23. New problems
2009 Words
Damn world and all the problems of every single person she knows. And here she was, thinking that she gets a day off. Think again, Kara. No dreams allowed for you. She thinks all that in quiet contemplation while she glares at her older brother. How does he dare to show his face here of all places? He never cared for the restaurant, nor for the catering business. He never once asked how they are doing. He never showed his interest in her paintings. Oh, scratch that. He did call it a hobby for a middle aged single spinster. She’s only twenty eight and it’s her passion to paint.
“What do you want? And don’t even think for one second that I will buy your sympathy or regret.” She asks him.
“What are you talking about?” Massimo asks her. “Can’t I come see my little sister?”
“I would believe that, if I didn’t know you.” Kara smirks. “You always have an agenda. You always need something.”
“Can I at least come in?” Massimo looks at her pointedly.
“Fine.” She steps aside to let him pass. “Mom’s not home, by the way.”
“Good. I came to see you.” He nods. “I do feel bad for the restaurant, just so you know.”
She looks at him for a few minutes and lets him steam in the silence. She never found anything awkward about silence, but she knows Massimo is bothered by it. He needs talking, action, and motion. Something to do all the time. So very human. He has no patience of a wolf. He has no idea what pleasure it is to lay in wait and ambush your prey. He is the prey, she thinks and her lips twitch in a smirk.
“I need your help. Everyone knows me and I can’t show up in those circles. They would know that something is up and just vanish.” He tells her.
“You’re not making any sense.” Kara frowns.
“I know. It’s hard to say what I need without telling you why.” Massimo mumbles.
“You know me, brother. Tell me why and I might help you. If you just talk in riddles, you can leave and solve your problems yourself.” She scoffs. “Haven’t you learned anything yet?”
“It’s Lucia. She needs help without her father finding out what she did.” He tells her.
“Hm? Bad company?” Kara asks. “She’s twenty or something?”
“She’s twenty four.” Massimo replies. “She wants to be a model, but her father is against it. So she found some dubious modeling agency. They mostly do catalogues, but she called me last night in panic. They want her to do nudes. They are pressuring her and she wants out. She knows that is not a part of serious modeling and it would hurt her reputation, so she refuses.”
“What do they have to hold it against her?” Kara inquires. “Did she sign a contract that she didn’t want to? Did she read it? There has to be something.”
“I don’t know. We only talked over the phone. Her father thinks she’s in Rome for the weekend.” Massimo says. He looks guilty. If she didn’t know better, she would say that he really cares for her. Not just because she’s his boss' daughter.
“What agency? Where are they? More importantly, where is she?” Kara inquires.
“Superstar Modeling. She said the agency is in Gallaratese.” Massimo tells her. “I think she’s there. I can read between the lines. They are holding her, but they left her her phone.”
“Gallaratese is a residential area. There are no businesses there. A few supermarkets and small stores, but that’s it.” Kara frowns.
“I know. That makes me wonder about the intentions of these people. Serious agencies are all in the center.” Massimo sighs.
“And everyone knows everyone in the modeling business.” Kara says.
“Exactly.” He nods. “I worry for her. I understand she has a goal, but this is dangerous. What if they are traffickers? What if they try to smuggle her out of the country?”
“Could she pick up if they’re all human or some of our kind?” Kara asks.
“Good question. I don’t know.” He shakes his head. She can see her brother is desperate, but right now, she doesn’t know how to help. She’s not a fighter.
“We need more information.” She sighs.
“From who? I can text her and see if she can tell me anything.” Massimo offers. “We have to be careful with this.”
“I can ask Cleo. She’s Grazia’s assistant. Let’s see if anyone even heard of this agency.” Kara tells him. She will help him out. For Lucia, not for him. She’ll also need backup, just in case these guys are more dangerous than her brother thinks. If they are not a modeling agency, but a bunch of human traffickers, then Lucia is in serious trouble.
She’ll take Elio with her. She might have to pay him, but Massimo can afford it, he’s loaded. She wants to have some security doing this. Massimo knows how to fight, but he can’t come in. His face is all over the city. He’s a public figure in the Mayor’s office. He would get recognized right away. She’s contemplating her plan while she waits for Cleo to call her back. Massimo is texting, presumably with Lucia. But her plan might fail if Elio says no. She sends him a text to meet her here. Better be safe than sorry.
“Hey, Cleo.” Kara answers her phone. “Thanks for getting back to me.”
“Sure. No problem. I’m sorry for the restaurant, I heard.” Cleo says.
