When Gabriel and Davide heard Kenshiro Tanaka's words through the phone speaker, time stopped few seconds, before the youngest brother questioned the Japanese Mafia man.

Davide: What do you mean?

Kenshiro Tanaka: As I said, an opportunity showed up... I have to cut the call and I will probably never see you ever again but thank me when you will be at that illegitimate girl's funeral! (He cut the call.)

Davide: Fu**... where is that kid?

Gabriel: At home, she never goes out, except to go to school. (He tried to call her, but she didn't answer.) I'm sure she is at home, playing piano or reading a book.

Davide: Call Dad, he is staying at home today!

Gabriel had a bad feeling when calling his father. The head of the family answered after 3 tones.

Salvatore: Yes, Gabriel, I am busy dealing with something right now.

Gabriel: Are you not at home with Suki?

Salvatore: Suki is with Dante; you don't have to worry. I will call you back later. (He cut the call.)

Gabriel: Suki is with Dante. I prefer to call him; we maybe have another mole in the house.

While Gabriel called his brother, Davide exchanged with their men.

Dante: Yep?

Gabriel: Father told me that Suki was with you?

Dante: Yes, we are heading home. Why?

Gabriel: You're out? Where? Do you have an escort with you?

Dante felt at his brother's tone that something was not normal. He looked at Suki, then switched to Italian to talk with Gabriel.

Dante: Only one guy, what's going on? Dad is still at the restaurant with Valentina. Did she make a crisis?

Gabriel: Kenshiro Tanaka is planning to kill Suki today! Go home as fast as you can and be careful... we don't know how or when he...

Dante: Hello... hello... (Suki looked at him.) Fu**! (He looked at his phone.) Damn it... no more battery! Give me your phone.

Suki: It's at home...

Dante: How the hell a teenage girl doesn't have her phone with her?! Eh, you, give me your phone!

Dante asked the driver for his phone, but the man didn't answer, looking through the side mirror with an agitate face. Dante' senses were on alert; he turned himself to look behind and he spotted two black cars following them few meters away.

The young man had no time to lose and hiding his mafia identity to Suki was not his priority anymore. He took out his gun and put it behind the driver's head. Suki was shocked and put her hands on her mouth to keep any sounds to come out.

Dante: Give me your fu** phone!

Driver: If... if you shoot me... we are all dead!

Dante: Isn't it your intentions since the beginning?

Dante needed to call back Gabriel and ask for back-up. Time was not playing on his favor.

Dante: Who are you working for?! (He pressed the gun against the man's back head.)

Driver: You won't kill me in front of her...

Dante: (He chuckled.) You don't know me well enough... so tell me!

Driver: Her uncle... (The car slowed down.)

Dante: Don't stop the car until I told you! Why are you taking the risk to lose your life, for money?

Driver: You killed my childhood friend... just because he took pictures of her!!! (The man yelled even if his hands were trembling.)

Dante: So..., you chose to betray us?! That's for sure the easiest way to join your friend in hell...

Dante jumped on the passenger seat at the surprised of the driver and Suki. They were arriving to a crossroad with a lights' stop, so the driver slowed down the car. Dante took the driver's phone from his jacket inner pocket without problem, even if the bodyguard tried to resist at first.

Dante: I guess that the two cars following us are waiting for the opportunity to attack us... preferably in an isolated area...

Driver: I was asked to drive you near the old factories...

Dante: And you didn't think that I will notice that something was wrong? (He looked behind.) Don't stop the car and turned right!

Driver: The lights' stop is red...

Dante: (He was ready to pull the trigger.)Do it!

Suki was silently observing, the tears ready to fall. The driver hesitated one second but ended doing as Dante asked. A flow of klaxons started at the dangerous maneuver of the car. The pursuers were not expecting that from their accomplice, so they were stuck few seconds because of a delivery trucks. But that trick will only give them a very little advance.

Fortunately, Dante knew the neighborhood pretty well. He couldn't stay in that car, at the mercy of two cars pursuing them, ready to hit them at the first occasion. Few meters away, there was a back alley with a club he was used to go currently going under renovation. There, he would be able to protect Suki and take care of most of the men while waiting for the back-up.

Dante: Take the first alley on the right then on the left, hurry!

Suki: Dante...

Dante: Don't freak out, nothing will happen to you! Unfasten your seatbelt, and when I tell you to get out, do it and close your eyes. Understood? (She shyly nodded, stressed and scared.) Stop the car in front of the black door.

The driver looked through the mirror, hoping that the men in the 2 cars would arrive soon, otherwise, he was a dead man. He stopped the car at the designated spot. Dante told Suki to leave the car.

The driver played his last card and tried to grab Dante's gun, but the young man punched him hardly. When Suki was in front of the club door, not looking at him, he put his gun against the man's head and shot without frowning. No way he will let him alive. Suki startled at the sound of the shot.

