Chapter 4
The second man was Carlo Vitale.
One of my senior capos.
Sixty-one.
Loyal to my father before me.
He arrived after midnight because I ordered him to.
He saw Victor restrained and did not look surprised enough.
That told me plenty.
“What happened three nights ago?”
Carlo sighed.
“A conversation.”
“With my cousin.”
“Yes.”
“In my council room.”
“Yes.”
“While security footage disappeared.”
Silence.
Victor smiled.
Carlo did not.
Interesting difference.
“What did you discuss?”
Carlo looked at Victor.
Victor answered.
“Your condition.”
I almost laughed.
“My condition.”
“You don’t sleep.”
“Neither do half the men in this family.”
“You’ve become erratic.”
“How?”
He looked toward Sophia.
Again.
The child.
Always the child.
“You let household matters interrupt command.”
I stared.
“My maid’s daughter?”
“No.”
He frowned.
“Children. Staff. Dogs. Everything.”
I understood.
Not one incident.
A philosophy.
Victor believed leadership had become contaminated by ordinary life.
Carlo finally spoke.
“The older men have concerns.”
There it was.
“How many?”
He did not answer.
“Names.”
Victor shook his head.
“You really think this is a conspiracy?”
“No.”
I looked at him.
“I think you sedated me.”
That shut him up.
Carlo admitted five older capos had been discussing temporary command.
Temporary.
Always the first lie.
“For who?”
Silence.
I looked at Victor.
He smiled faintly.
Of course.
“What was supposed to happen tonight?”
Carlo answered.
“You collapse.”
“Then?”
“Dr. Reynolds declares you unfit to continue the council meeting.”
Reynolds looked furious.
“I would never—”
Carlo raised one hand.
“You were not part of it.”
Good.
At least one thing.
“Then Titan blocks the doctor.”
Carlo closed his eyes.
He had not known that part.
Victor had improvised beyond the plan.
Interesting.
“And while everyone panics?”
Carlo whispered:
“The captains gather.”
“For what?”
“To appoint an acting head.”
Victor.
Alive.
Available.
Convenient.
I looked at him.
“You weren’t trying to kill me.”
“No.”
He almost sounded offended.
“I was trying to prove what happens when you can’t control your own house.”
Then Sophia spoke from Elena’s side.
“But you made him fall.”
Victor looked at her.
Three words from a child had reduced his political theory to what it was.
May you like
He had drugged me.
Everything else was decoration.
