Umbra Mortis

Chapter One- "I've heard our couch is very comfortable."

"Are you finished arguing?" Maisie asked in a mildly stressed tone. She had had enough. The two in front of her had been arguing for the last ten minutes, and had now moved to personal insults. She knew this wouldn't lead to anything other than hard feelings.

When she was ignored, she sighed again.
Enough.

That made the two of them stop very, very fast. While Evan only grabbed their head and shook for a moment, Hannah groaned and fell back into a chair. The invasion of one's mind was never enjoyable, but for those, like Evan, gifted with superstrength, it was more bearable than for those without.

"Are you finished with your childish bickering? Can I, the leader of this whole operation, say something as well? Or do you two want to continue this outside, like little children?"

They looked at each other then her.
"Sorry, Mai."
"Sorry, mia dolcezza."

"Now that I finally have your attention, let's deal with this like the rational adults you pretend you are. We will hire new dealers, but from already existing staff. We don't need as many maids as we have right now. Additionally we need Bell and Ashy to be onboard otherwise, this plan won't work. Our current dealers need to improve; Evan made a fair point- stop smiling like that, I've heard our couch is very comfortable. And Hannah? Don't even think about smirking. -We are finished for today. God, we have been here all night."

Maisie stood up and left the conference room without looking back.

On her way out she kept her head high, face stone cold. Mai may have been in a meeting all night, but that didn't mean anyone could realize that her head was hurting and her back screamed for a pillow and a good 5 hours of sleep at least.

What she didn't see was the murderous looks her partner and right hand exchanged.

Normally, the two got along, but during all-night business discussions tempers ran high. The fact that they were both extremely powerful didn't help to ease the tension.

They knew that Maisie would be pissed if the two of them started a fight outside of the training area, so they held themselves together and peacefully left the room. Evan followed their wife to their shared flat, hoping to get some sleep, while Hannah went to her place to do the same.

On her way home, Hannah ran into DJ and Lena. They were mid-conversation, laughing at something Hannah hadn't heard. When the pair saw her approaching, the smiles on their faces grew bigger.
"You look like you had a long night of partying," Lena finally said, DJ chuckling beside her. Hannah smirked.

"How I wish that that were true. But sadly, no. Where are you two off to?"

"Doc's office."
"My office."

Hannah nodded. "Alright then, have fun! I'll see you both later."

Before the little group could split up, a maid came rushing towards them. "Right Hand Hannah, Doctor Lena, Disposer DJ, I was sent by Mutilator Astrea for Doctor Lena to come down to the dungeons for assistance with one of the prisoners."

The maid shivered. It wasn't everyday one saw the Right Hand.

Hannah looked the maid over, the poor girl felt close to fainting. Luckily, Lena saved her. "Alright, I will be there in a second. But you seem quite shaken up. She didn't let you into the interrogation room, now did she? You look a bit pale."

"No Doctor Lena, she didn't." The maid replied, silently adding Thank God.
With a nod, Lena excused herself.

A call broke the silence coming silence. DJ blinked, then grabbed her phone, answering it. "Yes? Understood. Wait there." DJ said, hanging up.

Hannah raised an eyebrow. "Was that Mihika?" A nod confirmed her suspicion.
"Well then, off you go." DJ nodded again, leaving.

The maid began to sweat.

She did not want to be left alone with the right hand of Leader Maisie. Thankfully, that problem solved itself. Without so much as a second glance in her direction, Hannah left.

The maid sighed and made her way to the legal part of the business, a well known club and restaurant.

The floor was wiped, the garbage brought away, the neon lights used for the club's famous aesthetic were put out. Tables were pushed in place, silverware placed upon them. The meticulously planned change from club to restaurant was efficient and thorough, especially with help from those gifted with abilities like superstrength or control over certain elements.

One of those gifted people was benja, who was not responsible for the rebuilding part, but still liked to sit in the bar for a moment after a long night working. They were an assassin for the Umbra Mortis, the mafia that owned the restaurant/club. No one knew exactly where Umbra Mortis was based, but all knew better than to bad-mouth them, especially after an incident involving a man joking on live television how Umbra Mortis sounded like death umbrella. The man was never seen again.

Those who knew where to find the headquarters of the Umbra Mortis lived in fear that they would enact one of their legendary death-promises, for the Umbra Mortis always kept their word. Fewer still knew the Leaders.

Another thing most everyone didn’t know was that the person staggering down the street had a gun hidden in their jacket.

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