Chapter 15: Underworld’s Greatest Negotiation.

  Grim and Lazaro sat stiffly at the long, lavish table, trapped in a gilded prison of luxury.

  Chandeliers gleamed overhead. Glasses clinked. Laughter filled the air.

  Lazaro, still playing Grim’s ‘mistress,’ suddenly gasped.

  At the center of it all was Don Vito Uru – smiling like he already knew how the night would end.

  Lazaro flinched.

  Lazaro (fake concerned and overdramatic) "Oh, darling! You have a very important business call!"

  Grim blinked. What business?

  Don's grin dropped. “Business call? At my party?”

  His thick fingers tapped the table.

  Then, his face contorted with pure disgust.

  "I’m sure whoever’s calling can wait. Or die. Both work fine."

  Before either of them could react, Don signalled a waitress and had her pour down Grim’s empty glass.

  "Drink. If you’re a man you can handle a little delay."

  Grim glared at Lazaro. Lazaro shrugged.

  Attempt 2

  Grim tried again, keeping it simple.

  Grim (stoic but firm): "Need to hit the restroom."

  Don waved a hand, "Oh, no problem. My butler will take you. Johnny."

  A massive, deadpan butler, materialized behind them like a horror movie jumpscare.

  "This way, sir." He said in a low voice.

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  Grim and Lazaro exchanged glances.

  There was no way they were getting away with this.

  Thinking fast, Lazaro clutched his stomach.

  "WAIT!. It’s—uh—private. I get nervous peeing around other people."

  Johnny, stone-faced, slowly leaned down and whispered in a voice so deep it shook his soul.

  "Sir... I can hold your hand if it helps."

  Attempt 3

  Lazaro, now fully desperate, GASPED and pointed across the room.

  Lazaro (whispering dramatically): "Boss... I think someone just signalled you."

  Don perked up. "Oh? Who?"

  Lazaro, regretting it instantly: "Uh—There! The guy in the red suit!"

  Don turned, eyes scanning, then smiled like a man who had already decided what that suit would look like folded into a coffin.

  “Francesco. Brave of him.” He clapped once—soft.

  The room stopped. “Deal with him. Quietly.”

  The entire party froze.

  Francesco, peacefully eating shrimp, went pale.

  Women screamed. Waiters panicked. Security rushed in.

  Grim and Lazaro stared at the chaos they’d just unleashed.

  Grim (low voice): "That was the worst plan yet."

  Lazaro(grinning): "Yeah. But at least it was fun."

  Attempt 4

  Lazaro suddenly leaned over to Grim and whispered, "I got this. Just nod."

  Then, keeping his face dead serious, he turned to Don.

  Lazaro (dramatic whisper): "Don, you know how it is... Some urgent business just came up. Very, very important."

  Don, half-drunk but still sharp enough to buy and sell an entire city, raised an eyebrow.

  "Business? At my party?"

  Grim nodded aggressively.

  "Yeah. Big business. Huge. You wouldn't believe it."

  Lazaro glanced left and right, making it seem like he was about to reveal a dark secret. Then, he leaned in closer to Don’s ear and whispered:

  "Diarrhea."

  The table went dead silent.

  Don just stared.

  The women beside him blinked.

  A long, thin pause. Then—Don laughed. A single breath. Quiet. Sharp.

  “Go. Take Johnny. Get out of my sight before I start liking you less.”

  He waved them off like a king granting a royal pardon.

  Grim and Lazaro, keeping their cool, walked away like professionals.

  The second they were out of sight—

  Grim (gritting his teeth): "You really said diarrhea?"

  Lazaro (grinning): "It worked, didn’t it?"

  Boom. They were free. Don was already too distracted by his self-made chaos to care.

  Now, finally, they could get to the ducts.