Dante got out of the car and with his gun in one hand, he quickly looked around. His pursuers were not yet at view. He grabbed Suki's wrist and with a strong kick, the door of the club opened.

Dante: Stay behind a moment. (He grabbed one of the table and put it behind the door to block it.) It will not stop them but it's better than nothing.

Suki: Dante... what we will do?

Dante: We? (He smirked.) You, you do your best to stay alive... I don't want to have to bring back your dead body to my Dad!

Dante was, as usual, using his sarcastic humor to dedramatize the situation but it didn't work at all, quiet the contrary. Suki was only 11, what did he expect when he talked about her as a dead body?!

It was too much to handle for the little girl. She had her gaze fixed on the gun in Dante's hand. Her breathe became fast and the tears were running on her red cheeks. Her brother was taken aback few seconds in front of Suki's distress. He put his gun in his holster under his jacket and bent to her eyes level, gently grabbing her arms.

Dante: Eh kid... calm down and listen to me... No one will hurt you; you hear me... Suki! (She sniffed and looked at him, still trembling.) I need you to be strong. You can do that, right? (She nodded.) Let's find a place to hide you...

Dante took Suki's hand this time and they went to the upper floors. He tapped a number on the phone of the driver while walking.

Dante: Gab... it's Dante, my phone is dead.

Gabriel: Where are you? We're heading home right now.

Dante: Change of plan... we are at that Club in the east... The Tikki Tikki.

Dante explained to Gabriel what happened. They reached the second floor quickly and the young man went to the window with a view to the alley to check if Tanaka and his men were already there, and they had just parked. An Asian guy checked the car, pointing a gun in direction of the back seat but understood that his targets were gone. The blood on the driver's seat window was enough for him to not care about the man's state behind the wheel.

Dante: We are short on time so hurry and bring your ass here...

Gabriel: Keep both of you alive, we are on our way... how is Suki?

Dante: Not at her best... she needs her big brother, I guess...

Gabriel: You will have to fulfill that job for now!

Dante: Lucky me! (Suki startled at a loud sound from the men outside trying to enter.) Hurry!

Suki: They are coming... they will kill me... just like Mom...

Dante: People will die today... but not you... Come... (He took her to the back of the room and opened a door.) Hide in that closet!

That was a small storage room with a closet. He pushed Suki toward it, but the little girl grabbed his hand, refusing to let him go.

Suki: No, please Dante... don't leave me alone...

Dante: Suki, you have to trust me on this... the best option for the two of us is to keep you safe here. You stay silent and wait until me or Gabriel comes to take you. Understood? (She shook her head, silently crying.) Suki... aren't you a smart and strong little girl as Dad said? (She let go of his hand.) Great... I promise, nothing will happen... go!

Suki: Please... don't get hurt...

Dante winked at her with a small smile. His protective attitude surprised himself, but as soon as Suki was hidden in the closet, he closed the storage room door and changed his attitude for the killer mode. He checked his gun and kept it on his right hand. In the other one, he had a knife. He was ready to fight. He left the second floor to the uppers' ones, making sure to let trace of his passage, to attract his pursuers.

In the closet, Suki was hugging her knees, holding tightly her eye patch in her hand, that she had taken off in the car. Her tears were still silently falling. She wanted to be at home, that home that felt like the safest place in the world now. She focused her attention on any noise, but the little room was quiet.

Outside, the entry door didn't resist for long. The men separated in two groups of 3, Tanaka was with the second group, not rushing to find the little girl that he was sure, was living her last moments. The two men with him checked the main area while the other group was already climbing the stairs to the second floor.

Kenshiro Tanaka: Find me that kid... I want to kill her myself!

Man: And about that man?

Kenshiro Tanaka: If he tries to play the hero, kill him! I don't care.

The man bowed and continued his inspection. There was many corners to hide, but they didn't find them here. The 2nd group quickly looked around the 2nd floor because a loud sound attracted them to the 3rd floor.

Indeed, Dante purposely made noise to take those guys far away from his little sister hideout. His job was to kill those jerks and protect her at any cost. The image of her, holding on his hand, was stuck in his mind. She was clearly scared, but still, worried about his safety.

Those past few weeks, his behavior changed at her contact, and he couldn't deny it. Even earlier, Valentina's attitude toward her made him lose his control. Did he eventually accept her as his little sister? No time to have a debate with himself about that right now, the steps of one of the man was close from his position.

Dante was standing in a dark spot, near a room with a double entry, giving access to different corridors. The 3rd floor was originally used to give intimacy to one-night couples... and he knew some of the rooms very well. So, when the man crossed the corridor to check one of them, Dante attacked him by behind and in a fast movement, sliced his throat and pushed his body inside. That guy didn't have the time to understand what happened to him. He put his hands on his throat, but it was useless. He was not able to breathe or make a sound... One!

