Chapter 7 - The Underground Alliance
The failed hit on the Castillo estate forced Alejandro into a radical shift in strategy. He realized that fighting the Morettis solely through legal and corporate channels was a losing game. The Moretti cartel operated in the shadows; therefore, Alejandro had to meet them in the dark.
Leaving Elena under heavy guard at a highly secure, undisclosed safe house protected by federal agents, Alejandro drove to the industrial harbor district of the city. He was accompanied only by Marcus.
They entered a derelict, abandoned warehouse at the edge of the pier. Inside, sitting under a single hanging bulb, was an unexpected figure: Dominic Varga, the head of a rival shipping syndicate that had been at war with the Moretti family for over a decade.
"Castillo," Dominic said, blowing out a cloud of cigar smoke. "I never thought Iād see the day the clean, billionaire businessman came to my docks. I heard your house took quite a beating the other night."
"Julian Moretti crossed a line," Alejandro said, walking up to the table and throwing a thick flash drive onto the surface. "Inside that drive is the complete financial mapping of Moretti Holdingsā offshore networks, their shipping manifests, and the names of every corrupt customs official on their payroll. Vivian kept meticulous records. My hackers pulled it all from her private servers."
Dominicās eyes lit up with predatory interest. He picked up the drive, weighing it in his hand. "This is everything needed to dismantle Julianās entire empire. Why give this to me? You could give this to the FBI."
"The FBI moves too slow," Alejandro said, his voice hard as iron. "The law will lock Vivian away, but Julian will use his billions to tie up the courts, buy judges, and send more hitmen after my wife. I want Julian eliminated. I want his syndicate dismantled from the inside out. You take his territory, his shipping lines, and his wealth. In exchange, I want Julian Moretti delivered to me."
Dominic smiled, a chilling expression. "A classic enemy-of-my-enemy alliance. I like it. But what about the board of directors? If Julian falls, Castillo International takes a hit."
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"Iāve already liquidated my European assets to buy out the remaining neutral board members," Alejandro explained. "By next week, the Moretti name will be entirely erased from my company. Do we have a deal, Dominic?"
Dominic stood up, extending a weathered, scarred hand. "We have a deal, Castillo. By tomorrow night, Julian Moretti will realize that the billionaire he tried to bully is the most dangerous man in this city."
