THE MAFIA DON AND HIS NUN

Alfred drove alone to the location Caesar sent to him. The location of their hideout. The hideout was located in an abandoned fishing harbour.

Alfred left Theresa at the hotel and instructed Rose to guard her.

Ahead of him, waiting at the front doors of a ruined warehouse was Douglas and the rest of the gang. Douglas stood with a roll of weed in between his lips.

Alfred parked the car and got down, then he threw the key to Caesar.

“What took you so long, man?” Douglas asked, sarcastically. “We’ve been waiting for ages.”

“Had some personal business to take care of.” Alfred replied as he brushed past Viper without sparing her a glance.

“You mean that nun who got poisoned?” Douglas asked as he walked inside the warehouse with him.

Alfred said nothing in response. The others also followed them from behind.

“I’m surprised she survived that deadly poison,” Douglas chuckled, “She’s strong but I still don’t trust her.”

Alfred stopped in his tracks immediately and his faced Douglas. “You don’t trust her?”

Douglas replied, “Yeah, I don’t. She may have saved your life and other stuffs, but I still don’t trust her. What if everything that happened was all her plan?”

Alfred’s face hardened instantly, “Watch your words Douglas. I won’t take it lightly with you the next time you say shit about Theresa.”

Douglas scoffed as he threw his roll of weed on the floor, crushing it with his shoe, and he stepped closer to Alfred.

“Are you threatening me?” He asked with raised brows.

Alfred smirked darkly, “I’m not threatening you. I’m only warning you and anyone else who tries to say shit about Theresa. I won’t think twice before putting a bullet in such person’s skull.”

The others remained quiet as Alfred spoke.

“You all should go wait for me outside,” Alfred said, “I wanna speak with Shikita alone.”

*

*

A bright light shone directly at Shikita whom was tied to a chair at the center of the big warehouse.

Everywhere else was void with darkness. There was nothing but darkness except for the light shining on Shikita.

Shikita’s head was bent over her chest. She was wide awake but weak. She must’ve been struggling to break out of the ropes but failed.

Suddenly, she rose her head when she heard footsteps approaching her.

Alfred’s two legs broke into the light and he stood before her with a chair. Alfred placed the chair infront of her and sat down.

Shikita regarded Alfred closely. He was putting on a white top donning on his white ironed pants. In his hands was a plate of sushi.

Alfred crossed his legs and began eating.

Shikita watched him quietly as he ate. They were the only ones in the dark. The rest of the gang were waiting for him outside the warehouse like he instructed.

As Alfred ate, he held Shikita’s gaze. They stared at each other for a long time until Alfred finally broke the silence.

“I’ve got a few questions for you, Shikita,” Alfred said, sounding confident. “And I’d need an answer before this sushi finishes off my plate.”

Shikita snapped. “I’m not telling you shít!! I would rather die than tell you anything about Dante.”

Alfred didn’t answer. He kept eating. “Where is Dante? Tell me where to find that old bastard.”

“And what if I don’t?” She asked spitefully.

Alfred dropped his plate on the chair and stood to his feet. He brought out his lighter and snapped it on. The flame of the fire revealed what was in the darkness outside the beam of light shining on Shikita.

Shikita gasped.

Tied to a stake were Horuto’s first wife and last son.

“They were knocked out by Caesar and taken before we had left the Chashitsu long ago,” Alfred explained. “Caesar had kept them in the car boot while he waited for us.”

Shikita opened and closed her mouth. She couldn’t say anything.

Alfred took a keg of fuel and poured it all over the two people tied in the stake.

Shikita was growing white. “Stop,” she whispered.

Alfred didn’t stop. He ensured he emptied the fuel on the mother and child.

“Stop! I said stop!” Shikita raised her voice.

Alfred stood with the lighter in his hand and regarded Shikita with interest. “I’m going to count to three. Then I’ll burn them to ashes.”

Alfred began counting. ” ONE!”

Shikita shouted. “Don’t do it. I’ll tell you everything you need to know.”

Alfred kept counting. ” TWO!”

Shikita yelled at him. “Dante is in Los Angeles!”

Alfred stopped counting. This was getting interesting. He returned back to his chair and sat down. He took the sushi and continued his meal.

“Give me the details,” Alfred said, chewing. “I want everything out before my plate is empty. Now begin.”

Shikita hesitated but the moment she remembered her uncle’s wife and younger son was tied together to a stake about to be burnt, she opened her mouth and began spilling out the truth.

“Dante is also in LA. He has an empire in LA where he controls major activities of the Marcel family. Dante travels around the globe each and everyday. He doesn’t have a permanent place. But most of the time, the empire in LA is where he stays.”

“Where exactly in LA is the Marcels empire located?” Alfred asked.

“I don’t know,” Shikita replied, “I’ve never been to the Marcels empire.”

“Tell me everything you know about Dante,” Alfred said, “And when I say everything, I mean everything you know about him.”

Shikita let out a soft sigh, “To be sincere, I don’t know much about Dante. Although, I am one of his front men, but I only know little about him.”

Alfred ate from his sushi, “Then tell me the little you know about him.”

“Dante has a wife named Marisa. She and Dante controls the Marcels family together. Dante has an island where he keeps hundreds of young girls. He sells those girls to pedophilic men for a huge amount of money…

“I heard Dante has a daughter.” Alfred cut her off.

“Yeah,” Shikita nodded in agreement, “My informants told me he adopted her sixteen years ago when she was seven years old.”

“Do you know the name of his adopted daughter and the orphanage where she was adopted?” Alfred questioned.

