79: The Gala

The smokey and peppery smell of the gunpowder filled in Mateo’s lungs. He coughed as he lay on the bloody floor. He blinked. His vision was getting blurry. His ears were ringing. Slowly he started to feel the pain in his shoulder. He let out a soft groan and he gagged on the blood that filled in his mouth. He gasped for air and let the blood drip from the corner of his mouth.

He looked around as many lay dead around him – some he killed – some were killed by others. His white shirt was now soaked in blood, and so was his black suit. He was choking on the blood filled in his mouth. He tried to lift his head to see what was happening around him, but his body was slowly giving up. All he could hear were the gunshots, screams, groans, footsteps, and curses around him. He couldn’t even recognize whose voice was around him. His body and mind were slowly shutting off.

He heard a fading voice, “So, this is how the Ricci family ends, huh?” The voice was familiar. Mateo knew who it was, but he