PV-8 Selfless Law

Texas, you're back.

With me...

What? Am I not welcome here?

...Lappland?

Let's not overreact here. What if we disturb the patient's beauty rest?

Texas, quick. Tell our dear judge here I'm just here to deliver some documents.

(Nods)

Here, Your Honor.

We met a judge at the door who wanted to pass you this. The mayor's ward can't have too many people in here, so Texas and I took it for you right before we walked in.

...

Arson of Nuova Volsinii Port, Emergency Court Hearing, Defendant... Eirene?

...

The driver lady's your friend, right? Relax, just flip to the back. She was acquitted on the spot.

Texas and I happened to sit in that court hearing. So exciting. The Venezias—

Haha, sorry, sorry. I mean the Venezia Trucking and Saluzzo Vino bosses both testified and vouched for her innocence, and even fought over who got to send her home after the trial...

Tsk, tsk. A popular girl to be sure!

The way she walked out of the courthouse reminded me of how the famiglie would take a courthouse trip as proof of maturity.

...

Congratulations, Signorina Lavazza.

...There's nothing worth congratulating.

Signor Saluzzo, the fire yesterday was an accident, but my worries have indeed been solved, albeit in a confusing way.

I had been thinking I shouldn't cause you any further trouble, since I ended up asking you to meet with me for nothing.

But you showed up today, which means you just declared to everyone—

The Saluzzos want to help the Truckers' Union, of course.

Our present situation does mean some deals are no longer on the table, but I'm sure we both know how valuable a friendship can be in Siracusa.

Our agreement remains, Signorina Lavazza.

*ahem*—Zio Alberto, I hope I'm not disturbing you?

Signorina Lavazza helped us transport our tires, and since something has happened to them, I have to work out compensation with her.

Signor Venezia...

Don't worry. Today we've properly met for the first time, but we already have a good understanding between us.

You said nothing at all in court, which was wonderful.

...

I think we have a lot to talk about, such as the Truckers' Union and many other matters.

Get in the car, I'll drive you back.

Venezia Junior—

...

...

Lyudmila!

...

What's wrong?

Let's go. I came to take you back home. There's a lot back at camp waiting for you to make the call on.

Alright, let's go.

Once we're home, we have to quickly figure out a way to send Sommer away for a time. He's not safe in the city right now.

Something on your mind, Lyudmila?

Huh...? Isn't this Sommer's?!

He did everything he could.

I should have understood long ago the famiglie will never allow anyone who might pose a threat to them to live.

Where's Sommer?

...

I'm sorry, I couldn't find him...

So things did exceed everyone's expectations, and they had no choice but to come down here and protect me.

But the price paid...

They want the guys at city hall and the courts to know that the Truckers' Union and the famiglie are on the same boat.

Those two earlier... they were basically fighting over a territory.

It's not over yet, Alberto, Antonio...

When Sommer and I had just moved here from Volsinii, we really thought we left the famiglie.

...Heh. What a joke.

I'm sorry, Sommer. I'll never trust any of them ever again.

...

Such an interesting scene, like it came straight out of a film. Saluzzo and Venezia fellas, truck drivers, so many people surrounding that driver lady, they took up half the courthouse square...

They called it my coming-of-age ceremony, the first time I went into a courthouse. When I came out, there weren't many people greeting me.

Texas had it even worse, haha. She came to Siracusa as a guest, and accidentally got herself involved in a lawsuit. I was the only one who greeted her after.

Stop bringing up your boring pranks, Lappland.

Signorina Lappland, thank you for coming here and for the reminder. If there's nothing else, please leave the ward.

You're welcome, Just the least I could do.

Carnevale is tomorrow, dear judge. You still have a lot to do.

I was with Lappland the whole time since yesterday noon.

By the time we reached the port, the fire was already dying. She's not directly involved with it.

She spent the entire night after that just being a taxi driver. We went to the courthouse today, and then came here to the hospital...

Right now, I'm not sure what she's planning.

—

Are you still looking through the file, Lavinia?

Judging from its contents, there was no problem whatsoever with the hearing. But the feeling I'm getting is all too familiar for my liking...

They covered everything in the trial, and the testimony and evidence are stated in detail, but other than getting someone acquitted, it didn't find out any truths or solve any problems.

