Synarchy Book 2: The Ascension Page 9

  "Apparently, not hard enough if I can't keep up with you."

  "Pfft." Carissa waved the thought aside with a dismissive noise. "You can't honestly expect me to believe that you wouldn't still be working if it wasn't Take-Mother-To-Dinner night," she chided gently. "You should spend more time with Maria,” she said, referring to Dominic’s wife. "We never know how much time we'll have with the people we love. Just look at your brother—" even now, her voice got a hair unsteady when she spoke of him. "Well, we didn't have nearly enough time with him."

  A flicker of a shadow tainted the back of Dominic’s eyes. "Considering the path Joey took, we're lucky we got as much time with him as we did."

  Carissa's brows shot up in disgruntled surprise, not only at those words, but at the look in her son’s eyes. She released his face and took a step back, frowning at him. "What is that supposed to mean, Dominic?"

  "Nothing." Dominic brushed past her, walking towards her office. "I'm sorry. It doesn't matter." His jaw tensed. His brother didn't deserve his mothers’ pain, or her love. "Where do you want to go tonight?"

  Carissa frowned a little more deeply. There was a small voice inside her head telling her—almost begging her—just to drop the subject, but she silenced it. "No, son. You said it. Obviously, you meant something by it. So, tell me why on earth you would be taking pot shots at your dead brother?" She almost flinched when she had to speak the word dead in connection with Joey. Time didn't heal all wounds—some were simply too deep.

  Dominic dropped the mail on her desk, giving her his back and silence. His son was a disappointment. Agata wasn't strong enough to know the truth. His brother, a dead enemy. And his mother, this beautiful tower of strength, was misguided in her faith. He turned around, walking back out of her office and towards her. "Joey was on the wrong side. Joey spent his life a slave to the whims of a stupid man. Do you know how much of a Terenzio I am? The moves I've made, the shadows I've walked through? And for decades, Mother."

  The blood drained slowly from Carissa's face. Joey? On the wrong side? The idea was ludicrous. Her voice was little more than a whisper. "What are you saying, Dominic? What have you done?"

  "What have I done?" Dominic could feel himself snapping. He'd held himself in check for so long; tolerated all the love his mother had given Joey, while he had been left desperately wanting for the same depth of affection; tolerated the knowledge that Joey and Marcello were running the family into the ground. Dominic reached out, clasping his mother’s hands and pulling her towards him. "The right thing, Mother. Marcello was keeping secrets from you. About everything. He's fighting against a very powerful force that we should be siding with instead."

  Carissa stiffened. For once, she truly looked old. "Dominic, no. I know. I know what Joey was doing. What Marcello asked of him. What they—we—were fighting against. Are fighting against. And now, you tell me that you... That my own son..." She shook her head, tearing her hands away from his and taking a step back, forced into silence by the horror of what she was only now beginning to fully understand. Not about Joey, but about Dominic himself.

  Shock registered openly on Dominic’s face. She knew, and she was on the other side. Marcello's side. Joey's side. The lines around Dominic's mouth tightened, staring at his mother in a brief, incredulous silence. "I can't believe I'm hearing this. No, you know what, I refuse to believe I'm hearing this." He drew himself up and buttoned the front of his suit. "Get rea¬dy for dinner, Mother. We're going to talk, and by the end of the evening, you're going to get on the right side."

  Carissa took one more step back from Dominic and shook her head with heavy finality. "I wish I could refuse to believe what I'm hearing, son. There will be no dinner. It's not me whose loyalties are grievously misaligned." She closed her eyes, as if she was unable to even look at him. Her voice was very quiet, and deeply sorrowed. "Oh, Dom. You've broken my heart."

  She might as well have shot him. "I've broken your heart?!" Dominic came at her, grabbing her roughly by the shoulders. "Everything, everything I've done has been for you!" Tears burst from his eyes and he shook his mother hard. "I knew Uncle Julian wouldn't understand, and Dom Jr. was too stupid to make a choice for himself, but you! You! You take it back. You take it back right now, Mother. You're on the wrong side! Why can't you see that?!"

