Anastasia leaned back, observing the shifting expressions in the room. The realization seemed to have dawned upon the family members, and she could sense the acceptance of the plan settling in.

"Exactly,"

she affirmed.

"We play our cards right, and we become the indispensable ally the Indonesians need to maintain the balance. They get rid of the Triad's interference, and we continue our operations without getting embroiled in the mess of a full-scale gang war."

She glanced around, gauging their reactions. Some still looked uncertain, and others were deep in thought. Anastasia knew the gravity of the situation; this plan wasn't without risks. However, in their precarious world, risk was an inherent part of survival.

"We'll send a messenger to the Indonesians, offering our terms and proposing an alliance. Make it clear that we'll be their proxy against the Triad's meddling, and we'll provide them with valuable intel and a base of operation, only. They get to maintain their dominance without risking an open war,"

she reiterated. 

"I will have someone send the message to the Indonesians and arrange a meeting soon enough."

Anastasia then turned her attention back to the family members.

"Remember, discretion is crucial. We maintain the appearance of a ceasefire with the Italians, and we don't provoke unnecessary conflicts. Our focus is on stability and securing our position."

As she spoke, Anastasia could sense a bit of doubt still lingering in the back of their heads.

"Any objections or concerns?"

Anastasia inquired, inviting an open discussion.

There was a brief silence before one of the family members, a woman with a calculating expression, spoke up,

"What about the Italians? Won't they see through our act?"

Anastasia smiled, acknowledging the valid concern.

"The Italians might suspect, but as long as we maintain a façade of weakness and retreat, they'll have no reason to believe we're plotting a move with the Indonesians. We'll use their arrogance against them."

Another family member raised a hand,

"And if the Indonesians refuse our proposal?"

Anastasia's gaze turned steely.

"We play it by ear. If they refuse, we reassess and consider other options. But I have a feeling they'll see the value in our offer."

"Get to work on the messenger,"

Anastasia commanded, and the room started to stir with activity.

As the meeting progressed, the family members began strategizing and organizing their next moves. The plan was set in motion, and in the intricate dance of power and survival, they aimed to emerge not just unscathed but in a position of greater strength.

"And I am sure some of you are wondering about these three newcomers," 

She pointed at the twins standing behind her and at Amina still lurking one the corner of the room.

Everyone in the room shifted their attention to the three new hires. The two identical twins were just standing there, waiting for instructions, while Amina couldn't help but glance at the other members of the family. Anastasia sighed, taking one more drag of her cigarette before speaking again.

"These three are our latest recruits,"

She waved toward the twins.

"Meet Mikhail and Natalia. Identical twins, brothers and sisters, former Soviet Para-troopers."

Anastasia tilted her head, studying the twins carefully. The two of them were standing side-by-side, waiting for instructions. But they didn't seem anxious or nervous at all.

"And this is Amina,"

She gestured toward the tall woman in the corner of the room. Amina was still looking at the other members of the family, seemingly unsure of how to behave in this strange new situation.

"Formerly from the Israeli army. I haven't had a chance to talk to her yet, so I don't have much information about her yet but I suppose you CAN say she is an expert combatant."

The family members studied the trio for a moment and then decided that since Anastasia trusted them with weapons in a family meeting, they would be better off not questioning their competence.

"And now that we've got everyone introduced, let's talk about their roles in the family from now on,"

Anastasia cleared her throat and took a deep breath.

"Mikhail will act as my right-hand man, conveying orders and taking charge of the strike force. While Amina will be my direct secretary and Natalia the one in charge of my security."

A few of the gathered members spoke up, their tone showcasing slight confusion as they tried to come up with some clarification.

"Does that mean these three will be working exclusively in your inner circle?"

"Wait, does that mean they will be working by your side for extended periods of time?"

"...

And several other questions amid a flood of protests. Every single word of theirs could have been guessed by a seven-year-old.

Wait, can you trust them? Are they skilled enough for that? Do you know where their loyalty lies? Why take newcomers into your inner circle instead of loyal members who have been following you for years? And bla, bla, bla.

She was getting a headache simply from listening to these guys protest.

"Look,"

Anastasia sighed, suddenly tired of all the complaints.

"We're in a tough position right now, and we need every fighting hand we can get. I trust these three. I trust their skills, and I trust their loyalty. I trust them more than you lots."

She paused, looking around the room at the other members of the family.

"If that's not enough for you, then you can shove your protests up your asses and keep quiet."

