*shuffles in shamefacedly* so er yeah... Mafia Heat isn't dead. *winces and waits for tomatoes and rotten eggs to start flying* I'd like to apologi-

-SPLAT-

"HOLY SHI - That hurt! Enjoy the chapterrrrrr!" - *flees covering important body parts*

It'd be best if you could reread the earlier chapters [they're short] but if you can't -

Recap:

There is a mafia related murder in a New York hotel. The son of the Rossi Family Boss is killed when he was meeting a visitor from Italy - Carlo Messi. Castle and gang investigate. At the same time, Tsuna dispatches three of his guardians - Hibari, Chrome, Yamamoto - to investigate Carlo's death as he was a messenger from Tsuna to the Rossi Family.

The FBI gets involved and the Agent in charge is a fan of Castle - S.A Lee. Castle charms the man into letting NYPD take point in the investigation. They go to meet the Rossi Family Boss who thinks it was done by a rival family - the Maleno. the Gang goes to meet with the Maleno family.

Meanwhile, on reaching New-York, Yamamoto run into Alexis and her friend, which leads to him meeting Castle and Becket. Later, he leaves with Chrome to look at the crime scene.

Now further...

Chapter 4

Two figures walked side by side into the suite.

"So, this is the place, huh?" Yamamoto looked around, his eyes sharp.

"Hai." Chrome nodded. "A policeman told me under my illusion."

Takeshi nodded. Chrome's illusions were pretty useful. That was how they were now standing in a sealed crime scene. The guards at the doorway could only see an empty hallway and the seal on the door still unbroken.

Silently, Yamamoto and Chrome began working. They carefully looked through everything, even though they didn't really expect to find something. Anything and everything of importance was already taken by first the police, and then the FBI.

"I don't feel any residue of any kind of flames." Chrome straightened from her spot on the carpet.

"So it wasn't anyone from the Mafia?" Yamamoto asked.

"I don't think so." Chrome shook her head. "Besides, what would anyone gain from killing Carlo-kun?"

"Start another war?" Yamamoto took in the chalk outlines.

He looked around and played out the scene in his mind.

One shooter. Entered through the door which is undamaged. Means he had a key. Took out four people before anyone could retaliate. Looking at two outlines, the one by the bar and the one in the chair were the most defenseless. Carlo-kun had to be either the first or the second to be taken out. The man was pretty fast on his feet and if he had the chance, he would have taken cover easily. He was a good fighter. His good fighting skills and the three bullets he had taken for Kyoko and Haru had earned him the guard position on the second floor in the castle, where the girls' wing was located. He had been chosen to go on this mission as a means for Tsuna to show his trust in the young Mafioso.

Yamamoto told Chrome to play out his theories with her illusion. So for the next half an hour, the murders were enacted by Chrome's illusion. Slowly, Yamamoto eliminated the improbable ones. He was finally left with one case where the shooter shot the man in the chair first, instantly following up with a bullet to the man near the bar. In the meantime, one man tried to take cover and was the next to get shot. The final man was shot as he tried to get out a handgun.

Yamamoto nodded. His sharp hitman instincts told him that this one was the correct one. He frowned.

"Yamamoto-kun?" Chrome came and stood next to him.

"We need more information." The young rain guardian said. "While I was in Castle-san's house, he and his friends were talking of this case. They think that the main victim was Vincent Rossi-san."

"Son of the man who Carlo-kun was supposed to meet?" Chrome's eyes widened. "He died?"

Yamamoto nodded. "From what I was able to understand, he did." He looked around grimly. "Our contacts at the Italian embassy said that Carlo-kun's body will be released to the embassy in a few days. We can have someone check it for any flame attacks, but I doubt we will find any."

Chrome nodded. If Yamamoto thought that then it would probably be right. Even Mukuro-sama acknowledged the young Sword master's hitman instincts.

"Ano, what do we do next?" she asked. Boss had made the Rain Guardian the incharge of the mission, so she was supposed to take his lead.

"It's time we met Hibari-san and compare notes." Yamamoto grinned. "Come on Chrome-chan, let's see how many people he has bitten to death by now."

Chrome's lips upturned into a smile as she nodded and followed the man out.

Pablo went crashing into the dumpster, a cry of pain escaping his mouth as he slid down to the hard ground. A steel Tonfa rammed into the iron body of the trash collector right next to his head. Pablo's eyes widened as he turned his head to look at the large dent that the strike had created, He turned his trembling gaze to the monster in front of him. He almost wet himself as he looked into the hard eyes of the black haired man in the expensive suit.