  Through Dominic’s rage Carissa saw the small boy he had been, always craving her approval so deeply, always trying to outshine his big brother. Carissa wondered how she had been so blind, for so many years, to what Dominic was. She was hard-pressed to hold her own tears back, but she managed. "Don't you dare—don't you dare tell me that what you've done was for me. You've smeared mud on the memory of your elder brother. Joey loved you, he loved you. He wanted to make the world a better place—for you. For all of us." She stared at her son in silence for half a second, then shook her head and twisted her shoulders in the attempt to wrest them from his grasp. "Go. Just… go. Please."

  Dominic’s fury flamed so hotly that he saw red. Joey. Joey. Joey. Always fucking Joey. Joey this. Joey that. She would not switch sides. She was looking at him the same way Uncle Julian had, right before he died. Dominic’s back teeth clenched. He didn't release his mother but forced her against him, so he could hug her, fiercely.

  For an instant, Carissa pressed her forehead into his shoulder, wishing silently that it could have been different; wondering what she could have done differently. Dominic’s tears came harder. A low sob caught in his throat and ran silently down the length of his form. Then, he became the Terenzio he was and sucked it all back in. He stopped hugging his mother, but kept his hands on her shoulders. He kissed her cheek, tenderly. "I forgive you,” he whispered. "You'll forgive me, too." It didn’t require much force on his end; to shove his mother down the staircase.

  Gravity took her, and the damning sounds of her tumble echoed out with no scream to punctuate them. When silence once again reigned, Carissa lay at the bottom of the stairs in a broken heap, dove-grey eyes gazing sightlessly upward toward her youngest.

  Dominic’s shoulder hit the wall, and then he sunk down it until he was sitting at the top of the stairs, tears running in an open line down his face. Eventually, he wiped his tears on his sleeve and stood up to call 911.

  §

  May 21, 2000 - 1:12 PM

  Alcyone Island

  Marina Café

  “What I really want is complete control of SVT Securities.” Olivia sat a table in the beachside café, the rush of the ocean quietly serenading the lunch goers.

  Amadeo Terenzio sat across from her, his fingers laced behind his thick head of prematurely whitening hair. “You just want access to the black budget records.”

  “Bet your ass I do. Marcello’s been up to something for years, and I think its bullshit we’re kept in the dark. If he’s making moves, we should all know about it.”

  “And what if I told you what Marcello was up to?” The voice came unexpectedly. Dominic strolled up to their table, pulling out a chair and inviting himself to sit in it.

  Amadeo quirked a brow. “We’d say thanks?”

  Dominic chuckled, then grew serious. “Marcello, Matteo, and my brother have spent the last decade fucking up your legacy.”

  Olivia slid her sunglasses down her nose, eyeing Dominic over the rim. “And how would you know that?”

  “I discovered a letter, written to your Uncle, from Stefano.” He reached into the inside of his suit jacket, removing the old, folded piece of paper and pushed it across the table. “Then, I started snooping around on my own. Olivia, Marcello and your father are moving in the direct opposite of what the original heads of this family wanted.”

  Olivia yanked up the letter, unfolding it to read it. “Oh, my God,” she whispered. She handed the letter to Amadeo. “It’s true?”

  “All of it. There are classified SVT Security files that you can access that will prove it,” Dominic said.

  “How do you have access? And is my father involved?” Amadeo asked after he had
finished reading the letter.

  Dominic passed them another, much smaller slip of paper. “Go look for yourself. And not to my knowledge, Amadeo.”

  “This is bullshit. How the fuck can they justify keeping something like this so secret?” Olivia scooted back her chair, rising to her feet.

  “Where are you going?” Amadeo watched his cousin.

  “To find out what the hell is going on in this family,” Olivia said.

  Amadeo scratched his jaw, and then pushed back his chair. “You’re going to hack into the SVT Security database. I’m coming with you.”

