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Chapter 5:

The atmosphere at Falcone Mansion was tense. Mario could clearly see that Lee didn't understand what was going on. Ana, one of Víctor's girls, was in charge of notifying the families and Víctor that Sofía Falcone had returned to Gotham. Carmine had been the first to welcome her. He was meeting with the Zsasz, playing a game of poker in the living room while they waited for Oxana. Mario and Lee had been on call at the hospital, one of the worst Emergency shifts he'd seen in months. He had had to leave everything right away, lately he hadn't been earning enough for that kind of fright. He needed a vacation! If possible, away from the families and businesses, because that what was causing him stress.

- I'm here to meet the new member of the family.-said Sofia.

Lee was the only one who believed her. The rest knew that Sofia was lying. There was something in Gotham that she wanted or some mess that she desperately needed to get out of or away from. But Lee didn't know any of that, she still didn't understand family loyalty in the mob, she didn't know Sofia Falcone's story.

What for Lee were normal questions or Sofia's interest in her, Mario knew that her sister was trying to get information out of her. What for Lee were questions about Mario, Mario knew that Sofia was looking for a weak point. Lee was falling for all her traps and didn't realize it. He would have to have a talk with his wife, because she was married to the son of a mafia boss and he couldn't go around giving out that kind of information.

"And where is Víctor?" Sofia asked, causing everyone to tense up instantly. No one wanted to answer it, not even Mario. He looked at Lee, for her to keep quiet, which luckily she did. Mario wouldn't give Victor away, he wasn't that kind of man anymore. Sofía took a chair and sat next to her father. She was challenging him. -I found out that someone had kidnapped you. A shame! I'm glad you're okay now!

- Sofia.-said Carmine.-Enough of games. Tell me why have you come?

- What is happening Dad? Can't your daughter show an interest in her family?" Sofia asked.

"We both know that's why you're not here," Mario said, unable to remain silent.

- You're right.-Sofia said, surprising everyone.-The reason for my visit is simple. I want to marry Victor.

Okay. Her sister had always been very direct when necessary. This was completely unexpected. Victor and Sofia had never gotten along. Mario knew that Víctor was bisexual, but Sofía was not the kind of woman that Víctor would be interested in. She was cruel, flighty and sometimes sadistic. Sofia and Victor had hated each other since they were little. They had no contact. What was going through her sister's mind? Mario couldn't understand her. The situation was completely ridiculous. Apparently everyone thought the same, except Lee, who was not aware of the real situation.

- What? -Mario had expressed what everyone thought.

- The thing is simple. Dad, you're losing power. Everybody knows. The Penguin is stealing your territory, your businesses and families. I can take care of everything. I am a Falcone. The problem is that that is not enough and few will support me because I am a woman. Victor is loyal to the family and as my husband, he will be my consort and my consiglieri.-said Sofia.

Put like that, it sounded logical. Mario felt sorry for Victor at this moment. He looked at Lee. He was glad he had her and that their marriage had been for love. This kind of collusion was normal among the mob and he had gotten rid of quite a few. He would never tell Lee, but he had investigated her before they started dating her, when he found out that she had no direct or indirect connections to any mafia family, he invited her out. Maybe one day she would like to experiment and run a business. Mario didn't approve of what his father was doing, but he had his back, just as he would with Lee if the opportunity arose.

-Take your paws off my grandson.-said Svetlana.-You have already caused him enough damage.

- I will restore the surname Falcone.-said Sofía.-I will continue with the family lineage, I will give him an heir. The Falcone and Zsasz families united, ruling over Gotham.

- I refuse. I will not allow it.-said Svetlana.-I know what happened to your husbands. Seven right? Or was it eight? What will happen to Víctor the day you've squeezed him all the way out, that he can't give you whatever whim you want? Get away from him!

Seven husbands of Sofia (that are known). All wealthy, billionaires, entrepreneurs, with connections, some mobsters. All dead or missing (ie dead). Sofia got away with everything, but she mysteriously inherited all the money and businesses of her husbands. No wonder no one, not even Mario, wanted Sofia and Victor to get married.

Shots were heard outside. Mario, with his quick reflexes, pushed Lee to the ground. The windows were already broken, the glass on the floor, the bullets went through the furniture, but fortunately, everyone was unharmed.

"What's going on?" Lee asked.

- I don't know.- Mario answered.

He didn't want to think that Sofia was behind this. He saw her father and the Zsasz with their cell phones, giving instructions to their men. Mario covered his ears so as not to hear anything, so he prevented the sound of the bullets from piercing his eardrum. Lee did the same. She was not used to shooting like he was, but her medical background made her react. The clock on her wrist said eleven-thirty at night when the shooting ended, the clock on the wall, smashed, said eleven-twenty. The one on her wrist was more reliable. There was a moment of stillness, where no one wanted to move in case they were reloading, then came the screams for help. Ivan reacted first when he recognized Oxana. Carefully, but without delay, they went out. They found Jim Gordon on the ground, barely conscious, wounded by multiple bullets. Victor was next to him, pale but with a murderous expression, constantly looking around. Lee knelt beside him, covering the wound, while Carmine called for an ambulance.

"He protected me from the shooting," Oxana said.

Mario sighed. He was tired. Jim Gordon caused more problems than he solved. He was beginning to think that Gordon was crazy and that Lee had stayed with him and not Jim, because she knew that Mario was more likely to come home, that it was Mario who would give her security and not Jim. If that was the case and Lee believed there was safety with the son of an Italian mob Don, Mario would have to reconsider the divorce. He knelt beside Lee to help her attend to Gordon. Now his family owed him two lifetime debts.

He hoped that Sofia was not behind all this, because the shooting, in addition to destroying the Falcone House, had almost killed two of the mafia families that ran Gotham. Not even Carmine could save his daughter if it was proven that she had something to do with this.