Chapter 1 1

Angelo stood in the podium smiling broadly, he buttoned up his suit jacket and adjusted it. Camera lights flashed at his face, the audience gave a round of applause.

He did it again; the best detective in New York. He looked at the dark marble award on his hand. He focused on the words imprinted on round sides of the base – State Award-winning Detective.

He moved close to the microphone and cleared his throat. "Thank you, Thank you. I am so happy for this. I want to use this opportunity to thank..." He paused, looking terrified and frozen as the man whom he had spent years to put in jail walked in with blood all over his suit – the ruthless, powerful mafia boss, Don Valentino.

Angelo was confused, he looked around. The audience didn't act concerned or looked to Don Valentino's direction, everybody's eyes were on Angelo.

Don Valentino walked slowly to the podium. He stood and folded his hand behind his back and chuckled. "I am always above the law, and there is nothing you can do about that. And this award isn't meant for you."

Right there the Chief of Police walked up to Angelo, "What are you doing with that? Give it to me!"

"What? What do you mean?"

The chief of police grabbed the award, "Give this to me! You are suspended!"

Angelo opened his eyes to white ceiling. He sighed and pulled himself off the bed slowly, he bowed his head for a while as the dream he had replayed in his head.

Don Valentino had been the one on his book for years. He had never followed up on a crime case that lasted over two months since he was appointed as a detective for the state securities. Don Valentino was always a step away from him. At every moment he felt he had gotten him he would see his slip out of his hand.

The Chief of Police gave him a different case seeing his obsession towards the Don Valentino crime case, yet Angelo bypass authorization to break into evidences. When he was caught, he was to be arrested and his badge taken off permanently, but the Chief of Police liked him. Six months suspension was his penalty.

He had laid back to bed more than twice since he woke up from his dream, yet he couldn't get a sleep. He washed his face and went straight to the TV. The first channel he selected was airing a morning news that caught his attention.

Don Valentino was in a political campaign, standing beside the candidate and speaking to the people. He volunteered to be a major sponsor for the aspirant. The audience gave a round of applause, the journalist stood in the screen praising Don Valentino.

Angelo gritted his teeth and clenched his fist as he fixed his glaring look at the screen. If the city can't take Don Valentino down for his crimes, then Angelo will have to take it personal. Not just for his present crimes, but for what he did to his mother.

Angelo and his mother had laid low for years since Don Valentino went all out to assassinate all his mistresses and illegitimate children. It prompted him to pursue a college degree in Russia, but while he was at his finals he got the news of his mother's death. The De Luca mafias found her and shot her to death at her grocery shop.

Joining the Police Force and solving several cases of homicides, and other forms of criminal cases was his redemption for the deep hatred he had for Don Valentino. Although he had given up the grudge, yet he couldn't stay back and watch Don Valentino continue his criminal attempt.

He stood up from the living room and walked into his room. He opened his wardrobe, pulled the clothes aside, a small closet was carved on the wall. He opened it and pulled out a wrapped map, a notebook and some other items.

He cleared up his table and placed the items on it. On the map was the whole block in city. He picked up a pen and marked some points.

The ones he marked with an asterisk were the major warehouses that belonged to the De Luca mafias. He also marked some areas with an asterisk, which were places he was uncertain about.

He picked up his notebook and wrote the time and the place he'd planned to go after. He closed the pen and nodded. It's time.

Angelo rolled up the map and put it back in his locker. He looked at the clock, it's just Ten in the morning.

What would be the best time to set out? He thought. During the morning time most of the De Luca men might be out in their regular businesses, the warehouses would be locked. But if it might bring in suspicious from pedestrians, and if the cops find out he would lose his badge permanently. If he tried going in the evening, the De Luca men would be there and the warehouse would be highly secured.

He looked down and thought deeply. The police or the De Luca men? If he encounter the police he would be arrested for trespassing and lose his career, but the De Luca men would kill him.

In the morning, he still wouldn't find a way in. But in the evening he could get in, following trails that would lead him to things he would use against Don Valentino.

He finally decided... Evening would be the best time.

In the evening, Angelo didn't take his car. He booked a taxi that stopped him three streets ahead of the warehouse. He walked on foot so that no one could spot him coming. He went in through the back of the building.

Angelo hid behind a cargo, there were men holding guns standing around the building. He thought of a distraction, but there was none coming into his mind.

Suddenly Angelo's phone rang. His eyes bulged and he froze, his mouth opened wide. Damn! His fucked! He said in his mind.

"Did you hear that?" One of the men asked the other.

Angelo panicked as his phone kept ringing. He reached out to it and tried to silence it or turned it off. He didn't care to pay attention to who was calling. His hand was shaking and the phone fell off.

"Who's there?!" The men shouted, they cocked their rifles and walked closer to where Angelo was. Angelo's heart raced, and his breath was sounding out. He pulled out his gun from his belt and held it tightly.

Then gunshots were fired, he heard groans and thuds. Then there was silence for a while, he put out his head and saw the two men lying down dead.

More gunshots were fired, and Angelo ducked down, still holding his gun tightly. He moved out stealthily towards the building, looking to and fro. He heard more gunshots as moved on, but he hid from corner to corner.

He got into the building and saw dead bodies of people in the warehouse. Someone had attacked the place and killed all of Don Valentino's men in the warehouse.

Who could it be? He asked himself. He rose up pointing his gun around.

"Put it down.." a calm voice said pointing a rifle at him from the side. Angelo raised his hand up and turned around slowly.