Game Of Cards

Adriana sat in the dim light of her apartment, the journal open on the table in front of her. Each name written in her father's hand felt like another crack in the foundation of her world. Politicians, police officers, even members of the Vasquez family—names she recognized, people she thought she could trust.

The game was bigger than she had imagined.

Rico leaned against the wall, his arms crossed as he watched her. His silence was heavy, but she could feel his presence, steady and unyielding, like a guard standing watch.

"We can't trust anyone," Adriana said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rico nodded. "That's the first smart thing you've said all night."

She shot him a glare but didn't have the energy to argue. "These names—what do they mean? Were they complicit? Or were they victims?"

"Does it matter?" Rico asked, pushing off the wall and walking to the table. "What matters is that we know who they are, and they don't know what you've got. That gives us the upper hand."

Adriana stared at the pages, her fingers brushing against the ink. "My father knew all of this. He was playing a game he couldn't win."

"He wasn't trying to win," Rico said, his voice softer now. "He was trying to protect you. He knew the risks, but he did it anyway. That's the kind of man he was."

Adriana's chest tightened. She had always admired her father's strength, but now it felt like that strength had come at a cost she hadn't been prepared to pay.

"So what's the plan?" she asked, forcing herself to focus. "What do we do with this?"

Rico pulled out a chair and sat across from her, his gaze steady. "We use it to our advantage. These names are leverage, but they're also a death sentence if they fall into the wrong hands. We need to play this carefully."

Adriana frowned. "And by 'carefully,' you mean…"

"We make them think you're on their side," Rico said. "Giovanni, the Vasquez family, everyone. You play the part of the loyal daughter, the grieving heir. Let them underestimate you."

Her stomach turned at the thought. "You want me to lie to my own family?"

Rico's jaw tightened. "It's not lying. It's surviving. If you walk in there waving that journal around, you'll be dead before you finish your first sentence. You need to think strategically."

Adriana hated the idea, but she couldn't deny he was right. Her family wasn't what she had thought it was, and trust was a luxury she couldn't afford.

"Fine," she said, closing the journal and tucking it into her bag. "But I'm not doing this for them. I'm doing it for my father."

Rico nodded, a flicker of approval in his eyes. "That's the spirit. Now, there's someone you need to meet."

Adriana raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

Rico stood, grabbing his jacket. "Someone who knows the Corvellis better than anyone. Someone who can help us figure out Giovanni's next move."

The Meeting

The warehouse was on the outskirts of the city, hidden among a maze of abandoned buildings. Adriana followed Rico through the darkness, her heart pounding with every step. She didn't know what to expect, but she had learned to expect the unexpected.

Rico stopped at a rusted metal door and knocked twice. A moment later, it creaked open, revealing a man with a wiry frame and sharp, calculating eyes.

"Rico," the man said, his voice tinged with suspicion. "You're bringing guests now?"

"This is Adriana Vasquez," Rico said, his tone firm. "She's the reason we're all still breathing."

The man's eyes narrowed as he looked at her. "Vasquez, huh? You've got a lot of nerve coming here."

Adriana squared her shoulders, refusing to be intimidated. "And you are?"

The man smirked. "Call me Marco. I used to work for the Corvellis. Now, I work for myself."

Rico stepped inside, gesturing for Adriana to follow. "Marco has connections. He hears things. If anyone knows what Giovanni's planning, it's him."

Marco closed the door behind them, his expression unreadable. "I hear a lot of things. The question is, why should I share them with you?"

Adriana pulled the journal from her bag, holding it up. "Because I have something the Corvellis would kill for. And if you help me, I might just let you live to see another day."

Marco's eyes flicked to the journal, his interest piqued. "Bold. I like that. Alright, Vasquez. Let's talk."

For the next hour, Marco laid out the details of the Corvellis' operations. Smuggling routes, alliances, weak points—it was a treasure trove of information, but it also painted a chilling picture of the family's power.

"They're planning something big," Marco said, his voice low. "Giovanni's been moving pieces around the board for months. He's waiting for the right moment to strike."

"Strike where?" Adriana asked, her pulse quickening.

Marco hesitated, glancing at Rico before answering. "Your family's stronghold. He wants to wipe the Vasquez family off the map."

The words hit Adriana like a punch to the gut. She had known Giovanni was dangerous, but this was something else entirely.

"We need to stop him," she said, her voice firm.

Marco shook his head. "Stopping Giovanni won't be easy. He's got resources, connections, and an army of loyal men. You'll need more than just that journal to take him down."

Adriana glanced at Rico, determination burning in her eyes. "Then we'll get more. Whatever it takes."

Rico nodded, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Looks like you're finally starting to think like a player."

Adriana turned back to Marco. "If you're in, we'll protect you. But if you betray us…"

Marco held up his hands, a smirk on his lips. "Relax, Vasquez. I know better than to cross someone with nothing left to lose."

Adriana didn't respond, but in that moment, she realized something important. She wasn't just playing the game anymore.

She was ready to win it.