Dante changed his position, and his entire self was focus on the two other men's movement. Being able to use his knife instead of his gun was an advantage and prevented him to be localize too soon. And time was what he was lacking right now. He couldn't let Suki alone for too long and he didn't know how long it will take for Gabriel to arrive here. 5 minutes? 10 minutes? In any case, even 5 minutes with your life at stake was not 5 minutes of peacefully drinking a coffee.

Dante moved from one room to another until he found the two other men. They were murmuring to not be notice and speaking in what Dante recognized as Japanese.

Man 2: Where is Junichi?

Man 3: I don't know... that man is alone with a kid, what could he do? We have to find him quickly before the boss kills us!

This time, Dante needed to take down the two men in one attack. He approached in their backs, like a hunter, and he stuck the knife on the neck's first man, using him as a shield by the same occasion before shooting the second one who turned with his gun, pointing at Dante.

The second man was touched two times in the chest and even if he had time to shot once, he only touched his accomplice body before loosing conscience. Dante let the first man's body drop on the floor. He didn't waste time to hide them. This time, it will be a warning for the other attackers, incensing fear in them.

The gun shot attracted the attention of the two men with Tanaka on the second floor. They rushed to the 3rd floor with their guns pointing at any potential threat. They arrived in the corridor where they found the two dead men.

Man 4: Fu**!! Junichi? (He called but didn't receive an answer.)

Man 5: He is probably dead too! Be careful, that guy is not an easy target!

Dante heard the two men but his main target, Tanaka, was still not coming to him. It bothered him because he didn't know where he was and what he was doing. He didn't find Suki, right? No, he hadn't, he would have heard a gun shot or the little girl yelling... he needed to kill them quickly and check by himself.

Those two men were more experimented that the three previous ones. It was clear at the way they were moving on formation, to not be surprised by Dante. The young man had no choice but to attack at distance. From his position, he targeted the man closer from him and shot, touching him directly at his heart area. The man fell on his back, but his acolyte opened the fire toward Dante, who hid in the room.

The man didn't stay in the corridor but entered the closest room. It was a one against one, and the issue of the fight will be decided by the one able to stay alive while attacking. The Japanese guy thought that his main target, Suki, was with that guy, so he would not attack first but he was wrong.

Barely few seconds passed since that guy shot his last bullet, but Dante appeared in front of him, hitting him in the face with the butt of his gun. Dante chose to attack in like that because he was short in bullets and only had half of his charger left. He needed to be ready to confront Tanaka and possible back-ups.

The man lost his balance under the powerful hit and a gun shot hit the ceiling. Dante continued his attack by pushing down the man and dominate him to hit him few more times. And his strategy worked because the man was completely knocked out.

Dante, being in a murder mode, took his knife and cut his throat in one sharp and precise movement. Blood splashed him but he didn't care, it was not his first time.

Now, his last opponent was Kenshiro Tanaka. But that man was still not there. Dante couldn't wait more upstairs, he needed to go down, even taking the risk to expose himself.

On the 2nd floor, Suki was trembling, patiently waiting for one of her brothers. She startled at every shot resonating in the building. She could clearly hear them, even hidden in that closet, in that room.

Kenshiro Tanaka, him, was waiting in the same floor, news from his men, that the American was dead but, he quickly understood that the situation was not turning in his favor. He needed to act quickly, sure that the Mafia man had called for help.

Dante carefully headed to the 2nd floor, his senses in alert at the slightest sound. The stairs gave access to a large dancefloor, not giving so much ways to hide, except the bar.

Dante stayed behind the wall stairs and looked if Tanaka was visible, but the room was empty. On this floor, there was another room with the same set-up and the last one, more for the staff, with the storage room where Suki was hidden.

As Tanaka was not there, he had to cross that room to find him. He entered; his gun in his hand pointing at whoever will appear and checked behind the bar. Nothing. He continued his progress toward the second room, hoping to find Tanaka but still no one.

Dante had no other choice that to check the last room. The corridor heading to that room was dark and even if the young man was anticipating an attack, he couldn't avoid the hit, making his gun flight away. He was quick to react and blocked the second attempt. Tanaka had attacked him with a metal bar that he found among the renovation materials.

Tanaka was so sure about his strength that he smirked when Dante took out his knife. The two men glared at each others few seconds then Tanaka moved back toward the last room, to give more space to their future fight. It was typical of his proud as a man, he wanted a fight without gun, to show his superiority.

Kenshiro Tanaka: Where did you hide that girl?!

Dante: She is at home, like a good little girl, why?

Kenshiro Tanaka: I will take an extra pleasure to kill you, and your useless mouth of American!

