On the midnight of September 9th, 2005,
James awoke with a sudden sensation of dizziness, causing him to feel as though he might faint at any moment and then he did.
In the morning light, James and Albert found themselves confined in a room , surrounded by Leone grunts dressed impeccably in black coats and sunglasses.
Grunt 1: "Non sapevo che il cloroformio funzionasse così a lungo, cavolo!" (I didn't know chloroform worked for so long, darn it!)
Grunt 2: "Cavolo, svegliamoli, maledizione!" (Damn it, let's wake them up, damn it!)
Grunt 3: "Non dovremmo essere dei criminali professionisti, per Dio?" (Aren't we supposed to be professional criminals, for God's sake?)
James and Albert, despite their grogginess, were aware of their surroundings. James whispered to Albert.
James: "Albert, réveille-toi." (Albert, wake up.)
Albert: "Où sommes-nous ?" (Where are we?)
ames: "J'y pensais aussi, quelle coïncidence ! Merde, t'es un gosse ou quoi ? On s'est clairement fait kidnapper !" (I was thinking the same, what a coincidence! Damn it, are you a kid? We're clearly kidnapped!)
As they proceed to wake up...
Grunt 1: "i"Finalmente! Chiamate Tony." (Finally! Call Tony.)
Grunt 3: "Come dici tu, un pezzo di scarto sporco e inutile!" (As you say, a worthless dirty piece of slack!)
As the second grunt left the room to call Tony, the tension in the confined space escalated. The remaining grunts continued to argue and disrespect each other, their voices growing louder and more aggressive.
Grunt 1, still seething with frustration, couldn't resist further provocation.
Grunt 1: "Ehi, Antonio (Grunt 3), non sei neanche abbastanza uomo da scoprire una prostituta!" (Hey, Antonio (Grunt 3), you're not even man enough to pick up a prostitute!)
Grunt 3, unwilling to back down, shot back with equal venom.
Antonio: "Sei solo un piccolo pezzo di merda nelle scarpe di Tony!" (You're just a little piece of sh*t in Tony's shoes!)
Their insults and curses filled the room, reflecting the chaotic and volatile nature of the criminal underworld. James and Albert, still groggy from the effects of the chloroform, exchanged worried glances, realizing that the situation was far from stable.
Meanwhile, outside the room, the second grunt was on the phone with Tony, explaining the situation and requesting further instructions.
Albert (in low voice): "Qu'est-ce qu'ils disent, James ?" ("What are they saying, James?")
James (in low voice): "Des versets sacrés de la Bible." ("Sacred verses from the Bible.")
Albert (in a low voice): "Oui, 'merda'. Vraiment sacré, en effet." ( "Yes, 'shit'. Very sacred indeed.")
James (in a low voice): "Jésus-Christ, comprends un peu le sarcasme, et qui est Tony ?" ("Jesus Christ, understand some sarcasm, and who is Tony?")
Albert (in a low voice): "Tony DeNiro, un célèbre chef de la ma-" ("Tony DeNiro, a famous ma-")
Albert stopped talking as a tall, well-dressed figure named Tony DeNiro approached. Tony was clearly disgusted by the behavior of those grunts.
Tony: "Dio, Antonio, Edoardo, e anche tu, Alberto, fuori da qui." (God, Antonio, Edoardo, and you too, Alberto, get out of here.)
As Tony spoke these words, all of them left the room, and another figure dressed similarly to Tony entered.
Giovanni: "Buongiorno, Signore." (Good morning, Sir.)
Tony: "Ho sempre saputo che stavate facendo cose brutte a Valmonte Verde, ma non mi aspettavo niente del genere." (I always knew you were up to no good in Valmonte Verde, but I didn't expect this.)
Giovanni: "Beh, sono veneti, questo spiega tutto." (Well, they're from Veneto, that explains it.)
Tony: "Bene, basta parlare. Accogliamo i nostri ospiti qui." (Well, enough talking. Let's welcome our guests here.)
Giovanni: "Questo è Albert, e chi diavolo è questo?" (This is Albert, and who the hell is this?)
James: "Tua madre Coglione, bastardo." (Your mother F*cker, you bastard.)
Giovanni immediately pulled out a Glock upon hearing James's insult and pressed it against James's head.
Tony: "Put the f*cking gun down, Gio."
James: "Who the f*ck are you two?"
Tony: "Well, it depends on who you ask. As you mentioned earlier, he's your creation, Giovanni, and I'm Tony."
Albert: "What were you guys saying?"
Tony grabbed Albert's mouth tightly and said,
Tony: "You b*itch! You told me you would inform me first when James would come, but you stabbed me."
Albert: "I did not know that James was coming!"
Giovanni pulled the gun again, indicating that Albert might be telling the truth.
James nodded in agreement.
Tony: "Call Alberto, Antonio, and Edoardo to bring their showpiece."
Giovanni: "Bring the beauty inside, grunts."
James: "What's the showpiece?"
Tony: "Have some patience."
Alberto, Antonio, and Edoardo brought the lifeless body of the Chinese cab driver who had driven James from St. PL Airport. Both James and Albert were shocked, especially James.
Tony: "If you two don't want to end up like him, listen to me."
The atmosphere in the room grew even tenser as James and Albert came to terms with the gravity of their situation. The lifeless body of the Chinese cab driver served as a chilling reminder of the ruthlessness of Nova Urbis, a city where loyalty meant survival, and betrayal could lead to a swift demise.
For James and Albert, their introduction to the underbelly of Nova Urbis was not only shocking but also terrifying. They realized that they were caught in a web of intrigue and danger, and their chances of staying alive in this cruel city hinged on their ability to navigate its treacherous waters.
As they exchanged anxious glances, Tony's words echoed in their minds. They knew they had to heed his instructions, at least for the time being, if they had any hope of surviving in this unforgiving environment. Nova Urbis was a place where alliances shifted like quicksand, and trust was a rare and precious commodity.
In the coming days, James and Albert would have to learn the unwritten rules of this city, make difficult choices, and forge alliances to protect themselves from the lurking dangers. The cruel city of Nova Urbis had already revealed a glimpse of its heartless nature, and they had to stay sharp and adapt quickly to the challenges it would undoubtedly throw their way.
***end of chapter 3 " La Entrada de Tony DeNiro"***