The other girl's story

Dion's past

We wait until everyone disappears. Then we sit down on the stairs to talk. "I will get straight to the point. Tell me the real ending... I didn't get the chance to ask Elias... but in detail... how exactly did you eliminate Wingless?" The man's body language is closed but not threatening. He is cautious with his information, but he doesn't seem to distrust me. "Is your phone switched off?" He asks. I nod. "Well... It was about two or three years ago... I don't really remember...

"Hey... what the hell happened to you?" I get inside our leader's house where I see the leader's younger brother, laying on the ground with bruises all over his body. I'm only here to receive some orders on how the investments should be set for the upcoming month. Instead of our leader, I find a twelve - or thirteen year old child on the ground, who seemingly got beaten up heavily. Anthony looks up at me and bites his lip. That's when I hear a voice from behind. "Some wanna be mafia guys surprised him on his way back from school. I found him in the dirt..." it's Elias who is coming right from the kitchen with an ice pack and hands it over to his little brother. I tilt my head in disbelief. "What advantage would anyone have by attacking a child? He is technically not even an official member of our organization." The silver haired scratches his head. "These people must know his relation to me. It's clearly a provocation. Dion... I know you came here for investments, but I'd rather have you freeze all our fonds until we have settled this issue." Now I feel even more confused. "What's the issue? We could just beat them up like we always do." Elias stands up, clearly not in the mood to explain himself, so I suit myself and don't ask any further. "Listen. I want you to find out their names, addresses, family members... everyone and everything... I truly don't care how far you have to go for this information. But make sure you collect it and bring it to me as soon as possible." I obey. And so the following week, I grind hard to find out three important names. First: "Wingless." A newcomer gang. Unlike us, they seem to be only a bunch of delinquents with motorcycles. We, however, are an organized crime family. So how do they dare attack one of us? The other two names are Roy Ledger, who seems to be the leader, and Felix Cassano, aka the vice leader. There are about fifty to one hundred people in their group. Small fish. Why is Elias so nervous about them? I email him the information that very night. Only a couple of hours later, our members are gathered at our usual place in front of the stairs. Elias, with his elegant black coat, resting on his shoulders, takes his time as he goes up the stairs. No one is allowed to speak when facing their leader's back. He turns around and looks at everyone with his usual demanding, cold eyes. "There was an attack on our group from a seemingly insignificant newcomer gang. It was a humiliation and provocation like nothing before. It is a disrespect that will never be tolerated toward any of my brothers!" The gang screams in agreement. I sign them to be quiet. Big brother continues: "In the past, we never feared crushing these gangs who get ahead of themselves. However, this time, we will not do that." Now everyone starts mumbling in confusion. What is he saying? Are we not gonna fight them? "If we fight them now. We will win now. But we will lose in the long term." The mumbling gets louder. I look at our leader, unable to understand a word. "That being said. I only want you to bring me their leader. And try not to fight while doing so. If their leader gets executed, it will seem as if we are satisfied with the result and leave them be. This way, we can catch them off guard later on." Now it's starting to make sense. At the current, they are probably expecting us, so an aggressive tactic will be ineffective. And so... after about two weeks of time, we finally managed to lure Wingless's leader toward our hideout. We put him in chains and present him to big brother. Elias looks at him. The victim's angry eyes glare back at him. "Kill me already." The silver haired takes a couple of seconds and sighs. "So it's not you." He makes a gesture with his arm, and the victim immediately gets unchained. "What? You are letting me go?" Elias gives him a kick in his stomach so that he gets down on one knee. "You are not the person I was searching for. But you still hurt one of my people. I insist on giving you the punishment you deserve. Anthony!" His brother comes forward. "Is he the man who beat you up?" Anthony flinches. "Yes, one of them." A smirk from his brother. But suddenly, Elias freezes. His mimics change. "Then kill him!" He orders. Anthony's eyes widen as he realizes what his brother just ordered him to do. "But brother... that is... too much..." Is Elias serious now? He wants to make a child a murderer? But his expression seems mad. It's not the usual bloodlust. It's... desperation? He looks at his younger brother with threatening eyes. I don't recall him ever being like that towards Anthony. "Do it! Or I promise to give him a faith much worse than death!" He hands him a gun. Anthony starts shivering. He is looking like a scared little mouse. I step in. "Let me do it. I will-" Elias throws a knife in front of my feet. An order to not interfere. Then he grabs Anthony by the collar it seems almost like he is whispering something in his ear, but it's too silent to hear it. Anthony starts crying, but Elias just heartlessly points a dagger at his neck as the child slowly raises the gun toward the man's head. Wingless's leader starts screaming: "Stop it. We were just messing around! You shouldn't take it so seriously! We can talk it out, right? This is a public place. You will get arrested if you do this!" Anthony clenches his teeth and opens his mouth. "Sorry." He whispers. Then, he pulls the trigger. Elias is standing behind him, lowering his knife. His expression loses the excess tension. He seems almost relieved.