In Volsinii, and other places in Siracusa, most cases can only end up with a case file like this one.

I had thought such a trial would no longer exist here in Nuova Volsinii.

Lavinia...

You don't have to console me, Texas.

What concerns me more, is when did these people actually start to care about whether a civilian outside the famiglie is innocent or not?

What's more, before this hearing, Famiglia Venezia had a near perfect record in the city you couldn't easily find a reason for criticism, but this time Venezia Junior actually showed up.

From Demetri to Ingrid—I may spent the last two days chasing in the wrong direction.

What is certain, before this trial—or because of this trial, they are now on the same side.

Leon's car accident, the hit-and-run vehicle, and the port fire. These three obviously have a deeper connection...

The Saluzzos, the Venezias, and the Truckers' Union. What are these three forces hiding from us together?

Carnevale is tomorrow, but Leon is still in a coma... I'm running out of time to figure out what kind of plans they have in store.

We can't let the situation worsen, let alone stay sitting fowls.

You mean...?

These people still think the New Urban Management Act is something they can use, but I shall show them it is the foundation of order in this city.

Hey, you! You can't go in there!

Texas?

Bursting into my winery without reason does not seem like something you would do.

Of course.

Told you we'd come find you, Signor Alberto Saluzzo.

...

These are Saluzzo Vino's qualification documents submitted in the past months.

A group of employees have in the short span of two months, changed their positions in your company's registered profiles several times. First they were security personnel, then winemakers, then technical staff...

We have reason to suspect Saluzzo Vino is employing illegal methods to circumvent the standard background check procedure.

Please come with us to assist our investigation.

Didn't the constant changes happen because city hall keeps changing the requirements?

What's the big idea, digging up these old files so suddenly?

Don't waste your breath, these cops are obviously targeting us Saluzzos on purpose! Vaffanculo, we even paid so much in certification fees!

Anyway, don't let them take away the Don on our turf—

Stop. Don't get in the police's way.

If they're only suspecting Saluzzo Vino of circumventing background checks illegally, then it won't be difficult to resolve... we just need some time.

...

Listen to him.

Got it, Don Alberto.

This must have been the judge's idea.

What?

Of course, she's aware she can't do much with such a trivial offense, but she can at least keep me in jail for the next few days.

She must have gone to Venezia Junior or Eirene, otherwise you wouldn't be the one standing here right now.

I just happened to be free today.

Making such a swift decision with only just the little information she has. Decisive.

I still remember her looking so weak when she rushed to my place looking for Bernardo last year—she was a completely different person.

Telling me all this won't help. There's nothing to fear if you're truly innocent.

Of course, I'll go with you. I'll do my best to aid your investigation.

I said in court today I'm simply doing my duty as a citizen of the city.

Besides, Saluzzo Vino will not pause operations because of my temporary departure.

Demetri, I'm sure you must be familiar with our work here in Nuova Volsinii by now, yes?

Certainly, Don Alberto.

Take care of my wineries for now, manager of Saluzzo Vino.

Of course.

You sent for me, Don Venezia?

Anton has a question for you.

Over here, Carle.

Antonio...

Any cars headed towards Sicilia recently?

Passenger routes are operating as usual. Though, most people are coming in here, and not out.

Good.

Go pack up your belongings. You should be able to make the last ride over.

Gotcha—

Uh, Huh? Antonio, what's the meaning of this?

Don't you have a fratello in Sicilia? You can't stay in Nuova Volsinii any longer, and can't go back to Montelupe either, so you should go to him.

Your negligence has caused us to lose a whole carload of 'tires'.

I gave you a chance. Just greet the don at the port, couldn't even manage that. That old Saluzzo stronzo even got to meet papa before you did.

Carle, I've already given you the most decent ending possible by letting you leave, alive. Take this—

Call it a settlement fee. Without the famiglia's protection, you'll need a lot of money.

I've been with the Venezias for more than a decade. I was following the Don before you even came in here, can't you just, for his sake—

D-Don Venezia—!

Employees who make mistakes must naturally be punished, yes?

Of course. You're the head of Venezia Trucking. You call the shots.

Anton... you didn't inform me about this in advance.

Please don't blame me for this.

