11

Solana

After a five-hour delay in Rome and an additional two-hour long drive to Abel's mansion from the airport, I was beyond tired. Dusk was fast approaching and my eyes could barely stay open so I could take in the environment of my new home. My only consolation was the fact that it was Abel's house and not the Stravkos family mansion. At least with Abel, things were a bit easier. I couldn't live with a man as evil as Norman Stravkos under the same roof for longer than a week.

Abel's mansion was in a very reserved area in the heart of town. Tall iron gates pulled open for us as we approached, and the shimmering moonlight illuminated most of the empty space in the large compound. I got a better, more upfront glimpse of the mansion with its huge garage, outbuildings, and extensive and various types of landscaping lights. The grounds, from what I could make out, thanks to the moonlight were expansive, with painted white woods circling most of the property. It seemed to me that the driv