  “I’ll be in touch,” Dominic said quietly, watching them hastily depart. When they were gone, a slow smile spread across his thin mouth. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, dialing a familiar number.

  “Yes?”

  “I’ve set them in motion. It won’t be long now.”

  “They bought the letter?”

  “Slightly altered to suit your goals, and yes, every word.” Dominic plucked up Olivia’s coffee cup, finishing it.

  “Good. When they’re ready, send them to me.”

  “Of course, Kayla.” He pulled the phone away from his ear, ending the call.

  §

  May 22, 2000 - 8:11 AM

  Alcyone Island

  SVT Security Headquarters

  Completely ignoring the secretary, Olivia stormed into her father’s office, and slammed the door behind her, unconcerned that he was on the phone. “Why didn’t you tell me about the Brotherhood?”

  Matteo quirked a stern, curious brow at his daughter’s abrupt entrance. His eyes narrowed at the words that flew out of her mouth. “Jules, let me call you back, my Olive is here. Thanks.” He hung up the phone, leveling his gaze on his daughter. “What are you talking about?”

  “I found the letter.” She stalked across the office, coming to stand directly in front of his desk. “I used your password to access the SVT Securities files on them. What the hell are we doing, Dad?”

  Anger clouded his dark gray eyes. “How did you get my password?”

  “You’re not answering my question. This is bullshit. If the Brotherhood are the puppet masters controlling the world, we should be working with them, not against them.”

  “Olivia, calm down. I don’t know what you think you read in that letter, or those classified files that are way above your security clearance, but there are forces at play here you know nothing about.”

  Her chin setting stubbornly, she sat down in the chair in front of his desk. “Enlighten me.”

  Matteo frowned and took off his glasses. “I’m not bringing you into this. This is need-to-know information and you are not at this time, meant to know. If Marcello chooses to widen the circle, then you’ll be informed. But until then, you will forget you ever saw those files.”

  “It’s the wrong play, Dad. He’s going to end up burning our empire to the ground.”

  “That is not your decision to make. And the elders of this family don’t agree with you.” Matteo’s voice hardened. “You will do it, Olivia.”

  “No, I won’t,” Olivia snapped. “I’m not some mindless robot. This is my family, too. We should have a say—”

  “Enough!” Matteo shot up out of his chair, pointing his finger down at her. “You are my daughter. Your loyalties lie with me and to whatever end game this family chooses to take. You will not disrespect me and shoot your stubborn fucking mouth off. Am I clear?”

  Olivia clenched her fingers together to keep from pulling out the short strands of her bleached white hair. She remained silent, because she didn’t trust her voice.

  “I’m not kidding, Olivia. Don’t test me on this. You will forget you ever saw those files and go about your fucking business. Cross me, and you can forget a future in SVT Securities. The highest rank you’ll get will be Director of Housekeeping for the hotel chain.”

  Olivia surged to her feet, glaring at her father. “I’m not a child. You will not treat me this way.”

  “No, what you are is a spoiled brat with selfish ambition.” Their gazes collided. “The moves this family makes now will impact the future of the world. It’s bigger than us, and Marcello is making the right choices. Accept it, or lie to yourself, I don’t care. But keep your fucking mouth shut. Capisce?”

  Olivia held her fists at her sides, but the furious set to her father’s face prevented her from arguing further. The stupid, stubborn old man wouldn’t budge. “Fine.”

  Matteo’s eyes narrowed. “You know what, Olivia, I’m your father and you’re going to afford me some of the respect I deserve that I rarely ask for. Say yes sir, and then get out of my office.”

  It took a moment, but Olivia tempered down her own anger enough that she could respond. “Yes, father.” Without another word, she turned around and walked out.

  §

  May 22, 2000 - 10:44 PM

  Alcyone Island

  Former Shipping Warehouse

  “I’m not just going to take this. This is bullshit.” Olivia paced, agitated.