“Yeah, we’ll manage. There is something I wanted to ask you.” Kara goes straight for the main reason. “Have you heard of Superstar Modeling?”
“No, never. Something new? You’re not thinking of signing up? I can get you far better deals.” Cleo chuckles.
“No. You know I don’t do well in front of a camera.” Kara laughs. “I just needed the information. A friend mentioned them.”
“That’s fine, but if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me.” Cleo tells her.
Massimo looks over at her with a worried expression. She doesn’t like it, but she has to ask. Will their plan fail before it starts? Is this turning into a real rescue mission? She must not let her imagination run away with this. Maybe it’s not that bad, maybe she’s overreacting for nothing? Why doesn’t he say anything? It’s not in his nature to be quiet?
“What’s wrong? Spill it.” She orders him.
“Lucia wrote there are six guys and three women. And they have a few more girls in the other room. She could hear the conversation.” Massimo tells her.
“Damn it!” Kara swears and shakes her head. She knew it. Nothing will be easy.
“What did I miss?” Elio asks her. He’s leaning on the door frame between the kitchen and living room.
“Mom told you where to find the key for the back door?” She smiles at the enforcer.
“Yeah. Lately, I think, all I do is sneak around.” Elio smirks.
“Did you find the guy?” She inquires.
“Vittorio has him. We knocked him out so he couldn't hurt himself. He is scared shitless of Vito.” Elio nods to her. “So? Tell me what this is all about?”
“Who are you?” Massimo growls. A funny thing to hear from him, since he can hardly hold his wolf shape. She doesn’t know if he even shifts any more.
“Massimo, behave!” Kara glares at her brother. “We need Elio. I can’t do this on my own and you can’t go in. If this damn thing turns into a hostage situation, we need someone who is trained to solve it.”
“Sorry. I’m just worried about her.” He nods, but perks right back up. “Elio? As in Vito’s head enforcer?”
“Yeah. He’s on our side. You should be around more to know more.” Kara scoffs.
“Sides? What is going on?” Massimo wonders. He looks surprised. Is it possible that he doesn’t know what’s going on?
“You two can squabble later. I heard hostage? Bring me up to speed.” Elio glares at both of them.
Kara explains to Elio what is going on and the sparse details they have. She is worried about Lucia just as much as Massimo is. The fact they need to solve this without the Mayor finding out makes it even harder to execute. They can’t involve the police or any of the bear clan. They can’t even count on her cousins, someone might slip up and say something. As she is explaining the situation, the gravity of it finally settles in. What will happen if they can’t get Lucia out?
“I see.” Elio says quietly. He sighs and Kara is almost convinced he’ll say no to her, but he surprises her with more questions: “Do you have an address? Do you know where this place is even remotely in correlation to the shops? To the apartment buildings? How are we going to find her? Can she help from the inside? Can she fight if it comes to that? Are you only rescuing her, or the other girls as well?”
“I’ll ask her to describe the building. Maybe she saw something that will help?” Massimo nods.
“Kara? When was the last time you were in a fight?” Elio inquires.
“In training, twelve years ago.” She grimaces. “I know. I’ll try not to be a hindrance, but I have to go. Lucia doesn’t know you. She won’t go with you, if you show up alone.”
“Fine.” Elio tells her. She doesn’t like the look he gives her. And there is a cold shiver that runs down her spine at his next words: “I’ll have to assess your skills. I want to know who my partner is. Can I rely on you?”
“How do you plan on doing that?” She wonders.
“The hard way.” Elio laughs. “Let’s push the sofa to the wall. Your mother won’t be home for a few more hours. Set the chairs apart and get the coffee table out in the hall.”
“Oh s**t! I just know it, I’ll be blue and bruised.” Kara scoffs. “Massimo, you owe me big time.”
“Whatever you want. Name it.” Her brother nods at her.
Elio makes her suspicions right in the next hour. The work out he gives her is tough and much harder than anything she ever saw. His methods are military and he takes no break or mercy on her. He throws her to the ground so many times, she loses count. No amount of grunting or begging can help her now. And she sees why everyone fears him so. How on Earth did Alessio beat this guy? She didn’t get one punch in and it’s only training.
“I think you’re good.” Elio declares finally and let’s her breathe. “If those guys are all human, they don’t stand a chance.”
“From what I saw, I think you could take me out easily.” Massimo smiles at her. A genuine smile, too. “Respect, sis. I didn’t think you were this good.”
- Writer