Dante: Ah... it's not my Italian side that you despise?

Kenshiro Tanaka: You're talking too much... I'm going to kill you first then that useless bastard will join her mother in hell! I don't understand why you are ready to lose your life for an illegitimate kid who only brings dishonor to your family! I will kill her, just like I did to her bit** of mother!

Dante: Shut up! Are you here to fight or to make a chat! (He attacked first, hoping to surprise him after that little talk.)

On the storage room, Suki heard noise coming from the room. She was hoping that it was Dante or Gabriel but, quickly, she recognized her second eldest brother and her uncle. The closet where she was hiding was really thin and not locked. She felt claustrophobic because of the stress. She needed to get out of this closet, so she disobeyed Dante's order and got out. She took heavy breathes but tried to be as discreet as possible.

Only one door separated her from the men after her, but when she heard her uncle last words, her legs abandoned her. That man, he killed her mother.

On the next room, Tanaka blocked Dante's attack with his bar, using it as a sword. Then, in a side movement, he gave Dante an elbow hit under the ribs , making him wince.

Dante counter-attacked with a knee kick and touched the Japanese's arm with the knife. He knew that Tanaka was not a novice in fighting. They exchanged hits few more time before Dante could disarm his opponent. Unfortunately, he lost his knife at the same time.

Dante became impatient. He wanted to kill him quickly. He noticed his gun near the entry of the room, so he let Tanaka punch him and fell backward. Suki's uncle thought to have the upper side, but he realized his mistake too late. Two gun's shots resounded.

Tanaka touched his chest, and his hand was full of blood. He fell down on his back, closing his eyes. Dante sighed. It was over and Gabriel was still not arrived... he will have to pay him a drink!

The young man stood up and passed near Tanaka's body. He wiped the corner of his mouth, to erase trace of his blood, even if it was not the only visible wound and the only trace of blood. He opened the storage room door and found Suki crying in the middle of it, sitting on the floor.

Dante: Why did you come out of the closet!? Are you stupid?! It's dangerous! (She cried more at his view. He was still alive.)

Suki: Dante...

Dante: Yeah, it's me, who else were you waiting? (He kneeled down.) It's over... let's go home!

Dante gently took Suki's hand to help her to stand up. He could have carried her, but he didn't want to have her dirt by the blood of the men he killed. The little girl wiped her eyes with her other hand and sobbed, trying to calm down. She felt her legs trembling but her will to leave helped her to get up. Her relief disappeared in one second.

Her uncle was standing in the frame of the door, bleeding from his chest, blood coming from his mouth, with red eyes. He had a knife, Dante's one that he picked up on the ground. He was about to stab Suki's brother in the back.

The little girl yelled her brother's name while pushing him with all her strength. The young man position kneeling in front of her, lost his balance and Tanaka couldn't stab him... but she exposed herself by the same occasion and Suki's uncle didn't miss that opportunity. The little girl tried to avoid him in a reflex, thanks to Gianni's training but the blade cut her upper arm. She fell on the side. Dante threw himself on the little girl to protect her with his body.

Tanaka was like a zombie. He was ready to stab Dante, but several shots' gun stopped his craziness. His body collapsed. This time, he was really dead, a hole in the back of his head. Gabriel was standing in the other room, his gun still pointing toward that Japanese guy. His gaze was dark.

Dante: Suki! Suki! Fu**!! Answer me! (She had her eyes closed because of the pain, blocking her breathe.) Damn... Suki! (He shook her.)

Suki: (She cried loudly.)...

Dante: Fu**! You scared me! (He saw the blood on her arm. He pressed it.)

Gabriel: Dante! How is she doing? Is she hurt? Suki?

Dante: We need to go to the hospital!

Suki: ... Dante... (She was losing consciousness.)

Gabriel: Let me carry her! Davide, help Dante! (He was standing in the back.) And call Father to tell him that we found them!

Davide: Are you okay? (He was sincerely worried.) Is she...

Dante: I don't think that the wound is deep, but she is so skinny and fragile... damn, you took your time to find us!

Davide: Sorry...

Dante: It's not your fault... that jerk, he was a though one... even with 2 bullets in the chest, he was able to attack again... Fu**!

Gabriel was carrying in his arms a now fainted Suki. He jumped in the van and his two brothers followed just behind.

Despite his injuries, Dante's first concern was that little girl. Even at the verge of fainting, she was saying his name. They had an emergency kit in the luxurious car, so he grabbed bandage to compress the cut on Suki's arm. Davide was silently observing her, and he surprised himself by taking off his jacket to cover her with it.

Davide: Dad will freak out...

Gabriel: Dante... you saved her life and yours... thank you...

Dante: (He chuckled.) Isn't it a big brother's job?