"I – I swear I d-don't know anything. All I know is that Leo and Vincent had words a month or so ago. Nothing more. I don't know who whacked him." The low level mob grunt shook with fear.

"Where can he be found?" the guy with the weird hairstyle asked from behind the slanted eyed devil.

"His club!" the man almost fell over himself to exclaim. "Leo owns a club in the lower east side."

The last thing he saw was the tonfa ramming right into his chest.

Castle followed S.A Lee and Beckett into the luxurious penthouse filled with suspicious looking men, a lot of them having one hand inside their jackets, most probably holding a gun. The atmosphere was stifling. Everyone was on edge as if they were expecting an attack.

They were led into a sitting room where three men were sitting on a sofa, talking.

The man on the right was making agitated motions with his hand. He was middle aged and balding, a large brown mustache on his face. Beckett recognized him from the dossier OCU had sent them. Antonio Rizzi; Marco Maleno's right hand man and number two in the Maleno power structure. The man on the left was a stone faced Giotto Maleno, Marco's cousin and top general. The man in the middle was a bald man with a thin mustache, greying with age, sharp eyes. The main man himself. Marco Maleno, Head of the Maleno Family.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Detective Beckett, Agent Lee, Mr. Castle?" Marco asked.

Castle looked shocked while Beckett and Lee's stances stiffened. It was a power play, from the Maleno Boss. It said – 'I know who you are and if I know that, I also know who you love and where they live.'

"You know very well, Marco, can I call you Marco?" Lee walked straight up to the couch and sat down, his entire demeanor saying 'F –You'. Castle's respect for Lee went up. Till then, the man had been a cross between a blushing fangirl and a semi competent FBI agent.

Becket copied Lee and Castle followed her.

There was a small staredown between the FBI agent and the Maleno Boss before Rizzi spoke up. "Oh for the love of God, can we stop the pissing contest?" he sounded exasperated and anxious. He looked at his Boss. "We're on the cusp of something that will start a bloodbath of a magnitude this side of the ocean has not seen yet. Must you make more enemies?"

Lee and Beckett exchanged glances. Marco frowned but allowed his right hand man to chastise him. Giotto sat silently, his eyes on the three outsiders. Rizzi looked at the three. "You are here on the matter of the death of Vincent Rossi, yes?"

"Yes." Beckett nodded, turning her attention to the man. "If I may ask, how do you know Mr. Rossi was murdered?"

"News of shoot downs of rival family members flies fast in this town." Rizzi replied, collapsing into a comfortable chair, reaching out for the decanter. "We knew about it right after the bodies were found."

"Not right after the shooting was done?" Lee asked, mock politely.

Marco glared at the man. "What are you trying to say?" he growled.

"I'd say it's a rather bad service if the shooter didn't call right after he was done shooting." Beckett answered coolly.

"Is that what you think?" Rizzi asked, looking up from pouring himself a glass of whisky.

"Almost everyone we talked to thinks so." Beckett replied, looking for any clues to determine whether the popular theory was true or not. "Including Mr Rossi." She looked around at the armed men loitering around the room. "Isn't that the reason for this?" she waved her hand at the grunts in the large room.

"They are a precaution." Giotto spoke up for the first time.

"Are they?" Castle asked. "They look like a small army to me."

"Is this what you wanted? A turf war?" Beckett looked from one man to another. "Is that why you had Vincent Rossi killed?"

No one answered but Rizzi and Maleno had a silent conversation.

"This conversation on the record?" Rizzi asked.

"Mr Maleno, in this interview, we are only concerned with Mr. Rossi's murder, nothing more." Beckett replied.

Rizzi nodded to his Boss.

"The Rossi pup's death has nothing to do with us." Marco frowned and looked at the detective. "Hell, we'd rather have him alive."

"Meaning?" Castle asked.

"Meaning that the no-good spoilt little shit was the biggest target out there, not ours but of you lot." Marco looked at the FBI agent. "Everyone knew he would slip up sooner or later. We knew it, you knew it and that was why he was the main target of the Federal dogs in this city. As long as he was alive, you would always tail him, not someone else who was more careful, more difficult to catch."

Lee looked a bit startled, the Mobsters words ringing true.

