“One hundred thousand, including transportation for this vehicle.
Depart immediately, thirty thousand now, the rest upon arrival.” Luca showed no surprise at the captain’s price hike.
These underworld types never played straight, if they didn’t seize every opportunity to squeeze more, that would be truly astonishing.
The captain studied them carefully, exchanged glances with his men, then nodded slowly.
“Luca, those people look so scary!” Pietro finally found his voice once they’d descended into the cabin below deck.
“You and Wanda stay here quietly.
Don’t move.
No matter what happens tonight, don’t go out.” Luca calmly patted Wanda’s head, his tone carrying an unspoken weight.
“Is there danger?” Wanda looked up timidly, tears already welling in those large eyes.
She knew crying wasn’t helpful, yet couldn’t stop the tears from coming.
“Probably not.
Just precautions.” Luca’s fingers worked a lump of clay as he spoke, his eyes gradually cooling with something that wasn’t quite menace… yet.
He wanted nothing more than to leave this broken country safely.
No incidents or complications.
Above deck, the sailor who doubled as the captain’s enforcer posed the question burning in everyone’s mind.
“Boss, when do we move?” Men who worked the sea routes, especially in this trade, weren’t known for their moral compasses.
The captain remained silent, chewing over his instincts.
Years in this business had taught him to read people.
Luca’s unnerving composure raised flags.
Was the kid bluffing, or did he have backing?
“Here’s the plan, grab all three.
Squeeze the money out of the older one, then dispose of him.” “The two kids, we can have some fun, then sell them to those film people.
Those faces could fetch a hundred thousand easy.” The captain’s eyes glazed slightly, already counting profits.
Two hundred thousand in a single run.
Twenty thousand each after splitting.
Three such scores annually meant a comfortable hundred thousand yearly income.
“Wait until we’re mid-journey.” His earlier hesitation faded as greed calcified into resolve.
How many genuine wolves pretending to be sheep existed in this world?
The kid looked ordinary enough, yes, he’d spotted the bulge of a gun at Luca’s waist, but so what?
Six armed men against one armed boy.
Simple mathematics.
Not to mention every man aboard had blood on his hands.
What was one more corpse?
“Put something in their dinner.
Cleaner that way.” The captain, veteran of a decade plying these waters, issued his final order.
“Understood, Boss!” The sailor departed eagerly, already anticipating evening entertainment.
✦••┈┈••✦••┈┈••✦ Tch.
Luca stared at the meal placed before them, exhaling softly.
So it had come to this.
Pietro reached for the milk, then snatched his hand back as if burned.
It hurt.
Pietro cradled his stinging hand, shooting Luca an aggrieved look.
He couldn’t understand why he’d been struck.
Luca ignored the boy’s pitiful expression entirely, instead pulling Wanda back into a protective embrace.
Both children had spent the afternoon in the cabin.
Now, spotting the steaming milk, they’d lunged forward simultaneously, Wanda matching Pietro’s eager rush.
Unable to physically restrain both at once, Luca had chosen the most direct solution, rapping Pietro’s hand with the bamboo rod he kept handy.
The boy had spent days eyeing him suspiciously.
A little discipline wouldn’t hurt.
“Don’t touch any of this.
They’ve decided to play dirty.” Luca didn’t need poison detection skills to recognize danger.
Hot milk, thoughtfully delivered?
In this context?
Only a fool would trust such hospitality.
“The milk is poisoned?” Pietro and Wanda’s eyes went wide.
Mature as they were for their age, the depths of adult wickedness still surprised them.
“Stay here.
Lock the door.
Don’t open for anyone except me, shoot anyone who tries.” Luca unholstered his Beretta.
He’d intended to give it to Wanda, but reconsidered, passing it to Pietro instead.
“Safety’s here.
Press this first, then fire.
Wanda’s counting on you.
Understood?” Luca rarely spoke so seriously to the boy.
“Got it.
I’ll protect my sister!” Pietro nodded, excitement cutting through fear.
Finally… adult treatment!
“Remember, unless you hear my voice, anyone tries that door, you shoot straight through it.” Giving a loaded gun to a ten-year-old seemed questionable.
But desperate times.
Better this than waiting for those thugs to storm the cabin.
He’d handle things topside himself.
If only he knew navigation, he’d have killed them all immediately instead of enduring this farce.
“You have to come back!” Wanda clutched his sleeve as he reached for the door.
“Don’t worry.
I’ll be fine.” He ruffled her cheek one last time, purely for morale purposes, then stepped through the door.
The ferry’s cramped design meant two steps brought him directly onto the deck.
The sailors lounging about, smoking and anticipating evening entertainment, started at his sudden appearance.
What was their prey doing walking free?
“Quite the gathering.” Luca surveyed the assembled crew plus their captain, shrugging philosophically.
His instincts, unfortunately, remained reliable.
Every face screamed ‘we’re up to no good.’ The sailors looked to their captain for direction.
The boss studied Luca, calculating furiously.
Was the kid genuinely confident, or simply too young to recognize danger?
Before he reached a conclusion, one sailor made the decision for him.
The man swaggered forward, grinning with yellowed teeth.
“Since you’ve saved us the trouble of coming down, let’s make this simple.
Hand over every cent.” “Tie yourself up nice and proper.
Maybe uncle here will feel generous and let you live.”