Mafia's Redemption: Terzo - Chapter 48: Chapter 48

DANI
“Hey. I’m glad you could drop by. Congratulations!” Gabe Linden just hugged me. I couldn’t get used to meeting some influential people like him. I checked him online. Damn, he was impressive, from rag to riches, yet remained humble.
“Thanks. It was rushed. One moment I was escaping death, the next thing I knew I was getting married to one of the most dangerous people on earth.”
He smiled as if, yeah, I’d dealt with this before. “But honestly, Siciliano is a good and honest man. I’m a little surprised, though. I swear I remember him saying he’d never want to get married.”
I couldn’t help but smile and tucked my hair behind my ear. “Yeah, he’s full of surprises, isn’t he? Who would have thought, right?”
“So, where is he?” He stole a glance at Tristan standing behind me, but he wasn’t surprised that someone was with me.
“He’s working.”
“I see. Well.” He fixed his tie. “My eldest was here with my wife. She likes to play with my tie. “If you need assistance, just find me or Hope, but Yue is the best. The Archive is just around the corner. Turn right and you’ll find it at the last door ahead. There’s a name written on the door.”
“Thanks so much, Mr. Linden.”
“Gabe or Linden is fine, Dani.”
“Gabe.”
I followed his instructions. The Archive wasn’t hard to find. It was full of boxes, files, disk storage, and computers.
I used one of the computers since I could access all the files without restrictions, thanks to the partnership between Osmium and Hover Defense & Security.
I started typing the word Medea. I came up with the idea, maybe it was an abbreviation to something, a code maybe, or a military program of some sort. Or it was just an old book that meant something to the family. I did it online, but nothing interesting came up.
A lot of results popped in, including the author of the play, the book description, and the old myth behind it. I scrolled down with one highlighted result that caught my eye. Medea Myth– Dublin, Ireland. I clicked it. Before the entire article showed, the computer just glitched.
I refreshed it, but I couldn’t find the file anymore.
“What the hell?” I stared at the computer screen in shock.
“Dani?”
I yelped. My hand flew to my chest. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply when my heart started pumping hard.
“Dani, are you there?” It was Hope.
“Yeah.” I stood up and closed the computer. “Hey.” I smiled at her.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but Boss wants you in his office.”
“Why? Something’s wrong?” My mind went right back to Terzo.
“Yeah.”
I quickly followed her outside. “I was searching for something. Then something happened. A glitch on the computer and the only thing that piqued my interest is suddenly gone. Is it normal?”
“Sometimes the server crashed, and the whole system overloads. The head of IT, Yue, is fixing that issue. The boss thought maybe someone was trying to hack the system.”
“Oh, I see. Thanks.” I walked into Linden’s office to see him standing, and he looked like he had just gotten food poisoning, but the woman next to him surprised and worried me the most.
Terzo had been waiting for her call, and yet, there she was.
“Dani,” Linden started. “You’ve met Katie Miller?”
“Not exactly.” I stole a glance at her. “But yeah, I know who she is.”
“She came here to talk to you.”
I looked at Katie. She seemed a good person, but that didn’t change the fact that she was Terzo’s lover, which made it awkward on my part. “What can I do for you?”
She swallowed hard before she spoke. “Terzo is in trouble.”
“What do you mean?” I thought I just gasped before I held her arms. “Where is he? How did you know?”
“I was there.”
“What do you mean he’s in trouble and you were there?” I asked back. I wanted more information, but she was barely sharing. “You put him in trouble? He’s been worried about you, and you did not even call or reply to his text. Now you’re telling me he’s in trouble? I swear—”
“Dani, Dani.” Linden held my arm to release Katie. “Calm down.”
I knew Katie looked like a very capable person. She was taller and stronger like a female protagonist in an action video game, and she could snap my neck if she wanted to, but she came here to tell me, even if I didn’t know how she found me, but I was grateful she didn’t run away instead. I was still mad, though.
I looked at Linden. “If something happens to Terzo I will kill this bitch.”
“Really? Go ahead and try,” said Katie angrily.
I glared at her, but she looked affected, too, guilty even. “What did you do, Katie?”
“Girls!” Linden just ran out of patience. “We can’t help Terzo if you can’t keep your differences aside. We need to work together, okay?”
When we nodded, he talked to Katie, “Tell me what happened.”
“I was just doing right, finding out about her family secret.” She pointed at me. “When I found a surveillance camera in Deckard Humphries’s office. I left the office, and one man cornered me and showed me his badge, Special Agent Diaz.”
“An FBI?” Linden asked in shock. “Why?”
“Yes. Apparently, they’d been watching Humphries for his involvement in illegal activities with the mob.”
“Oh, shit.” I almost lost my balance if Linden hadn’t been fast enough to catch me.
“Sit down, Dani. You’re pale.” He touched my hands when they trembled.
“I’m fine.” I stood straight and drew a deep breath.
“They know I’m a fixer, but I have to give them something.”
“So you sold Terzo out?” I asked her angrily. “Wow. I thought you two were tight. He was worried sick about you, Katie, and just like that you chose to save your ass.”
“Hey. I care about him, too. Why do you think I do this job for him for free? You don’t know what we’ve been through together. I owed him that much. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for your husband, but I have no choice, or I would have been in jail right now. I’m sure Terzo wouldn’t want that.”
“Okay, so you cooperate with the FBI?” Linden continued questioning her.
“Yes. I’ve been working as a waiter in one of the Humphries’ restaurants, where he always goes for a coffee every morning. I sent Terzo a code when I saw him. I told him to get out now, but why exactly was he there?”
“I don’t have the time to explain, but it has something to do with my father, and he also wants to bring Deck down.”
“Holy shit. He’s in big trouble.” Her mouth gaped.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“One problem at a time. How long do we have?” Linden asked.
“He and Humphries are already in FBI custody. I came here to tell her,” Katie told him. “And maybe you can help him contact his handler. Humphries called him Mr. Agustino.”
“What handler? Whose handler?” A strange sense of reality seized me, and I knew nothing about my husband. I remembered that Celestina told me that Terzo sold his soul. Was this what she was talking about?
Linden picked up his phone. “I’m surprised he didn’t tell you, Dani. And I was thinking the same thing, but I’m not sure his handler will answer my call.” He started dialing.
I turned to Katie. “I swear I want to break your face right now, but whose handler are you both talking about?”
“Your man is a hero. You should not have blamed him for what he did. He should have killed your father, too, for what he put you through.”
“I can’t believe you’re saying that.” I glared at her.
“Family doesn’t stab family. Family doesn’t sell family for money or power.”
“Then killing each other has to stop.”
“Really? Look at what he did for you. He went through great lengths to fix what he did, and he did that for you, but you put your faith and hate on different guys, Dani. Sometimes, family doesn’t mean they will take a bullet for you. Sometimes, it’s the people who are not your blood who are willing to sacrifice things for you. So make the right decisions. So, which side are you on?”