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Karl and Ferran spend the morning making the warehouse as defensible as possible. Barrels and boxes are moved into positions, provisions are stored, windows are boarded over. The stairs are trapped, grease is poured out and trip wires installed.

Later, when Cirillo and Marco return from the duel, they join Karl and Ferran. The group discusses their encounters with Blasio and Master Gatti respectively. You all gather your weapons, armor and any other equipment you need. You bind and gag the prisoners, before leading them to the row-boat which Marco and Cirillo took to the duel. You throw blankets over the thugs and take them to the warehouse in the row-boat without incident. The row-boat is moored at the internal dock and the prisoners are taken up to the third floor of the warehouse.

[Anything I am missing? Any final preparations or roleplaying? How many NPCs do you bring, if any?]

Karl makes sure the prisoners are treated well.

After all the traps are set up, he speaks to them:
"I have no quarrel with you three. We only want Rocco to pay for what he did. When we finally catch up with him and teach him a lesson, we will let you go. Just don't do anything stupid while we are fighting..."

"Do as my burly friend says lads and you will be all right." adds Ferran with a flashing grin.

Then he takes out his cutlass and dagger, positions himself carefully on the lower floor at the bottom of the stairs, half-crouched, keeping his eyes peeled for movement.

Rambaldo looks up at Karl from where he is sitting on the floor and gives him an incredulous look. "Make Rocco pay? He never touched the stupid girl! You fuckers are the ones that have crippled and kidnapped people. Rocco should be teaching you a lesson."

"Really? Then who raped the girl?", Cirillo asks Rambaldo.

"Blasio did it, I already told you! He hired Rocco to squeeze on the wood-carver, and Rocco assigned us the job. As far as I know Rocco never even met the girl." He sits back and leans up against the wall he is next too, relaxing. "Rocco probably already assumes we are dead, so he'll be looking to make an example of you. By keeping us hidden all you are doing is making enemies you don't need to. But nobody has to die if you let us go before it is too late."

Ferran replies without leaving his post.

"Is that so handsome? Has it ever occurred to you that you are already fucked for working for that brute? If the rumors I hear about Rocco are true, you are the ones he'd make an example of first. Besides, your boss is just that. A brute. And mark my words, this brute is going down today, or my name is not Ferran."

He smirks. "Oh you are right, he is definitely a brute. But take it from someone that has seen him operate... you guys don't stand a chance. If you think hunkering down in a warehouse will stop him destroying everything you hold dear, you are sorely mistaken."

"What did you say? What do you think he is going to do?"

Rambaldo turns his head away to look at the window. "Unless you are going to let us go, I have nothing more to say to you."

"He was asking about our household..."

"Rambaldo, it is you who is mistaken. Your boss might be top dog in this city, but he's nothing more than a kitten compared to what I've seen. I told you again, he's going down hard here, or my name is not Ferran Costa. Mark my words well. Comprende?"

Karl tries to calm things down.

"There is nothing personal between us. You are, or were, working for Rocco. We are working for more powerful people. And we are tasked with keeping you prisoner until we deal with Rocco."

Karl looks disgusted. With a battle coming soon, he does not want to waste any time or energy with the prisoners. Unless the others argue, he will gag them to keep them quiet. Karl stays on the top floor. Because the prisoners boasted about Rocco and his gang, he does not feel that confident anymore in the ambush. He keeps his Zweihander with him and leave the wooden sword against a wall.

Marco returns from the Acerbi estate having warned his brother of Ramboldo's threat and you bunker down for the long haul. During the day the loading area is busy with boats and ships coming and going with cargo but after dark the area is all but deserted except for the occasional vessel passing by. Your first night passes uneventfully as does the morning of the following day.

The next afternoon a messenger from the Acerbi estate knocks on the warehouse door and gives you a letter. It reads:

To Marco and Cirillo;
Lucio Monte has arrived this morning from Florence with grave news. Charles and his mercenaries have taken Rome. Thankfully His Holiness Pope Clement escaped, but enemies of the Medici are using this opportunity to incite revolts in Florence. More domestically, I showed Lucio the poison letter and he has already begun attending to our father.
- From Giocomo Acerbi

Cirillo is clearly torn between waiting at the warehouse and rushing to Acerbi estate to meet his old mentor. Finally he decides that his friend needs him more urgently than the old man and decides to stay.