Thanks to Redbayly for reviewing. Now, on with the show!

Luciano didn't come alone.

Flavio just knew he wasn't imagining the bile going up his throat as he narrowed his eyes at the two men flanking his brothers like the goons they were. One had an expression of unbelievable superiority, red eyes glowing with thinly-veiled sadistic glee. As if Flavio was an animal he's eager to tear the legs of. The other one, on the other hand, was practically emotionless. Cold. He could barely see his eyes with that cap of his, but he knew that that bastard was no different.

You might know them both as Japan and Germany, respectably, and my, was Flavio happy to see them.

"Japan…" He practically hissed the name through his teeth. He did it despite the (horribly strained) smile still plastered on his face. "How… nice to see you again."

"Wait, Japan and Germany were there too?" Hungary couldn't help but interrupt.

Allen shot her a fierce glare for that, though she's already getting used to receiving them from the American lookalike, while Gillen tensed with his face darkening and there was the barest hints of distaste on Flavio's face. Hungary . She felt like she just stumbled on forbidden territory.

"They were," Flavio said unhappily. "We suspected he might bring help, but I'll admit that I was quite surprised."

"I'm just surprised. Our Axis are friends, so I wasn't expecting them to also…"

"Friends's a generous way of putting it, lady." Allen snorted, his lips peeling back in a disdained snarl. "Luci's one of those guys who doesn't buy into the whole friendship thing. He ain't got friends, he's got allies. Tools."

"It's not like our world, Liz." America said quietly, as if that was all that needed to be said. And you know what, maybe he's right.

Gillen's face was pained, and he lowered his head while curling his whole hand around his cross. He spoke in a low voice "Let us continue, please."

Frowning, Flavio slowly nodded and faced them again. "Right. Now, where was I…?

Germany and Japan had been relegated to remain standing from a distance, albeit menacingly (and almost smugly, if he might add), which Flavio was endlessly grateful for. Their very presence was giving him more performance anxiety. But he knew that Luciano wasn't doing it out of the kindness of his heart. He hadn't had such a thing since… since…

"So," Flavio broke the silence with the most cheerful voice and smile he could manage, because it looked like no one else wanted to do it and he's not sure how much longer he could endure everything– "Please tell me. What is it that you want to talk about that you had me come all the way to your land, Luciano?"

"Spare me your obnoxious attitude; it's time to stop playing games." Italy stated sharply and with all the viciousness that always pained Flavio so.

Flavio flinched, feeling like he'd just been slapped in the face again. "U-Uh, excuse me?"

He felt when Italy merely sneered at him in disdain. "Did I stutter, Flavio? I said that it's time you stop this stupid charade of yours and make up your mind once and for all. This ends now and today."

"I-I don't understand what you're saying," Flavio stammered. He hated himself for stuttering. But he felt fear building up in his stomach from his brother's words and the way he's–

"Mio Dio, how stupid can you be, fratello?" Again, Flavio flinched and he recoiled as Italy groaned loudly in frustration and looked at him again with a furious scowl. "It's time to decide: Me or those idiotas you call family."

Flavio wished he could say he kept a calm composure, but he obviously didn't. His jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "E-Excuse me? Wh-Where did this come from, Luci?"

Why would Luciano bring that up? Was why he bringing it up? DamnitDamnitDamnit

He wasn't expecting this. No. He probably should have.

The matter– No. The fact that two nations from opposite sides shares a house – were sort of speaking terms with each other – and that Flavio was close to Luci's worst enemy was always a… precarious topic between them, one that both of them wordlessly agreed to never speak about. It's like an elephant in the room that was very rarely addressed. So much that it's less of an elephant and more like a blue whale. And God or whatever cruel deity's out there forbid that Luciano did bring it up. It never ended well. Never ended without pain.

So why now? Why? Why at all? And more importantly, how was supposed to answer that question in this situation where Luci had total control here?

"Caught you off guard, didn't I?" Luciano's lips curved into a smug smirk. Flavio berated himself again. Weakness. You're not supposed to show weakness. "It doesn't matter where it came from. I've just come to a realization I should've had centuries ago."

"Realization?"

Luci didn't seem to be listening to him as he waved his hand lazily. "Si, si, it was long overdue. But I suppose with our current technology things will be much, much easier."

"Wh-What conclusion? What are you talking about?" Flavio demanded. He no longer cared that he's almost yelling now. These days have been driving him past the brink. And why was his mind screaming at him to run?

