2 Beginning: The New Mission

It was late in the afternoon when I arrived at Costello Mansion. The capacious empty living room greeted me which is no longer surprising. Everyone in this house is busy minding our businesses. I roam my eyes around for a moment before I went to the west wing.

I stop when I reach the room located at the end of the hallway. Facing the wooden double door, I suddenly felt hesitant to announce my arrival. My lips form into a thin line and gaze down. I close my eyes for a second before I took a deep breath and knock three times to announce my presence.

I grab the knob and push the door open. The deafening silence and aromatic flavor of freshly brewed coffee with a mixture of a faint smell of tobacco greeted me. My eyes automatically look around until they landed on the man who's sitting comfortably on his swivel chair sipping his afternoon boost while reading a document. 

Luscio Costello. The man in front of me right now is Luscio Costello, the father of the Sintti Crime Organization, one of the strongest and most influential underground organizations. He is the core foundation of the Costello Crime Family which has been leading the Sintti Organization for more than three decades now.

"You're finally here,"

His stern voice echoed in the whole room. Despite his age, the roughness of his tone hasn't changed even just a bit. He still sound intimidating and menacing just like the first time I saw him.

"Good afternoon, Dad. I apologize for my delay" I said politely.

He nods. 

"How was your mission?" 

I immediately place down the black port I was holding together with the documents I gather that contain confidential information on the center table.

"I already collected everything that you needed. Brandon Elliot is already dead" I report. 

He stops reading and lifts his gaze at me. 

"Come closer," he utter and I obliged. "Did you get hurt?" 

I shake my head. "I was not"

His eyes narrowed and pointed something at my face. Unconsciously my hand touches the small wound under my right eye. 

"You have a wound. Should I call Rafaello to check you?"

"I'm fine, Dad" I flash a small smile.

"Good to hear" he leans on the swivel chair and crosses his fingers. "Give me a brief report about Elliot"

"He's a bagman under Cosa Vescaria. Unfortunately, I couldn't find information on which clan he came from. He has a lot of identities but it seems like none of it are real. Just like undercover spies, I think he was forced to forget who he was since he enter the underground organization" I pause when I suddenly remember his face. "He's been working under Cosa Vescaria for almost two decades now. I gather some information about his previous missions. I must say that he's really good at his job" I open the folder and handed him the summary of Brandon Elliot's profile. 

There is something odd with this man. I want to dig more about him but since my only mission is to kill him and gather all the information Sintti Organization needed, everything was handed over to Serino Crime Family the moment I finished my task. I cannot step to the limit given to me or else the council will be threatened by my disobedience. 

"I think he's on a mission when you order me to assassinate him, that's why he flew to Australia and stay there for a month. I  saw the logo of Ilde Famiglia when I went through his things. There were listed names of people he must kill. Phoebus Romani is included on the list, I suspect that the order came from Ilde Famiglia since Cosa Vescaria is under the wings of Ilde Famiglia"

"Do you think they already had an idea about the Mafia Romani?" 

"I am not sure, but if we figure out the reason why Phoebus Romani is on the list, perhaps we could have a conclusion for it"

 

He didn't utter a word and just went through the documents I gave him. 

Mafia Romano should lie low for a while if they want to keep their organization in the shadow. If they keep on provoking Ilde Famiglia even before they could gather enough allies, their organization might be at risk. 

"Did you gather everything?" He asks.

"Yes. Fabio take over Elliot's case after I handed everything to Serino Crime" 

He nod and satisfaction is written on his face.

"He's dead, I don't think there is something we need to worry about that bastard" 

I bite the inside of my mouth. Brandon Elliot was good at hiding and running, unfortunately, he mistakenly steps on the bad side of the Sintti Organization that's why they order me to haunt him down. 

"But perhaps you can ask Serino Crime about Phoebus Romani" I suggest.

I am not quite familiar with Mafia Romano,  all I know is Romani Crime Syndicate leads that organization. Phoebus Romani belongs to the Romani clan.

"I will take a look at it myself, there's no need to bother them. They were working with Accardo Triad right now"

Accardo Triad? Does it mean Jaxer is with the Serino Crime Family right now? Fabio Serino just met me yesterday, I wonder who's assisting him. 

"I understand," I gaze down at my feet and nod.

"Hera, I am your father. You should feel at ease" 

I lift a head and once again smile at him. Yes, he's my father. He became my father the moment he gave me the precious name of his family. I am a woman but he didn't hesitate to take me in and accept me to be part of his family. But despite living as his daughter for fifteen years, every time I talk to him, I still feel the invisible distance between us. It overpowers the father-and-daughter relationship that we built for more than a decade. 

"Yes, Dad. I'm sorry..." I breathe out.

"You can be honest if I am pressuring you too much about your responsibility to the organization, sweetheart" 

I shake my head immediately. He's so good to me. He treats me as if I am his real daughter. He always reminds me that I am not an outcast because he is my father. 

The problem is me... I always feel intimidated every time we talk about this kind of thing.

"You're not pressuring me, Dad. You know me very well, I wanted to fulfill my duty to this family" I said firmly.

Just like how my three brothers- Ajaxer Rion Costello, Pollux Ali Costello, and Apollo Clio Costello fulfill their duty and responsibility to this family, I will do mine too. I may be a woman in everyone's eyes but I have the same capability just like my brothers.

"Sounds good to hear. After all, you're a Costello, you are the Hera of this clan"

Yes, I am a Costello, the only Costello woman- Herravie Costello. 

"I will never disappoint you Dad" I swear.

"I know you won't dare, sweetheart" he smile and pulled out a black folder inside his drawer. "Take a look at this"

My lips form into a thin line as I take a step to accept the black folder. I am a little hesitant but at the same time curious when I slowly open it to see what's inside. My eyes become dead with emotion the moment I saw the name written on the front page.

"Sain Czar Ildefonso..." I frown and lift my gaze. "Ildefonso?"

There is a suspicious smile plastered on his face while my limbs turn rigid to the sudden anger that ignites inside my head.

Ildefonso... the clan who plan the assassination of my family. 

What am I gonna do with this Ildefonso guy?

"He will be your next mission"

I stunned.

"W-What? Y-You will let my hands stain with Ildefonso's blood?" I ask in disbelief.

Is this my chance to get back what Ildefonso take away from me?

"Killing him will never be easy, Hera" he drawled and instructed me to flip the next page. "He's the youngest son of Cesar Ildefonso. He's the most dangerous of them all. Soon he will take over the Ilde Famiglia"  he explains. 

He's the son of Cesar Ildefonso, the man who killed my parents...

I fisted my hand and gritted my teeth.

"What do you want me to do with him?"

"Have your revenge. Kill him in exchange for what Cesar Ildefonso did to your family" he paused. "But you need to become his wife first"

My eyes went wide.

"What?! I don't want to become an Ildefonso woman" I disagree.

My voice is laced with displeasing. There's no freaking way I'm gonna let Ildefonso's name stain mine. 

"But you have to make him marry you, Hera," my father said calmly. "That's the only way you can walk in front of him without guns aiming at your head. You have to marry him, sweetheart, in that way, you will have the chance to kill him"