The Rise Of The Caged Mafia King

Chapter 8- The Shadow king

Leo was sitting on the edge of his bunk when Marcus walked into the cell with a worried look on his face.

Marcus shut the cell door behind him and lowered his voice, “You’ve got a problem.”

Leo looked up calmly.“In this place, that’s not surprising.”

Marcus shook his head,“No, this one is different. It’s Officer Briggs.”

Leo frowned slightly, “The tall one with the scar on his chin?”

Marcus nodded. “That’s the one.”

Leo leaned back against the wall. “What about him?”

Marcus crossed his arms.

“He’s been watching you. Not the normal kind of watching either. The kind where someone is waiting for the right moment to make your life miserable.”

Leo thought for a moment, “That means someone told him to.”

Marcus sighed, “You’re thinking of Luca again.”

Leo shrugged, “My uncle likes to remove problems quietly.”

Marcus rubbed his face, “Well, Officer Briggs is definitely trying something. I saw him roughing up an inmate earlier just because the guy looked at him wrong.”

“Good,” Leo’s expression remained calm.

Marcus blinked, “Good?”

Leo nodded, “Yes. Angry men make mistakes.”

Marcus stared at him, “You’re planning something, aren’t you?”

Leo smiled faintly, “I’m planning to survive.”

Later that afternoon the prisoners were lined up along the hallway after returning from the yard.

Officer Briggs walked slowly down the line.

He was a large man with a permanent scowl on his face. His boots hit the concrete floor heavily as he stopped in front of different inmates.

“Hands against the wall,” he barked.

The inmates obeyed immediately. When Briggs reached Leo, he stopped.

“Well, well,” he said slowly. “The famous Leonardo Moretti.”

Leo placed his hands on the wall calmly.

“Just Leo.”

 Briggs laughed, “Oh no. I know exactly who you are.”

Marcus, standing a few feet away, shifted nervously.

Briggs leaned closer to Leo. “Rich boy kills his mommy and ends up in my prison.”

Leo kept his voice steady, “I didn’t kill my mother.”

Briggs smirked, “That’s not what the court says.”

Leo didn’t respond. Briggs suddenly shoved him hard against the wall, “Maybe prison will teach you some respect.”

Marcus stepped forward slightly, “Hey, he didn’t—”

“Back up!” Briggs snapped.

Marcus immediately stepped back.

Briggs leaned close to Leo’s ear. “I don’t like criminals who think they’re smarter than everyone else,” he whispered.

Leo spoke quietly, “Then you must hate mirrors.”

Several inmates nearby snorted with laughter.

Briggs’ face darkened, “You think you’re funny?”

Leo shrugged slightly, “I think you’re angry.”

Briggs grabbed Leo by the collar, “You better watch your mouth.”

Leo met his eyes without fear, “Or what?”

For a moment the hallway went completely silent. Briggs shoved Leo away, “Enjoy your stay, DeLuca,” he said coldly.

Then he walked down the line.

Marcus exhaled heavily once Briggs was gone, “Are you trying to die?”

Leo relaxed his shoulders, “No.”

Marcus shook his head, “That man is dangerous.”

Leo nodded, “I know.”

Marcus stared at him,“Then why provoke him?”

Leo looked thoughtful, “Because now I know how he thinks.”

Marcus groaned, “Sometimes I wish you were just a normal guy.”

Two days later the opportunity came. Leo was in the laundry room with several other inmates when Briggs walked in.

The guard looked around slowly, “You,” he said, pointing at Leo. “Come here.”

Marcus whispered nervously from the corner, “Don’t go alone.”

Leo ignored him and stepped forward. Briggs led him into a small storage room and shut the door. The room smelled like bleach and old cloth. Briggs crossed his arms, “You think you’re tough, don’t you?”

Leo leaned casually against the wall, “I think you’re bored.”

Briggs laughed harshly, “You’ve got a mouth on you.”

