This is the story of the Mafia and their unicorn... or so I said on my blurb in my original document. This is just a small, fun thing. I don't have any real details about how a mob might run, so take that into account. But if you see any room for improvement with details, by all means point something out.
This was written for Emma - and will still be written for Emma when I post the next part (there should only be about 3, I think. Don't worry that this is going to turn into a saga).
Shank.
Another job well done. Emma gently wiped the blood from the horn of her unicorn, revealing the gleaming silver underneath, as she stood over the bleeding body of her latest hit. Fios-Rente-Narve-Kassa (or Frank, as Emma affectionately called him) snorted softly and nuzzled her hand as they waited patiently for the groans of the dying man to end. She idly wondered what she may have for dinner, what was in her fridge, when her father might insist she join him for a meal again, and which fancy restaurant he may dress her up and parade her proudly around. She absently pulled a sugar cube from her coat pocket and fed it to her beautiful killing machine, then ran her hand through her tangled mess of blonde hair. A low moaning continued to stream from the skewered man on the floor, but she was becoming impatient. Removing her machete from her belt, she bent over the body, severing the right hand and, placing the appendage in the saddle-pack on her unicorn, she jumped onto his back, nudging him forward to trot silently out of the front door.
“Your daughter is no lead assassin!” Jareel ranted as he paced around the dim, wood-panelled room. “She does the deed, but she has no sense of flair, of patience.”
The mob boss behind the desk waved dismissively.
The mob boss behind the desk waved dismissively.
“And she doesn’t quip, either,” he continued. “I’ve been with her on a hit, and she doesn’t even taunt the traitors before they die. She just waits for the worms to stop pleading, then does it. She doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of onlookers, she just kills them quietly and moves on.”
“She is my daughter, heir to the business. She will deal with scum how she pleases.”
“But we have Louis. Louis has flair. He could –”
“My word, Jareel, is final.” His tone became dangerous.
“Fine then. Let me just say, boss, it’s been a pleasure working for you all these years.”
“You’re leaving?” the boss finally sounded surprised. The door suddenly opened, and his tone hardened once again. “Louis?” He growled, narrowing his eyes at the newcomer.
“Well boss, you could say that I will be terminating my employment with you.” Before the older man had a chance to react, Jareel had made a motion to the man behind him and a shot rang through the room.
Walking towards her father’s office with the small pack carrying the bloody hand, Emma heard the shot from behind the door. It wasn’t a common occurance for the mob boss to order someone die in front of him, and Emma frowned. She pushed open the door forcefully, and the scene that met her eyes made her drop the bag.
“Daddy?” she cried out as she ran to him. She stopped short a few paces in front of his desk, seeing he was shot, and Louis, one of the hitmen who should take orders only from her, was holding a gun out in front of him. Jareel stood a little to her right, in front of the desk. “What happened?” she demanded as she took everything in.
“It was nothing personal, sweetie. Just business.”
“Business? You killed my father – your boss – and it was just business?”
“Yeah, that’s right. And by the way, you’ve been demoted.”
“Demoted?” Emma couldn’t help but continue to repeat what was being said as a question. She was confused about the whole situation – usually, a traitor like Jareel would be found out a long time before anything like this could happen. She didn’t understand how this had slipped above anyone’s notice.
“We have a new head hitman. It’s Louis here.” Jareel took out a gun, and pointed it in the direction of the man close to the door. “The real question is, what are you thinking now your dear old daddy is dead?”
“Angry.”
“That’s great,” he said cheerily, “But how do you feel about revenge?”
“I’m going to kill you because you had a part in his death.” Emma grit her teeth and stared at the gun, in Jareel’s hand, her mind racing for a solution.
“Oh-kay then. Boys!” he whistled, and the doors opened, letting in a crowd of Jareel’s supporters. About five, in all. “Can’t have you looking to kill the new boss. Lock her up, boys.”
Two men moved to approach, and Emma drew her machete from her belt slowly. “You can try” she growled.
The men hesitated. Jareel pointed his pistol at her. “You go with them or you’re dead. I’m being gracious, offering you a cell instead of a grave.”
Emma didn’t even twitch as the men started to move in on her again. The moment the first was within reach of her weapon, she slashed at his arm. Blood spurted onto her and the man yelled in agony, grabbing it as he yelled in agony and moved backwards, falling to his knees when he was out of her reach again. The others followed jumped back as well.
“Emma,” Jareel called out in warning. “Why don’t you just do this the easy way.” He stepped towards her with the gun.
“I’m not afraid of dying.” Emma continued to glare sidelong at the men surrounding her while facing Jareel.
“But how will you get your revenge if you’re dead? Why don’t you live to fight another day?” he said sweetly.
Emma dropped her guard momentarily as she thought about it. The men sensed it, and before she could regather her stance, the machete was yanked from her grasp and her hands were cuffed behind her back. She glared at Louis as he moved to take his place next to Jareel.
“Boss,” she heard him mumble as she was being led out towards the doors. “Look at what she did to Joe. Why didn’t you just kill her?”
“Because we need her. Her father needed her, and we need her too if we want to pull off this coup. Who let her in when all this was going down anyway? I’ll have their head.”
Emma had time to ponder the overheard words as she was marched down to the basement cells, but the more she thought about them, the less sense they made.
The long, low whistle came quietly from the cell adjacent as soon as the guards were out of earshot. There was only the light from the open door down the hall, andEmma moved closer to the noise, not aware of who was making it.
“Emma, I never thought I’d see you down here. Thought dear old daddy promoted you to the position of lead assassin.”
Emma spoke softly the man who spoke obviously knew her, but she didn’t recognise the voice. She had no idea why he would be down in the holding cells. “He did, but now his orders are being revoked.”
Emma spoke softly the man who spoke obviously knew her, but she didn’t recognise the voice. She had no idea why he would be down in the holding cells. “He did, but now his orders are being revoked.”
“It’s done then,” the man sounded sad. “They were planning the overthrow for a while. I heard the whispers, and got thrown down here for not going along with it.”
“Right.” Emma slumped down against the bars. Old information wasn’t going to help her.
“I know you don’t wanna talk to me, kid, but believe me, I know what’s going on here.”
“What more information could you have?”
“I know why you’re down here, instead of being dead. I know that it’s only temporary so they can get a room set up upstairs for you. They’ll move you to somewhere more comfortable.”
“And why would they do that?”
“For the same reason they haven’t killed you. Killing the boss isn’t all they need to do to take over the business. There are some who won’t follow Jareel.”
“So? He can just have them killed. What does that have to do with me?”
“Kid, there are factions, even in a smooth-runnin’ place like this. And no one knows who belongs to what side. It’s always been a pair that runs this mob. Those loyal to your father will be fine following the old right-hand man who took him down. The ones who followed your mother though...”
“They’ll follow me? Why?” Emma had her face close to the bars once again, but the man hadn’t come any closer.
“Don’t ask me how it works, it just does. Jareel needs you by his side to get this place running again.”
“I’ll never do what he wants.”
“Yeah, but once they’ve moved you, you’ve gotta remember to play the game. Wait till the moment you see their weakness, then get out of here.”
“I’m not going anywhere. My father will be avenged.”
“I’m not saying you should run. Just get out, set yourself up with something big. Give yourself some scary name; show them you mean business.”
Emma grinned in the darkness. “I’ll be the Kraken.”