At first, Luci didn't provide an answer, instead opting to replace his smirk with a cold look with piercing gaze. He stared for a nauseatingly long moment before starting, slowly"Tell me, fratello, do you remember Nonno's most precious treasures?"

Flavio wondered if this was what having the rug swept out from under you felt like. What. What? Cold entered his veins. Everything seemed to blur. All except for his brother's voice.

"You know what I mean. The scrolls."

"Please don't open yer trap to ask 'Scrolls? What scrolls, Flavio? Please tell me all about the scrolls'" Allen grumpily remarked while doing a painfully terrible imitation of Hungary's voice, accent and all.

Hungary's face twitched, and she deadpanned. "Okay. If you're going to mock me, can you at least get the accent right? You sound like you're from India."

"I thought it sounded like a thick German accent." America mumbled.

"If you two are done…" They both paled at the sound of the thinly-veiled annoyance in Flavio's voice and simultaneously muttered a quick apology. Flavio sighed heavily and smiled thinly at Hungary. "As for what the scrolls are, Elizaveta, I'm getting to that now. Listen carefully please. It pains me enough to talk about this, I'm not willing to repeat myself again."

"Our Nonno was quite a man." Luciano went on without even waiting for Flavio's response. Quite a despicable man was more like it, but for bizarre reasons Luci would never approve of his opinion. "Having had the continent and more in his palm, he had intelligence beyond than what those meager, arrogant humans could ever hope to achieve or perceive with their pathetic minds. Fittingly he had a lot of secrets. Ways to ensure that his enemies wouldn't ever get the best of them. He had connections to people and things that could hardly be called such that he'd didn't dare let anyone else use for their gain."

Why was Luciano telling all this? It's not like Flavio could just forget all that, even when he wanted to. He didn't dare interrupt though, it's always clear when Luciano was going to go on and on about a certain topic, and so Flavio could only grit his teeth bear with it. More importantly, he needed to listen.

"It was only natural that he'd try to reach beyond his capabilities– No, completely surpass them. And with what he had, he knew he'd find a way. As he conquered, he learned, he pieced together mysteries nobody else could have ever hoped to solve. And with all he found, he put to very good use in creating his greatest weapon. The greatest weapon ever conceived. Pity he died before he could use it."

And as the conversation dragged on, Flavio wondered how long Luciano was going to continue singing that man's fucking praises. Granted, it's just acknowledging actual, unexaggerated facts about that damn man, but the smile on Luciano's face said it all. Please tell him that he wasn't dragging this on just for sadistic pleasure.

"But you're already aware of this… aren't you?

Yes. Yes, he was. This made him wonder what the point of reminding him even was. If this were anyone else than Luciano, he'd deadpan those words. Goodness, he was having sarcastic thoughts involving Luci. The world really was going even madder.

"Why are you asking me that, Luci?" Flavio settled for asking. This topic was draining him as it was, more emotionally than anything else. He wanted Luci to just drop it. "You agreed we'd forget about it."

You promised.

"I did. I take it back." Italy replied offhandedly. His eyes remained fixed on him. "But you still remember everything about that whole thing, right? You should. You know, with you having once been his intended successor and all."

As always, Flavio flinched and he felt himself tight-lipped with guilt. Luci never had any qualms about bring that up, it was a favorite weapon of his. He could feel Allen's rage from afar, even though he couldn't see or hear him.

There was that paranoid part of him that wondered if Luciano knew, or at least suspected, of Allen, Prussia and the smiling man with dead eyes spying on them afar from different points, in his country, and he was deliberately attempting to provoke the most volatile member of the intruders. Or maybe he wasn't, and he wanted to feed all of them false info. He quickly cast aside that silly suspicion. Also, that was hardly the most relevant thing right now.

Forcing himself to keep his voice calm and not let any of his feelings seep into his words, he said, careful and wary of his brother's reaction, "Of course I remember. How could I not when that man made such a big deal about it?"

Luci smiled, and it was nothing but teeth. "Good. Good. I'm happy to hear that, mio fratello."

Flavio expected a backhanded compliment following that, but it strangely never came. Never mind that though…

"Why are you asking me this, Luci?" Flavio asked quietly. Really, why was he? There's one possibility but foolishly he shut that out immediately.