The police were just here earlier. They wanted to inspect the vehicle factories and service stations under the Venezia name. They said it was just a routine inspection before Carnevale, but the official warrant said it was an impromptu check.

I also just received news that Alberto was suddenly temporarily detained for corporate qualification issues.

I have no doubt the trial this morning has upset our dear judge Lavinia. She's hoping to control a situation she knows nothing of this way.

The situation spiraled out of my control, so I had to deal with Carle like that. It'll be hard to convince the masses otherwise.

...

This year, Venezia Trucking has carefully complied with the New Urban Management Act, and the only clue we had proving otherwise was burned to cinders yesterday at the port.

The only person who can affect our business has been dealt with.

But when Carnevale is over and Lavinia has her hands free, I'm afraid she'll try her best to target us.

How do you plan on handling it?

My original idea was to slowly transform this city—Let it have a set of laws absent in other cities, while establishing an underground order the Siracusans are accustomed to.

Venezia Trucking's business has been smooth sailing. The trick is to follow these two tenets: Comply with the New Urban Management Act, but also not.

Of course, the other famiglie are doing the same, but adapting to the rules of the new game is quite difficult.

The Venezias can fit perfectly into both sets of laws, and we've been excelling at it.

So much so that today we can discard one and switch to the other immediately.

...

So you want to completely control this city?

You've lost yourself, Anton. Don't forget Nuova Volsinii has Signora Sicilia's endorsement. She supports the youths' reforms.

You're openly defying her authority and turning us against all of Siracusa this way. You're using the entire Famiglia Venezia as your betting chip!

It sounds like that, yes.

The last one to do that was Bernardo... he only died last year!

Are you afraid of Signora Sicilia, afraid of the youngsters at City Hall yelling their ideals across the room?

You've really gotten old, papa.

We Venezias hold a most unusual seat in the Grey Hall, a 'hybrid' famiglia. Lupos with no blood ties who left their previous pack, Vulpos like Ingrid, and Perros like you...

The other famiglie don't think too kindly of us, but we stand here today nonetheless. Our presence here embodies every Venezia's sweat and blood.

Our ties run closer than bloodlines, and I want everyone in the famiglia to have a decent end.

But you, you want to put us in great danger... Anton, I think you've forgotten my teachings.

Papa, have I ever mentioned how a Perro like me ended up in Siracusa?

...

I was a soldier, serving the True Bolívarians.

I have but a superficial understanding of the situation in Bolívar...

It actually doesn't matter which flag you fight under in Bolívar. You don't have to understand why the three parties are fighting one another. I mean, everyone's just trying to survive by giving it their all.

I was in a guerrilla force raiding a village under the Singas dynasty, but we were discovered, and the entire squad became captives.

The twenty of us emptied every pocket and piled our possessions together to bribe the executioner to spare us, change our status from 'death penalty' to 'hard labor'.

The officer responsible for driving us was a paunchy aristocrat. He was drunk that day, made a mistake during the review process, and only came to us with a truck... big enough to sit just ten people.

The executioner asked him what to do next. Can you guess how that stronzo replied?

...

He belched from his drink as he whipped out a pen and drew a circle on our list, saying: There's clearly only ten people on the list, right?

We killed him, cut off his head, escaped Bolívar, and what happened next, I'm sure you know.

Anton, this is the first time I've heard of—

Haha. It's been too long I almost forgot about it.

Do you know why it suddenly came back to me?

I was discussing with our young and promising mayor about building a logistical network in the city. He refused me, and then shared how the city came about, and its mission...

A so-called 'experimental ground', with a new order governing people from the old, vastly different from the Siracusan tradition...

He knew people would have trouble adapting, irreconcilable conflicts would occur, and the system might even swallow groups of people in the process... but it couldn't be helped, there was a potential future.

And all of that happened because four young people sat at the Grey Hall's round table and lobbied for their idea so passionately...

Signora Sicilia allocated them one of Siracusa's twenty-three cities, without hesitation...

A move so cavalier, like that aristocrat who circled half our names away.

Papa, Leontuzzo was indeed quite sincere and inspiring at the time, but I almost lost control, I wanted to burst into laughter... That boy knows nothing at all.

You said I lost myself?

No, not at all. What I want to do has always been the same.