Leo looked around the room calmly, “No cameras in here.”

Briggs smiled, “You noticed.”

Leo nodded, “So this is the part where you beat me up and say I attacked you first.”

Briggs stepped closer, “You catch on quick.”

Leo tilted his head, “But you’re making a mistake.”

Briggs frowned, “Oh yeah?”

Leo spoke calmly, “You’ve been hitting inmates for years. No one complains because they’re afraid.”

Briggs’ smile faded slightly. Leo continued, “But last week you beat a man named Carter.”

Briggs narrowed his eyes, “So?”

Leo shrugged, “He’s the cousin of a journalist.”

Briggs went still. Leo watched his reaction carefully, “And that journalist has been asking questions about prison abuse.”

Briggs’ jaw tightened, “You’re lying.”

Leo shook his head slowly, “You can check the news tomorrow.”

The guard’s confidence began to crack. Leo stepped closer, “And if Carter suddenly accuses you publicly, what do you think happens?”

Briggs’ face turned pale. Leo spoke quietly, “You lose your badge.”

The guard glared at him, “You think anyone will believe a prisoner?”

Leo smiled faintly, “They might if other prisoners talk too.”

Briggs looked suddenly unsure. Leo leaned closer, “Or we could avoid that situation.”

Briggs stared at him, “What do you want?”

Leo shrugged, “Nothing big.”

The guard waited. Leo spoke calmly, “You stop bothering me.”

Briggs laughed bitterly, “That’s it?”

Leo nodded, “And in return, Carter forgets your name.”

Briggs was silent for a long moment, “You’re blackmailing me.”

Leo shook his head, “No.”

He smiled slightly, “I’m offering peace.”

Briggs stared at him with anger and fear fighting in his eyes.

Finally he muttered, “You’re dangerous.”

Leo stepped back, “Only when necessary.”

Briggs opened the door angrily, “Get out.”

Leo walked past him calmly. As he returned to the laundry room, Marcus rushed over, “What happened?”

Leo picked up a pile of folded uniforms, “Nothing important.”

Marcus looked confused, “You were in there for ten minutes.”

Leo shrugged, “We had a conversation.”

Marcus squinted, “And?”

Leo smiled slightly, “I think Officer Briggs and I understand each other now.”

Later that evening the prisoners were in the yard again. Tyler ran over excitedly, “Leo!”

Leo looked up, “What is it?”

Tyler lowered his voice, “People are talking.”

Marcus groaned, “That’s never good.”

Tyler shook his head, “No, this time it is.”

Leo raised an eyebrow, “What are they saying?”

Tyler looked impressed, “They say you scared Briggs.”

Marcus laughed, “That’s impossible.”

Tyler shook his head, “I’m serious. A few inmates saw him leaving the laundry room looking like he swallowed a nail.”

Leo sat quietly. Marcus looked at him slowly, “You did something.”

Leo smiled faintly, “Just a conversation.”

Tyler grinned, “Well now everyone’s saying something else.”

Leo looked at him, “What?”

Tyler said proudly, “They’re calling you The Shadow.”

Marcus laughed, “That name again?”

Tyler nodded, “Yeah. Because you don’t fight like everyone else.”

Leo looked thoughtful, “And how do I fight?”

Tyler smiled, “From the dark.”

Marcus shook his head, “You know this is going to reach Dante eventually.”

Leo glanced across the yard. The prison kingpin was standing near the fence, watching him. Dante nodded slowly. Almost like he respected what he was seeing.

Leo turned back to Marcus, “That’s fine.”

Marcus sighed, “Your ambition is going to get us all killed.”

Leo stood up and stretched, “Or it’s going to change everything.”

Marcus looked at him, “You really think you can control this prison?”

Leo smiled slightly, “Not yet.”

Tyler leaned closer, “But someday?”

Leo looked around the yard at the watching inmates. Then he said quietly, “Someday soon.”