The trio of Alex, Jack and Scarlet made their way down the street in their new outfits, Jack had opted for a plain black and white suit. Scarlet on the other hand had opted for a black one-shoulder dress with a bright red spider brooch. Keeping with the black, red palette Alex had chosen for his syndicate, Alex wore a fitted black suit, black shirt with an accent red tie. The trio looked imposing and the crowds on the street parted to let them through.
"You were right Scarlet, choosing black and red really suits us."
"Well of course. The colour of blood in the night. As I explained, for a mafia or any criminal organisation to really get off the ground, they need three things: capital, a big entrance and to instil fear. We have capital due to Miss Morrigan; a big entrance will be guaranteed in the light with the grand opening of the bar, and in the dark with us taking over the Jackals. All that is left is to instil fear, therefore I hope that you really work some magic!"
"How do you want to do this boss?"
"Well to create the biggest effect, I suggest that the boss waits outside while we go inside and set up a meeting, then he can enter. I also suggest that the boss builds up a persona, or even more simply a nickname so that we can both safeguard the boss' real identity and set up a mysterious aspect to him. People fear the unknown and pairing that with the chaos you're about to cause will have the best result. Other than giving us a gang with absolute loyalty for fear of death, it will cause the others to be wary."
"Anything you suggest my consigliere?"
"I was originally going to suggest something from the Ancient Greco pantheon where the namesake of your syndicate is from, however, I discarded it after some thought as most of the people who will hear of you will not know the connection. Therefore, after much thought I am suggesting something simpler and more straight forward, Mr Night. I suggest you call yourself the Night Dragon. Although it is simple, it brings with it fear."
"It's not bad Scarlet, Mr Night, the Night Dragon. However, the double night is really unsuitable."
"Good point Jack. Thanks for the idea Scarlet, but for now I will let the rest of Stockton decide for me."
Smirking, he walked towards the Jackals territory.
"According to Beth's sources, the Jackals headquarters is a bar on Great Northern Road, the Jackal's Laugh. They use it as a meeting place for their enforcers, so that they can be close to their main source of income, the hotel on the corner of Great Northern and Clifton Road. The hotel is a front for a prostitution ring, they take vulnerable girls and break them down mentally. They then serve the customers that the Jackals give them. The Jackals other source of income is protection fees that they collect in a two square kilometre area around the hotel."
"How many men, do we know?"
"Sorry Jack, no idea. We have to go in and see what we're dealing with."
"At least it will be fun, Jack do you want to do it alone, or do you want me to join you."
"No need boss, I alone will be enough even if they have fifty men."
"Alright I leave it to you give me a text once you're done. Let's go get a coffee Scarlet."
Leading Scarlet to a nearby coffee shop, Alex settled down and got ready to watch the show that was about to unfold across the road.
Jack walked into the bar, looking around he saw around 20 men lazing around. A couple were playing pool in the corner, and three were drinking at the bar. Smirking, Jack could tell that this would be a walk in the park. Although he did spot a gun on two of the men, he wasn't worried.
"Who is the boss here?"
"What the fuck do you want?"
"Want to die?"
"Get the fuck out of here before we break your legs."
"I am the boss of this rabble, who are you?" Silencing the outraged gang members, one of the men with a gun spoke up.
"Good, then this will be quicker. My boss wants to talk with you."
"Your boss? Hahahahaha."
"Do you not know this is our area, I will fuck you up."
"What does he wanna talk about?" The leader spoke up again.
Jack smirked, "Nothing much, just accept him as a leader and there will be no problems."
Laughter echoed around the bar as everyone took in Jack's statement.
"You want me? The leader of this gang; to bow to someone else? In my territory?! ARE YOU HAVING A LAUGH?! Kill him!!!"
Finally angered, the bar erupted in violence. The three men at the bar all pulled out knives and lunged towards Jack. Sidestepping one, Jack grabbed another's wrist and pulled him into the path of the last man – impaling him on his fellow gang member's knife. A scream echoed out, and Jack laughed. Thinking about how easy this warm up was going to be put him in a very good mood.
Stealing the knife held in the hand of the wrist he was still holding, with barely perceptible speed, he stabbed the man in each of his legs. As more screams echoed out, the other people finally got serious, arming themselves with whatever was nearby they closed in on Jack.
Feeling the first man who lunged at him approaching his back, Jack threw the knife backwards without looking. Surprising the man, the knife buried itself in his forehead with a 'schlick'. As the body hit the floor, fear started to finally creep into the hearts of most of the gang members.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! ATTACK!!" Losing patience, the leaders voice rang out again.
Jack ran towards the group of people, grabbing a vase from one of the tables he passed, he threw it at the leading man approaching him.
CRASH! BANG!
The vase squarely hit the man in the face, immediately knocking him out. A person who didn't have quick enough reactions tripped over the body and went flying into a table. Dodging a pool cue coming his way, he grabbed it and pulled the man behind it into another one of the attackers wiping both out. Using the now ownerless pool cue as a spear he stabbed at another attacker, stabbing into his stomach. Having generated another set of screams, Jack revelled in the music he was creating a sadistic glint forming in his eyes.
Feeling the 'whoosh' of a knife cutting through the air, he twisted his body to the left, dodging the blade. Using his free hand to break the embedded pool cue in half he swung the broken cue at the knife wielding attackers head immediately knocking him to the ground. Picking up the discarded knife and lifting the broken, blooded pool cue he stared down the frozen attackers. Their eyes were full of fear as they looked at the bloodied bodies of their comrades. The reality finally kicking in, some even started to back up. Pulling out his gun, the leader aimed it at Jack, who smirked in response.
"You're fucking dead, you bastard!"
Seeing the resolve to fire in the leaders' eyes, Jack hooked his foot under the body of one of the downed gang members. Kicking the body towards the gun-wielding leader, he lunged using the flying body as cover. The startled and inexperience leader was startled and pulled the trigger out of reflex.
BANG!
A gunshot resounded throughout the bar as the leader fired the gun into his subordinate's body. Taking advantage of the shock and horror plastered on the leader's face, Jack hit the leader's gun holding gun with the pool cue – knocking the gun out of his hands.
"AAAAAH!" screaming, the leader barely realised what was happening before Jack had already reached the discarded gun. Picking up the gun, Jack pointed it at the other person he knew had a gun.
"Alright, you better hand me your guns quick or I will give you a third eye." Having realised that the stranger had absolutely no qualms about killing anyone, he quickly threw over his gun in fear.
"Alright now I hope you all will be good little lambs and sit down. My boss will be here soon."