Dear Boss

Chapter 3: The Convicted Meets New Judgement

MATTEO ALESSI

I am the perfect soldier. I’m the best in my regimen. Everyone told me so. I’m a man of few words, unwavering loyalty and equipped with a determination worth a whole army. I knew since I was young that I had a wide set of ruthless skills when it came to a fight- the men I murdered with a boot being the main star of that- I was the best. 

I served my country bravely with the utmost efficiency for almost ten years. I followed every order without complaint or question. I was deployed and fought in countless countries. I disregarded my own life plenty of times yet I couldn’t understand why protecting a newly minted girl under my unit from two of my disgusting men was so wrong? 

Sure, I went a little too much. I struck them both so hard with the heel of my combat boots that it cracked their skulls and killed them. It’s only because what they did went against everything with my beliefs to never take advantage of women. It wasn’t my fault they had weak skulls and it cracked under my strength. They were r****g the woman for Christ’s sake. A woman that was under my responsibility. Of course, I panicked and did the first thing I thought of doing which was teaching them a lesson.

Unfortunate really that it was the last lesson they would learn. I didn’t feel bad about it. I felt no remorse. They deserved what they got. Men like that shouldn’t live in this world. 

And now, the very people- the very person I fought to protect convicted me of manslaughter. I couldn’t blame the girl either. She was too afraid to admit it. Our commanding officer blackmailed her into lying. They didn’t want the possibility of r**e in the frontlines to be out in public. Not when so few were enlisting. Nowadays, most people wanted other jobs that didn’t require a lot of physical movement and patriotism is all but forgotten or set aside.  

And that too was okay. I understood what the job meant to her but I was still angry. I could taste the bitterness of my anger in my mouth. They were punishing me with a life sentence for protecting someone. All my life I was protecting people; my mom before she died, the country and now her… the woman in my unit.

It didn’t sit well with me, the hate was almost unbearable. 

I’ve lost everything.

I was wallowing in my life lost when two men in tailored suits came by my cell. I didn’t know what it was for. My attorney had long since left me and it was a little early for me to be transferred to the correctional facility. I still had a day.

What happened next came quickly. The uniformed man in charge of my cell took me out and placed me into the Police Captain’s empty office. For a brief moment, I was hopeful that it was my commanding officer coming for me and would be ready to set me free from my charges. I could almost picture and hear him say it was all a ruse for the public. He would tell me that I can go back into the frontlines and continue my duties… but it wasn’t.

I should never have hoped for the impossible.

Instead of my commanding officer, a short burly man in his early fifties came into the room. Along with him is another man, much slender, more taller, early thirties. They were both in crisp business suits. Even in my inexperienced eyes, I knew that what they were wearing was expensive, screaming their importance. 

The older man stared at me with uncertainty while the other simply looked as though he didn’t want to be there. The frown on the younger man’s face looked permanent- at least when it came to me. I knew this man wasn’t here on his own volition.

Suddenly, the older man blew out a breath as if his mind was made up. He waves the younger man away who sighs dispassionately and exits the room. 

When we were finally alone, the elder man sat himself across from me on the Police Captain’s seat, watchful eyes taking me in. “I heard they got you in a life sentence for some bullshit reason.”

I could only nod. I was trying to decipher what was happening but nonetheless agreed that it was a bullshit reason. 

“What if I tell you, we can get you out?” The man continued, folding his hands on the table between us. 

Again, I had nothing to say about that. I was confused but also slowly realizing what was happening. One doesn’t simply get out of a life sentence without a reason. I understood that I was taken for a purpose. 

“I represent the interests of the Venditto Group of Companies.” He reached a hand out to shake and I shook it, noting how strong the man’s grip is despite his age and stature. It was a hand shake of a man who’s fought many battles for quite some time. 

I might have been away for ten years but I knew exactly who or what the Venditto Group of Companies are. Everyone did. They are in fact, the Venditto Crime Family, a feared and powerful mafia, an organized crime syndicate that controlled so much of the country. Suddenly, I now knew exactly what this really was about. 

“The name is Antonio, the man with me a while ago is Lorenzo.” Antonio didn’t waste any time. He explained as much as he could without giving too much detail on their family business. 

I wondered how easily he went through things in a Police Captain’s office. Wasn’t he afraid the office could be bugged? That the Captain would set them up? And then, I realized they didn’t care for it. They probably had the Police Captain in their payroll, controlling him completely. If it came to it, they possibly had all the judges and senators under them too. 

As Antonio went deeper with words that were almost coded, I resisted him initially. They were a crime syndicate but something in the way that he explained made so much sense to me. He had a way with words which I’m sure they all did. He mentioned all the right things and spoke freely as if we were just two men in a bar talking. 

“The justice system is shit.” Antonio openly remarked. “They’re able to do you like this, showing how much of a joke the system is becoming. The thing about them is they forget, we can do what they do too and worse.” 

He went on about how the people Antonio worked for could provide me a better chance, a better world for me to live in. 

My instincts and reflexes who have yet to fail me in my life, told me one thing: yes, take me. 

When Antonio was done explaining, he gave me a choice: go back into the world that saw me as a monster or accept the opportunity with the Venditto family. Either way, they would clear my charges without anything in return. 

“The only thing I ask is for you to meet Sienna Venditto.” Antonio says, leaning back into his seat as if he owed the place. My mind went into tunnel vision at the name. The only daughter of the Don. She’s supposed to be a brilliant lawyer. “She’s responsible for your recruitment.”