"Please don't ask questions you're clearly about to receive the answer to, fratello." Luciano's smile morphed into that ever-disdainful sneer, while frankly Flavio was more caught off guard that he said 'please'. "So to answer your question, my poor disgustingly sweet Flavio…"

Luciano smirked, and his eyes gleamed with the kind of unnerving, unfathomable desire that Flavio only saw in that man.

"I aim to find every single one, and finish what Nonno started."

That sentence sucked all the air out of Flavio's lungs. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. No. No. No, he couldn't–

"What? Are you insane? You can't mean that, Luci." Right now Flavio didn't care that he was showing weakness. This was madness.

"Oh, I mean every word of it." Italy snapped out. "Is your memory faulty after all? I said that it's time to stop playing games. Well, it's time we quit acting weak when we have knowledge of the arsenal to end all arsenals, all we need to do is find them and put them together. I'll show every one of those idiotas what true power is. I'll show them and the worthless humans the ultimate potential of our kind."

"So you're really going to use that damn treasures to do what he died before could even start?" Flavio couldn't believe his ears. He actually wished they were playing tricks on him, even if it meant getting scolded by Luci. "I can't – Wait, is this why you've been acting odd?"

Admittedly, as soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to bite down on his tongue for actually saying odd. Luciano didn't usually take very kindly to anything that could be interpreted as an insult. At least he didn't say 'crazy' or 'foolish'.

But it looked like he was worrying over nothing, his brother only made an annoyed noise and sneered in disdain. "And here I thought you've gotten over your annoying habit of stating the obvious. Hmph. But yes, your obvious statement is obviously correct. Why bother pretending to be weak when you have an overwhelming advantage over them everyone that no one could ever hope to beat, let alone figure out. Plus, it's fun watching them get all panicky and anxious."

He adorned that wonderful last sentence with a brief, but horrible deranged grin. Flavio suppressed a shudder at the sudden break in his brother's 'calm' facade. No. No. Don't show weakness. Don't show weakness.

"Don't do it, fratello. Those things are dangerous. More than dangerous, actually! You could end up destroying yourself – or worse. Much worse!"

Allen and countless others would tell him to just let Luciano destroy himself, it'll do the entire world a favor they'd say. Even Gillen and Erszi would be hesitant to stop him. But Flavio just couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't abandon his brother.

"I know what they are capable of, thank you very much. I'm not an idiot. Wouldn't be here if I was. I was present in enough of Nonno's lessons to know what and what not to do. He wouldn't risk us foolishly misusing the result of all of his hard work."

Like Flavio cared about that man's work.

"So you should also know why those things are better left forgotten and buried!"

"No, I know that I have every reason to dig them up and unleash them."

"Listen to yourself, Luci! Are you really that desperate for more power that you'd turn to those things to help you get it?

Another mistake, even if he hardly regretted it for once. Luci's face contorted with rage. "I. Am. Not. Desperate. I just realized that there's no point wasting time and resources when I know the solution to all my problems. Well, there is still the issue of tracking them all down… but that won't be an issue for long."

There was a threat and knowing mockery laced in those words that almost made Flavio shift in discomfort that would definitely ring some alarm bells in his brother's head, but he fought to appear as puzzled as possible. Come on, you're good at this, Flavio. Smile. You've smiled through it so many times before so why should now be any different?

"Oh, and that's not all there is to it, fratello. The best part is coming right up next! Why limit ourselves to this world... when there's another one filled to the brim with fools ripe for the taking?"

It was a miracle that Flavio didn't go still. "Come again?"

"You heard me. The other world. Let's take it for ourselves."

This was naïve and foolish of him, but Flavio at this point was now desperately clinging onto the hope that this was all a sick joke, or maybe silly Flavio had dozed off during the car ride to the pier and all this was nothing more than a nightmare. Luci was never one for jokes. He only ever got amusement from tearing into people, whether figuratively or literally.

Still, Flavio played his part and made the most convincing exasperated groan he could manage. "Mio Dio, you're still on about that whole nonsense about–"

"IT'S NOT NONSENSE!" Luciano bellowed, which nearly sent Flavio stumbling back in alarm. His brother didn't often yell, but when he did… Luci glowered down at him with his chest heaving and his face twisted in rage. "I know it's true, and you should be at least smart enough to know that I'm not a rambling madman like Hong Kong."

