The Twelve Tables Ch. 30

"Me," Ben said. "She may have wanted to weaken the family, but the plan all along was to rule it. She would have let me have the chair and clean up all this mess, but she would have taken subtle control in the end. That was always her plan." He looked around the room as his family looked at him. "I loved her. I never saw any of it until it was put in front of me in black and white. I can add to that folio, people she's talked about and how to find them. She believed she was untouchable because I never questioned anything and she hid it well. My whole adult life's been a lie, and I think the only way to knock her off centre now, is to tell her I died in one of the attacks. They would have been watching Josh too carefully, but it's not unheard of that I would visit Papa or any of you guys unexpectedly."

"Casualties occurred at the apartment, you could have gone back for something," Dino mused. "They set it and several of the warehouses alight."

"Not me," Dante said. "I'm not doing that to Peri, if you want Emily to believe she won I know it should be me but I can't."

"What if we send Pete back, we can separate Peri ostensibly to tell her the bad news, give her the good news and then confine her to her room and say she's been sedated," Carlo suggested. "I can tell her the truth, and as long as she is separated from the group downstairs, Emily won't know it's a ruse. If she is up here, you can talk to her and prove you are alive and well."

"Yeah, alright," Dante gave in, "But I doubt Pete will leave Josh willingly right now."

"We could just have you on the missing list. Say I sent you to the archives for some information," that would put you in the path of the fires," Vincenzo suggested to Ben seeing his need to be involved but not ready to return to the house and confront his wife yet. "The police have already started picking up the Suebi we knew about. Ben needs to sit with them and try to identify the ones we didn't know by the code names."

"Tell her that the only one of us who died was Ben, and I bet she'll furnish us with a list herself in revenge. Without Ben, she has nothing and no one to get her what she wants. She and Peri had a battle of wills this morning. Peri asked her to leave, to go home with her husband or go to the farm," Dante finally told everyone what the catalyst for the attack had been. The men all went silent for a moment acknowledging that what Dante had said made sense. "Like many people, Emily underestimated our little mama. She's lost the grip she thought she held on Peri, and if she loses Ben who is her anchor in this family, I imagine she will be crazy enough to start sling mud around at everyone."

"Someone will have to tell the Farnese family what has happened to Joseph and Antonia before that happens and the other chairs find out, and we better get Bruno and Marco up to speed on the Pellegrini involvement here. We have enough proof as it is, if she rolls on them all, then all the better," Romey said his analytical mind always working on the family laws. Accusing another table of something of this magnitude was not going to be easy.

"Josh has to do it. He's the chair now. D. should step in if he's not capable," Charles said seriously.

"I'm capable," Josh said from the doorway. "I mightn't be ready to run a marathon yet but I can make the calls, dead men can talk in this instance."

"Hey kid," Ben said softly turn an apologetic face on Josh.

"Don't even start, this wasn't you, and no one here blames you," Josh cut off any guilt Ben may have expressed with an exaggerated sigh. "So what's the plan? We kill off Ben, and the rest of us do a victory dance around the black widow?"

"That's the best suggestion, I've heard since I got here," Manuel grumbled and went over to clap Josh on the shoulder making him wince. "Good to see ya, boy."

*****

"Peri," Angelo said gruffly. "We need to see you upstairs," he glanced at Roseanna and shook his head imperceptibly making her gasp and turn away hiding her dismay. He hated lying to his wife, but it was necessary at this point. She had sided with Emily when the table had been announced and with the shocking revelations of the past weeks, no one was above suspicion, even his wife. Only the table itself would know the full extent of the fallout for now.

"No, just Peri," Angelo stared at Emily who had got to her feet as if to follow Peri upstairs. "I doubt after your argument this morning that she will want your support right now," he murmured as Peri passed the baby she had been holding to a nanny and spoke briefly with the woman. Surprise registered on Emily's face. She had thought that Peri wouldn't have had enough time to tell anyone what had occurred and by now it would have been forgotten.

"That was just a little tiff, a difference of opinion," Emily tried to brush it off. "I'll come with you just in case there's anything I can help with."

