1 Ties of Betrayal

The almost nauseating scent of cheap cigarettes and whiskey permeated the small room that Vince Martino called his "office." The old walls, once filled with memories of a glorious era, were now witnesses to the slow but imminent decline of the Martino family.

Each drag Vince took from his cigarette brought forth various memories of the power he once held in his hands, but now slipped through his fingers like a handful of fine sand. Don Martino, once considered one of the pillars of organized crime, now saw all his efforts being shattered before him. Loyalty, once considered the driving force in the family, was making way for venomous conspiracies. Vince, also known as the 'Immortal,' was essentially the patriarch's shadow, taking care of the 'loose ends' on behalf of the family. Having been away from the family for a few months due to a failed assassination attempt against him, Vince wasn't fully aware of the conspiracies surrounding his brothers.

Vince set aside the papers he was analyzing and headed towards his mini bar, near the only window in the room. He poured another shot of whiskey and took a sip, feeling the burn of the cheap drink going down his throat. He leaned his arms on the windowsill, enjoying the night breeze caressing his hair. That's when his attention turned to the car that had just parked in front of the headquarters he commanded. He would recognize that car anywhere. It belonged to his blood brother and best friend; Marcus.

Even though it was an unexpected visit, it didn't seem to bother him. He knew his brother wasn't one to adhere to a daily schedule.

Vince moved away from the window and placed his nearly empty glass on his table, extinguishing his cigarette in a nearby ashtray. That's when he heard three quick knocks on his door. A touch that made him certain of who awaited him on the other side.

"Come in, the door's open," he said as he leaned on the table, holding his glass in hand and taking his last sip, finishing the drink that had once been there.

The door opened, and his brother's warm smile almost dazzled his eyes. He truly was someone with a unique energy.

"Vinny, my dear, how have you been?" Marcus spoke as soon as his eyes met those of his best friend. He opened his arms, as if wanting to embrace the world.

"Marcus, to what do I owe the honor of your presence?" Vince said with a noticeable tone of sarcasm in his voice. He approached and embraced his longtime friend. They both burst into laughter. "But seriously, couldn't you warn me before showing up? I would have ordered something for us to eat."

Marcus went to the mini bar to pour himself some of Vince's drink as he spoke. He took a big sip, seemingly savoring the moment. "It wouldn't have been necessary. This is just a quick visit," he finally said, placing the glass in front of him and nodding his head for his brother to sit. Marcus straightened up in the chair, seeming to become someone else. His face, which once showed a friendly expression, had become hard, almost expressionless.

That expression on Marcus's face made Vince cautious and somewhat apprehensive about what was to come. That's because the last time he saw that look in his friend's eyes was when Sophie, Vince's girlfriend and Marcus's sister, was brutally murdered, counted only as another victim of the yellow raincoat killer.

Vince just waited in silence, hoping Marcus would bring up the subject that seemed to be bothering him so much. And fortunately for him, it didn't take long for Marcus to start talking.

"I won't drag this out, just came here to give you a warning. Be careful with those around you," he approached the table, almost as if whispering. "We've received some information that the De Lucas are preparing to go to war with us."

This didn't seem to shake Vince too much. This wouldn't be the first time the De Luca family had tried, but they always ended up having their plans thwarted. It wasn't as if they were a significant threat to anyone.

"That's not the worst part, Vinny. It seems we have a damn traitor in the family working with the De Lucas." Marcus stood up, heading towards the door. He was already leaving. But before opening it, he turned again, reinforcing what he had said before. "I just ask that you be careful."

What happened next seemed to last a mere moment.

The moment Marcus opened the door, two hulks that Vince recognized as subordinates of his brother were waiting with guns in hand, ready to attack.

"MARCUS, WATCH OUT!!!" Vince shouted as he pulled out his gun.

But it was already too late.

Two shots flew towards Vince, piercing his right shoulder and chest, puncturing his lung.

Breathing was becoming a difficult task for Vince. Blood was quickly entering his punctured lung. It was only a matter of time before he felt the bitter kiss of death. But even so, he needed to do something; his best friend could meet the same end. Vince couldn't lose another person he loved, especially like this.

With difficulty and trembling hands, he aimed the gun at the head of the intruder on Marcus's right. But what Vince saw inside destroyed him. His best friend was pointing a gun at his head.

Vince couldn't say anything; he just stood there, petrified.

"It's nothing personal, Vinny," Marcus said with the gun still pointed at his friend. "It's for a greater good. I know you'd understand my side if we had time for explanations."

And as he finished speaking, Marcus shot Vince in the head.

The conversation that seemed to have started between Marcus and the two intruders was starting to sound more and more distant. Vince's eyes were getting so heavy that he struggled to keep them open.

Resentment burned in Vince, a flame fueled by Marcus's betrayal. And the weight of guilt oppressed his chest, especially for Sophie's death, a wound that never healed. While life flowed from his wounds, his thoughts seemed to dance to a funeral rhythm.

Marcus's betrayal echoed like thunder in his ears, the broken trust leaving scars deeper than physical wounds. Sophie, the love of his life, had become a silent ghost, a constant presence in his final moments. Vince blamed himself for not protecting her, for not preventing her tragedy.

"Betrayed by my brother, unable to save the only person who truly mattered. I failed, Sophie. I hope you were at least able to forgive me," Vince murmured, his voice weakened.

Sadness and anger mingled in his soul like a storm. Vince lamented not only his imminent death but the impossibility of reuniting with Sophie in the afterlife. Regret hung in the air as he shattered from within.

'Even in death, I won't be able to be with you, my dear. My actions, my sins, separate us forever. I wish I could turn back time, Sophie. I would do anything to be someone better, someone truly worthy of your love,' he thought, his eyes lost in the approaching darkness.

Marcus's betrayal, guilt for Sophie's death, and the pain of not being able to share the afterlife intertwined, forming a dark melody in his final moments. Vince died with a heavy heart, carrying the burden of irrevocable choices.

He knew that these words wouldn't bring his redemption. His tears mixed with his blood. At that moment, his sorrow seemed to become tangible, as if Death itself were there to accompany him. His eyes lost their luster, and his breathing became increasingly labored until, finally, it stopped.

Vince was dead.