Dark Soul Vol. 5 Read Online Free Page A

That yuppie persona attracted similar, less-colorful characters.
    “You might or might not be aware that you were shot by organized criminals,” Sebastiano said.
    Vince nodded. “Speaking’s . . . not easy. Still hurts. Go on.”
    “I’m not going to waste much of your time, Vince. Sorry for intruding. The men who attacked you and your employer were Russian organized crime. We should talk about Stefano Marino.”
    Vince’s face shut down almost immediately. Another common response. “I told the police everything I know.”
    “I highly doubt that.” Sebastiano leaned back. “I talked to Rude Boy the other day.”
    “What are you, a Fed?”
    “Worse. I’m the US Attorney, and I’m currently building my case.”
    Vince swallowed, and that looked painful too. “What case?”
    “That depends a lot on what I find, but I am finding a good amount of small details and pieces for the big picture. I know Peter Thomson has regularly accepted bribes. Don’t worry about him; I already have enough dirt on him. I know that in this city at least, the Marino clan and its members and associates have always been able to play the get-out-of-jail-free card. That’s over now.”
    Vince scoffed. “Marino clan, eh?”
    “I could have called Stefano Marino your boss , but I figured that might have been heavy-handed.”
    “You ain’t got nothing on me or anybody else. I’m a bodyguard.
    That’s it. Unless you’re a fucking racist.”
    “The ‘you just hate Italians’ defense doesn’t work with me. I’m Italian myself.” Sebastiano smiled. “Listen, Vince. I know it’s awkward for you, especially surrounded by all those flowers and love from the rest of the family, but you have to understand that a few months from now, the Marino clan will no longer exist. And when that happens, you’ll either go to prison or walk free, but you have to make that choice very soon.”
    Yes, the usual response: none. He didn’t yet have enough leverage on Vince. He’d kept his nose clean for four years, which was a long time in those circles. Still, as Marino’s bodyguard, he had insider information he might be willing to trade. “Since you were clearly out of the picture, who killed the Russians? The sniper killing? The bomb? Who was that?”
    Vince shook his head. “That’s beyond . . . normal.”
    “I know. Hence I’m asking. This is excessive violence. If I were an honorable made man, I’d be disturbed by that level of violence.
    Especially if my livelihood was more about protecting than anything else. I’d say you’re a bit of a gentle soul, Vince, which, hey, I get that completely. You like to protect people. I’m the same way. I’m just protecting society as a whole. But would I order mass-shootings and bombings of hoods? I wouldn’t.”
    “Not even if you could get away with it?”
    “On my side of the law, I can’t get away with it.” Sebastiano reached inside his pocket. “Here’s my card. Give me a call when you have anything that might be of interest to me.”
    Vince didn’t look at the card, not even when he put it on the table. “You know the way out.”
    “I do. But think about the fact that it’ll be a lot easier for you to find legit work if you haven’t served time. Or that if you are serving time, there’s nothing you can return to. They’ll be all gone, from your boss to everybody who’s sent you flowers. Nothing left, Vince, nobody to fall back on. Think of El a. She going to wait if you go away for five, ten years?”
    “The door,” Vince said, voice coarse and exhausted.
    Sebastiano nodded, polite—friendly, even—and walked out.
    Not a huge success, but he hadn’t expected a made man to fold so easily, anyway, not even weakened by thoughts of his own mortality.
    If he was clever, he’d cal . If he wasn’t, he would most likely increase pressure on Marino, making him easier to crack. Either way, this was just the opening move.
    Of course, money was the lifeblood of any organization.