It was so dark that Franco couldn't immediately pinpoint the source of the voice. His heart was pounding, and every step led him further into the dark. He knew that Marco was close to him, but where exactly was he? Why did he choose this deserted place to confront him in?
"Marco, where are you?" Franco shouted, trying to keep his voice steady, but it was clear that worry was starting to take its course inside him.
Then Marco suddenly appeared from the shadows, his wry smile lighting up his face at that crucial moment. "You're always at odds with yourself, aren't you?" he said, his tone as calm as ever.
"Why are you doing this, Marco? Why all this?" Franco said, taking another step towards him.
"It was all planned. Luca Ferri was part of this, but you were the missing piece." Marco replied, his voice now devoid of any caution or hesitation. "You were nothing more than a tool, Franco. You shouldn't have known better."
"A tool?!" Franco responded angrily, his voice rising noticeably. "I thought we were working together, as a team! I thought we were friends!"
"Friendship in our world means nothing." Marco said, stepping closer to him. "This is no place for friendship. In this world, you're either in the game, or you're out."
Franco stared into his eyes, trying to process what Marco had said. Marco was already part of a web too big for him to understand at first, but what was even more painful to him was that he had been manipulated all those years. Every moment he had shared with Marco was now taking on another meaning, a deadly meaning.
"Why didn't you tell me from the beginning?" Franco asked, his voice low and sad.
"Because you were the bigger interest." Marco replied with a suspicious smile. "You were the perfect fit for the role. And you would have found out the truth when we needed you. But now you've crossed the line."
Franco felt the ground begin to fall from under his feet. He knew the end was near, but he didn't know how it would turn out. He was facing Marco now, but Marco was part of something much bigger. The truth had swirled around him, giving him the feeling that he was at the end, and everyone was watching.
"What do you want from me now?" Franco asked, his eyes fixed on Marco who stood before him.
"You're at a crossroads, Franco. You only have two choices. Either be part of this system, or live in the shadows. But try to get out of the game, and you'll see how the game ends."
Marco's words hit him like a thunderbolt. He knew he couldn't go back now, and that if he decided to go his way, the consequences would be dire. But at the same time, he felt something inside him urging him to end this nightmare, no matter the cost.
"I won't be part of your game." Franco finally said, looking at Marco with determination. "I can't live under lies."
Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. There was a distant noise, as if heavy machinery was moving outside. There was a distant gunshot, and Franco's eyes lit up as he realized what was happening. Marco wasn't just talking about a game, he was getting himself into a real fight.
"You don't realize what those words mean, Franco." Marco said coldly. "You've entered a circle that you can't get out of now."
But before Marco could say more, the doors of the warehouse suddenly exploded, and a loud explosion rang out from inside. Franco squirmed in his place for a moment, the sound like a final warning before all avenues closed.
Everything was coming to an end.
At that moment, Franco realized that he was in the middle of a game bigger than he had imagined. All his options had narrowed, and all he had to do now was make the final decision: either join the regime that had taken control of him, or face the terrifying outcome of this path he had started.
Behind him, there was an open door leading to the unknown.