Maleno shook his head. "He stepped on a lot of toes, but it was understood that nothing more serious than a few days in the hospital was to be dealt to him. Besides, getting the idiot's father to make concessions for his well being was more profitable."

"So is it possible that Vincent Rossi was not the target but an unfortunate bystander?" Castle asked.

"Anything is possible." Rizzi shrugged.

"Were you aware of the business the Rossi family were involved in recently?" Lee asked, trying a new direction. "They were cutting themselves out of the drug trade in the city. They were giving up millions, do you know why?"

Giotto and Rizzi exchanged glances. Beckett's eyes sharpened. They knew something.

"No we don't." Marco said firmly. It was less a statement and more an order, in case Rizzi or Giotto were planning on speaking.

"Look, if you are aware of the on goings in the Rossi Family, tell us. It could throw some light on the case." Lee pushed.

"We do not poke our noses where they don't belong." Marco sneered at the law enforcement officers and writer. "we leave that job to you."

"Is there a new player involved, Mr. Maleno?" Beckett asked.

"Someone even more powerful than the Families?" Lee asked.

Marco lost his frazzled look and an uncanny sharpness descended upon his visage. Rizzi shifted a little and even Giotto glanced at his Boss. Beckett would swear on her mother's grave that they knew something.

"Someone who could be a credible threat to even a large family like the Rossi, or Maleno for that matter?" Castle asked, reading the situation like a book. The three men were apprehensive, like the topic was distressing, or even scary.

"Why do you think that?" Rizzi asked, his voice sharp.

"Mr Rossi was quite infuriated at the news of his son's death and insisted that it was the Maleno family that had gunned Vincent down." Lee informed the three men. "In fact, he was angry enough to declare war on the Maleno."

"So it's come to a war, has it?" Marco asked, leaning back, hard faced.

"No, he was going to declare war." Lee said.

Becket could see where Lee was going with his statement. "Mr. Maleno, do you recognize this man?" she took out the blow up of the passport photo of Carlo Messi and handed it over to Rizzi.

Rizzi shook his head and passed it to Marco. Marco looked at it and glanced at Giotto who studied the picture for a moment before shaking his head.

"No. Never seen him." Marco shook his head.

"Are you sure Mr. Maleno?" Lee asked.

"Yes, I'm sure." Marco nodded. "Who's he? Rossi's bookkeeper?"

"No, although he does look like an accountant for some reason. No, Mr Maleno, he was a foreign national." Castle informed the man. "Italian to be specific."

The effect was obvious. The three men tensed.

"His passport gives his name as Carlo Messi. Ring any bells?" Castle asked. The men shook their heads, still tense.

"The Rossi had booked the room specifically for a meeting with Mr Messi. Mr Messi was killed in the shoot-out as well." Castle said, looking at the photo of the non-descript man. "Mr Rossi had been vehement in his intention to seek out retribution from the Maleno until he found out this man had died. After he found out that this man was dead, he laughed." Castle narrated, dragging the interest of everyone in earshot whit his uncanny skill of storytelling. Castle looked at the three men in the eye. "Then he said, and I quote 'It looks like I won't have to do anything to the Maleno after all. There will be nothing left of the Maleno when they are through with them.'"

The three men paled. Beckett pounced on the opportunity. The men were completely disoriented by whatever they knew and by Rossi's words.

"Mr. Maleno, who are these 'they' Mr. Rossi spoke of?"

Rizzi had reached out for the decanter and poured himself a full glass. Marco snatched the decanter form the man's hand and took a swig, not bothering with a glass. Giotto sat ashen faced, as if he had seen a ghost.

"Mr. Maleno? Mr. Rizzi?" Beckett did not let up. Rizzi was busy washing down his whisky and Giotto was in a daze. However, Marco muttered a word that yanked the other two out of their doings. "Vongola."

The word was like a gunshot. Both Rizzi and Giotto shot up from their seats.

"Mr. Maleno? Mr. Rizzi?" Beckett pushed further.

"Get out. We have things to do." Giotto spoke as he walked towards the door and threw them open. Rizzi had pulled Maleno to the side and was having a whispering conversation with Marco.

"Mr Maleno, tell us –" Beckett walked forwards but instantly, Giotto had his gun cocked at her head. Beckett pulled out her fire arm and pointed it at Giotto. The gaggle of guards outside saw her and rushed in, drawing their firearms. Lee brought out his own right as everyone else except Rizzi and Castle had a gun out, pointing at the Law enforcement officers.

