Chapter 3 Natalie's POV

I stepped out to the road and flagged a cab. "Via del Fuoco 43, Hills of Palermo, Sicily," I said. The driver turned to look at me like I had grown two heads. I knew exactly what he was thinking, What's a girl like her doing heading to that part of town? I met his gaze, unfazed. Then I shrugged. He hesitated, muttered something under his breath, then nodded and started the engine. The ride felt like forever. The city lights slowly faded behind us, replaced by rougher roads and eerie silence. When we got to a deserted junction, he pulled over abruptly. "This is as far as I go," he said.

"I'm not risking my life for anyone." I paid him and stepped out. He sped off like something was chasing him. I couldn't help but chuckle under my breath. Coward. I adjusted my backpack and began walking the lonely stretch of road. The darkness was thick. The trees swayed as though they were whispering secrets I wasn't supposed to hear. My heart thumped, but I kept going. And then... There it was. A tall, cold-looking building with rusted iron gates and no signboards. Quiet. Intimidating. Dangerous. My feet froze. I was standing face to face with what might be the end of me, or the beginning of everything I've ever wanted. My subconscious screamed at me to turn back. But then... everything I'd suffered came rushing back, the blood, the screams, the way Mrs. Laura looked at me like I was filth, the sting of her slaps, Anna's cruel laughter, the loneliness. No. I'm not going back. I walked forward and pushed the gate open. A guard stepped in front of me immediately, eyes narrowing. "Who are you? And what do you want, lady?" he barked, eyeing me from head to toe like I didn't belong. I lifted my chin. "I'm here for the recruitment." He raised an eyebrow, clearly trying not to laugh. Then, after a long pause, he stepped aside and let me through. As I entered, I froze. Over a hundred people filled the hall, men, women, some younger, some older. Every single eye landed on me. I could feel their judgment, their curiosity, their doubt. But I didn't flinch. I wasn't here for them. I was here for vengeance. Minutes later, the crowd stirred. A tall man walked in, dressed in an unbuttoned shirt and trousers. Had a tattoo on his arms and chest making him unapproachable. "You are all welcome," the man's deep voice echoed through the vast hall, instantly commanding silence. He stood tall, dressed in all black, cold eyes scanning the room like a predator sizing up prey. "This is not a school. It's not an organization where you get to slack, argue, or misbehave. This is the Inferno Syndicate," he said, letting the name linger in the air like poison. "We don't tolerate weakness. We don't tolerate disrespect. And we certainly don't tolerate betrayal." He took a slow step forward, boots clicking ominously against the marble floor. "There are rules here. Set in blood. Anyone who violates them..." He paused, his lips twitching into a slight smirk. "...will be killed. On. The. Spot." Gasps rippled through the room. A few people glanced at the exits. The crowd began murmuring in fear-some doubting, some regretting, most terrified. But the man simply raised his hand. Silence fell like a blade. "You dare speak while I speak?" he growled, and the room shrank under his voice. "I'm feeling generous tonight. You'll be pardoned. Once." His eyes darkened as if imagining what would happen next time. "A book containing the rules and code of conduct will be given to each of you," he continued, his voice calm again-but sharper than a dagger. "Read it. Memorize it. Or die learning." He glanced at a wristwatch, then looked back at the crowd. "It's late. Too late to waste any more words. Get some rest. Tomorrow will determine if you have what it takes to stay here..." A beat of silence. "...or if you'll be thrown out of this base like the trash you are." He turned and walked out without another word. "What?" I muttered, wide-eyed. If anyone violates a law, they'll be killed? Just like that? The words echoed in my head, louder than the crowd, louder than my heartbeat. I could barely breathe for a second, my brain struggling to process the weight of this new world. This wasn't just a dangerous place-this was a warzone. A battlefield with rules carved in bone and sealed with blood. Before I could fully digest the reality, a sharp voice broke through the tension. "Everyone, listen up!" a woman barked, walking in with her heels clicking authoritatively against the floor. She was tall, lean, and wore a tight-fitting black suit that gave off strict school principal vibes, except with the aura of someone who wouldn't hesitate to snap a neck. "I'm Mrs. Katerina. I'll be overseeing your accommodations and routines for the next few days. You'll be retiring to your quarters now. Two per room. No arguments." Just like that, the crowd stirred. I didn't care who I was paired with. As long as she didn't talk too much or try to be my friend, I'd survive. Maybe. "Hey, you and the lady with golden hair are together!" Katelyn announced looking at me. A girl with bouncing curls and too much energy trotted toward me. She looked like she belonged in a beauty pageant, not a mafia base. Her lipstick was bold, her smile even bolder. "Hi, I'm Kate! Short for Katelyn, too, haha! Weird, right? Guess this place is full of coincidences!" she said all in one breath. "You don't talk much, huh? That's okay! I can talk for both of us!" Oh God. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. This was going to be a long night. We were led to our room, a spacious, clean space with two single beds, a shared closet, a desk, and a small bathroom. Luxurious compared to the storage-like box I lived in back home. The sheets were crisp, the lights were warm, and there was no mold on the walls. Still, I didn't feel safe. Kate continued chattering about her life, her hometown, her ex-boyfriend who cheated on her with a bakery girl, and how she heard Lorenzo Marco was "crazy hot but deadly." I didn't respond. I just nodded occasionally, too drained to speak. Eventually, she ran out of stories and drifted off to sleep, her light snores filling the room. I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling. This place... it's more dangerous than I imagined. Not just because of the rules or the men in black suits or the threat of death, but because here, there's no turning back. But going home? That's not an option. Not anymore. Not after everything. I made a choice the moment I left that house. And tomorrow, the real test begins. I closed my eyes, praying for sleep. But it came, the image I never escape. The gunshots. The scream. The pool of blood. I flinched and snapped my eyes open, heart racing. My breath came in shallow gasps. No matter how much time passed, that night still gripped me like claws around my throat. I sat at the foot of the bed, curling my fingers into the mattress to steady myself. Kate was fast asleep, her soft snores filling the silence. She had no idea her roommate was being haunted by ghosts. I sighed bitterly. "Bravo," I muttered under my breath, "they succeeded in traumatizing me." But trauma wasn't going to stop me. I stared into the dark room, imagining their faces, the men who killed my parents. Their laughter. Their guns. Their indifference. I would find them. I would make them scream. Three bullets... One for the eyes that watched my mother die. One for the hand that pulled the trigger. And the last... for the heart that never had mercy. I will make them pay. Even if it costs me my last breath.