The penthouse was silent, except for the hum of the city far below. Floor-to-ceiling windows revealed a tapestry of lights stretching into the night, each one a reminder of the empire Alessandro Moretti had built. The room smelled faintly of expensive leather and aged whiskey. Alessandro stood near the center, tailored suit flawless, hands casually resting in his pockets, but every line of his posture screamed readiness, alert, calculating, dangerous.

He didn’t need to look to know who was behind him.

“You’re punctual,” Alessandro said, voice smooth as silk but edged with steel. “Most people who get invited here don’t even make it through the lobby. But you...” He finally turned to face them, letting his eyes take in every movement, every detail. “...you walk in like you own the place. Or like you don’t care if you die tonight.”

The figure in the shadows stepped forward, silent, deliberate, lethal in their calm. The faint glint of something sharp caught the light, and Alessandro’s pulse, trained over decades, didn’t miss it.

Alessandro’s lips curved into a slow, almost playful smile. “I hear we have... common business. A certain someone has grown too dangerous for both of us. Ambitious. Reckless. And frankly... foolish.”

He gestured to the sleek table between them, adorned with weapons, blueprints, and a city map marked in red. “We collaborate, we take him out. Fail, and neither of us walks away. So... do we understand each other?”

There was no room for hesitation. The predator’s dance had begun, and Alessandro was already sizing up his new partner one that could either be the deadliest ally he’d ever have, or the most dangerous enemy.