The Rise Of The Caged Mafia King

Chapter 4- Learning The Game

Leo didn’t realize how heavy chains could feel until the prison transport van began to move.

The metal cuffs around his wrists were tight, and the thick chain connecting them clinked every time the vehicle hit a bump on the road. Across from him sat three other prisoners, all silent, all watching him in a way that made the air inside the van feel uncomfortable.

One of them finally spoke.“So you’re the rich boy.”

Leo slowly raised his eyes.

The man speaking had a shaved head and a crooked nose that looked like it had been broken more than once.

“Depends on who’s asking,” Leo leaned back slightly.

The man smirked.

“I saw you on the news. Mafia prince who killed his mommy,” The other prisoners chuckled.

Leo didn’t react.

Another man sitting beside the shaved-head prisoner leaned forward and studied Leo more carefully.

“You don’t look like a killer.”

Leo shrugged lightly, “Looks can be wrong.”

“Yeah, they can. But prison doesn’t care who you are outside,” The shaved-head man laughed.

Leo didn’t answer. Instead he turned his head toward the small metal window of the van. The world outside passed by slowly—buildings, roads, people living their normal lives.

A few hours ago he had been standing in a courtroom. Now he was on his way to prison for life.

The van suddenly slowed.

“Looks like we’re here,” The shaved-head prisoner grinned.

The van stopped. For a moment there was silence.

Then the back doors opened with a loud metallic clang.

“Out!” a guard shouted.

Bright sunlight flooded into the dark van, and Leo blinked as his eyes adjusted.

He stepped down from the vehicle and looked up.

The prison stood before him like a giant concrete monster.

Tall gray walls stretched toward the sky, topped with rows of razor wire that glinted under the sun. Guard towers stood at every corner, and armed officers watched everything from above.

A large metal gate stood open. Above it were two cold words painted in black letters.

BLACKRIDGE PRISON.

The shaved-head prisoner whistled quietly, “Home sweet home.”

Another guard pushed Leo forward, “Move.”

They walked through the gate.

The heavy doors slammed shut behind them with a deep echo that seemed to vibrate through Leo’s chest.

Inside the prison yard, dozens of inmates stood around in groups.

Some were lifting weights. Some were smoking while others were simply watching the new arrivals.

The moment Leo stepped into the yard, conversations began to fade. Heads turned. Whispers started.

“That’s him.”

“The Moretti kid.”

“The one who killed his mother.”

Leo could feel their eyes on him. Judging him. Measuring him.

A guard shoved him again, “Keep walking.”

They led the prisoners toward a large building with barred windows and thick steel doors.

Inside, the air smelled of sweat, metal, and something older that Leo couldn’t quite identify.

A large officer sat behind a desk. He looked up as they entered.

“So this is the famous Leonardo Moretti.”

Leo didn’t respond.

The officer leaned back in his chair and studied him carefully.

“I saw your trial on television,” he said casually. “Big family. Big money. Big murder.”

Leo finally spoke,“I didn’t kill my mother.”

The officer chuckled, “They all say that.”

Another guard stepped forward, “Processing?”

The officer nodded, “Yeah. Let’s see what the rich boy is hiding.”

They removed Leo’s cuffs and pushed him toward a counter, “Empty your pockets.”

Leo placed the few items he still had onto the table.

A watch. A ring. His wallet.

The officer picked up the watch and examined it, “Nice.”

He slipped it into a small plastic bag, “You won’t be needing this where you’re going.”

Leo watched silently.

Another guard tossed him a gray prison uniform, “Change.”

Leo looked down at the rough fabric, “You want me to change here?”

The guard smirked, “You think this is a hotel?”

The other officers laughed.

Leo slowly removed his jacket. Then his shirt.

The room went quiet for a moment when they noticed the scars across his ribs.

The officer raised an eyebrow, “Well… maybe you’re not as soft as you look.”

Leo said nothing.

After changing into the uniform, another guard approached with a pair of clippers, “Sit.”

Leo sat.

The buzzing sound filled the room as the guard shaved his hair down to a short rough cut.

When it was finished, the guard stepped back.

“There. Now you look like a prisoner.”

The officer tossed him another set of cuffs, “Take him to cell block C.”

Two guards grabbed Leo’s arms and led him through several long corridors. The deeper they walked into the prison, the louder the noise became.

Voices shouting. Metal doors slamming. Men arguing.

Finally they reached a large hallway lined with cells stacked in two levels.

Inmates stood behind the bars watching.

“Fresh meat,” someone called out.

“Hey rich boy!”

“Got any money left?”

Laughter filled the block.

The guards stopped in front of one of the cells and unlocked the door.

“Your new home.”

Leo stepped inside. The cell was small and cold, two narrow beds and a small toilet.

And another prisoner already sitting on the lower bunk.