  “I agree with you, Olivia, but I’m not sure what we can do about it.” Amadeo stood with his back pressed against the wall of the old warehouse, his arms folded over his uniformed chest.

  One of the heavy doors slide open, and Dominic stepped inside, pulling the door closed behind him. “Did you talk to Matteo?” he asked Olivia.

  “Yes, and it was pointless. He’s a fucking slave to Marcello’s whims.” Olivia released a frustrated noise that echoed through the stale air. “He told me to forget about it and keep my mouth shut, or I’ll get demoted.”

  “That’s unfortunate.” Dominic pressed his fingers against his chin. “You know, you would both be in positions very valuable to the Brotherhood if you were to take your fathers’ places.”

  Amadeo snorted. “As much as we would love that, Dominic, our fathers aren’t going to hand over the reins anytime soon.”

  “They’re both fucking useless.” Olivia waved a hand. “Dominic is right. We’ve got to find a way to muscle them out.”

  “Or make them disappear.” Dominic offered, almost nonchalantly.

  Olivia stopped pacing, turning to stare at Dominic. “Are you saying that we should kill our fathers?”

  Dominic shrugged. “I didn’t say anything. But a move like that would certainly put you on the Brotherhood’s radar. And I have a few contacts inside that I’d feel comfortable approaching, should it happen.”

  Amadeo frowned. “How the hell could we possibly get away with that?”

  Olivia was silent, because she was thinking. “Car bomb. They go to brunch together every Sunday. We could do it then. They’d never check for it, not on their own island.”

  Dominic said nothing, simply stood there a silent observer.

  Amadeo raised a brow at Olivia. “You’re serious.”

  Olivia hesitated, her brows pinching together. The arrogant echo of her father’s voice, threatening her future, demanding her obedience, rang in her ears, suffocating any emotion she might have felt. She nodded sharply. “You’re fucking right, I am. We’ve got to do something, Amadeo, before it’s too late.”

  Amadeo was quiet for a short time, studying her. Then, he looked at Dominic. “You can guarantee we’ll be on the inside, if we pull this off?”

  Dominic slowly smiled. “With 99% certainty.”

  §

  June 1, 2000 - 10:01 AM

  Alcyone Island

  Empire Cruise Line Headquarters

  “Shut the door, Olivia.” Kayla sat behind her desk, watching the young woman walk forward. “Sit down.” Kayla tipped her head towards the seat in front of her desk.

  Olivia was uncertain why Kayla, Marcello’s daughter, and the likely heir to the empire once Marcello passed on, had called for this meeting. Her ambition left her with several likelihoods she would love to see come to pass, but Olivia had no reason to think they would. Kayla was like her father; usually alone in their big tall towers, leading the family to its demise
.

  Kayla regarded Olivia in studious silence for what felt like hours, but was probably only a minute or two. When she could stand it no longer, Olivia broke the silence. “What can I do for you, Kayla?”

  “You live up to the family arrogance, thinking you can do something for me.” Kayla’s tone was laced with faint amusement.

  Olivia arched a perfectly plucked brow. “Well then, what do you want?”

  Kayla’s eyes were a pale gray that was almost blue. They were similar to the color of Christopher’s eyes, except there was nothing kind in Kayla’s. Christopher had very expressive eyes. Kayla’s eyes, like her father’s, were a thick steel slate. “I want to know how it felt to murder your own father.”

  Olivia’s heart sped up in her chest. Her breath might have held for a second, but her face did not break expression, save for the raise of her brow a little higher, with false incredulity. “Excuse me?”

  Kayla smiled, pressing her chin into her palm, and set her elbow on the desktop. “Dominic tells me you want in, but membership into the Brotherhood is a little more… complicated than that. From now on, you and Amadeo will report to me.”

  Olivia went very still and kept her expression carefully masked. Somehow, Marcello and Kayla had found out about their plans; or they suspected, but weren’t sure, and this was to lure her into a trap. She took the safe road. “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about, Kayla.”