"Emily, is there a problem?" Peri said trying to keep an air of authority in her voice despite the queasy feeling in her stomach from the look on Angelo's face. "He didn't ask for Mrs. Donati this time so there can't be any confusion unless you have decided to take my whole name now?" she said caustically.

"No, of course not. I assumed you would need some support. If the family is under attack Josh will be the one they will kill first," Emily said with a sickly sweet smile. "He is the chair after all."

"I don't know what's wrong with you Emily. Did you have a knock to the head or something?" Angelo said in a deathly quiet hiss. "That was fucked up and if I didn't know any better, you sound as if you're happy about that fact that the family is under attack." he signalled Rosanna over to him and spoke loudly enough for his voice to carry to the other adults in the room and most of the children. "You're in charge while Peri is meeting with Pete upstairs, I think the medication Emily has been on since her time in hospital has had some adverse effects."

The truth was he wanted to rage at the woman and her smug attitude, but he held it together as he knew they must until the timing was right. Let her sweat it out down here unable to contact anyone for information, until she exposed herself or they were ready to give her the news of Ben's murder. CJ and a small band of super Geeks were working on all of the surveillance and tracking programs needed. First, though, Peri needed to be told what was happening and confined to the upstairs area of the house.

"Come on Emily you can sit with Arianna and Angelina who are planning her orientation day at Fairmont," Rosanna led her away looking at her husband over her shoulder. She could see that something was very wrong, and as she looked at Peri, she felt sick at the thought that Josh had been hurt or worse.

Emily began to sob softly, appealing to Rosanna's kind heart and the bond she had developed with the woman over the years. She knew that Rosanna didn't blame her for anything that had occurred over the holidays, as she had Carmen do all of the talking and interfering at the time. It was a shame she didn't have Carmen here now to say all the harsh things that needed to be said to these women. Instead, she appealed to their emotional states of uncertainty and became a weak and fragile woman who needed to be cossetted and spoilt, to be able to get through this ordeal. She knew the part by heart; it was how she had managed to be able to do all of the things she had accomplished over the last decade, of subtly undermining the foundations of the great Donati family.

*****

Peri walked into the office area with Angelo at her side. She could see the pain and tension showing on Carlo and CJ's faces as she looked around for anyone else who might have come. Angelo pointed at the monitor that sat at the end of the large table where Peri could see the torso's of several men as they walked around the room on the other end of the screen.

"OI! She's here," Carlo tapped the mic already feeling uncomfortable by what needed to be said.

"Hey beautiful," Dante said coming into focus on the screen.

"Dante," she breathed with a soft smile. "I have never been so happy to see you, where's Josh?"

"He got hit by a truck," Dante said seriously. "He's alive, but it's hard to tell if his head injury has caused any brain damage, he never had much of a brain, to begin with, and Pete's been having trouble finding it."

"Is he there with you?" Peri giggled with relief. She knew that Dante wouldn't be joking about it if it was a serious injury.

"Yeah but he looks like he's been hit by a truck," Dante said shifting over so Pete could wheel the chair Josh sat in beside him.

"Oh Josh," Peri exclaimed reaching a hand toward the monitor.

"I'm alright, it looks worse than it feels," he smiled lopsidedly. "Look, I have a lot to do here, things haven't gone well for any of us today. I need you to listen to Ang and Carlo. They'll tell you everything. Papa and Mama," he paused and took a steadying breath. "They weren't lucky enough to get out in time like the rest of us. The family is our responsibility now. I need you to listen to the whole story from Carlo. We won't be home for some time yet but we are safe, and I trust the guys there to look after you and the babies. Stick with Phillipe and Gerrard, they'd die before letting anything happen to you or our babies."

"I understand," Peri said realising how serious the situation was despite Dante's earlier joking to put her at ease about how Josh looked.

"I have to go, just remember no matter what anyone says now, you've seen us, you know we're fine. We are all here together except the Ang, Carlo, and CJ," Josh said.

"I love you stay safe please," Peri said as she saw Pete come back into the screen shot to wheel him away. "Pete look after him for me," she said sadly realising his injuries were sufficient that he wasn't able to walk.