The man looked up slowly. He was older, maybe in his late forties, with deep lines across his face and calm dark eyes.

The guards removed Leo’s cuffs.

“Play nice,” one of them said sarcastically before slamming the door shut.

For a moment neither man spoke. Then the older prisoner stood up.

“So,” he said slowly, “you’re the new roommate.”

Leo nodded slightly, “Looks that way.”

The man studied him carefully, “You’re Leonardo Moretti.”

It wasn’t a question.

“I guess the news travels fast,” Leo sighed.

The man chuckled softly, “In here, news travels faster than the guards.”

He extended his hand, “My name is Marcus.”

Leo hesitated for a second before shaking it, “Leo.”

“Yeah, I know,” Marcus nodded.

Leo sat on the top bunk. The mattress was thin and uncomfortable.

After a moment Marcus spoke again, “You didn’t do it.”

“That obvious?” Leo looked down at him.

Marcus shrugged, “I’ve seen a lot of killers in this place. They carry themselves differently.”

Leo leaned against the wall. “My uncle framed me.”

“Family betrayal,” Marcus raised an eyebrow.

Leo laughed bitterly, “Something like that.”

Marcus shook his head, “Prison is going to be rough for someone like you.”

“Someone like me?” Leo looked at him carefully.

“Rich. Famous. Connected.”

Leo crossed his arms, “I can handle myself.”

Marcus didn’t argue. Instead, he walked toward the bars and looked out at the cell block.

“Maybe,” he said quietly. “But Blackridge isn’t just about strength.”

Leo frowned, “What do you mean?”

Marcus glanced back at him.

“This place has its own rules. Its own power structure.”

Before Leo could respond, a loud voice echoed down the hallway.

“Well, well…”

Heavy footsteps approached the cell. Several inmates gathered around the bars.

One large man stepped forward.

He was tall, heavily built, with tattoos covering his arms and neck. He looked at Leo like a predator studying prey.

“So the famous mafia prince finally arrived.”

Leo slowly climbed down from the bunk. “What do you want?”

The big man smiled, “Respect.”

The inmates behind him laughed.

“You see,” the man continued, “in this block, everyone pays respect to me.”

Marcus sighed quietly. Leo noticed.

“And what happens if someone doesn’t?” Leo asked.

The man’s smile disappeared, “Then they learn the hard way.”

Leo stepped closer to the bars, “What’s your name?”

“Dante,” The man cracked his knuckles.

Leo nodded slightly, “Alright, Dante.”

The hallway became silent. Leo looked him straight in the eyes, “I’m not paying you anything.”

Several inmates gasped.

Marcus muttered under his breath, “Not a good start.”

Dante’s face darkened, “You think your family name means something here?”

“No.” Leo shrugged

“Then why say no?”

Leo leaned closer to the bars, “Because I don’t like bullies.”

For a moment Dante simply stared at him. Then he laughed loudly.

“You’ve got guts, rich boy,” He pointed at Leo, “But guts get people killed in here.”

Leo didn’t move.

Dante leaned closer to the bars, “Let’s see how brave you are tomorrow in the yard.”

He stepped back. The inmates slowly began to disperse.

Marcus rubbed his forehead. “Well… that could have gone better.”

Leo climbed back onto the bunk, “Who is he?”

Marcus sighed, “Dante runs this block. Most inmates work for him.”

“And the guards?” Leo looked down at him.

Marcus laughed, “The guards work for whoever pays them more.”

Leo stared at the ceiling for a long moment, “So this whole place is just another mafia.”

“Exactly.”

Silence filled the cell. After a while Marcus spoke again. “You should be careful tomorrow.”

Leo closed his eyes. “I will.”

Marcus leaned back on his bunk, “You sure you didn’t do it?”

Leo opened his eyes again, “No.”

Marcus studied him for a moment, “Then why are you so calm?”

Leo stared at the ceiling, because in his mind he could still see his uncle’s face in the courtroom.

Still hear his voice saying the word guilty, Leo’s hands slowly clenched into fists, “Because prison isn’t the end of my story.”

Marcus frowned, “What do you mean?”

Leo turned his head slightly, His voice was quiet, “My uncle thinks he buried me here.”

Marcus watched him carefully.

“But he made one mistake,” Leo’s eyes hardened.

“What’s that?”

Leo’s lips curved into a faint smile, “He left me alive.”

Down the hallway, someone suddenly shouted.

The sound of a fight breaking out echoed through the cell block, Guards began yelling, Metal doors slammed.

Marcus shook his head,“ Welcome to Blackridge.”

Leo closed his eyes again but he wasn’t thinking about the prison.

He was thinking about revenge.

And far away, in a luxurious office in the city, Luca DeLuca suddenly felt an uneasy chill run down his spine.

As if somewhere deep inside the prison walls…

Something dangerous had just arrived.