Astray

What happened, actually?

Was it an accident?

I, I don't know. I was just driving along, and all of a sudden, my steering wheel wouldn't turn right.

I didn't have time to react and crashed the truck. By the time I came to, it was all over...

But... even if you panicked at the moment, you shouldn't have left a critically injured person by the roadside and driven away!

Do you realize that if first responders had arrived just a few minutes later, Leontuzzo would have...

I know you're not like that.

Sorry, Eirene. I really wanted to help him. I know I should have helped him. I'm not a bad guy.

But, but I had to drive off.

Why?

...

Sommer, talk to me!

What was in that truck?

I'm sorry, Eirene...

Sommer, who were you driving that truck for?

Venezia Trucking... Famiglia Venezia.

Is this because of Guri?

Don't try to justify it, Eirene. I know I made a huge mistake.

Why? Why go to them rather than seek help from the Truckers' Union?

You're the most senior trucker in the union. You know how unique our situation is in Nuova Volsinii—both City Hall and the famiglie are watching us like hawks.

Eirene, we all know how expensive Oripathy medication is.

Besides, once I bring Guri to Nuova Volsinii, between settling her in and getting her into a good school... who knows how much all of that will cost?

I'm here too, aren't I? I can help. You're the one who saved me back in Sicilia. Guri is my sister too.

Eirene, the union can't help me fix this.

So you're gonna do it by yourself...?

...No.

Goods shipped in from other cities or shipments between local merchants, every item we touch must be registered in advance.

In the past six months, I've personally reviewed every single schedule, and we've passed all routine inspections. How could you alone have managed to—could it be that...?

I'm not doing this alone, Eirene.

...

So none of you know where Sommer went?

Is it possible he already ran back to Sicilia under cover of darkness? I mean, he did hit the Acting Mayor's car, you know!

The police are going to throw everything they have at this case. Will we be exposed? Smuggling contraband is a red line for City Hall, especially since we were doing it to help you...

No, no. This has nothing to do with Venezia Trucking.

—

What? You mean, you're gonna tie up all the 'loose ends'?

'Tie up loose ends'? Spoken like a true wise guy. Haha.

But no, I'm not. Relax. Do you see me carrying any weapons? Just keep your mouth shut, and everything will be fine. Capisce?

But what if the cops start breathing down our necks?

We've been hiding this stuff from Eirene and getting sweated by City Hall all this time. If something really does happen, you can't just wash your hands of all this!

(Shrugs)

If you really wanna pick nits here, we are even less to blame.

Venezia Trucking has never violated the 'New Urban Management Act', nor has it ever tried to infiltrate the Truckers' Union or interfere with Nuova Volsinii's logistics system.

What do you mean?

Sommer wants to bring his daughter here to treat her for Oripathy, right?

He already found a good hospital, but he can't afford to pay for the treatment. Instead, he's using union trucks as private hospital vehicles to help the Logistics Department transport goods.

Venezia Trucking is at the bottom of the list, when it comes to that Hospital's financial backers. We have no connection to Sommer, apart from being in the same city.

No. That's not true.

And you, you're just a drunk who can't even sit up straight in the driver's seat half the time. You had to secretly hire someone to drive for you just to keep your job.

We signed a service agreement, I'll have you know! I'm just a driver-for-hire trying to make some extra cash.

I was sick! They had to put me on painkillers!

You got some kind of leverage over every single truck driver you approach.

Nuova Volsinii values the rule of law. We can go to court and present the evidence piece by piece. Then we'll see whose hands are clean.

You—you people are even scarier without weapons!

Really? I'm glad you say that, because I used to think I looked like a dork quoting laws like that.

...

Alright. Calm down everyone.

Enough threats. Let's just fix this. You guys go find our 'tires', and we'll handle the rest.

...How long has it been?

They found me six months ago. I reckon that they'd already dealt with a few dozen other drivers before then.

What choice did we have? Running even one shipment for them pays more than we earn in a month.

Besides, if we don't cooperate, they have plenty of ways to push us right out of this city.

After Signora Sicilia took power, she implemented all these reforms, in all of Siracusa's cities. The cunning guys adapted to the new rules far faster than we did...

Are you speaking for yourself, or for others?

...

Eirene, I beg you, help us!

I promise you! Once Carnevale is over, we'll never smuggle anything for those goons ever again!

You can turn me in, but please, you have to help the others. They really had no choice but to—

....The list of names.

What?

Don't try and fool me. If you guys were doing this stuff, you had to have made a list of names. Give it to me.

...At least tell me how many of you there are. Then I'll try and see what I can do.