This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. This was worse than he could've ever anticipated. "But Luci, you–"

But Luciano ignored him. "They sit around in their petty squabbles, bending over for their human leaders. Worthless insects, all of them. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of that other me. I'm going to put an end to it all and show those nations just how tiny they are compared to–"

"Luciano, no." Interrupting his brother came more easily now, and he narrowed his eyes at Luciano in a sternness he hadn't used since they were children. "I don't care if this – other world you talk about is real or not. Regardless, it's not our right to–"

"Bullshit. We are the grandsons of the greatest empire there ever was in history. We deserve more than this. We will crush that world of light."

That made something in Flavio snap, red clouded his vision, and he closed his hands into fists. He no longer cared about weakness or their audience as he yelled, "Why are you so bent of fulfilling that man's desires? After all the shit he put us through, you should happy

"Because since the very beginning, I've had the courage to step up and do what you never could." All of Luci's anger began to pour out, spitting. "You're a coward, Flavio. You always liked dumping the responsibility on others, acting like you're not capable. You are! But you just don't get it.

"And look what it got you, fratello." Flavio's voice was low and somber, all the franticness gone. Somehow, he stood calm, even in the face of his worst regret. "Which of us is truly happy? Which of us doesn't spend every moment of their lives angry and miserable and obsessing instead of appreciating the little joys of our cruel lives? Which of us experienced love and warmth? Which of us didn't push the people who wanted to help us away? Which of us is truly the hopeless brother?"

Never at any point in all that did he falter like he probably would've.

Perhaps if the situation was different, he might've regretted the words that left his mouth. He didn't. He only regretted that it had come to this point. Flavio could only damn that man till his very last breath.

"That can change, fratello." Luciano spoke slowly, as if it was difficult speaking while keeping himself from furiously lashing out. It wasn't a theory. Flavio could just see it in his eyes." We don't have to spend our whole lives like this."

He's missing the point. Flavio clenched his teeth in frustration and bit out, "How? By fulfilling that man's desires?"

"It's what we were meant to accomplish, idiota. What you were meant to do, before you got cold feet and left me with all the responsibility to bear. But I'll do better. I'll be better than Nonno could have ever hoped to be. Choose me, Flavio, and we'll do even more side-by-side."

Something else completely unexpected happened: his brother smiled. It wasn't anything like the bright, innocent smiles he'd give before that man got his hands on him. But it somehow felt similar… if you ignored the sheer madness.

"Drop the whole soft act, leave those fools behind, realize you're better than this and side with me. Together we'll find the scrolls, combine them, and we'll annihilate any threat to our power and tranquility. Not even Russia will stand a chance. Once we have the world under our feet, there won't be any more misery for us, no will be able to hurt us again. We'll no longer live in Nonno's shadow, he'll soon be living under ours!"

With that outrageous speech over, Flavio was left staring, and his brother, still smiling, reached out a hand.

"So, what'll it it be, mio fratello?"

Flavio stared blankly at the hand extended toward him, dully wondering if any of this insanity was really happening. He knew his brother had gotten worse lately, but he never imagined it'd be this bad. If his brother hadn't truly gotten past the brink before, he certainly had now.

That chance had long since passed.

It's time Flavio acknowledged that. This insanity only drove the point home that there's no point clinging onto the hope for change any longer. He knew what he had to do now. He couldn't let his brother carry this plan. Their grandfather's legacy must stay buried.

Taking a slow, careful breath in, painfully aware of the heart ramming against his chest and the filthy sweat on the back of his neck, Flavio at last gave the signal.

"And the rest, as they say, is history." Flavio gave a final thin smile as he finished recounting the story.

Next to her, America, in an alarming change of pace, seemed genuinely stunned by what he just heard. "Holy… Geez. This is…"

"A lot to take in," Hungary finished weakly.

Yes, no, no, that's probably the understatement of this century. It's safe to say that America and Hungary were both… pretty damn surprised by all this info.

Hungary had anxiously listened to the whole, while trying very hard not to interrupt many times, even though usually the answer the questions he had would be solved a few moments later. All this seemed to do was answer some questions while spring up a whole batch of new ones. This was insane. It's official. This entire world was insane. But again, it did answer quite a lot of things… and even then, it was just…

She was not expecting any of this. Yes, that's pretty much becoming the norm for her, even for someone like her, but this might be more insane than the entire existence of this world itself. Roman scrolls containing invaluable information? The other Italy wanting to take over the world, and the other? It's left her practically speechless.

"What happened to Italy and the rest of the Axis?" America finally broke the silence, regaining some of his usual composure.

