on a break.

“Alonso will suspect that I have an ulterior motive the moment I walk into the casino,” Jamie said.

“Stop whining like a kid! You’re over imagining things again,” Laslow said irritatedly. “You were picked for the spying job because everyone knows you’re a nitwit. No one will suspect such a complex job to be given to you.”

“Still, it’s going to be suspicious if I can’t play the game.”

Everything was so complicated for Jamie since he was a kid. He could not even spell his name right. Critical thinking was not his thing. He was also a weakling. If he stuck to the script he was given and acted his role right, then he should be fine, probably.

“Who says you must know how to play the game, eh? Just stick to acting like a drunk who’s now into gambling but is a sore loser.”

“He would ask me why I ended up in his casino of all the casinos in the world!”

“How did we end up with such a dummy?” Laslow spoke out his thoughts.

“Laslow quit calling me names!” Jamie said, mildly offended. “I am partly responsible for all the major successful hits that the boss has made.”

“Exactly! And this one is no different,” Laslow said, trying to instill confidence in the man.

“Fine, I’ll do it, but what exactly is the job of a spy? What am I supposed to look out for?”

“Ah f**k you! Here we go again!” Laslow thought. “I just might kill you and fabricate a lie to cover up your cause of death.”

“Jamie, watch and listen to everything and report anything that’s f*****g important! You feel me?”

“Um yeah, I guess so.”

“With everything the boss is throwing at Alonso, he’ll be out of here in no distant time. You’ll be forgotten. Then you will keep up the act and await further instructions.”

Jamie was quiet, which meant he understood, or he was tired of trying to. Laslow and he went to eat at a nearby restaurant. Laslow wondered how the operations were going in Italy. He missed Juno, who would probably have just as hard a time as he was coaching the amateurish werewolves that made the Clocasian pack seem dormant.

—

In another part of Russia, Alonso was watching for the first time the news of Eureka defaming his company. He watched with a heavy heart. He had been feeling a tingling vibe all morning, but he had discarded it to be nothing. The feeling of trouble looming in the air had reemerged. He gave the tablet back to Piccolo.

They were in the martini room reserved only for top-level staff. However, the signpost outside said that both Alonso and Piccolo were smoking. Also, in this room, they had a bird view of everything going within and outside the casino because of the eyes in the sky.

“Something is off; I can feel it!” Alonso said vehemently.

“Not that again!” Piccolo cried. “There is no big deal with what Eureka has done-“

“You think I’m worried about her nonsense!” Alonso cuts in quickly.

Piccolo said in his baritone voice, “Okay, I know you have been feeling off the entire morning, but you felt calm a while ago. I blame myself for showing you the news because now I have awakened your worry again.”

“Let me call Mazza and see if everything is fine back there in Italy.”

Piccolo eyed him. Alphas were extremely alert to danger, and sometimes it was accurate, and other times, it was just a temporary overreaction to pent-up feelings. If Alonso indeed felt off about something, then there was nothing wrong with him checking on his loved ones.

“Hello, granddad,” said Alonso calmly.

“Alonso, did you watch the morning business news?” Mazza said.

“I just did! Forget about the news. Is everyone alright back home?”

“Yes, we are,” Mazza replied. “Why would you ask that?”

“I had a bad feeling about today, so I just wanted to check on everyone. Where are you?”

“I’m in the living room, but I’m planning on going out with Taleela in about an hour.”

A smile curled on Alonso’s lips. “Alright then, be careful, okay.”

Since Russia was two hours ahead of Italy, Alonso did a double check to be sure of the time Mazza would be going out. It was eleven fifty-seven in the morning in Russia. Mazza would be going out with Taleela at about eleven a:m.

“Do you see now that there is nothing to be worried about?” Piccolo asked in a duh tone.

“Sure, there is nothing for now.”

“Alright, so then let us finish our drink so I can show you how to play baccarat. I cannot believe that you have a casino, and the only game you know how to play is crap.”

Alonso shrugged. “I was busy preparing to take on the world, and you were learning games.”

“What were you expecting? My future was to give you advice which to me does not require anything special. Do not blame me for being able to afford the luxury.”

Still in Russia, but yet another part was a different activity going on. Nestor could not believe it. He and his crew had not only discovered Vladimir’s real name, but also they had pinpointed the Mafia family he belonged to. There was the emergence of deep hatred for the Marcovic family. First, he recalled that they had a casino here in Russia that he could exert his vengeance on.

“Let’s head out for the casino and shoot and wreak havoc on it,” Nestor ordered. He saw the men jump up at his command and pick up their arms.

