Chapter Text
I shed not a tear as we buried my father's ashes. We were never close, but I came here out of respect. He really was one of the coolest dudes I've ever known. Next to me is my brother, Dirk. Beside him is Rose, Roxy, John, Jake, Jade and Jane are positioned around the grave as well. My father was our leader and now it's my turn.
I straighten my tie. The crisp suit is black, with red accents and tie. I smile when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Despite the many sleepless nights I've had, I look stunning. I straighten my shades, feeling the stretchy fabric of my suit. The material makes it easy to carry out missions while looking sharp. There is a knock at my door, it can wait, I decide, making my way to the closet. I push away the hanging tuxes, revealing my stash of knives and guns. The person raps again, this time harder and less polite. I ignore it, reaching for a pair of gauntlet daggers. I slip them on my forearms the grab a pistol. I stick it in my waistband, the cool metal making my skin tingle. Another harsh knock follows.
"Dave! Hurry up." The knocker yells, I don't respond. I just hum as I sort through my guns, organizing them. "We have to go!"
I really do need to leave, but I don't want to go. I'm about to become the leader and I'm not ready. I'm really not ready. This time, instead of knocking, they burst through the door. I can see that the intruder is Rose. She wears a black dress with white climbing up the bottom. Her heels match her dress, shiny and black. Rose wears her hair short and behind her ears. Heavy makeup and a purse, that I know contains a weapon, complete the ensemble.
"What the hell is taking so long?" She sees my mess of a room and open closet. "Dave, you can't stall forever!"
"I'll be there in a minute."
"No, I'm not exiting this room without you next to me."
I stare down, "I said that I'll be there in a fucking minute!"
Rose leaves, she might be stubborn, but I'm her superior. I do get up though, almost immediately after she exits. Rose is waiting outside my room. We walk down the hall, shoes clicking on the floors in unison. I live in a run down motel that I repeatedly check in for, but it feels like I live with Rose. She and Roxy live in a small apartment, but I spend most of my time there anyways. I'd never admit it, but I hate being alone all the time. We keep walking, out of the building, down the street, turn left. Into the car. The van will take us to where we meet. It has several musty seats in the back, with lots of storage.
Roxy and Dirk are waiting for us, Dirk is driving. The others will already be there, waiting. My eyes show fear, but my sunglasses are too dark to see my eyes. When we arrive at the warehouse I climb down the ladder into the basement. There is a long hallway with faulty lights. To my right is an office and at the end of the corridor is a large recreation room. That is where we go. I walk into the room with Dirk, Rose and Roxy following. The room is bare except for the table and chairs in the middle, they are now pushed to the side. Normally we play cards there, but tonight I will become the leader.
For most mobs, you just become the leader, but to show dedication we do it differently. In the center there is a hostage.They're bound and gagged, but can see and hear everything. I pull the gun from my waist band, the rest of the members gather. I press the barrel to his head, making him twitch. The gun is loaded and ready. Three, two, one. I pull the trigger and he slouches in the chair, making a grunt. I then produce a knife from my pocket, dropping my gun.
I press the knife to my face. Then turn the blade, so that the sharp side is against my face. I push down, the stinging is barely noticeable. I put a hand over the wound as I put the knife next to my gun. Warm blood collects in my hand. As I lean down, a single drop of blood falls on my suit, staining it. I open my fist and the blood dribbles to the floor. My hand is still red and wet.
With my clean hand I push back that hostage's hair, revealing his forehead. Now, with my bloody hand I draw an 'x' on his forehead. I straighten myself, standing up and smile a cool, slick smile. A hush has fallen over the room, all eight of us stand, unsure what to do next. They look at me. Oh yeah, I remember. I'm their leader!
"Well, what are you staring at! You can continue doing whatever." I push my shades up the bridge of my nose. After a second they disband. Roxy lights a cigarette, while Dirk and Jake pull out the table and cards. Rose, Jade and John deal the cards and begin a game. I stand in a dark corner, the blood on my hand is starting dry and crust. The gash on my face is aching, it's not deep, but I should bandage it. I would look ridiculous if I went walking down the street with a bloodied face. Then again, I have no bandages. Oh well, who cares what anyone else thinks. I look over the mafia. My Mafia.