"They were quite surprised when we appeared on the scene." Gillen remarked, even while calmer than his two fellow natives he had his cross in a vice-grip. "It really seems that they hadn't been expecting us. And in the midst of their confusion, we were able to carry out our plan without a hitch as they say. Our benefactor made sure they would not remember the encounter and took care of any possible loose ends. Swiftly afterward, we were safely teleported back to New York."

"And broke a handful of my furniture." Allen mumbled.

"From there, after a brief period of… well, panic," Another smile, it's a wonder Flavio's not tired of them. "We… talked. I… had a lot I needed to explain to Ally and Gilly about Rome and everything. "

"Must've been a fun conversation then," America remarked, a hint of a smile on his face.

"No shit," Allen scoffed. That actually did get him an ear-pinch from Flavio.

"But let us return to the topic." Gillen picked up, "After our return we were made aware of what had occurred with our allies. The spies, I mean to say. A lot happened after that. But eventually we realized that we shouldn't keep the knowledge of a threat to your world a secret. You have a right to know about this, Alfred. Same to you, Elizaveta."

"You wanted to warn us." America stated, voice even.

"So wait, wait, let me get this straight," Hungary rubbed her temples as she felt an incoming headache. This was not how she expected her day to go. Getting a bombshell like this… "Italy… your Italy, wants to come to our world and… and…"

"Like, completely conquer it?" America picked up, sounding incredulous himself.

Their answer was given in the nods from the trio, all looking delighted by this as they were, and dread pooled into Hungary's stomach. She almost opened her mouth to ask if they were serious, but she realized how stupid that was. They sure were serious. The most serious she'd ever seen him, which wasn't much considering she met them only a week ago and this was the first time she'd met with them, but still…

"But– how?" Hungary could only ask, staring at them wide-eyed, and she started rubbing her head again. "How could the scrolls give someone power? And – And how could it let someone go to the other world? Wouldn't this mean that Rome knows about– us?"

"Good questions," Gillen nodded, and rested a hand on Flavio's shoulder again. "There are still many things we do not know. But the answer to that last one, Alfred, would be yes."

"…Hey. Hey, Flavs," America was frowning, and there was something like suspicion in his eyes as he scrutinized Flavio. "Your… gramps knew about us. He knew. And you know about this whole thing about the scrolls from him. Does this mean… you knew all along too?"

Hungary blinked twice and looked at Flavio with shock. Yes. Yes, that's right. Going with that logic, that would mean Flavio had to have known.

"Funny, asked the thing myself." Allen commented dryly, but otherwise he had no reaction.

"You're wrong. I didn't know about your world until we met you." Flavio replied smoothly, but he looked stiff from the almost-accusation. "I was genuinely surprised. And I only just found out about the scrolls apparently being able to take you to the other world that day."

Again, America looked genuinely puzzled. Something about it was just unnerving. "But then how–"

"I mentioned that Rome didn't share everything with me, right? Well, he definitely never mentioned anything like that. I think, since Luci… was his true successor… he… might've learned it from Rome. It's the only logical explanationHungary was surprised there's still logic in all this.

"Moreoever, and this is the great part," Flavio merrily continued as a terribly fake grin spread across his face. "I never saw any of the contents of the scrolls. Rome was too secretive, I'm afraid. Oh, and I have no idea where that my absolute shitstain of a grandfather hid those damn things."

"…And your crazy brother is looking for them." Hungary couldn't help say flatly with the expression to match.

"…Si."

Absolute silenced followed after that, where Hungary could say for herself and America they realized how… bad yet horribly odd the situation was. She bit her lip, trying to make sense of all… this. All the while the trio in front of them of unlikely nations began to look uncomfortable and remorseful for being the bearers of bad news.

How did this turn from a getaway trip to a crisis situation?"

"So…" America spoke up, breaking the silence again, with a hand on his chin and a thoughtful yet concerned look on his face. "Your bastard gramps made these… super magic scrolls… somehow…"

"In all honesty, I don't know all the details of their creation myself." Flavio sounded bothered by this this as his lip curled in disgust. "I doubt Luci knows everything either. Rome was always such a careful man. But I do know there quite a number of supernatural deals involved."

"What, you mean like he sold his soul?" Even America sounded skeptical of the idea. Hungary never understood why people, unless they had some kind of method to cheat through the deal, which, to her knowledge, usually horribly backfired on them in the end.

Flavio chuckled, but it sounded hollow. "Ha! Good one, Al. You're implying he actually had one in the first place. But no, Rome wasn't dumb. He made sure any deal he made wouldn't in any way inconvenience him too much or ruin him in the long run."

