Trent was speaking on the phone with Tristan. He had a phone the guest room where he was staying. He gave Tristan a round up of what had happened. Tristan was not surprised but he was not exactly thrilled with actions of Vincenzo. He had told Trent to just follow the plan as it stood and not try to retaliate in any form to shape. Tristan was going to deal with the retaliation part. Trent just had to get the business done here. He had come to Sicily for a deal and once that was done, he needed to get the hell out.

Trent put the phone down and rubbed his eyes. It was never easy to deal with Vincenzo. An agreement that satisfied the O'Neils had not been reached yet. But Trent felt like he was getting closer.

Trent had been there for a whole day so far with back to back meetings with Vitale and Vincenzo so he was going to give it another day or two to convince the Rosarios in Sicily of agreeing to the terms set by O'Neils. Vincenzo had paused the negotiations to do some other business. O'Neil-Rosario talks were going to resume the next day. Dinner time was coming up shortly in an hour and Vincenzo was going to have meetings regarding some local business matters after dinner. This had left Trent to get time to reflect on the day and discuss details of his stay in Sicily with Tristan. The negotiations with Vincenzo was not a disaster but were not great either.

Trent was now looking outside the window at the front yard. The place seemed quite busy. There were plenty of visitors it seemed and there were many cars around. Security was all over the place too. Trent made his way outside the guest room that was on the guest floor. He walked towards the stairs but then he thought it was the best opportunity to go to other floors and explore the mansion since he had some time before dinner. He had been tempted to do so before but had never acted on it. He know the mansion had many secret passage ways as it was huge but the space he could navigate through did not match the size of the place. There must have been a secret movable walls and secret doors everywhere. As a guest he was only allowed on the guest floor and the family rooms on the ground floor.

He decided to go to the very top floor and see what was on top. It was just a hunch that the top floor must have kept most secrets. Wandering off was forbidden so if he wanted to get some information on the Rosarios, he could start where he was guaranteed to find the most information

He went up a few flight of stairs and then reached the top floor. It looked ordinary. There were many light switches on walls. He chose one. He turned on the lights using that switche on the wall and dim red lighting came on. He must have been alarmed at the red lights since it warned of danger but he ignored it. Maybe the other switches did other things but he let it go for now. He just wanted to explore the place. He walked down a corridor and soon was in awe of how it looked like he was in a maze.

He kept walking and as he entered a bend around the corner of the corridor, suddenly the ground opened underneath him and he fell through a hole.

The next thing he knew, he was laying on a soft bouncy surface and it was dark all around him. Where was he? He could not see anything. He called "Hello..." He then slowly moved and walked on his knees but then his hands touched the barriers around him. There were glass walls. He had managed to trap himself somewhere unknown in Vincenzo's mansion. Great.

He explored around the space he was in in total darkness. He seemed to be inside a glass box of some kind but he could not reach high enough to feel any roof above him. He laid down on the soft surface and sighed. He called out... "Hello... Is anyone here?" But there was no response. He could try breaking the glass but knowing Vincenzo he would have most likely unleashed some consequence on him if he damaged his trap. He could be crushed or electrocuted here if he broke the glass. Who knew? You could not damage his property. You just couldn't. He decided to just lay down and see if anyone noticed his absence. So he waited. Suddenly the place became very cold... It lasted the while as it became freezing and then it became very hot. Very hot. Then the cycle continued. Cold... Hot. What was this place? How long was he gonna be there. Then loud noises came as the hot and cold cycle continued. He covered his ears but it did not work. He had no idea how long he spent like that.

He then lost consciousness after a while for some reason. He fought off the feeling but maybe he was inhaling some gas in that place that made him close his eyes and lose all consciousness.

****

Trent heard his name being called as he slowly came out of his unconscious state opened his eyes and then closed it as he felt intense light coming on around him. He had a bad headache. "Ah... My head hurts..."

Trent was adjusting his eyes now to the light and the temperature around him was normal. He heard his name "Uncle Trent..." The voice sounded like Leandro of all the people.

Trent's eyes finally adjusted to the light enough to see what was happening. As he was laying on the soft surface, he was looking at the towering form of Leandro who was looking at him with a baffled expression. "Uncle Trent... Why were you sleeping here? Its not nice to sleep here... I turned off the system..."

Trent replied "Where is this place?" He then sat up and looked around. There were no glass walls around him now. He was sitting on top of a huge mattress like trampoline. There was a huge empty space around him surrounded by metal looking walls.

Leandro said "Its where my father works sometimes..."

Trent looked at Leandro "Your father lets you hang around where he works?"

Leandro shook his head "Not always... Only sometimes... When its empty here I come and play alone... I like to play alone sometimes..."

Trent looked around "Play with what? This place is empty...." He looked at his nephew confused.

Leandro said "There are lots of things here... They are locked away from outsiders uncle Trent..."

