The second installment (the sequel) to Ace of Spades is now out.
Read 'The Hanged Man' once you've finished this one.
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A rascal with a penchant for making friends with the wrong people, you were often regarded as a troublemaker by...
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Mihawk folded his leg over the other as he snapped open the newspapers, his eyes squinting on the fine print as he read the daily news.
Nothing was atypical.
Not right now, at least.
Italy was as it had been for the last couple of years and there was nothing abnormal about Shank's 'business'. All was well, for the time being...
His two daughters were off to college and as a retiree from his ex-mafia life, he had nothing to do other than sharpen his weaponry and keep an eye out for the unordinary.
However, that was about to change for him when his phone rang across the hall.
It resounded over the vast rooms and echoed through his mansion.
And as it continued to ring, tirelessly beeping for him, his hawk-like eyes slid to the side, narrowing on the forlorn object before he clicked his tongue.
When he finally grew tired of its incessant cries, he stood up and walked across the hall to it, his black boots clicking against the black marble before he stopped right in front of it.
Then with a flick of a wrist, he lifted the receiver and held it to his ear, silently listening in as the person on the other end started.
"Mihawk."
It was Shanks, there was no doubt about that.
"Mihawk," He said once more, "You're going to want to hear this..."
Then, with great detail, he explained the current predicament with Whitebeard's group and an upcoming one who went by the name of Blackbeard. Mihawk had known the tension there, but to learn that one of Newgate's had not only betrayed him but injured others in the process set him on edge.
If a gang as prominent and as strong as Whitebeard's could face problems like this, who's to say that Shanks' wouldn't?
Who's to say that this problem wouldn't reach your place, seeing as how Kid and Ace were also a part of that life.
Then, with a lithe hand, the ravenette flicked the cross dagger out of its sheath and held it to the glimmering light, watching as the sharp end glinted dangerously back at him.
"This Blackbeard, he goes by the name of Marshall D. Teach, does he not?"
"According to my sources."
"And do we know of he's involved in anything other than the Newgate situation?"
"No, not that I know of. It's far too early to determine that of yet."
The ravenette then capped his dagger and placed it on the stand next to him.
"Do you think he could prove to be a real threat to us? To our organization?"
