“Prime Minister, we have a problem,” he announces. “Finance Minister Russo just gave an interview calling the anti-corruption package ‘draconian’ and suggesting a complete redraft.”
Carlos shoots me a look that screams ‘I told you so.’
“Where?” I demand.
“RAI News. It’s already trending. Opposition leaders are calling for emergency debates.”
I grab my phone. “Get me Russo. Now.”
“He’s conveniently unreachable,” Riccardo says. “But his staff leaked that he’s meeting with party leaders from three coalition factions this afternoon.”
“Coordinating their resistance,” Carlos murmurs.
“Or planning a no-confidence vote,” Riccardo adds.
I pace the length of the conference room. “How many votes can we count on if it comes to that?”
Riccardo and Carlos exchange glances.
“Currently? Not enough,” Riccardo admits. “We need to make concessions or build new alliances fast.”
“I want numbers on my desk in an hour,” I order. “And schedule a press conference for this evening. We’re going to remind everyone exactly why this legislation matters.”
After they leave, I call Gabriella.
“You’ve heard about Russo?” I ask when she answers.
“I’m looking at the interview transcript now,” she replies. “Russo’s playing a dangerous game.”
“Can your office accelerate the release of those files on the Naples construction scandal? The ones implicating Russo’s brother-in-law?”
A pause. “That would be viewed as political retaliation.”
“It would be viewed as transparency. Exactly what our legislation promotes.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” Her tone carries a warning. “But fighting dirty cuts both ways, Matteo.”
She sighs, and I can picture her rubbing her temples the way she does when weighing difficult decisions. “While we’re talking, I’ve made a decision about our anti-corruption efforts.”
“What kind of decision?” I ask, immediately alert to the determination in her voice.
“I’m establishing a specialized Anti-Corruption Task Force, effective immediately. I’ve already signed the ministerial order and allocated emergency funding from my discretionary budget.”
This catches me by surprise. “Without cabinet approval?”
“The Justice Ministry has the authority to create specialized investigative units without prior consultation. I’m exercising that authority before someone tries to block it.”
I smile at her boldness. “You’ll face backlash.”
“Let them come. I’ve secured office space in the Justice Ministry’s east wing—deliberately separate from other departments to minimize interference. I’ve already pulled in our best investigators from financial crimes, organized crime, and public corruption divisions.”
“You’ve been planning this.”
“Since the assassination attempt,” she confirms. “I realized we can’t wait for the legislation to pass. We need an operational unit that can start following the money trails immediately, especially if they lead to the people who tried to have you killed.”
I walk to the window, processing the implications. “Cross-jurisdictional authority?”
“Full spectrum. They can follow investigations wherever they lead—across government departments, into the private sector, even internationally if necessary. I’ve already initiated paperwork for cooperative agreements with Europol and Interpol.”
