Dec 12 , 1938 , Empire bay , 7: 00 am
---
The morning paper lay folded on the kitchen table, its headline screaming about Hitler's latest move in Europe. I didn't care. My war wasn't fought with tanks or treaties—it was fought in back rooms, behind closed doors, with handshakes that meant more than bullets.
Sarah poured coffee, her eyes tired. Our daughter, julia , played with a wooden train on the floor, humming a tune she must've picked up from the radio.
I kissed Sarah on the cheek, grabbed my coat, and stepped into the cold. Empire Bay was waking up—steam rising from manholes, factory whistles shrieking like banshees. I lit a cigarette and walked toward the warehouse.
Umbrella was still young, but it was growing. We weren't selling Virus B anymore—not openly. The formula had been rebranded as "Vitalis-X," a tonic military and scientist . Legal enough to dodge questions, potent enough to keep demand high.
Marco stood by the gate, coat buttoned to his neck, eyes scanning the street.
"Morning, boss."
"Any trouble?"
"Not yet. But the union boys are sniffing around."
I nodded. The unions were getting bold. They didn't like anything that made workers harder to control.
Inside, Emil was hunched over a table, scribbling documents. Lana was on the telephone, speaking french —probably arranging another shipment to europe
I walked into my office. The desk was cluttered with invoices, permits
I poured a drink and stared out the window. The city was changing. Skyscrapers clawed at the sky, cars roared like beasts, and men like me—men with vision—were carving out empires in the cracks.
But I wanted more.
Not just money. Not just influence.
I wanted power , real power
That afternoon, I met with a man named pepe , another italian . He wore a bowler hat and smelled like cigars and old money. Said he represented a group of industrialists—railroads, steel, oil. They'd heard of Umbrella. They wanted to invest.
"We believe America's future lies in enhancement," he said. "Efficiency. Productivity. Your tonic could be the cornerstone of a new workforce."
I leaned back. "And what do you want in return?"
"Control. Not of your company. Of your direction. We'll fund you. Protect you. But you'll answer to us."
It was the same offer the government made, just dressed in pinstripes and champagne.
I told him I'd think about it.
That night, I sat by julia's bed, watching her sleep. Her tiny hand clutched a stuffed bear. Sarah came in, wrapped her arms around me.
I wish we could always stay this happy but I also know that many people are after me like family friends of salieri , commission which would eventually reach me one day and i can't rely on government protection just like how i original Tommy did
I just need to be strong enough to protect those smiles , that's all I need
Outside, Empire Bay glowed like a furnace.
And I was ready to feed it.
---
Next morning , Tommy angelo office
The contract arrived from fax and was placed on my desk the previous night
The contract sat untouched on my desk, its edges curled from the damp air. Outside, Empire Bay was cloaked in fog, the kind that made the streetlamps glow like ghosts.
I poured myself a coffee, black and bitter, and stared at the paper one last time.
Then I tore it in half.
Whitmore's offer was power wrapped in velvet. But velvet burns just like anything else. I wasn't going to let men in bowler hats and war rooms decide the future of my family.
Umbrella would stay mine. Small, quiet, dangerous—but mine.
I walked home through the morning mist, past bakeries opening their shutters and kids kicking cans down the alley. The city was waking up, and for once, I wasn't thinking about how to own it.
Sarah was in the kitchen, flour on her hands, humming " life is just a bowl of cherries " under her breath. Julia sat at the table, drawing stick figures with crayon—one tall figure in tuxedo and a little figure next to the previous figure with a car in the background
"That's you," she said, pointing to the tall figure in what seems a tuxedo
I smiled. "You made a car next to me ?"
" Mommy said you like cars "
Sarah laughed. "cars are your true passion after all , I still remember your car race , sigh , I wish things weren't like this "
I sat down silent, took a bite of pizza that Sarah made , The radio crackled in the corner, announcing Roosevelt's latest speech. The president was promising jobs, hope, and a future. I didn't trust politicians, but I trusted this moment.
Later, we walked to the park. Sarah and I sat on a bench and Julia in Sarah embrace sleeping. I looked around and saw A man in suspenders sold roasted peanuts. A group of boys played stickball in the street. A young couple danced to music from a passing car.
This was America of back then . Not the boardrooms or the back alleys. Not the deals or the dossiers. It was laughter, scraped knees, and Sunday dinners. It was family.
That night, I returned to the warehouse and told the crew.
"We're not taking the deal," I said. "We stay independent. We stay quiet."
Emil raised an eyebrow. "You sure? That kind of money doesn't come twice."
"I'm sure," I said. "We build slow. We build smart. And we protect what matters."
Marco nodded. Lana didn't argue. They understood.
I went home late, the city humming in the distance , Julia was asleep again, curled beside Sarah, her tiny hand resting on her mother's arm.
I stood by the window, watching the moon cast silver over the city .
Empire Bay was a jungle and I plane to own it
But most importantly
It was about protecting the few that mattered the most and that is family , family is everything
----