—!

Sommer, why do you still have that lighter? I thought you quit smoking.

It was a gift from you. I'm used to carrying it around.

Actually, I found it lying around near the supermarket. There's no way I could afford to buy such an expensive lighter.

Do you remember? After Guri's mother passed away, you took over that supermarket, managing the business while raising your child. Then one day, you found me, homeless, at your doorstep.

You always say you just took in a delivery driver and cashier who didn't ask for a salary, but I know you actually gave me a place to stay—a home.

Later, Famiglia Tocco set their sights on us. They were just a small family, but even after we stocked their products, they wouldn't let up. They threatened us, demanding we remove their competitors' items from the shelves.

We told them we'd consider their request, but then that same night, a huge fire broke out in the supermarket, which is how Guri contracted Oripathy.

That's all in the past. Why are you bringing it up now?

I found it. Here you are.

Carmelo, Gianni, Ruggiero. What a surprise.

...Sorry.

Don't say any more, Sommer. Go to the storehouse. There is a wooden crate behind that truck that's being repaired. Bring it to me.

But that's...everything you own, isn't it?

Alright... alright.

...

Sommer, what you don't know is, I found that lighter right next to the scene of the supermarket fire.

We came to Nuova Volsinii because we had nothing.

Everyone makes mistakes at some point...

But I can't let you destroy all of this.

Judge Lavinia.

I'm here to see Leon.

I need to ask you all a favor—do not disclose Leon's condition to outsiders. This info is strictly need-to-know.

Sure. I understand.

It seems I'm in the right place.

Who are you looking for? This is a special ward. You can't just barge in here!

No, it's ok. Let her come in.

...

Well then, I'll get going. Please find me if you need anything.

...Texas.

Long time no see.

Long time no see.

I just grabbed some millefoglie and macaroni downstairs. Have a bite if you're hungry—I'll keep an eye on Leontuzzo for now.

I received your invitation.

...

We never heard back from you. We assumed you weren't planning to return to Nuova Volsinii.

I was busy.

Croissant is busy pushing Bison into organizing some new international project, Sora is only halfway through her tour of Siracusa, and Exusiai—who knows where she's run off to this time?

I've been managing Penguin Logistics myself this whole time, with far fewer staff and no fewer orders.

Besides, these crowded celebrations really don't excite me. I prefer just stopping by when I'm on a delivery, assuming it's on the way.

Then what brings you here today?

What can I do? I have a boss who loves a good crowd. One night, he happened to spot that invitation and had me pack my bags on the spot.

He's very interested in the 'themed party' you're hosting. He cleared his calendar, shut down 'The Ends of the Earth' for two weeks, and dragged me here all the way from Lungmen.

...

Relax, Lavinia. You seem so tense.

Leon, he...

I've been briefed on it.

It wasn't an accident?

The police are still investigating. I just got back from the scene... I don't think it was an accident.

Persons of interest?

Yes.

The usual suspects?

Uhuh.

Why?

On the night of the Carnevale parade, Leon was supposed to officially announce his appointment as mayor of Nuova Volsinii at the front of the procession.

It's not a strange decision, per se, but he did seem a bit too eager.

Even if he abandoned his family, he is still Bernardo Bellone's son. One year is not enough for people to forget the turmoil Bernardo once stirred in Volsinii.

Staying behind the scenes makes it easier for him to keep the government functioning. This is the safest approach. It's much better than him changing clothes, putting down his defensive staff, and stepping back into the spotlight.

Nuova Volsinii has only been around for a year and he's barely managing to hold onto his position as Acting Mayor, even with Signora Sicilia's backing.

I told him all of this already.

...Right.

Lavinia, your comms device has been flashing for a while now.

...

Did they find new evidence?

No, it's a message from the court. We have a case...

That's kind of tricky?

Uhuh.

Honestly, I understand why Leon was in such a hurry.

This year, the changes in Nuova Volsinii can be seen with the naked eye. Many things that once existed only in our imagination have now become a reality.

Isn't that what Signora Sicilia wanted?

Well, but it's not enough; not nearly enough. We must show our presence to promote more changes.

So I stopped trying to persuade him, but then...

You're still the same as before—no, even more naive than back then. It's kind of nice.

Texas, do you want to come with me?

To the court?

You know I'm not interested in crowded celebrations, much less official duties involving mountains of paperwork.

I'm going to stay here and ensure Leon's safety. Right now, there's no one better suited to the job, right?

Thank you, Texas.

To be honest, if you had stayed with me in Nuova Volsinii back then—