There was a moment of stunned silence as everyone in the room stared at Anastasia in disbelief. Then, one of the members of the strike team stepped forward.

"You're telling us we have to make nice with these guys?"

Without waiting for a response, the man went on.

"They just got here. We don't know anything about them. Why the hell should we trust them?"

Anastasia sighed, starting to get fed up with this conversation.

"Because I say so. Because I am the boss. And because any one of them can wipe the floor with your sorry excuse of a fighter's face. Any more questions?"

The room immediately fell silent. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of one of Anastasia's "persuasion tactics."

Anastasia took advantage of the sudden quiet to make an announcement.

"You all know your jobs. You've got a lot of work to do, so get to it."

She turned away from the group, signaling the meeting was over. The other members of the family filed out of the room, each with a specific assignment. As the crowd dispersed, Anastasia stayed behind, along with the twins, Amina, Evgeny, and Aleksei.

The last two were held back by Anastasia.

"Evgeny, I looked through the armory. Why the hell has it not been re-supplied in a month and a half?"

"Ummmm..."

Evgeny cleared his throat.

"I... uhhh... Well, you see, there's been some supply chain issues."

He shifted uncomfortably under the look of disappointment from Anastasia.

"We've been trying to find a reliable source of weapons, but..."

Evgeny paused for a moment, seeming to think.

"...the Triad has been cracking down hard on the arms dealer, harder than before even. And the situation with our supplier is a bit complicated right now. I'll look into it, and see what I can do."

Anastasia crossed her arms, looking less than impressed.

"So you are telling me that our supplier said 'Adios' and disappeared for a month and a half."

"More or less."

Evgeny gulped, avoiding Anastasia's gaze.

"Look, Boss, I'll call in some favors and it'll be real expensive, so I need some reassurance that the family's going to be in a good financial position from now on."

Anastasia was clearly annoyed, but she understood what Evgeny was getting at. She sighed and began to explain.

"No need for that, I have found a new supplier. You just tell our dear old friend to watch his steps in our territory."

"Seriously? Who did you find?"

Evgeny perked up, looking eager to hear more information about the potential new supplier.

"You don't need to know that. Just remember that they don't like meddlesome people,"

There was a brief pause, as Evgeny asked, looking hopeful.

"Does that mean I don't have to call in any favors?"

Anastasia remained stoic, showing no emotion on her face.

"You don't have to call in any favors, Evgeny."

She then turned to Aleksei,

"What's the status of the dormitory construction?" 

"The construction of the dormitory is going well,"

Aleksei started to update Anastasia.

"Dorm buildings one and two are finished and ready to house residents. As for three, four, and five, their walls and floors are done, and the HVAC system is almost completed. We just have to finish up some small details and some testing before it's ready for occupancy."

Anastasia nodded. This was good news.

"How long do you think it'll take?"

Aleksei thought for a moment before answering.

"We should be able to finish it up in a few weeks, maybe a month at the most."

"That's good to hear."

Anastasia was pleased with the information provided about the dormitory.

"Make sure to complete your work as quickly as possible. The sooner we get those dormitory accommodations up and running, the better it will be for us in the long run."

She took one final drag from her cigarette before putting it out on the ashtray and reaching into her pocket for the next one only to realize that it was empty. She sighed before continuing,

"Well, as you might know, the Falcon got blown to Kingdom Come, and Howard's place was shot into Swiss cheese. Therefore we have no spare accommodations for the night, so we will be staying in dorm one for the time being."

Aleksei was silent for a moment before continuing,

"Understood, boss."

He turned to the twins who were both standing off to the side. Their expression was neutral and their bodies were perfectly still, as if they weren't even listening to what was happening around them.

"I will get the keys for four rooms. Do you need me to arrange your meals or will you manage with the already on there groceries?"

Anastasia thought for a moment before answering,

"We'll manage with the groceries that are already on hand. As for the rooms, we'll take two with beds for two each. I believe there were distinctions in single, double, and four personnel rooms."

Aleksei nodded before going off to get the keys, followed by Evgeny who was glad to be out of the sticky situation. Anastasia turned to the remaining people,

"Alright, once we get those keys, we can all get some rest tonight."

She turned to the twins,

"You two should get used to them, after all, they would be the accommodation promised in your contracts."

Mikhail and Natalia nodded.

For the next five minutes, while they waited for the keys, both Amina and Natalia eyed her strangely. 

'Wonder what's with them.'

Anastasia thought to herself, unaware of the two women's intentions.