Lucky Dog 1 translations 06 Ivan route 03

Part 2: Escape

Chapter 6

Hints of Sedition

Giulio’ll probably be fine on his own.  I approach Ivan from the side.

I feel a vague sense of distrust.  ‘If I leave Ivan alone here with a gun, he might betray us.’  It’s probably just my nerves, but…

Ivan: What, not sticking around for the torture?

Gian: It’ll be the same with or without me.

Ivan: …Hmph.  Chickenwuss.

Instead of replying, I stretch.  The morning air’s refreshing … so long as you ignore the piercing shrieks coming from inside the cabin.

Gian: Can’t believe hitmen came after us.  They’re even nastier than the police.

If I hadn’t happened to slip just now … I would’ve had a gaping hole in my head…

Ivan spits out a sigh and glares at me spitefully.

Ivan: It doesn’t even cross your mind that Bernardo might’ve turned on us?

Yeah, right.  There’s no way.

Gian: An old loyalist like him, turn on the family?  I’ve seen how much he cares for the family up close for a long time now.

But Ivan doesn’t let up and continues indifferently.

Ivan: Things are completely different from how they were before we got thrown in the joint.  After all, you’re the next boss now…  Loyalty?  Values?  ‘s not strange if all that vanished in a snap.

Gian: You just saying that to bust my balls?

Ivan: You put too much trust in Bernardo.

Gian: I’ve known him longer than you, so duh.

Ivan: You never know.  In the big scheme of things, you might’ve known me longer.  Why don’t you mull over it?

Ivan stares at me.  His mouth is upturned in a light smile.

Our gazes meet straight on for a long while, with only the crying and begging from the cabin as soundtrack.

Ivan has a gun.  I have nothing.  …I’m a bit nervous about pissing him off.  I decide to back off from this situation.

Gian: …Two guys?  Staring into each other’s eyes?  Don’t you have a watch to keep?

I joke around, and Ivan smirks before turning away.

Eventually, Giulio comes back from the woods with bloody hands.  I see him head around back to use the well.

Before I realize it, we’re almost at the thirty minute time limit.

     

Luchino and Bernardo step through the door.  Just on time.  Everyone’s gathered out front now.

Ivan: You end up whacking him?

Bernardo: No, we left him on the ground unconscious.  We broke all his fingers and all his toes on one foot.

Giulio: Did you check every corner of his body?

Luchino: Huh?

Giulio: The body outside…  There are burns on the inside of his arm, from removing his tattoo.

He says it deadpan, but everyone knows he’s talking about the CR:5 tattoo you get when you’re made.

Bernardo and Luchino’s faces twist, as though they’d caught sight of something particularly repulsive.  The two immediately head back into the cabin and drag the mess of a man out.

We forcefully wake him by slapping him on the face.  He doesn’t really struggle, probably because he’s got no idea what’s going on.

I help Luchino strip the guy.  …I find a burn, still unhealed, on his thigh.

Gian: …Found it.  This, right?

If they both have one, then it’s no coincidence…

Luchino: This really does … look like our mark…

Bernardo: Former, you mean.  Filthy traitors.

Once you’re acknowledged by the family, you can’t ever leave, just like how you can’t make blood-ties disappear into thin air.

About the only way you can leave voluntarily is if you get really sick.  Burning the tattoo off to hide it is equivalent to declaring that you’ve abandoned the family.

Luchino: So this was why I thought he looked familiar.  Hey, anyone know this guy?  Whose crew is he?

However, none of us can say we know anything about the two hitmen.

Bernardo: They acted like they recognized us…

Gian: But it doesn’t look like they knew about me…

Ivan: Hey, you … where’re you from?!  Spit it out!

Don’t know if the guy’s half-unconscious, but he says nothing.  He just whispers something under his breath.

Maybe he’s not a formal made man?  Sometimes there are stupid idiots, associates and followers, who just think it’s cool to get a tattoo.

Gian: Hey, speak up.  We can’t hear you.

Man: …Help … me…

Luchino: Was the name you gave us fake, too?  Was it a lie that you’re a GD hoodlum?  Not like it really matters at this point, though.

Man: ‘s real…  Please … home…  Please…

I feel vaguely sorry for this guy.  He doesn’t get what’s in store for him at all.

Gian: You stupid idiot…  You just had to go and get a tattoo…

In the name of Omertà, you can’t shame the family.  They spoil me a bit, but even I know where to draw the line.

Luchino digs his fingers into the remnants of the man’s tattoo, rubbing it back and forth.

Luchino: By the code…

Bernardo: …Traitors are put to death.

Man: …Stop, please.  My wife’s pregnant.  The baby’s still inside her.  I’m a father.  If I don’t support them, they’ll…

Luchino: Don’t worry.  She’ll find herself another man in a heartbeat.

Sighing at the sight of the thug struggling with all his might and begging for his life, Luchino hands the pistol over to me.

…Telling me to kill him?  I feel a faint disgust at the weight of the gun.

Gian: …Me?

Luchino: It’s one of the duties of a capo.  You need the experience.

Man: …Help me!  Please…!!

---

I rest the muzzle of the gun against the begging man.

I sigh … and pull the trigger.

A slight resistance in my finger.  Then the gunshot.  And then, the recoil.

Gian: …See ya.

Blood leaks out from the burnt hole in his forehead.  I point the piece down towards the ground as I stare at the dead man.

     

Without a word, Giulio approaches him and puts a hand on his head.

He starts separating the guy’s ear off from the base up top.

Gian: Giulio!  What the hell’re you doing?!

The others don’t say a thing.

Giulio: …I am removing his ear.

Bernardo: A gruesome death awaits turncoats … but this one died a fairly easy death.

Luchino: We can’t take our time here.  Just make it one ear, Giulio.

Just then … I don’t mean to … but I see…

I notice that, as he’s working, Giulio’s got a tent.  His eyes are unusually bright.  …He’s turned on.

I can’t watch anymore and turn away.  The other three all turn a blind eye.

After slicing off one ear, he reaches to start on the other one, but Bernardo grabs him by the shoulder and stops him.

Giulio: …But…

Bernardo: Giulio, leave it at that.  Once we get back to Daivan, you can play all you like.

Giulio: …With the GD?

Bernardo: Yeah.

Giulio beams.  A joyful smile.  He flicks the ear, sending speckles of blood flying, and sticks it into his pocket before standing.

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