“Yeah, I do.” Shikita replied and Alfred’s heart leapt for joy, but he kept a stern face.

“Tell me.”

“According to my spies, the name of Dante’s adopted daughter is Theresa and she was adopted from Hope orphanage home.”

The sushi plate in Alfred’s hands fell down instantly. The name of Dante’s adopted daughter and the orphanage rang like a bell in Alfred’s head.

The name of his childhood lover was Theresa. Hope orphanage was the orphanage where the both of them stayed, back when they were kids.

‘It can’t be. My Theresa can’t Alfred’s adopted daughter’ Alfred said to himself.

“Are you alright?” Shikita asked, staring at Alfred with a puzzled look on her face.

“Do you have the picture of how Dante’s adopted daughter looks like presently?” Alfred inquired.

“No, I don’t.” Shikita replied, “I tried to find more information about his daughter, but I couldn’t. Dante kept his daughter’s identity hidden from us all except his right hand man, Brad.”

“So, Brad is the only person who knows the real identity of Dante’s adopted daughter.” Alfred said.

“Yes,” Shikita nodded, “He knows almost everything about the boss.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Tell me more about Brad.” Alfred said.

“Brad was trained by Dante himself. Dante trusts him more than the rest of us. Dante sent him to join the Los Angeles Crime Force five or six years ago.”

“Why?” Alfred asked.

“I don’t know,” Shikita replied, “Dante doesn’t reveal much about his plans to me. But whatever reason Dante has for sending Brad to join the LACF, it’s surely important.”

‘I need to find this Brad in order to find my Theresa. But I’ll also need Shikita’s help in finding Brad. I’ll have to find a way to make Shikita join me so that she would help me get Brad’ Alfred thought to himself.

“Why did you join the Marcel family, Shikita?” Alfred asked.

“The Marcel family offered me the chance to be who I really wanted to be.” Shikita replied, “They taught me how to use my potential to the fullest. They taught me how to maximize my potentials.”

No doubt, Shikita has potentials. She is a skilled martial artist and an expert in poison making. Exactly what Alfred loves. He loves people with potentials.

“Shikita,” Alfred called with a smile across his lips, “Do you know Dante just sees you as his tool?”

Shikita raised her brows questioningly at Alfred, “No, he doesn’t see me as a tool. He is also not using me as a tool.”

Alfred let out a soft chuckle, “Yes, he is. He sees you as a mere tool and nothing more. He just taught you how to maximize your potentials for his own benefit. I know a lot about Dante. Believe me or not, Shikita. You mean nothing to him.”

“You’re wrong!” Shikita retorted angrily, “I mean a lot to him and that’s why he made me one of his front men.”

“You’re right,” Alfred said, “He made you one of his front men but he doesn’t treat you like his front man.”

“What do you mean?” Shikita questioned with furrowed brows.

“If Dante truly recognizes you as a front man of his, then he shouldn’t be hiding anything from you. A leader shouldn’t hide anything from his front man, but Dante is doing the opposite to you.”

“No, he is not.” Shikita shot in defense.

“Yes, he is.” Alfred ”You said it yourself earlier that he doesn’t reveal his plans to you, right?”

Shikita remained quiet and she lowered her head. Alfred was right. Her boss doesn’t reveals his plans to her.

“A leader never keeps his plans a secret from his front man. But Dante did that to you. He kept his plans hidden from you. That means he doesn’t trust you. He counts you unworthy of his trust.”

“Stop.” Shikita balled her hands into fists and whispered bitterly. “S-stop!”

Alfred’s words were hitting her hard. His words were penetrating deep into her heart.

Alfred cocked his head with a smirk at the corner of his lips, and he continued. “Dante only sees you as a tool and when you are no longer useful to him, he’ll kill you. He is making use of your potentials for his own selfish interest.”

Alfred fetched out a cigarette box from his pocket, taking out one, hr clamped it with hus lips and lit it, then he continued after puffing smoke high in the air. “You shouldn’t be used like a tool, Shikita. You’re are more than just a tool. You’re a valuable asset but Dante doesn’t know that.”

Shikita didn’t say anything. She found his words hard to believe and yet he was right. Dante had never given her the attention she deserves as his front man. He only assigns her to missions and he never complimented her for once.

Alfred knew his plan to turn Shikita’s mind against Dante was working perfectly. If he successfully turn Shikita against Dante, she would easily join him.

“Shikita,” Alfred called and she raised her head to look at him. Her eyes were red and tears were rolling down her cheeks. Alfred’s words really hit the right spot.

Alfred crouched before her and he wiped her tears with his thumb. “I know how painful it is when you are not given the attention and appreciation you deserve,” he paused and he stared deeply into her sparkling blue eyes before continuing, “But I will give you that attention Shikita. I’ll always appreciate your potentials. I’ll give you everything else you want. The ones you ask for and the ones you don’t. I’ll give you a good life filled with happiness. But for me to give you all the things I mentioned, you have to do one thing. Just one thing.”

Shikita sniffed, “What should I do?”

Alfred’s lips broke into a victorious smile and he stood upright. He knew he had successfully turned Shikita against Dante.

Although, accepting a front man of the enemy is a risky decision, but Alfred was ready to take the risk in order to find his childhood lover.

He took a long puff from his cigar and he blew out the smoke of the cigar.

“I want you to join the Gilberto family and let’s take Dante down together.” He said, “What do you say?”

Shikita remained silent for a while, staring at Alfred’s face, then she opened her mouth and she spoke. “I’ll join the Gilberto family only on one condition.”