Alonso had asked them to take another round of drinks because he was not yet ready to go down. As they were drinking and talking, Alonso’s eyes glanced at the screen, and he saw some men cladded in an all-black attire step out of a van.

They began to shoot sporadically at the security men. Then they stormed into the casino and fired some harmless workers but not at any of the players. Nestor approached Rocco Lampone.

“You work for the Don, right?” Nestor said, pointing the gun at Rocco, and he nodded. “Words!”

“Yes, I do,” Rocco responded promptly.

“Tell your boss that I was just returning the favor for killing Ivan,” Nestor said. Rocco nodded, and he glared at him.

“I will,” he said, stuttering in between.

“Good!”

Nestor did not have an idea that Alonso had been inside the casino. He did not know that all along, he had been watching them lay waste to his men. Alonso’s mouth fell slightly open, and his eyes widened in surprise.

“What the hell?” Piccolo said, accidentally dropping his wine glass. It broke into pieces the moment it hit the ground.

Alonso was seething, and he said, “Let’s go after them!”

Piccolo grabbed his hands and tried to stop him from going.

“Alonso, now is not the time, okay.”

“Fine, but let’s get out of here!” he snapped.

Footage of what had happened was being edited before the police would arrive. Alonso needed to get out of the casino not to be implicated. He also had to inform his associates at the police headquarters about what had happened.

He and the investigating officer would work out a story to cover the real reason behind the attack made on the casino.

Alonso was infuriated, but Piccolo was fitting that he had to wait for a while before he could do anything. They would settle the scores later on but for now, getting away from here was the utmost priority. Vladimir had been nailed.

He could not imagine that it had been done in just a matter of weeks. However, Jerald, who had been on top of the issue, told him that the new underboss would not seek revenge.

“Then why the f**k did I just get hit?” Alonso wondered silently. “Unless, of course, Jerald had gotten misleading information.”

Alonso still did not know that the new Don was Mariyanna, his business partner. He knew that Ivan had two daughters, and one of them was expected to step up as the new don if anything should happen to him but had gone through extreme lengths to keep their identities a secret.

He had expected Jerald to come with the identity of the new don right after Ivan’s death, but the secret was kept closely guarded. The only information that was privy to Jerald was that there was an underboss, and she was not interested in pursuing the death of Ivan.

***

Omega Juno drove the beat-up car he had come in with Antonio and Lucian contained in the backseat. Callisto had sent them the following order. He was to take them to the next destination given by Callisto. Juno had been told in complete detail what was supposed to happen.

He just played along with Callisto like he was receiving new orders. Callisto wanted his son to spice things up, and that was what was going to happen. Coincidentally, Eureka had added everything nice with that morning report to the spice.

“So, where is this chemical being tested?” Lucian asked as they drove to the supposed lab.

Part of the information the mystery caller had given to him was that there was a chemical Alonso’s company was making that had harmful tendencies. He was to claim the glory for discovering it. Coupled with the alleged claim that La Corporation De Sina imitated Dorado’s chemical Zeta this was enough to crumble the solid reputation of the rival company to the ground.

“We are relatively very close to the location of the lab, Mr. Oriano,” Antonio said. “Just brace yourself for what we are about to show you will blow your mind.”

The words were heavy on Antonio’s mouth. He hated to tell lies, but he had to. This man was being kidnapped. He could not imagine why, but he knew the man had some business ties with Alonso. Maybe they were laying up a trap for Alonso, but he heard that Alonso was in Russia. They had been driving a pretty long distance, and he could finally see the facade of the place they were going to hold Lucian Oriano captive.

“We are here!” Juno announced excitedly.

“Ah, that was such a long drive!” Lucian said. He was stretching as he stepped out of the car. “I don’t see anyone around.”

“My boss is inside,” Antonio continued his lie with a convincing smile. “The scientists are in there too, and everyone is waiting for you.”

Five minutes later, Lucian was bound with ropes and abandoned in the darkness. Juno and Antonio were making their way back. They were going to wait for yet another instruction from Callisto. Juno was smiling smugly. He hoped that it would work.

Antonio pointed a rifle sniper at Eureka. He was somewhat happy that he did not have to kill her. The plan all made perfect sense to him now, but he wondered at what point his father decided to add this part to the plan.

He shot at her twice, but he missed. The shots had caused a commotion on the streets. It was clear that the target had been Eureka. Everything was going to be pinned on Alonso. The plan still had one final development, one that would offset the balance.