Nick hobbled over to Leon before he turned back to the front lawn.“I think you should go back inside sir.This is nothing but a mess.You need to let us handle it.”
Leon shook his head.“I can’t do that.”He turned back to the fighting in front of him.“I never ask my men to do something I wouldn’t do myself and I’m not about to start now.”Then he reached up and pushed Nick down.
Nick ducked just as Leon raised his AK-47 and began shooting again.Nick heard the pings of bullets hitting the wall next to Leon, right where he’d been standing a few minutes ago.He looked up and noticed Leon didn’t even flinch as some of the bullets had left scars on the outside of the building and Leon had droplets of blood running down his face from the debris that had broken away from the building.
Nick grunted as he got to his feet again and pointed his weapon at one of the men coming toward them.
The bullet caught the man in the leg.He stumbled and went down.He got up a moment later and began shooting again, this time he was trying to hit Leon.
Nick now gripped the shotgun and shot back with rapid fire.
Three bullets hit the other man in the chest and he flew backwards, then he laid still.His chest was still moving but he was also bleeding out.It didn’t take long before the other man stopped breathing altogether.
Leon was a few feet away crouching down while still shooting.
Nick rearmed his weapon and began shooting at other men still trying to get closer to the main house.
It took another half hour for the bullets to slow down and finally stop.
Leon got to his feet and stepped down.
Iceman and John were both standing over one man.
Leon walked over toward them carefully scanning around at the men on the ground.He knew several were already dead and some were still dying, but as soon as he got close to John, he recognized the man they were standing over.
Giovano Grimildi.
Leon glared at him then raised his gun and pointed it at him.He stared down the barrel for the longest minute then he slowly lowered the weapon.“No, I’m not going to shoot you like the dog you are, Giovano.I know it was your job to kill me, so you could take my place but you failed.You failed your father and he’s getting taken down back home.He may not survive that play, but you will survive this one.I will be happy to send you back to the home country and let someone else put you down.You and your father.”
Giovano let put a long breath at the reprieve then glared at the man he was sent here to kill.“You are a stronzo Leon, a bastard that doesn’t deserve his place in the Familia.”
Leon set his jaw and retorted, “Down to calling me names?Aww and after I didn’t shoot you?I can be violent and defiant but I would not shoot my own son when he argued that this was a sloppy plan in the first place.The one where you were supposed to stay here and be Mr.Double G.To take my place while your father took the Don’s place as head of the Familia back home.”
Giovano’s eyes widened as he realized Leon knew everything.“How did you know about that?”
Leon scoffed.“We knew from almost the beginning.We were waiting for it to play out.We just didn’t know who would betray us.Who would be stupid enough and foolish enough to try something like this.”Leon nodded at him.“It could have been only one man, your dumbass father Fredo Grimaldi.The man who wouldn’t face reality.I’m still waiting to hear if they dragged him in front of the Council yet but I imagine they have.He and you will be charged with treason against the Familia and he will be shot for what he’s done.”Leon glared at him.“Oh and know this, you WILL die by my hand if Calderone doesn’t make it home.”
Giovano swallowed hard as he understood Leon’s words.He didn’t seem to have anything to say.
Leon looped the strap of the AK-47 over his suited shoulder.Then he looked down to see spots of blood on his suit jacket.“Bah!”he exclaimed.“Minchia.”He raised his gaze and shook his head then he shrugged.“Bene, and did you hear about what happened at home?Your father shot your brother because he refused to take part in this coup.Juno is in the hospital under the protection of the Don.He turned himself over without any trouble and over the next few weeks while the Don investigates this whole plot, he will also be watched.Your grandfather is with him right now.”
Giovano just glared at him but didn’t say another word.He did not reveal if he knew about this event or not.After a long moment, he finally asked, “What’s gonna happen with my men?”
Leon shrugged and looked around the front yard.“Most of them are dead already.The rest will die soon enough.”
Giovano stared at him.“You would kill them?For following orders?”
Leon shook his head.“You expect me to show mercy to men that were shooting at my family?At our home?Do you think you would allow them to live if they did this to you?Or do you have NO loyalty to anyone?They might have only been following orders but they have their own minds.They are men, are they not?In this case, they followed you into battle against me.Do you or they expect that I would just let them go?Do they really think I am so old and weak that I will slap them on the wrist and tell them not to do it again?Do you think you are going to live to see another day?If you do, you do not know the first thing about me, the man you were sent over five thousand miles away from home to kill.”Leon leaned in closer to add, “You should have done your homework better, Gio.If you believed such a fantasy, then you are truly pathetic.”