"What about me?" Dante said plaintively.

"You're the family hero I didn't think I had to ask your brothers to babysit you," she laughed looking into his handsome eyes and seeing sadness come into them. "Dante if anyone can hold things together today you can. You are the most amazing man, and I love you too," she said.

"Stay safe and listen to Ang. and Carlo okay? Don't take any risks not even if it sounds like a good idea at the time. We still don't know what we're dealing with exactly. You're safe where you are, so stay there." He stood and moved away from the screen and Peri turned to Carlo and Ang. who stood directly behind her.

"I'm ready to hear whatever you have to say," Peri said moving to the corner where a small sitting area had been set. She listened carefully to the whole story starting back on the night Dante had been shot. Carlo who worked closely with CJ on decrypting the coded messages filled her in on all of the backgrounds they had discovered leading up to that fateful night where the grand decades-long scheme had finally begun to unravel for Emily and the Pellegrini's. The news that Joseph and Antonia were in fact not just injured but dead, hit her like a ton of bricks, and she began to cry. So much devastation all because she had forced Emily's hand by asking her to leave the house in the argument this morning.

It was true the attack still would have occurred, as both Carlo and Angelo hastened to reassure her but it was more likely to have happened on Friday, when everyone was better prepared. As it was CJ's early warning system and the Watchmen that worked with Vincenzo had saved lives regardless of the time. Everyone was safe except the Mother and Father of the Donati Family.

"Carlo," reached out and touched his arm. "Call Louisa and have her come over. If you plan to make her part of the family she may as well see us in the worst of times and honestly I could use a friend right now." He looked at her stunned. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but this wasn't it. "Whoever is attacking us won't jeopardise Emily's safety, she's been calling the shots for a long time now, and they need her. This is the safest place, and I am concerned that Louisa might be in shock," she was clear headed and could see what needed to be done. "Wait," she looked at them. "Call Pete and get a doctor that he trusts, one of his partners to pick her up and bring her. I know you have said you are all fine Angelo but that landing must have been traumatic, and I think it's best we check the kids and Rosanna over. Shock can be a strange thing that keeps you going even when you shouldn't be able to. Trust me, it's something I know about."

"Yeah," Angelo nodded. "I'd feel better with a doctor on hand here at the house.

"No arguments from me," Carlo agreed easily feeling better about being able to see Louisa. Her brief phone call to him had made him uneasy.

"If this is the safest place, tell Vinnie to get my family here too. She won't question that, I've been here all day, and it's no secret the family is under attack," CJ said from nearby where he had listened to the conversation and added to it as he worked.

"Oh CJ of course, I'm sorry. Do you think we should get Finola and Margarite as well?" She turned suddenly to Angelo. "Has anyone told Lucia about Mama and Papa?"

"All right, I'll call Zio and see what they want to do," Angelo said calmly reaching for his phone.

"Fucking idiots," CJ grumbled. "Yo, Papa!" he yelled into the mic, and Charles appeared on the screen. "We need to talk to Vinnie and Pete as well," he snapped and made an arm gesture at the screen as the rest of them moved sheepishly toward it.

"It's your show," Angelo said stepping back and allowing Peri to sit and talk to the men gathered on the other side of the screen. He was quietly impressed with how Peri had handled the overload of information and the tragedy that was unfolding within the family.

Once Peri had stated her case to the other members of the family and Pete and made them realise the men they had with them would be more at ease knowing their wife and children were safe, plans had been made. Once the wives arrived they would tell Emily that they knew their husbands were safe. She would start feeling some doubt and begin asking questions about Ben. Angelo and Carlo would say he was still missing and that he had been gone to meet Josh for lunch. Peri didn't have to fake her tears or distress when talking about Josh, he looked like he had not only been hit by a truck but dragged beneath it for some distance and she tried to remain positive knowing that he was with people who loved and would look after him. Dante was there.

Louisa thought Josh was dead, but she didn't know for sure. He had disappeared into an ambulance and they could each claim that no one was able to confirm where he was now and that hospitals were being checked. The fact that Antonia and Joseph had died would be given out once Lucia had been told and they would keep up the ruse that both Josh and Ben were missing.

