The Billionaire's Mistake

MISTAKE 129

"The dark hand?" Agent Rossi interjected. "I thought they were just as bad as the them

"I can assure you, they're very much there," Director Ricci said grimly. "But not as degrees

Agent Conti's brow furrowed. "I don't understand, Director. If this, whatever it is, could bring down the president, why would a criminal organization want it? Haven't they benefited from destabilizing the government? They prefer to destabilize, not remove. Control the government instead of bringing them down. Is it possible they just want to control the president?"

The tension in the room ratcheted up a notch as Director Ricci took a deep breath. "What I about to tell you goes beyond top secret. It's information that could get us all killed if it ever leaves this room." He paused, making eye contact with each agent in turn. "The Dark Hand wants this information because their leader... is the President himself."

The silence that followed was deafening. The agents sat in stunned disbelief, their faces a m of shock, confusion, and dawning horror.

Agent Bianchi was the first to find his voice. "That's... that's impossible. Can you confirm this, director?."

Director Ricci shook his head. "I'm afraid it is confirmed. We know. The President of Italy is the head of one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the country."

The way he said it made them sure that they had always known. This sent chills down their spins.

Agent Moretti leaned back in her chair, her face pale. "Director, I dare to ask, how long have you known?"

this relevant?" Director Ricci admitted.

This made them uncomfortable. The director knew. Not only did he know, he is trying to play both sides. It seems the risk of this being revealed is high. The director is trying to give himself an advantage by having the agency find it first. As long as the agency finds this evidence first, even if it gets revealed, there are many ways to make it seem as though they had been investigating this.

incident involving the President. An

hung heavy in the air. Each agent recalled the news reports from a few weeks ago-a fire

mundane at the time.

"So what exactly is our mission here, Director? Are

grim. "Our mission is to protect the stability of our nation. If the truth about the president were to come out, it would plunge Italy into chaos. The fallout

Agent Conti asked, her voice indifferent. She liked everyone; there were professionals. They did their jobs well. And from the look of things, since they had been told, they had been dragged into the same camp as the director. "We're

hand."

Bianchi leaned forward, his young blank as he asked. "Director, are

may not survive. Yes, that means working alongside the Dark Hand. It means operating in a gray area that goes against everything you've been

agents had already come to terms

been this way. Lies and coverups. It was not as though they were novices that this knowledge about their job, about the country they served, would turn

They're not

methods to get into the Shaw family's way so that we don't need to attack

day when we'd be working with the mob to protect a corrupt president. It's like

what needs to

fear, but their faces remained blank. They had all sworn an oath to protect their country, and even

one, they

Agent Conti said, speaking for the group. "It's like any other job,

Ricci nodded, looking across at everyone seated. "You are all professionals. What we do

I'll have more details our moves. Until then, speak of this to no one. As far as the rest of the agency is concerned, you're on a special assignment regarding organized crime. That's true, the only

each lost in their own thoughts, the weight of their new reality settled heavily upon