Chapter 3 2:00 PM

Vince De-Rossi's mind was racing as he returned to the estate. The revelation about Carlo had shaken him a bit but he had to keep his wits about him. Trust was a fragile thing in their world, and Vince knew that all it took was one wrong move to unravel everything that he had built.

Back at the estate, Marco was still poring over the surveillance footage, still quite unsuccessful at finding any clues about who might be behind the recent attacks. Izzy was on the phone with her contacts, still unable to get any more than Agent Wallace had let on.

"Anything new?" Vince asked as he entered the war room.

Marco shook his head. "Nothing concrete. But I did find something odd. Still about Carlo. He's been making calls to a burner phone. I can't trace it, but it's definitely suspicious."

Vince nodded, his jaw set. "Keep digging. We need to find out who he's been talking to but I won't confront him again till we're sure."

As Marco went back to his work, Vince's phone buzzed. It was a message from an unknown number: "Meet me at the old warehouse on Elm Street. 3 PM. Come alone."

Vince's gut tightened. Who could this be? Why did they want him at an abandoned warehouse alone? Vince had been in this business long enough to know it could be a trap, but he couldn't afford to ignore any leads. He showed the message to Sal.

"I'm going," Vince said. "Take only your closest guys, follow behind. Stay out of sight, but be ready if things go south."

Sal nodded. "You got it, Vince. "

Vince got into his Camaro and left the estate, his mind racing with possibilities. The drive to the warehouse felt longer than usual, every minute stretching out as he contemplated the risks. When he arrived, the area was deserted, the dilapidated building looming ominously in the afternoon sun.

He entered the warehouse cautiously, his hand hovering near his gun. The interior was dark and musty, the air thick with dust. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he saw a figure standing in the shadows.

"Vincente De- Rossi," the figure said, stepping into the light. It was a man Vince didn't recognize, but his posture and bearing screamed law enforcement. "I'm Special Agent Richard Harris. We need to talk."

Vince's eyes narrowed. "Talk about what pig?"

Harris held up a hand. "I'm not here to arrest you. I'm here to offer you a deal. We know about the mole in your organization. We've been tracking him for months."

Vince's mind raced. "Who's 'we'? Why should I trust you?"

Harris sighed. "You don't have to trust me. And as for who we are, all you need to know is that we have a common enemy and that makes us your allies and your only hope. Help us, and we'll help you."

Vince considered his options. Trusting a federal agent went against everything he believed in, but the stakes were too high. "What do you need from me?"

Harris handed Vince a file. "We need information. Y'all are gruesome motherfuckers but it's not you we want. We'll need names, locations, anything that can help us build a case against your rivals. In return, we'll get you your mole and maybe even help with some new territories. "

Vince took the file, his mind made up. "I'll think about it."

As he left the warehouse, his phone buzzed again. Another message from the unknown number: "Tick tock, Vince. Your move."

Vince's jaw tightened. He drove back to the estate, his mind racing with possibilities. When he arrived, he called an emergency meeting in the war room. Marco, Sal, and Izzy were already there, their expressions tense.

"We have a new player in the game," Vince said, tossing the file onto the table. "Some guy named Special Agent Harris. He claims he can help us with the mole."

Marco's eyes widened. "A fed? Vince, this could be a trap."

"I know," Vince replied. "But we don't have many options. He gave me this file. We need to see what's inside."

Izzy opened the file and began reading aloud. "The mole is working with the Giovanni family. They're planning a major move tonight, must be some kind of hostile takeover. The joint task force is in on it. This contains series of chatter between all parties. They've been at it for months. How were they able to keep this secret? More importantly, how did this fed get a hold of this info, all my contacts ain't got nothing"

Sal's face darkened. "Doesn't matter. We need to act fast. If the pigs and the Giovannis are working together, we're in serious trouble."

Vince nodded. "Marco, keep digging. See if you can verify any of this information. Izzy, keep working your contacts. We need to know everything about this joint task force."

As the meeting broke up, Vince felt a sense of urgency pressing down on him. Time was running out, and they needed to act quickly. He couldn't shake the feeling that the mole was closer than he realized, watching their every move.

Outside, the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows over the estate. Vince stood on the balcony, looking out over the city. The stakes had never been higher, and the next few hours would determine the future of the De-Rossi family.