"What Flavio actually means to say…" Gillen once again took over the task of explaining, though not before shooting a worried glance at the wistful Flavio. "…Is that Rome had the help of people specializing in magic from many corners of the globe, of course including of the territories he had under his control. There's even the possibility that the scrolls were also created with the help of gods."

Hungary was sure her surprised expression was something Romania would laugh at. "I'm sorry. Gods?"

"Yes, gods. And trust me when I say they're not even the weirdest shit this world has to offer." Allen made a wry smile. Flavio looked like he wanted to pinch his ear for swearing again, but was just too downhearted to do it.

"Yes, but… actual gods. How did–"

"Please don't ask me how he did it or why in the name of Emilio Pucci would any god help him make something like that for him. Like I said, I don't know all the details. I just know they were involved somehow, especially the Egyptian pantheon. God knows why they did."

"Right. Right, alright…" Hungary accepted that, reluctantly, if only because there's more pressing matters. "So… there arethese scrolls, Rome made them, and... how many did he make?"

"If my fabulous memory serves right…" Flavio scrunched up his face. "Then around twenty or so. Each just as important as the last."

Wow, those are a lot of scrolls. Probably. "And... they're dangerous?"

"Extremely," Flavio nodded somberly. "As I mentioned before, Rome had said that these scrolls – made by a horrifying fusion of different types of magic and the hands of gods – hold the knowledge and power needed to transcend and become the most powerful being on Earth, forever unchallenged.""

"Transcend, huh?" He seemed to have been absorbed a little in his musings, judging from his expression. Not that Hungary blamed him. "Kinda like one of those doomsday MacGuffins you see in movies, games n' stuff. Not that that downplays any of the danger though…"

"Oh, I'm aware of how absurd this might come across, considering how your world isn't as open with the supernatural as ours," Flavio let out a small sigh as Hungary a double take and gaped in shock in the background. Wait, so these sorts of things were normal here? "And how your Rome… You get my point. But the danger is real. Do you realize this too, Hungary?"

Hungary was slightly caught off-guard by the question, letting out a confused noise. Then realized that someone was new to this bizarre other world business would find all this more new information pretty hard to accept, let alone digest. Well, to tell the truth, it kind of was. But she supposed they didn't know her that well yet.

"Don't worry, I believe you." Hungary stated earnestly, giving a small smile. "I'm long, long past the stage where I think this is all a bizarre fever dream."

It helped that she'd never been much of a skeptic, and that she knew Poland and Romania.

"There's one thing I don't understand though," Well, actually there's a lot of things she didn't understand but one step at a time as they say. "If these things are so dangerous and you had someone perform a memory wipe, why didn't you get them to erase any memory Luciano had of these scrolls?"

For once, Allen didn't look at her as if she was an idiot, and Gillen was nice enough to provide an answer. "What would he think if he arrived home to find files and information regarding a search for the scrolls all over the globe?"

Oh. Well, yeah, that would raise some interesting questions. Great, now she did feel like an idiot.

"That's why there were Italian spies!" America suddenly exclaimed, actually startling her, realization dawning on his face. "He sent them to find info on where these scrolls could be!"

"Bingo," Allen confirmed, smirking mirthlessly for just a second before going back to his trademark scowl. "That fucker was snooping for clues. And this info adds up with the intel our guys got out of the spies. They were searching ruins, caves, whatever for something. And that something are the scrolls. Looks there ain't any here in America, or at Gil's place for that matter."

"But thanks to our new information given to us by our friends, we now have a few places to begin our search." Gillen said in a lighter manner, though his frown deepened. "However, there is always the possibility that Luciano had the wrong location, or that it's all simply a ploy to throw us off."

"Point of all this is, though," Allen scowled. "We know what that bastard's big plan is. And it's… fucking worse than we thought."

"There is a war on the horizon," Gillen said grimly, is grip on his cross tightening again. "But it's a war that Italy intends to win without effort."

"And if Luciano finds what he's looking for," Flavio pressed his mouth into a thin line, then offered one last smile, one filled more with sympathy and regret than false cheer. "Well. That would spell a big problem for both our worlds."

This was way harder to write than I thought. I hope it turned well. Hopefully with the hard part out of the way, things will be a lot easier from here. I'd appreciate some feedback, make sure my writing's not slowly going bad cause of my slow updates. Thanks for reading!