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“Well, it isn’t the best solution, but it’s a simple one. With your family connections, couldn’t your father just live his remaining days here? I could understand if you and your siblings wanted to leave, but wouldn’t it be easier if he and your mother stayed with family here where they are safe?”
He knew better than to think for even a second there was any easy solution.
“Like every family, there are many factions. Some don’t want to be protecting us any longer. They want to make peace with Francone. Even seek his protection.”
“But that means they cease to be a family if they have to rely on his protection? Don’t they see that?”
“Yes, but some have asked the head of the family to exchange us for that peace. My father thinks it’s only a matter of time before they cave. The younger generation is willing to give up something to have peace, to be allowed to handle their business without interference.”
“That’s like asking the government to help you. Pure folly. That’s not freedom. That’s paying for protection again.”
“I won’t be able to change their minds, and you won’t either, Dimitri. My dad wants to come home to his country. My mothercould stay here, but she wants all of us to return to the U.S., to be a real family again, like it used to be.”
“So what do you think you need?”
“We need safe passage to the U.S. We need to be able to get to Naples or some port city and fly home. We have both families trying to stop that from happening.”
“Bothfamilies? Your family won’t let you leave?”
“We are caught in the middle. We are insurance to one and a nuisance to the other. Do you see why I didn’t want to get you involved, never told you about my people? I was ashamed. I didn’t want to ruin your career.”
“This is what you tried to do on your own?”
“Yes. I had a group from San Diego who were helping me. That’s when I met you again, at the bonfire.”
“Who? SEALs?”
“No. Immigration attorneys, people who specialize in criminal extradition. Probably do things outside the law, which again is why I didn’t want to involve you. I went over there to help them execute this plan, but it all fell through. My dad got wind of a raid, the one you heard about. We moved to another property my father had, and it was our caretaker who was ambushed and then burned in the fire. We fled to Capri under the family protection. And now we can’t leave.”
“Ideally, we hire a boat, a private vessel, we get you to Naples, and then we accompany you home. Is that it?”
“That’s the only viable plan. But every time I’ve tried to arrange it, someone finds out. I have to go completely outside my family or we get blocked.”
“What about the Embassy?”
“Not trustworthy. Nathan used to work there, with his team, as you know. We think they are on the side of Francone or being paid off.”
Dimitri knew that the ace up his sleeve was his proximity to the president. But if handled the wrong way, that would dry up. He also knew it was only to be used if it was the last card he could play.
“Do you trust Nathan?”
“Never again. He’s dirty, and they own him. I think he’s a mole for them.”
“Where does Jordan come in?”
“He has all my files. He has the proof. People don’t know about him.”
“He feels differently now. He suspects he’s being followed.”
“Then that’s one of Nathan’s men. They must have discovered him.”
Dimitri thought about the break-in at his place. This would explain that as well.
“So we need guys. Guys that are vetted by me, people I know, to be a security detail to fend off whatever, to get you home.”
“And I’ll do the rest. I’ll make sure the information I have in my files is released and given to the media. I want to bring them all down, Dimitri. If we fail to get our freedom, then I want to bring them all down.”
“Remind me later not to ever get you mad.”
