In the early hours of the second day, Qin Wei and Oswald were called into the conference room.
Maroni had been waiting there for some time, with a phone sitting in front of him.
"Gentlemen, let's take our seats and wait for the moment to arrive!" Glancing at the mantel clock, Maroni laid a silver-plated Taurus Hunter revolver on the table. Only a few minutes remained before Falcone's twenty-four-hour deadline.
Falcone was almost obsessively punctual. If he allowed twelve hours for an investigation, he would stick to it down to the second. It was precisely because Maroni understood this trait that he had dared to confiscate Qin Wei's phone.
He was certain Falcone would not call before the deadline.
Of course, Maroni was not sure Falcone would trust Qin Wei unconditionally. Even if he did, he might still weigh the risks and decide not to attend. But that did not stop Maroni from taking a gamble.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Even if the odds of Falcone taking the bait were slim, Maroni could still set the board in advance, first using the "fake Harvey" to eliminate the planted spies, then buying off Qin Wei, the last informant, with a fortune.
If the assassination succeeded, he could unite Gotham's gangs and bring those wavering politicians into his fold. With their support, he might even replace the declining Wayne family as one of Gotham's four great families.
The temptation was simply too great.
As for how he would deal with Qin Wei, the man who would deserve so much credit, afterward...
Maroni had yet to decide.
Rationally speaking, he leaned toward putting the man to good use.
In just one month, a nobody had not only risen to a high position but also maneuvered between him and Falcone without coming to