Trent understood "I see..."

Leandro said "Uncle Trent... You missed dinner..."

Trent asked "Have I?" How long had he been there? He looked at his watch and whistled. He had been there awhile.

Leandro said "Yes. You did. Don't worry. My father is not angry with you for missing dinner..."

Trent said "He isn't?" Of course Vincenzo must have been pleased trapping him here for what must have been hours.

Leandro nodded "He told my mother you must be tired and resting in your room..."

Trent said "Right..."

Leandro said "My mother thought you were in your room. She didn't know you were sleeping here... I didn't know you like to hang around here like me..."

Trent replied "Oh... You have no idea..." The irony ... He had no interest of spending time there.

Leandro said "My mother left you some food. Let's go."

Trent said enthusiastically "I would like that..." He had been frozen and roasted enough in that room for one day... He then sneezed. He was not surprised if he had caught a cold with all those cycles of heating and freezing.

Leandro said "Bless you..."

Trent smiled and stood up. This child was so intelligent and he surely looked like his father. He was a mini Vincenzo for sure.

Leandro turned around and jumped off the mattress like trampoline. Trent followed. Then he walked to the door and opened closet inside the wall.

Leandro started pressing buttons "Uncle Trent will you give me more boxing training before bed time? My mum said you are too tired and I shouldn't ask... I want you to teach me more."

Trent replied "Anything for you kid... Of course..." As if he could refuse this kid anything.

Leandro pressed a few buttons and then part of the metal wall parted and formed a metal door that opened in front of them.

Trent walked out following Leandro who then lead him through a few corridors and up the stairs. The next thing he knew, he had ended up outside a wine cellar. He had been deep in the basement. Leandro walked up the stairs and Trent ended up following Leandro through some maze like corridors and the next thing he knew, he found himself in front of the piano room.

Leandro said "I go watch a film now with Leo and Lavinia... After you have your dinner, come give me some boxing training uncle Trent. Don't forget... He then ran away towards the entertainment room..."

Trent responded as he chuckled "How can I forget?..."

As he was walking, Clarisa suddenly appeared in front of him startling her. She smiled "Did you have a nice nap? Vincenzo told me you were tired in the meetings... I hope you have rested enough... Come... You need some food in you... If you don't mind, have your dinner in the kitchen instead of living room. I am baking there so we can talk..."

Trent followed Clarisa to the kitchens. It was nice to be free from that trap for sure.

Inside the kitchen, Trent pulled a chair and sat down as Clarisa took a tray of food from the oven. She had kept his dinner warm by the looks of it. He sneezed.

Clarisa laid down the food on the table in front of Trent. "You don't sound well..." She then reached her hand to his forehead "Hm... A fever is coming... I will get you a doctor..."

Trent started eating his dinner "No... There is no need... I will be fine..."

Clarisa walked to a cabinet and opened it "I am baking cookies tonight for the kids... They are watching a film in the entertainment room and they like their ice cream with chocolate cookies as additional desert. Do you want me to make anything else? I accept special requests. Or you would have anything the kids have for desert...."

Trent said "I will have anything the kids have... I don't mind..."

Clarisa set out the ingredients on a separate table and got on with making the cookies mix. As she was mixing ingredients she asked "Did you call Tristan today?"

Trent nodded "Yes I did... After my meeting with your husband... I had a 5 minute phone call with him..."

Clarisa asked as she was mixing the ingredients inside a bowl "Only 5 minutes? I thought you would be on the phone for much longer."

Trent said "I could not possibly... I wouldn't want your husband to cut off my only way of communication to the outside world just for spending too much time talking to Tristan during my stay here... "

Clarisa said "He won't do that..."

Trent said "You know your husband Clarisa... He has rules for everyone especially outsiders like me... You must know he would set limits on how long I can spend on the phone overall during my stay here..."

Clarisa said "I would speak to him about this... He shouldn't restrict you on making phone calls... Let me know if you need to contact anyone and he won't let you..." She then started pouring the mixture on trays "Trent... When you talked to Tristan... Tell me how it is going in terms of his business with Vincenzo. How bad is it this time? I am not asking you to give me details. Just give me some hints... I know neither Tristan and Vincenzo would compromise fully on any deal... They dictate their own terms... But how bad is it this time... Is Vincenzo pushing Tristan too much? Or is it Tristan who is being difficult?"

Trent said "The situation could be worse..."

Clarisa said "But is it ideal?..."

Trent said "I won't lie to you... It is not ideal... Tristan is not happy... If I don't reach a deal that Tristan approves, our big brother would unleash his wrath on the Rosarios on a whole new level... Vincenzo could show flexibility here in this particular business that I am here for... But he chooses not to. He is not taking the offers from Tristan. He wants more than just profits in the deal. Tristan cant back down from his own interests.... You know what they are like ... Tristan won't give in here... Neither will Vincenzo..."