Devastated beyond belief at the loss of Joseph, Antonia and Marisol and the grave nature of Andreas's injuries, Peri concentrated on the tasks at hand and prepared for the people who would be arriving to add to the people downstairs. She reasoned that there was no real reason to keep the women and children downstairs except to contain Emily. She worked over that problem in her mind. There had to be a way to allow the children to go to their rooms, particularly the nannies and little ones without allowing Emily too much freedom.

Of all the men and women that formed the security teams that were with them inside the house, she trusted Phillipe and Gerrard without question and reasoning that containing Emily would keep her safe, she pulled them into her team and plans. After Phillipe had heard the whole story that Carlo and Angelo had told her and relayed it to Gerrard, it had been surprisingly easy to convince them to follow her plans for a change.

*****

Dino had called his brother Marcus and told him the abridged version of all that had occurred knowing that Marcus was as up to date as he could be about their findings. If there was going to be an accusation against another family and not just Emily, they knew they needed the Battaglia on their side.

Josh had spent more time than he had wanted to break the news to the leaders of the Farnese family. His Zia Rosie had not taken the news of her twin's death well, while Thomaso had raged at the attack on his sister and her family. Josh explained the suspicions they had and the proof they had gathered. While the proof incriminated Emily and her family, they were sure that the Pellegrini's had not shown their full hand as yet. Josh assured them that despite their personal grief at the loss of their parents, he and his brothers were determined to get irrefutable proof that the betrayal and the cold-blooded murder of Joseph and Antonia had been sanctioned by the chair of the Pellegrini family.

Thomaso reluctantly agreed to wait twenty-four hours before calling a gathering of the Twelve and making any accusations The two families were linked by blood and love, and he had taken the news as if his family and table were the ones under attack. When Josh finally hung up the phone, he put his hands over his face and took a deep shuddering breath. How was he ever supposed to follow a man like Joseph as the Donati chair? He wasn't ready.

"You handled that better than I could've," Ben said softly pulling up a chair beside him. "Better than any of us could. Papa knew what he was doing when he gave you the chair. Trust in that, because we do." Ben placed a hand on his shoulder and gripped it tightly. "I know you don't want to hear this, but I need to say it, I'm sorry Josh. So fucking unbelievably sorry."

"It's fucked up Ben. The most fucked up thing about all of this is that I know she loves you, and you love her. You can't fake that sort of love. She wanted the power and money and was willing to sacrifice us not you, never you. She was counting on your love for her and the children to pull you through all the tragedy and loss," Josh said honestly running his fingers through his hair. "We can't help who we fall in love with, or how blind that love makes us. You are dealing with far more than the rest of us, and you can apologise as much as you want. if that will help you get through this. I need you Ben, more than I ever have, so whatever you have to do to get through his is fine with me. I trust you, you know. I know you didn't see any of this coming. None of us did, she fooled everyone, even the watchers."

"I hate you if that helps," Dante grumbled sitting opposite them.

"Yeah, you hate everyone right now," Ben gave him a steady look.

"True enough," Dante shrugged. "Just didn't want ya to feel left out."

"Thanks," Ben said dryly. He was grateful for Dante's dark humour. It saved him from having to respond to what Josh said. He had no words for his kid brother that didn't come in the form of an apology, but he wouldn't leave his side while he needed him and, he admitted to himself, he was grateful that Josh still wanted him there at all.

"Everything's ready, the boys in blue are on point with emergency services, we just need to start the wheels in motion," Dante said.

"Dead man walking," Ben said getting to his feet

*****

Peri had allowed everyone out of the cellar after being stuff there most of the day, allowing the nannies to deal with tired and irritable kids, and organise early dinner's and bath times. She had gathered all of the women into her library office after arranging it to accommodate them all in a large circle of couches.

With Louisa help, she had put together a list of information about the damage to homes and businesses. The attacks had stopped, as the police swooped to pick up people seen either in the act or close to the attacks. It seemed it was over for now, and the Donati had been left to lick their wounds and survey the wreckage of their lives.