New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

After the nine family heads saluted the don, they started talking over each other, trying to sell their sub-families as the best choice for replacement.

The don let this carry on for a short while, hearing them out with a distracted ear, before knocking his cane on the marble floor under the table.

*Knock knock*

In mere moments, the arguing and loud talking stopped, the terrasse becoming silent once more.

He looked at each of the old fellows, one by one, his eyes almost piercing into them.

"I heard what all of you had to say. I believe a few of you have some valid arguments. But the decision was already taken.

"This morning, I got a visit from one prospect I had in mind, and her offer was not something we could afford to turn away. Therefore, I would like you to welcome at the table, Miss Amara Rossi, the replacement of the Bianchi family."

The don started slow clapping, as a woman entered the terrasse from behind him, her heels clacking on the marble flooring. When she sat down at the table, a wave of whispers started.

"A woman? We've never had a woman at this table."

"The Rossi family? I haven't heard from them in forever. Wasn't that old senile killed by the cops?"

"Why did the don call us here, if not to deliberate on the subject? Some of us come from far."

Another couple of knocks echoed on the terrasse, as Don Romana brought them back to order.

"I hear your whispers. And I know that this beats our century-long tradition. But, for many reasons, I believe it is time we enter a new era. Women are no longer the weaker sex, and Miss Rossi has demonstrated this to me in high detail. And if any of you wish so, she can show you as well."

The woman, who was wearing a nice burgundy dress, which flowed down at her ankles, and some expensive-looking jewelry, smiled at all the old men.

Behind her stood another woman, this one dressed in a three-piece suit, matching the other guards around the table, with eyeglasses sitting on her nose.

Her face was delicate, but her body looked to be a lot more toned, under the suit, than her delicate features led to believe. And her eyes.

Her piercing green eyes, which gave shivers to all the other bodyguards when she stared them down, were sharp and alert.

One of the older men slammed his fist on the table.

"Don Romana! This is egregious! We have never allowed a woman at the table in centuries of existence. This is blasphemy! With all due respect, I, head of the Gallo family, demand that you revoke her right this instant!"

His bodyguard, a large, bald man, stepped forward. His face was still neutral, but his hand was already hovering close to his jacket.

The don looked at him and glared.

"You don't get to make demands of me, Gallo. This is my table. And as long as I live, I choose who sits around it. Your father and mine were close, and by virtue of that alone, I shall disregard your comment. But open your fat mouth again, and I will sow it shut before using your dead body as fertilizer for my vineyard. Understood?"

His voice may have been steady, but his underlying tone was laced with threat.

But the Gallo head huffed in response.

"Then maybe you don't deserve to be sitting at the end of the table."

Gasps of surprise echoed around the table. The older men were all taken aback by the comment.

This was mutiny.

In all the mafia's history, mutiny had never ended well for the mutinous party.

Before the don could speak up, and respond to the mutinous comment, Amara lifted her hand.

"Under our rules, mutiny is punishable by death. As new head, I, Amara Rossi, hereby sentence you to death, Antonio Gallo. Maria, get rid of him."

Antonio panicked at the words. But before he could even instruct his bodyguard to act, he felt a cold blade plunge into his upper back, between two ribs, and pierce his heart.

The other men around the table were all aghast.

The second Amara had ordered her bodyguard, Maria, to get rid of him, something unnatural had happened.

The woman in the suit disappeared from behind Amara, and reappeared between Antonio and his bodyguard, slashing the latter's throat open in one quick swipe, and kicked the head away, before plunging a gleaming Cinquedea into the former's back, all the way to the guard.

Antonio's shirt bulged in the front, as it turned red, from the blade going cleanly through his heart. His death followed only a few seconds later, as Maria withdrew her blade.

Blood spattered on the bodyguards of the other heads as they watched the woman once again vanish and reappear behind Amara Rossi.

Everyone was speechless at what they could only describe as witchcraft.

But before chaos could erupt, the don slowly clapped his hands together, an enormous grin on his face.

"What a beautiful display, Miss Rossi! If everyone under you is as competent, then it was the best decision to nominate you as the tenth head. Splendid work!"

"You flatter me, Don Romana. I was only doing my duty as head of family. It is our prerogative to ensure the don stays safe, even from our fellow heads."

The don started laughing loudly, happy with her response.

"If only more heads had been like you in the past. This organization might have become much larger and influential. Boahahaha! I like you, young woman. You will go far in this organization. I can feel it."

The other heads started clapping, reluctantly, lest the woman see it as an affront. But their unhappy faces said long about their true feelings.

"Head Conti!" the don barked.

"Yes, don?!"

"Make sure the Gallos elect a new head from their family. And remind them that mutiny is punishable by death. If they want to keep existing and keep a place at this table, they better behave."

"Yes, don!" the head of the Contis answered.

He felt a shiver down his spine and noticed Amara Rossi was staring at him.

'Who the fuck is this woman?' he wondered, his mind a complete mess after today's events.