Chapter 4 The Mysterious Angel

Neon lights of Sicily flicker dimly in the distance as a black van glides through the night on the narrow streets of Palermo. Inside, Elena Rossi was still unconscious from too much anesthesia. In the front seat, the kidnapper removes her mask and nurse's outfit. Yes, she is Sofia Caruso and Antonio Caruso.

Antonio, driving the van with trembling hands because he was doing his first human trafficking transaction, still felt scared and horrified by what would happen to Elena. "Madre, do we have to?" he asked.

"Shut up, Antonio!" Sofia cuts in sharply. Twisting her body from the passenger seat, her normally gentle face now turned cruel in the dim light, staring at her son.

"Do you know how much Darkmora is offering for this girl? Enough to start a new life away from here. Besides," he glanced at Elena coldly, "she knows too much about our family; I don't want her to be a threat to our family."

Carefully, Antonio drove the van towards their destination, which Elena didn't know yet. He felt short of breath and broke out in a cold sweat despite the cool night air. He felt guilt weighing on his mind, but he also feared the consequences of his actions. Darkmora's headquarters stood proudly on the outskirts of the city, an old warehouse camouflaged as a furniture factory. Behind its dull walls, dozens of young women cowered in fear in stuffy cells. The sound of heavy steps echoes.

"Where is she?" she asked sternly, not seeing Elena with Sofia.

"As usual, there are goods and money," replied Sofia, who seemed to be an expert in human trafficking.

Paolo signaled his men to give Sofia the money. Sofia's eyes sparkled green, very happy to see a suitcase filled with money in front of her. "Alright, we're leaving first. Before that weak boy finds out where we are," said Sofia, carrying the suitcase away, followed by Paolo and several large men who would take Elena from the van.

Eyes flashed dangerously at the sight of Elena. "Ma'am, you're very clever," he said, as his eyes flashed dangerously at the sight of Elena.

Sofia just smiled wryly and nodded briefly, pulling Antonio away without once looking at the terrified and blindfolded Elena, unaware of their presence. Antonio's trusted driver, Marco, was waiting at the end of the road, as per Antonio's orders.

Elena rebelled violently as two burly men dragged her out of the car and brought her closer to Paolo. "Release me!" Elena rebelled violently as two burly men dragged her out of the car and brought her closer to Paolo.

The sound of a loud slap rang through the air, sending chills down everyone's spine. Paolo's hand flew quickly to Elena's cheek, which was immediately reddened from the impact. "Who are you? Let me go!" shouted Elena, trying to rebel again while trying to break free from the grip of the two male members of Darkmora. But her efforts were in vain because they were so strong and not afraid of her threats.

Meanwhile, Sofia and Antonio, brimming with confidence, were on their way home. They believed the transaction would go off without a hitch, despite Elena's earlier resistance.

Back at the Darkmora's headquarters stood, Paolo's tone turned sinister. "You can't just leave, Elena," he declared. "You're beautiful, and I paid a hefty price for your body."

Elena, her voice trembling, was bewildered. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Paolo grinned, his eyes twinkling like a lion that had caught its prey. "You have no choice. You are completely mine."

One week passed like a nightmare for Elena. Every day felt like torture. She and the other women were forced to live in cramped, damp, dark cells. Stale air mixed with the stench of blood and sweat filled the cramped space, making it difficult for them to breathe. Paolo and his men came often, intimidating them with harsh words and cruel treatment. It was not uncommon for the women to become slaves to the lust of Paolo and other Darkmora members. Luckily, at that time Elena was still bleeding after giving birth, so she could not be used by them. "Don't think you can escape from here!" shouted Paolo one night, after whipping one of the women who tried to escape. "You are mine, and no one can save you!"

Night after night, Elena heard the cries and screams of women tortured by lust. Their bodies were covered in bruises, and their eyes had lost the light of hope. The food they ate was barely fit for consumption, and the water they drank often smelled bad. Every second feels like endless torture.

