g out something foul. The gutters were swollen, carrying filth down into the sew

like a

stone on the edge of town, tucked away from curious eyes and eager ears. It wasn't much. Just a qui

of sweat. Not just the kind from bad ventilation, but from men who kn

he silenc

business that silence did

nally, h

ne's t

quiet. But it

But I know this-if we don't find the

ne s

ing for the first crack, the first

yes landed

---

, bloodshot eye

o say, Marco?" Dom a

ing if I'm the rat?" His voice was rough

ay. He let the question si

t," Dom finally said. "But

ng his glass down ha

, Dom," he said, voice flat,

m felt

e moment lingered-just lo

the accusation, who would've taken a swing if provoked. But this Marc

the words tasted bitter in his mouth. Trust

d at the table, fingers tracin

----

was a relief. The meeting had left a weigh

rough his hair,

e stepped out, li

lowed clo

said, exhaling a slow stream o

ft-something small, so

gnor

ea?" Dom asked, watc

liberate move, like he was setti

"We go digging. Find the lea

te, watching the ember

with the w

ted. "You me

one," Vinnie

gaze h

rt taking out our

t it wasn't the us

somethi

he said. "Better to cut out a

ose, considering. He trus

way he said *we* instead

just following

s lea

right. But no moves un

iled. "Of

ling that Vinnie was alrea

ime, he wondered if Vinnie's ambition was sharper than his loyalty. Was this the s

---

desk, the fluorescent lights above

lled like bad co

e'd clocked out hours ago-but s

elope sat in

address.

message

sfers. Addresses linked to Dom

h to take

h to make

he pages, frowning. Somethi

weren't dumping everything. Just enoug

s chair, cigarette d

someone tr

etting the stage f

ormation was true-and it checked out so far-it meant someone in

Dom down might actually destabilize the city further. Ma

---

the dim light, staring at the tabl

d left behind still had a

a long time, Dom fel

ub

t his empir

lieved in

had already

aw cl

just hun

from a wound he

drummed agai

to me," Dom murmur

g his head, pushin

ed doubting the peo

had alre

glances, Tony and Sal's stiff postures, Marco's haunted expression. And then

the traitor wasn't some low-level grunt or desperate la

wouldn't just lose his