“I never met her before.” I tell Antonio frankly. I was worried that maybe in some cruel way they had the wrong man. I have never once met any of the Vendittos much less seen them before. Especially not the daughter. How could she possibly know of me? And recruit me?

For the first time since our meeting, Antonio smiles.  “You may not have but she already saw you. She chose you specifically.” He paused as if remembering something that displeased him. “I would know.”

“When?” I asked not remembering anyone that came to see me.

He gestured to the room. “She came to the precinct a few days ago. You didn’t meet but she was here. She saw something in you.” 

I held my breath at his words. I’ve never been chosen for anything before. I have always been disposable, my situation with my commanding officer being a focal point of that fact. 

“What will it be, son?” The term of endearment Antonio used, did not go unnoticed by me. 

I don’t claim to know anything about anything when I finally decided to respond. “I agree with your terms.”

What was there left to lose? The world I thought I was protecting saw me as a monster, a cold blooded murderer for protecting someone. There wasn’t much time needed to rationalize my decision. Not when I was about to begin my life sentence in a few hours. 

The stout man named Antonio and the family he represented made it seem so easy to get me out of my charges because as soon as I agreed, it was all a blur. 

“Good.” He stood from his seat and clapped me on the back. “Lorenzo!”

The younger man came into the room, hands holding numerous files. He waves it in front of Antonio. 

“Cleared of all charges.” He says casually as if getting a man out of a life sentence was the easiest thing to do. Lorenzo faces me, eyes cold and filled with distrust. “I’m Lorenzo Venditto.”

“Sienna’s cousin.” Antonio added carefully. 

“Matteo Alessi.” I introduced myself.

Lorenzo continued to stare at me. “I know.”

Antonio looked down at his watch and sighed. “Let’s go. I’m late for a meeting with the Don.” 

I’m ushered out of the Police Captain’s room and walked directly out of the precinct as though I was never prosecuted for murdering two men. None of the policemen that were previously jeering at me paid me any mind. They acted as though I was never there and didn’t once look in my direction. 

Just like that, I was a free man. It was unbelievable. 

I slid into an awaiting car with Antonio, Lorenzo and another man who sat at the driver’s seat.

“The name’s Nicolo.” The man introduced enthusiastically. He’s around my age and looked to be really talkative.

“Matteo.” I replied, giving him a quick handshake.

Throughout the entire car ride, I listened quietly to Antonio and Nicolo’s humorous chatter. It was all mindless drabble about food, sports and whatnot. It reminded me strongly of my life before the military when I was surrounded by the guys in my old home. 

Lorenzo was quiet the entire time, eyes fixed on me. Antonio had explained back in the precinct that Lorenzo or Enzo is Sienna Venditto’s close cousin. I thought that it was only right that Lorenzo was wary of me. I respected it since I was to be working under the daughter of the Don. I understood Lorenzo’s concern and protectiveness completely. 

Although I haven’t spent much time with these people, I knew how heavy the responsibility was going to be. They made the girl sound so important, the family gem.

The drive was a long one filled with loud discussions on dinner plans. When we finally arrived, I couldn’t help but gape at the immense size of the Venditto compound. It was heavily guarded and fortified but after passing through the heavy steel gates and tall stone walls- the compound itself is warm, full of life and domesticity. I haven’t experienced such a place in ten years. It was always the barracks for me and life there was practical. Bed. Shared bathroom. Packed cold meals.

They brought me to a large housing near the gate which accommodated all the Venditto’s single men, the ones without families. The men that greeted me were welcoming, respectful and courteous. They were all curious about me and even more so when they are told that I was chosen specifically by the daughter. It was apparently a privilege, a high honor as if I was actually hired to protect the president himself.

In a way, it might very well be like that. 

I was brought inside the house and sat down at a sizable dining table with the other men. Despite how big the place was, especially with this many men, it felt compact and comfortable at the same time. I was handed a plate of overflowing tomato sauce pasta. It was hot, oily and delicious. It tasted like home. I will never forget how good my first meal in the Venditto compound was. It’s just like how my own mama would cook for me. Oddly, I felt warm and satisfied. 

The following day, I woke up early from a good night’s rest and waited for Antonio. I ended up waiting for a few hours as Antonio apparently did not wake until late. I didn’t complain because I enjoyed looking out the window from the dining room and watching children play, women walk around carrying laundry and pots, men hurrying to work. 

Antonio quickly took me outside to meet a man in the usual Venditto suit, only he had his necktie undone, sleeves rolled up and coat casually unbuttoned. He’s tall too, an inch or so taller than me but I had a few pounds of muscle over him. The man carried himself confidently, almost too confidently with his mess of brown haired that flopped over his almost golden eyes. 

“Gio, this is Matteo Alessi, the guy Sienna chose. We picked him up yesterday.” Antonio coolly introduced. “Matteo, this is Sergio Venditto, Sienna’s older brother.”

The confidence of the man finally registered to me. No wonder. I heard about him from dinner last night. The men describe him as strict and commanding with a fiery temper. He’s a no-nonsense type of man who was fiercely protective of the family particularly his younger sister.

Sergio took one scrutinizing look at me. He must have seen the determination in my eyes because he clapped my back. “Take care of my sister, you hear me?”

He wasn’t threatening me directly but it was there in the tone of his voice. I know Sergio would kill me personally if I ever f**k up. He waited for me to nod and assure him with a curt, “Of course.” 

Satisfied, Sergio turned away to face his men waiting around several parked cars and began shouting orders. “Everyone in the damn car. We’re already late.”