"Leave." Giotto growled out, a mad gleam in his eyes.

"Detective Beckett." Lee tried to call the woman back into sanity. "Let's just walk out of here."

"Listen to the Fed." Giotto nodded the door.

"Beckett. Kate. Let's go." Castle's voice was filled with hidden terror and that was what snapped Kate out of her staring match with Giotto. She glanced at Rick and saw his fear filled eyes before looking into Giotto's frenzied eyes. Whatever was scaring the Maleno, it had certainly made them twitchy enough to actually shoot a NYPD detective and a Federal agent right in their stronghold. Whatever it was, it was very very big. Gritting her teeth, she holstered her gun. She took out a card and dropped it on the coffee table. "Call us."

They were escorted to the elevator to take them down. Even as they left, they saw the Maleno headquarters becoming frenzied with armed men running around hard faced and getting ready for something big.

"Something's wrong." Beckett said the moment they were out into the street. "Something's very very wrong."

"They're scared." Castle looked unusually pensive. "No. Not just scared. They're terrified." He looked at Kate. "Who is it that the even the second most powerful crime family in New York is terrified of?"

"It's time we head back to the precinct and found out." Kate decided.

The two well-dressed pair entered the hotel suite they had booked and found the sitting room already occupied.

"Ah, Kusakabe-san, so you're back?" Yamamoto grinned.

"Yamamoto-san. Yes, Kyouya-san and I reached around twenty minutes ago." The faithful number 2 of the Cloud Guardian smiled, his trademark pompadour shining in the room's light.

"Any leads?" Yamamoto sank into the sofa along the wall, his eyes taking in the room with an expert eye. Chrome stood indecisively, her eye flicking between the sofa chair next Kusakabe and the glass door to the balcony beyond which the figure of a suit clad man was visible.

Yamamoto grinned and Kusakabe felt his lips twitch, making Chrome blush when she saw their reaction. Kusakabe gently nodded to the balcony door. "I can tell you later, Chrome-sama, if you wish."

"Go on, Chrome-chan. No one here minds. Besides, it'll put Hibari-san in a better mood for later." Takeshi chuckled and Chrome's red hue took to new heights.

"I-It's not . . . I can stay –" she began stammering when the door to the balcony slid open. All three Mafioso in the room stopped and turned to look but Hibari did not enter. By the time they had looked towards the door, the skylark had already moved back to looking out the balcony, but his message had been clear.

Blushing wildly, Chrome ducked her head and Yamamoto chuckled. "Go, Chrome-chan."

"A-Arigatou, Yamamoto-kun, Kusakabe-san. " the young woman bowed. "I – I will bother you for your findings later."

"It would be no bother Chrome-sama," Kusakabe smiled back. The woman made Kyouya-san happy. It was his duty to help her in any way he could.

Chrome hurried out the balcony and slid the door shut. Through the stained glass, Yamamoto and Kusakabe could see her shorter figure coming to a stop next to Hibari's tall one and then slowly meld into his from the side.

Yamamoto grinned. "How long do you think before Hibari-san makes it official, Kusakabe san?"

"Kyouya-san is not a vocal person, Yamamoto-kun." The man smiled back. "I think it is already official to the two who really matter."

Yamamoto guffawed. "I think you're right." He smiled. "How long before he pops the question, though? What do you say, Kusakabe-san?"

"That is for Kyouya-san to know, Yamamoto-kun." Kusakabe smiled back and Yamamoto's eyes brightened. "He already has the ring, doesn't he?"

Kusakabe sputtered in his seat and Yamamoto laughed.

"H-How did you figure that out?" Kusakabe asked, eyes wide.

"There is no way Hibari-san would get a ring without you knowing." Yamamoto looked at Hibari's loyal man. "and the way you smiled made me think that he had. Also, Haru-chan, Kyoko-chan and Bianci have been giggling every time they see either Hibari-san or Chrome-chan for some time now. He obviously tried to ask them for tips. So just call it my instinct."

Kusakabe shook his head. "Your instincts are dangerously accurate, Yamamoto-kun." The man looked admiringly at the Rain guardian. "No wonder even Reborn acknowledges your skills." Then the man's smile dimmed and his expression became serious. "I think I could use what your instincts tell you about what we found."

Yamamoto nodded and his own expression turned somber. "Tell me, Kusakabe-san."

Hopefully, next update won't take years!

No promises though.