POV: Emilia Conti
Luciano didn't run.
That was the first surprise.
He stalled.
Every instinct said a man like him should vanish—new jurisdiction, new identity, new silence. Instead, he slowed everything down just enough to look cooperative without surrendering control.
Strauss explained it to me in one sentence.
"He's shopping."
"For what?" I asked.
"For relevance," she replied.
The request came through official channels. Carefully framed. No direct contact. No threats.
Luciano Lombardi was willing to talk.
"With conditions," Strauss added.
Of course he was.
"About what?" I asked.
"Selective disclosure," she said. "Financial routes. Names. Structures."
"And in return?" Alessio asked quietly.
Strauss looked at him, then back at me. "Protection. Reduced exposure. Distance from violent escalation."
I laughed once, humorless. "He wants to survive with dignity."
"He wants to survive with leverage," Strauss corrected.
"Yes," I agreed.