Clarisa said "And neither side are being persuaded? Its best for them to be on good terms with each other..."

Trent said "A Business mind knows no leniency... Two alpha males are fighting and are too stubborn in this business deal..."

Clarisa sighed "Trent you must try to persuade them to make a deal... I want them to be on good terms... I do not like tension... The last time they did not reach a deal, the tension was just ridiculous. I am going to America in a few weeks.... I do not want to witness tensions and business power displays and power games... Make them see reason and back down... They need to be satisfied."

Trent sighed as he watched his sister put the cookie trays in the oven "You cant stop them Clarisa... No one can..."

Clarisa walked to Trent's table and sat down "I know... Its frustrating...."

Trent said "Look... Don't worry yourself... Think of other things... Occupy yourself with travel plans... My phone call was short with Tristan... But he sent his regards to you... He said he cant wait to see you... There is not long left until you return for your annual visit to the United States as you said... Go buy some souvenirs from the city tomorrow and start packing.... Let's hope this annual stay is nice and long unlike the last time...."

Clarisa smiled "I look forward to visiting America too... But I am not sure how many months we stay this time round... The children are of school age... If they don't mind splitting their education in two countries annually, we can spend half a year there for certain... They are excited to return too..."

Trent said "Do your kids like America? Wow... That is news to me.... Especially your eldest kid is a papa's boy... Isn't he attached to Sicily?"

Clarisa said "Well... All three of them love to see the relatives there... Especially Papa Rosario and Papa O'Neil are the most popular... But sure, nothing truly impresses Leandro except what Vincenzo approves of... Its so scary sometimes..." She then chuckled "What else did Tristan say? He probably asked you to do what you can to bring forward the trip date to America..."

Trent said "Maybe he did...Maybe he didn't..."

Clarissa said "Well...

Trent said "I cant discuss it with you..."

Clarissa said "Oh... Why not? Come on..."

Trent shook his head "No..." He then tried to change the subject "The cookies in the oven smell great..."

Clarissa sighed "I know... I know.. You cant tell me anything because my husband always finds out everything and if any of the business talks you share with me, affects my relationship with my husband there will be consequences... All because Vincenzo's honour cant be tested..."

Trent smiled "You said it. Not me..."

****

Trent was showing Leandro boxing moves in the gym against a punch bag. Leandro was so excited and kept refusing to stop training. It was his bed time. Many child minders had come to convince him to go to bed but he refused.

The door of the gym opened and a voice calling his name brought Leandro to a halt. He froze and turned "Yes..."

Vincenzo was standing at the door still wearing his suit from his business meetings and had his hands deep in his pockets. He gestured with his head movement to the side signalling to Leandro to go to him.

Trent saw how Leandro did not argue and quickly walked to his father as he dropped his gloves on the floor.

As Leandro reached the door he looked up at his father "Uncle Trent is a good boxer..."

Vincenzo stared down at his son "Is he? Go to bed..."

Leandro nodded and said as he was looking up at his father "Ok... Good night..." He then turned around and looked at Trent "Uncle Trent... We practice again tomorrow... Good night..." He then turned and ran outside not waiting for Trent's response.

Vincenzo looked at his son running towards the child minders who were hanging around the building. He announced as his back was still towards Trent "Don't let me catch you trespassing again beyond the borders I have set for you as a guest... I was going to leave you there for a whole night in the basement..."

Trent said as he started walking towards the door where Vincenzo was. "But your son saved me. Right? Is this how you treat your brother in law?..."

Vincenzo turned around slowly and looked at Trent "If you cant do the time, don't do the crime..."

Trent said as he stood close to Vincenzo "You never change..."

Vincenzo turned around to leave.

Trent said "Your son said I am a good boxer... But you are a boxer too... A much better boxer than me... Why don't you spend more time with him in boxing... He wants you to teach him boxing more often... Why don't you box more often with him?"

Vincenzo turned around and looked at Trent "My son does not want to learn boxing... Not really..." He then took a step towards Trent and looked into his eyes "He wants to learn fighting... I cant teach him what he wants me to teach him... Not yet... He is too young..."

Trent responded as he looked at Vincenzo meeting his intense penetrating stare " Boxing is fighting...."

Vincenzo said "Not really... Boxing is fair... Its a sport... You and your opponents follow rules in boxing... And when you lose in boxing, you just lose a match... But fighting is not boxing Trent.... Fighting is not fair... Not always... It doesn't have to be...It won't be... There are no rules in a fight.... Anything goes... When you lose, anything can be lost, your family, your business... your life... " He then turned around and walked away leaving Trent to think over his words.

Vincenzo stopped as he reached the door and said while looking outside the door and not looking at Trent "When it comes to my territory and defending it, I fight fiercely and mercilessly... Always... People don't take me on unless they are willing to face a fight back like no other..." He then walked out the door.