Chapter 4 - The Confrontation at Sunrise
At 6:30 AM the following morning, the morning fog hung low over the local middle school. The parking lot was empty except for a few teachers' cars and a yellow school bus arriving early.
A black town car pulled into the side lane. Inside sat Leo Carbone—a husky eleven-year-old with a permanent scowl—and his father, Dominic Carbone.
Dominic was nervous, glancing constantly at his side mirror. "Listen to me, Leo," Dominic snapped, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "Your grandfather said we have to drop the envelope thing immediately. No more taking money from those kids."
"Why?" Leo whined, crossing his arms. "They're weak! That Mason kid hasn't paid his weekly tax yet!"
Before Dominic could reply, three black SUVs boxed the town car in—one in front, one behind, and one pinning the driver's side door.
Dominic reached for his glove compartment, but the door was snatched open from the outside by Vincent, whose handgun was trained directly on Dominic's chest.
"Out of the car," Vincent ordered coldly.
Dominic put his hands up, pale as a ghost, and stepped out into the damp morning air. Leo sat frozen in the passenger seat, his tough-guy act instantly vanishing.
I walked around the hood of the SUV, pulling my coat tight against the morning chill. I opened the passenger door and looked down at Leo.
"You must be Leo," I said softly.
The boy swallowed hard, shrinking back into the leather seat. "Who... who are you?"
"I'm the man who pays your grandfather's salary," I replied. "And I'm the man who is giving you a choice today."
I motioned to Vincent, who brought forward a heavy metal briefcase and set it on the hood of the car. I popped the latches open. Inside were stacks of hundred-dollar bills, totaling over fifty thousand dollars.
Leo stared at the money with wide eyes.
"This is money your family made through dishonor," I told the boy, my tone stern but firm. "You thought taking lunch money from boys like Mason made you powerful. It didn't. It made you a coward."
I looked up at Dominic, who was trembling in Vincent's grip.
"Starting today," I announced, "the Carbone family will forfeit all revenue from the 5th Street territory. Every cent will go into a community trust fund for families in this district. And as for you, Leo..."
I reached into the briefcase, pulled out a fresh, unsoiled notebook and a silver pen, and handed them to the terrified boy.
"You are going to sit in your principal's office this morning and write an apology to every single child you stole from over the last two years. And then, your father is going to personally pay back ten times what was taken from them."
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Dominic nodded frantically. "We'll do it! Whatever you say, Boss! Just don't hurt us!"
"I don't hurt children, Dominic," I said, glaring at him with contempt. "That's your family's specialty. Make sure he finishes those letters by noon."