However, that night, Elena was terrified when Paolo found out that she was no longer bleeding profusely. She would be dragged into Paolo's room to serve the Darkmora leader's depraved lust. "Please, don't..." Elena whimpered with tears in her eyes. She couldn't imagine that her body would become a meal for the men in front of her.

"Shut up!!!" Paolo slapped Elena again, knocking her to the floor.

Two executioners dragged Elena's slender body. At the same time, the silence of Darkmora headquarters was broken by the sound of sirens and gunfire.

"Don Paolo! Clanostra! They're here!" A guard shouted in panic.

Paolo spoke harshly. "Damn it! How could they..." His sentence was cut short by the deafening sound of an explosion.

Amidst the chaos, a figure appeared like a ghost, dressed in black-on-black with a silver mask that glinted in the darkness. Zo il Leone, the mysterious leader of Clanostra. The tall, muscular, sinister figure stood tall. His silver mask shone among the flashes of bullets, giving him a mysterious aura. He moved swiftly and gracefully like a trained warrior, dodging bullets while striking with deadly accuracy.

"Paolo!" His voice echoed, deep and menacing. "Surrender, or face the consequences."

Paolo turned his head, his face turning pale. Zo il Leone was known for his strength and brutality, but no one knew who was really behind the silver mask. "Zo il Leone," Paolo muttered in a trembling voice, trying to mask his fear. "You can't take what's mine," he continued.

Zo il Leone approached, his every step exuding an intimidating aura. "Really?"

Elena stared at the figure with eyes full of hope but also fear. She didn't know what would happen next, but Zo il Leone's presence brought her some relief. Suddenly, shots rang out, startling Elena and the other women. The flames from the weapons lit up the dark room, revealing panicked and bloodied faces. The Clanostra members entered with impressive precision and coordination, as if they were shadows creeping in silently.

Paolo, with his face flushed with anger and fear, advanced to face Zo il Leone. "You think you can destroy everything, Leone?!" he shouted while brandishing a gun.

Zo il Leone did not answer. Instead, he moved like lightning, dodging Paolo's shots and parrying attacks with unparalleled skill. Their fight was fierce; fists and kicks exchanged at a speed almost impossible for the eye to follow. Every punch Zo il Leone delivered felt like a small explosion, while Paolo, despite his strength, began to be overwhelmed by his enemy's relentless attacks. Sweat poured down their faces; their breathing was ragged, but Zo il Leone's resolve did not waver in the slightest.

With one swift move, Zo il Leone managed to take Paolo down, locking his arms in a firm grip. Paolo groaned in pain; his face paled. "You... you'll never win!" Paolo shouted with what was left of his courage. Zo il Leone brought his face closer, a deep and menacing voice coming out from behind the silver mask. "This is not about victory, Paolo. This is about justice."

Paolo struggled, trying to escape, but Zo il Leone's strength was too great. In an instant, Paolo was down, an opportunity he seized to escape. Zo il Leone stood tall, her eyes hidden behind a mask, staring at the terrified women.

"Release them. Quickly!" he ordered in a stern voice.

The Clanostra members moved immediately, cutting the chains and unlocking the cells where the women were being held. Elena felt tears of freedom running down her cheeks, watching her once fearsome enemy now helpless. Smoke still billowed from the debris of the battle at Darkmora's headquarters. The newly freed women gathered in small groups, embracing each other with tears of joy. But Elena was still transfixed, her eyes searching for the black-robed figure who had saved them.

"Zo il Leone..." she whispered, realizing the mysterious figure was nowhere to be seen. A Clanostra member approached her, "Madam, hurry up and leave!"

"But I haven't even thanked that man yet," Elena said softly.

The man smiled slightly. "That's how Leone works. Like a shadow, arriving when needed, disappearing as soon as his job is done. No one knows who he really is, and he wants to keep it that way."

In the distance, a black motorcycle speeds through the Palermo night. On it, Zo il Leone gallops along without looking back, his mask glistening in the moonlight. His identity remains a mystery, just as he always wanted it to be.