I hate that aristocrat and Signora Sicilia. I hate their power to wantonly draw their circles as they please. I want to take it all away from them!

Anton...

Phew—Alright, Papa. I've said a bit too much today. I'm not here to let you lecture me on decency or dignity, nor am I here to analyze what's going on in Siracusa.

My activities this year alone are not enough to land a seat at the gambling table...

Papa, don't we have a landship en-route nearby? I'd like the rights to make an emergency dispatch.

This is something only Don Venezia can do.

If I refuse, will the men guarding the door deal with me like how you handled Carle?

Of course not, you're a truly decent man worthy of a dignified end.

...

You're old, Papa. Haven't you always suggested you retire?

Scusi, is Eirene not here right now?

...Y-Your Honor?

U-Uh, Eirene's not here. Everyone went to celebrate her acquittal, that's why.

So why aren't you with them?

I-I'm just servicing these trucks. See?

Carnevale's tomorrow, and they'll need a lot of our cars...

Someone has to do it.

...

You're lying, Signore.

When you see her, please let Eirene know I need to meet her, even outside of office hours.

...Got it.

Eirene, here. The schedule table for this year.

As you said, I marked all the Venezia Trucking related records. Trip times, loading instructions, driver names... they're all in there.

Yep, matches with Sommer's notebook.

Sommer wanted to bring Guri here; Carmelo was secretly nursing his injuries with alcohol and couldn't get it from us; Gianni and Ruggiero had their own troubles too...

Every member of ours they targeted was carefully selected.

There aren't many records, but the shipment frequency is very consistent. That night wasn't the first time they smuggled weapons into the city for sure...

You were right. That judge did come looking for you at the camp. After she left, some famiglie associates were tailing her in secret.

So...

I drove behind her car and came back here only after I saw her enter the courthouse.

Good.

There's also one more thing.

What is it?

I happened to see Saluzzo Vino's legal team hurrying into the courthouse.

I asked around, and apparently not long ago the police suddenly showed up at one of the Saluzzo wineries and took Alberto away.

Venezia Trucking also got the cops at their door at the same time. The police and judges should be inspecting their factories right now.

Lavinia probably doesn't know about the weapons yet, but the car accident and port fire has already sent out a dangerous signal...

Leontuzzo's injured and still hospitalized even now. As Nuova Volsinii's Supreme Justice, she tries her best to get the situation under control.

She didn't use a direct method with us like she did with the other two... she went to camp to warn us.

In other words, an ultimatum.

Wait, about what Lyudmila just said...

Neither Alberto or Venezia Junior will willingly meet their demise.

Lavinia's in danger right now.

Those wise guys only followed her with no intentions to harm her.

We're in Nuova Volsinii after all, we got cops patrolling the streets. Besides, they have an even better time slot available...

You mean Carnevale...?

We could let the judge know.

Are you still hesitant to let her know about the Truckers' Union? But can you really just stand here and watch something happen to her?

She's not a bad person at least.

You got it wrong, Lyudmila.

It's too late for us now to stay out of it.

If the famiglie dare make a direct attempt on Lavinia's life during Carnevale, there's no chance they'll let the Truckers' Union go. If that happens, we can only wait for the slaughter to happen.

I'm just thinking what I should do. I don't want something like what happened with Sommer to happen again...

...

Giving Lavinia a direct warning isn't the best choice here.

Lyudmila, did you see the weapons? How many were there?

Based on the amount I saw and total number of shifts on the schedule—

I estimate there's enough Venezia weapons in the city to arm several tactical squads with dozens of people in each.

We have more than two hundred registered members, but if we include ad-hoc staff and contract workers, we'll have several times the number of people.

I just realized the Truckers' Union is actually the largest organization in Nuova Volsinii.

Maybe we can manage it. Protecting a single person in the dark.

Do you really just want to protect that judge?

Sommer taught me one thing at least: no one can be trusted in this city but ourselves.

So we can only protect ourselves... even if that means resorting to violence.

...

When I was in Ursus, I knew someone with similar ideas. She lost herself in the end.

You want to stop me?

No... What happened with Sommer needs a proper ending.

But of course, he wouldn't want to see you lose yourself either.

Eirene, I guarantee you won't cross that final line...

I promise you I won't, Lyudmila.

I'm perfectly aware what I'm doing.