The basement of a house was just part of it for normal people, but for a mafia clan, it was a torture chamber.
It was a huge room where darkness was the color of pitch, with little to no lights anywhere. It was a place colder and damp than the rest of the mansion.
My grandfather designed the place fifty years ago. It was supposed to be a hiding place for the important members of the clan. But it eventually became a prison and was used as a torture chamber after a few years.
The dark cold hallway had lights on the ceiling but it didn't help to light up the way toward the main room.
As I strolled forward, my heart kept on pounding. I was sure that I would get the information I needed from the man. I was excited and thrilled to see him beg and crawl into my feet.
I was unsure when did I get the feeling of being superior to everyone, especially men. I love seeing them beg and hurting them made my heart beat faster.
Women from an organized criminal groups had been treated like nobody for generations. We were protected and guarded, not because we had a bright future ahead of us, but because we could be someone to strengthen the power of the clan by marrying us off to other clans.
When I became the Mafia Boss, I changed everything. I made my own rules that women would't be a nobody anymore. They could still marry someone from the other clans if they were willing. But if it was against their will, then it should not be done.
It was hard for me to change the laws of the Imperial Mafia. But a lot of the members of the clan supported me, especially those men who had daughters, sisters, and nieces.
I made a lot of adjustments and laws, but we were still a criminal group. Murder, extortion, and illegal gambling were just a few things we do for a living.
"Boss, we're here." Twelve whispered.
I didn't realise I stopped at the front door of the room. My heart was still pounding and my excitement grew as two of my men slowly opened the door.
I walked inside and saw the man tied and blindfolded in a chair. He panicked when he heard footsteps surrounding him. The room had only one light hanging in the center just above the man's head.
Twelve handed me a pair of black leather gloves and then opened the toolbox he was carrying. I grinned when I saw different weapons to use for torture. I slowly brushed my palms on them and smiled.
"Do you like it, Boss?" Twelve asked.
"I love it," I answered.
I took the brass knuckles and put them on my hands. Then Eleven took off the blindfold of the man in front of me.
"W-Who are you? What do you want from me?" He asked in a stuttering voice.
I grinned and stared at him. He looked like around his forties with black eyes and messy hair. What I love the most was the look in his eyes. Fear and confusion.
"I will ask one question. If I'm not satisfied with your answer, I will punch you five times. It will continue until I am satisfied with your answer." I said.
The man's lips trembled. Tiny droplets of sweat were starting to appear on his face. He looked at the people around him, trying to see if he know someone.
"I-I don't know who you are. What do you want from me?" The man asked again.
I was getting impatient and my ears hurt from the man's voice. I wanted to question him first but I was annoyed so I clenched my fist and punched him hard in the face.
The man groaned from pain and panicked when he tasted his own blood.
"You are not allowed to question me. You will speak if I ask you to. Now, what do you know about the death of Jorge and Lucia Montreal?"
The man's eyes widened and based on his reaction, I knew he knows something about my parents' death.
He didn't answer so I punched him again in the face, directly in his mouth.
"R-Red hair, s-silver eyes and a rose tattoo on her neck. Y-You're the boss of the Imperial Mafia, the evil queen of the underworld." He cried.
I'm not required to answer and besides, everything he said was right. I'm the only woman in the underworld who had red hair and silver eyes. I didn't dye it. I was born with red hair.
"I will ask you again. What do you know about Jorge and Lucia Montreal's murder?"
The man shook his head while tears flowed from his eyes. "I-I don't know anything."
Without a word, I punched him five times without pause. The man's mouth bled and his right eyelid had a deep cut, making his one eye shut.
"I just punched you five times and you already look like a mess. If I were you, just tell me what you know so you could go home."
His lips were trembling as he tried to utter a word. "I'm good as dead once I tell you what I knew."
The man seemed more scared of the other side than the Imperial Mafia. I'm not as bad as everyone thinks. If I wanted to give someone a chance to live, then I would. But there's always a price for it.
I walked backward and sat on the chair across from the man. Twelve and Eleven took off the brass knuckles and the leather gloves.
"I came here to kill you, but I decided not to. In exchange for what you know, I will allow you to stay in the territory of the Imperial Mafia. I will take you under my wing." I offered.
The man seemed confused once again, but he looked more relieved than frightened.
"W-Why would you do that?" He asked.
"Consider yourself lucky! Our boss is being considerate. Just tell us what you know!" Eleven yelled.
The man was shaken when he nodded. "I will accept. Just promise me you will protect me."
I didn't even know if the information he had would be useful, but the man was a hacker so I could still gain something from him.