Middle Management (Book two of the Yaatra Hombre series)

Maria Maresca

Maria Maresca was born on October 21, 2983. She was born in a suburb of Naples to the don of the Camora. She was the youngest of four children and the only girl. Her father's position afforded the family to live a life of luxury and lived the good life. The three older brothers had careers that you would expect. One went into the family business, one became a high-priced criminal defense attorney, and the other became a senator. Maria joined the Italian Self Defense Force. For four years starting at the age of 18 she trained and served with honor rising to the rank of colonel. Military analists predicted her to eventually became the head of the planet's self defense force. To the shock of many she left the force and started the Maresca Security company. The company would hire many gangsters to act as security to numerous events. They would even be hired by small businesses after strings of vandalism and assaults. Those that did not hire her security services saw their businesses burned down by 'random' arsons. He company became so lucrative that it attracted the interest of Middle Management and would gradually hire he company for protection on more and more legally complicated meetings and operations. The Maresca Security Company would be the enforcers for Middle Management and Maria would obtain a seat on the board. Her end would start three days before the final meeting.

In a mansion near the ocean of the island of Napoli, Maria Maresca was getting dressed in formal business attire before applying make up and straightening her shoulder length blond hair. She put on her earrings and diamond necklace. She then walked out of her bathroom into her bedroom to see a 6ft 2in woman putting on a dress suit with a red tie and her short brown hair making it easy for her to put an ear piece in her ear. Maria walked over to her and gave a quick peck to her lips.

"Ready cara." She said looking at the woman 6 inches taller then her giving neck a small hug hanging off her.

The brunette looked down at her with adoration like she was the reason for living. "Minha gatinha, I am always ready when you are ready."

They quickly kissed before heading out the bedroom and went out the front door. The two went to the garage. The garage contained ten luxury cars. The two walked toward a black Lamborghini. Maria unplugged the car from the charging port. Maria got into the driver's seat while her lover went to the passenger's seat. Maria rubbed her wrists that did not go unnoticed by the woman in the passenger's seat.

"It wasn't too tight last night?" She asked the driver.

"I didn't say 'Silk' last night did I." Maria flirted as she started the car.

The car ride was relatively short. They parked in the underground garage at the Maresca Security building. The two went to the elevator and went up to the 15th floor. She walked to her office greeting her secretary who gave her boss a cappuccino. Maria entered her office while her bodyguard/lover stayed behind her as she sat her desk. Maria looked over her emails, read reports, and signed documents for her authorizations. When she looked at the time on her phone, she saw that it was 11:37 AM.

"It's almost lunch time are you ready to head out?"

"Yeah I was getting hungry." The personal bodyguard answered. "Let me guess Samuels?"

"You know I need my pizza fix." Maria said excitedly stretching her arms above her head. "Come on a pizza margherita has my name on it."

Her bodyguard smirks and scoffs the rolls her eyes at her girlfriends enthusiasm for Neapolitan Pizza. She followed her down and walked the Naples streets. The city being recreated to be a living replica of the city left behind back on earth like many most of the cities in the European System. The two reached a small restaurant with a simple red sign called Samuels. It fit perfectly with the aesthetic of an old Italian neighborhood.