Ace's Point Of View:
The meeting room was silent as everyone waited for my father's orders. Occasional yawns and the fluttering of pages interrupted the quiet of night. My father or Arnold as everyone addressed him was flipping through the pages of the file containing details of our latest and biggest drug deal.
It was a damn huge deal and we were definitely about to earn a shitload of money. Not that we didn't have enough money already. We had piles of them and I was basically born a golden boy.
My father was my only family as my mum had been killed when I was fourteen. Yeah not exactly a pleasant memory for a teenager.She was kidnapped by another fucking gang. As soon as we realized, we had started a frantic searching for her, trying to find her out. We weren't fast enough. Her body was found in a condition that even our most stone hearted assassins flinched.Although I was strictly forbidden to see her body, I heard people whispering that she was barely recognizable.
It was all because of an insider betraying us. It was the day I had sworn revenge.
I was going to make him feel the pain and torture just like my mother had. I planned to hunt him and make him pay for every single act he ever did to her. I knew who was responsible for it. The mere thought of him makes my blood boil and my breathing becomes rapid. I clenched my hands under the table and tried to see other than red.
Trying to calm my racing heart i forced myself to focus on the deal. It was probably the biggest deal we had made in a while and we were about to earn a lot of profit. The only catch was we had to smuggle it practically across the country.
Being the son of the leader of the biggest mafia in the country, playing with risks and dangers was a hobby. It was normal in our house hold to be attacked by local gangs. But we always won. I never understood why they even tried to take over. We were a lot better than any of them in every aspect except for one gang. Our rival gang. The Vipers.
They were the main reason my father was worried about the deal. We couldn't afford to be attacked. Not when we were focusing on smuggling a huge amount of drugs across the country. We needed to be very cautious.
My father finally looked up. "Adieu." Was his curt order to leave. In no time, the room was vacant. I stood up and lazily strolled towards the door, vaguely remembering an invitation to a newly open club. Maybe I will check it out and loosen up a bit.
"Ace wait." My father called. I abruptly stopped and turn to face him. He gestured towards a seat. Taking the hint, I sat down, wondering what was wrong this time. Me and my father never had the best relation ship. Not since my mom died. He didn't blame me for her death or any such shit, we just drifted apart. We became more professional rather than the usual father son relation. There was a rift in our love now.
My father gave me a tired smile, surprising me, he never shows how exhausted he gets with all the gang mess. He was certainly aging but he always the strongest. There was a reason why he was chosen to be the leader. He had always lived up to his name. He cleared his throat.
"Ace you know about the latest deal and you must also be aware of the danger of being attacked by The Vipers." I nodded, allowing him to continue. " We need a spy, Ace. To learn the plan of the vipers. We need to send him to New York where the head quarters of The Vipers are situated. We need to minimize the risk of getting caught which can only be done if we somehow know their plans."
I looked at him slowly understanding what he was trying to say." Let's get it straight. You want me to be a spy in New York ?" My father nodded. I haven't been a spy before. I have always been outright never under cover. New York. The city where I lost everything. Filled with the worst memories of my life and my father was sending me there. A spy in New York wasn't something I look forward to.
"You will be the perfect person for it Ace." My father insisted." No one except your gang members know your true name or face. In New York know one will ever be able to guess who you really are. Besides you are best we have got."
It was true. No body knew anything about me except my gang. On missions I always wore a mask and a hoodie and went by the fake name 'Carl' to hide my identity.
" I think you are the best suitable person for this mission. Do you agree to it?" I forced myself to smirk. It wasn't like I had any choice. My father was the leader after all. I had to do it, whether I like it or not.
"Fine. When do I leave?" I asked relaxing back in my chair, trying to look carefree. "Tomorrow." My father's answer made me sit bolt upright. "What the-" I start but my dad interrupts.
" Your stuff has been packed and sent. Your vehicles have been transported and your mansion is ready. The backup is also sent. And your flight is tomorrow morning at seven." I stared at him with my jaw hanging open. And then I snapped.
" What the hell dad? You are sending me off to a different country tomorrow and you are telling me now? What the fucking hell am I supposed to say to Jordan and Ethan when I probably won't be here for more than an year? Not to fucking mention you shipped all my stuff long before asking me." I finish my rant with a glare. Yeah I know I swear too much.
My father was looking at me with a blank expression." One you need not say goodbye since they are going with you. And second I knew you wouldn't say no to a mission so I sent your stuff." Bullshit. He knew I couldn't refuse.
I blinked before shaking my head at him. " You couldn't possibly have said it earlier, right?" I said sarcastically. " And for the love of God please inform me before you ship me off to a different land."
"Will do." My father answers. "You are excused son." I grunted in response before starting to make my way to the door. "And oh one more thing." My father said.
I turn around and gave him a questioning look. " I enrolled you into the best high school of NY for your senior year. You will be joining exactly after the weekend." My father says nonchalantly as he flips through the files.
It takes me a moment to digest it. "What the hell are you talking about?" I demand. "Why the fuck would you enroll me in a high school when I have better things to do. I am not spending my time on some school. The last time I looked I was going there to spy, on a mission not to study. I already know the stuff anyway."
I have never been to high school before except the first few months of freshman year when my friends forced me to. I didn't attend the classes anyway so my father pulled me out. I have always been home schooled so I don't know why he wants me in a high school now for my 'senior year.'
"It makes sense Ace." He says sternly." All the kids your age go to high school. You are not even a legal adult. You need to pretend to be a normal teenager. The Vipers are keeping an eye out so you need to stay under the radar."
"What do you mean by 'stay under the radar?' You want me to act like a goody two shoes nerd with a poor family background ?" I ask because if this mission involves being shy with humongous glasses and braces than I am quitting. I am not being dramatic but I hate being vulnerable even if it's just an act. I detest the feeling of being some one who can be controlled. I don't want that feeling ever again.
"No you don't need to act like a goody two shoes or a nerd. Be yourself but look as normal as you can." My father says patiently. "Fine." I grunted, rubbing my temples. My father nods at me which is my cue to exit so I do.
Strolling on the grounds of my mansion, I pull out a cigarette. I don't smoke often just when I am stressed. I definitely needed to clear my mind right now. I was going to NY tomorrow. The place where my life turned upside down. From a carefree boy to a depressed and broken teenager, it all happened there.
Even if three years had passed, I am still unable to pick the pieces of my broken self. The night my mom's body was found every part of me broke. I felt as if I my heart had been shattered into a million pieces. It was even more depressing to know it was him who did it. My so called best friend had betrayed us, leading to mom being kidnapped. Losing two of my most loved people in one night was something I never got over of. To think I ever considered him as a brother I never had.
Shaking off my memories, I blew out a puff of smoke, watching as it rises towards the sky before vanishing. Sometimes I wish I was like that. Light weight and easy to vanish.Sighing I dropped the cigarette before stomping on it. "New York here I come." I whispered into the night not knowing it would change my life once again.