INSIDE THE CLUB, ONLY A PARTY of six remains. Three men dressed in identical black suits with red undershirts, the usual attire for the syndicate known as Black Sunset. Black Sunset runs the entirety of the Downtown Los Angeles area. They are ruthless and show no compassion to those who get caught in the crossfire of their activities. They mostly deal with drugs and guns. The syndicate first made local newspapers back in 1991, involved with the assassination of an international crime boss. Soon the gang's reputation grew along with their body count.
The other three consisted of an informant and his female accomplices. This scenario is what you typically see in the movies when the bad guy discovers one of his men was an undercover member of a rival gang. Like any other bad guy, he interrogates the UC then puts a bullet in his head. This bad guy in this case is JAMES HOLLINGSWORTH, Charles's younger brother and co-leader of Black Sunset. He also happens to be the most brutal member. He is currently holding his hand against the UC's forehead and hell, he is itching to pull the trigger, his chuckles are drawn out by the screams of the two girls.
The informant is an overweight white male in his mid-fifties. He is at the point of soiling himself when the younger man draws out his gun. He'd heard many horror stories of how Black Sunset murders people indiscriminately. take out people who cross them, how bodies turn up missing. The man is just lucky he didn't have a hole in his head right now. The man thought it was best to let Jesse talk first, as said man is beyond infuriated.
But before James can get a word out, in walks Charles, clad in a jet black suit and signature glare reserved for traitors etched on his face.
"Tonight, at least someone ambushed five of my men while they were picking up the shipment right off the coast of Newport Beach. The shipment was safe, surprisingly unharmed but the payout, my money, is missing. Now, two months before this incident we allowed you to become a partner in this very reputable organization. Since you've joined, some of our profits have declined..." The informant interrupts him before Charles can even finish his statement.
"Listen, I know exactly where you're going with this but-"
"QUIET! Interrupt him again, I will cut your testicles off and force you to eat them like the irritating fuck you are." James's threat is a promise. He closes his eyes and tries to relax by taking deep slow breaths. Something his therapist taught him to suppress the violent rage inside him. Once he got his temper at ease, he continued.
"Our profits declined. At first, it was just small bills. Then hundreds which turned to thousands and then hundreds of thousands. Now, you can agree that is an awful lot of money to just suddenly disappear within two damn months. While we're losing money, our rival seems to be earning what we lost. Now, I could just jump to conclusions and say that you had something to do with it. But, since I am a fair human being, tell me your side of the story." Charles says, giving the man permission to speak. He really could have killed him right about now.
"I did take your money, but only for investment."
"Investment?" Both brothers speak in unison, looking at him with cocked eyebrows, intrigued.
"The city is dying, property prices have gone down over the last few months. If we invest in some shares and buy out businesses and property just think about the revenue. I know I should have consulted with you but I-"
A bullet to the brain silences the man. His brain matter spread out over the large fish tank behind him. The two girls scream again. Neither Charles nor James acknowledge their screaming. Instead, the latter pulls out his favorite brand of cigars called Black Dragon. It has a smooth rich taste to it. Better than regular tobacco. After one puff, he feels so much better.
Fuck therapy. Who needs a shrink when he has something useful to soothe his nerves?
James takes another puff from the cigar before extinguishing it on the dead man's lower arm. He looks up at his men and loudly snaps his fingers to get their attention. "Gregory, Joseph, get rid of this body. Afterward, find out his identity and who he worked for. I feel the need to deliver the son of a bitch a message." Gregory and Joseph nod their heads and carry the body away.
"Alright, I assume you can finish up here?" Charles asks although he knows the answer already.
James just regards his elder brother with a knowing smirk. "Indeed I can. You get out of here and go home to that pretty wife of yours. Don't y'all have a date tonight or something?"
"We do. At the house. I need to go home and get ready. If I don't, Jules will have my head. We don't need that. So I'm out. See you later."
Charles walks out and Gregory walks back in with a single document of information.
"Boss, that motherfucker was working with your favorite gang." He said, giving Jesse the document to look over. "Normally, it would've taken longer to find out who it was but just then his phone rang incessantly. " He hands James the phone. "It's those east coast fuckers from New York, Blood Legion or some shit like that. They sent him in to get Intel on our shipment and then used him to steal extra cash. There could be more hiding in our syndicate." Jesse looks at the missed call to find out that it was in fact the leader of Blood Legion. He smiles darkly and turns off the phone. He has not yet met the other man in person, but he has many video calls with a masked individual. He's more than eager to see this man.
NEW YORK CITY-
Home to Blood Legion, one of the most ruthless gangs in the entire eastern seaboard. Blood Legion was once run by a man named Thomas Kane, but since his incarceration, his protege took over. Jay Warren, the youngest to lead at only twenty-one years old.
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AURORA WANDERS AROUND THE hideaway because she can't sleep. Mind you, it's three in the morning. Juliette can't sleep either so she's in the kitchen eating some French vanilla ice cream. Aurora knows her mother's signature scent so she walks into the kitchen.
Juliette smiles at her. "Hi honeybear! What are you doing up?" She raises the spoonful of ice cream towards Aurora who happily takes it into her mouth.
"Hi mommy. I can't sleep so I'm wandering around."
Juliette nods and smiles. "I can't sleep either."
Aurora thinks it's because Justin isn't there. He's her human teddy bear. Also because he's in New York with Jesse learning the ropes for taking over the business when he turns 21. She misses him.
Charles comes downstairs to the kitchen. "This is where you are. Eating ice cream without me." He says which makes both of them giggle.
"Hi daddy." Aurora wanders up to him and gives him a huge hug.
He returns the hug and kisses her on her temple. "Hi honey. Everything okay?"
"I can't sleep."
Odette comes downstairs and in the kitchen. "Not y'all eating ice cream without me. That is so rude." She playfully pouts. "I want some too."
Aurora giggles again and pulls her sister into a bear hug. "Here bubs." She raises the spoonful towards Odette's mouth who cutely takes it.
Juliette looks over at her husband who is recording them. She walks up to him and wraps her slender arms around his middle. He puts his phone down for a moment to embrace her.
"So little sister, are you excited about tomorrow?"
"Yes, I'm mainly excited to be taking my drivers test. I'm hoping I pass."
Charles pulls Odette into a side hug. "Honeybear, you will. You're a Hollingsworth. We never fail." That's right. That name honestly holds a lot of weight in the state of California and beyond. if america had royalty, the Hollingsworths would be it. The family line has been pulsing through the country's history for years.
"I will. I will pass. Just need to keep that mantra in my head until I get there." Odette mutters."Thank you, daddy!"
"You got it, honeybear!"
Aurora eats a few more scoops of ice cream and decides to call it a night. "Alright, I'm done down here. I don't want to eat too much or I might get a brain freeze. Plus Justin is upstairs in my room and I don't want to leave him alone."
"Okay! Goodnight honeybear!" Charles and Juliette say that in unison.
"Goodnight big sister!"