Chapter 24: Confrontations

Dante
Moments before.
Night had reached its darkest point as we approached Paolo's house. The information Marco had given me was accurate: Ana and Paolo wouldn't be there. We had planned everything meticulously, with the certainty that this operation would be a devastating blow to Paolo and his empire. Despite my thirst for vengeance and my desire to destroy him, I hoped that Ana would remain unharmed throughout this.
I was at the forefront, leading my elite team. We moved in silence, communicating with gestures and whispers. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as we approached our target. This time, we were not allowed to make mistakes; nothing could go wrong with the mission.
"Are you all ready?" I whispered through the communicator.
"Ready, boss," several voices responded.
"There is no margin for error."
We stopped at the edge of the property, hidden among the bushes and trees that surrounded the house. Paolo's guards were in their usual positions, oblivious to the imminent danger. I signaled to my team, and in a matter of seconds, the first silent shots eliminated the sentinels. We hit our target.
"Advance," I ordered, and we slid towards the main entrance. "And anyone who isn't part of our team, I want them eliminated."
The doors were closed, but a lock expert we had brought with us managed to open them in less than a minute. We entered the house, each of us moving with the precision of a Swiss watch.
"Explosives ready," reported one of my men, placing charges at strategic points. "Awaiting your order."
"Perfect. Remember, we need to destroy the entire base of operations. Leave nothing standing," I replied, making sure everyone understood the importance of our mission.
While my men placed the explosive charges, I headed towards Paolo's command center. The documents and computers contained valuable information that we had to destroy to prevent Paolo from reorganizing quickly.
"Clear," said one of my men, indicating that the area was secure.
"Let's start," I nodded, and we began setting up explosives around the room.
The sound of rapid footsteps approached, and Marco appeared, his face serious and focused.
"How's it going? Any updates?"
"Everything is going according to plan," I replied, without stopping working. "The charges are almost all in place. This will be over in a matter of minutes."
"Good. Remember, Dante, this is for Ana. We must make sure she is safe," Marco looked at me fixedly. "Paolo cannot remain a threat."
"I know," I nodded, knowing that my feelings for Ana influenced every decision I made. "Are you sure they're not here? I don't want this to get out of control."
"Completely sure. They made sure to take her to a safe place. She didn't want to cooperate at first, but Valeria told me she's safe, don't worry."
The concern for Ana never disappeared, but I trusted Marco's information. We moved quickly, making sure each charge was in place. When everything was ready, we retreated to a safe distance.
"Ready?" I asked my team.
"Ready," they responded in unison.
"Detonation in three, two, one..." I pressed the detonator, and a series of explosions rocked the ground.
Paolo's house and his base of operations disintegrated into a storm of fire and debris. The flames illuminated the night, and the roar of the explosions echoed in my ears. I watched the chaos we had created with a mixture of satisfaction and relief. Paolo deserved no less than this. I would make him regret it.
"Good job, team," I said through the communicator. "Let's go back, it seems our work here is done, you fulfilled the request."
We retreated quickly, leaving the destruction behind. I knew we had dealt a significant blow to Paolo, but my mind was still on Ana. I needed to make sure she was okay.
Back at our meeting point, Marco looked at me with a grave expression.
"Dante, you did the right thing. This was necessary," he placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I hope so. But I can't stop worrying about Ana. Paolo won't sit idly by."
"We know, and we're prepared for whatever comes next," Marco assured. "Ana is strong. She'll survive."
I nodded, though my worry didn't diminish. The night had been a success, but the war was far from over. And in the midst of it all, my feelings for Ana only complicated things further.
The journey back was silent, each of us lost in our thoughts. We knew this was just the beginning, and that the real battle was yet to come. But we were ready, and I would do everything in my power to protect Ana, no matter the cost.
The silence of the night was broken only by the hum of the engine as we headed back to base. My thoughts were clouded, caught in a tangle of worry and guilt. We had completed the mission, but something didn't feel right.
Upon reaching the base, I found myself alone in my office, unable to rest. My mind kept wandering to Ana. Suddenly, my phone vibrated, pulling me out of my thoughts. Upon seeing the number, I felt a knot in my stomach.
It was her and I bet she wants answers.
"Dante?" the mysterious woman's voice sounded tenser than ever. "What have you done?"
"What do you mean?" I replied, trying to remain calm. "We've completed the mission. We destroyed Paolo's base."
"And Ana?" she interrupted, her tone sharp. "Do you know where Ana is now?"
"Isn't she with the security team?" I asked, feeling something was terribly wrong.
"No, Dante. Ana is in the operating room," the woman's voice cracked slightly, something rare for her. "She's seriously injured and we don't know if she'll wake up."
A chilling cold ran down my spine. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My whole world wobbled.
"It can't be. Marco assured me she wouldn't be there," I replied, my voice filled with disbelief.
"Well, Marco was wrong, or he lied to you," she replied, her tone full of contained anger. "Whatever, you've ruined everything. If Ana dies..." she trailed off, the implicit threat in her words.
I hung up, feeling a mix of fury and despair. I couldn't stand by and do nothing. I stormed out of my office and headed straight to Marco's office.
"Marco!" I exclaimed as I entered, not bothering to knock. "What the hell happened? Why did you tell me Ana wouldn't be there?"
Marco looked up from his papers, startled by my sudden intrusion.
"What are you talking about, Dante?"
"Ana's in surgery," I said, trying to control my anger. "You told me she wouldn't be at Paolo's house. Why did you lie to me?"
Marco's face paled. He rose slowly from his chair, as if the weight of the news had physically hit him.
"I didn't know, Dante. I was assured she wouldn't be there. I swear!"
"Who did you trust with this information?" I demanded, approaching him. "Ana could die because of your damn misinformation!"
Marco seemed dazed, unable to fully process what I was saying. Finally, he slumped his shoulders, defeated.
"I... I don't know what to say to you," he admitted, his voice barely a whisper. "I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought it was best for her, Valeria thought the same."
"Valeria? Now I see that you both actually want to get rid of Ana, why? Do you want to lead the mafia alone?"
"There are many things at stake, Dante."
"Well, you better start praying for Ana to survive, because if anything happens to her, I'll make sure you're buried next to her. Don't think I'll give you the privilege of continuing to breathe the air you took away from her. I'll finish you off and not even your damn mafia will be able to stop me. Listen carefully to what I'm telling you."
I stared at him, feeling a burning anger mixed with a deep despair. I couldn't bear the thought of losing Ana, let alone because of such a serious mistake.
"I'll fix it, Dante."
"You better find a way to fix this, Marco. Because if anything happens to Ana, not only will Paolo be our enemy. I'll make sure you pay for this myself."
Without waiting for a response, I turned and left the office, leaving Marco behind, immersed in his own guilt and confusion. The anger and worry kept pounding in my chest, a constant reminder of what was at stake. Ana had to survive.
I couldn't live in a world without her.