Salt City's underworld

-Do you ever wonder why my family's called Serpent? -Luna asked looking at fool moon on dark sky. Night was bright and warm, beautiful. She always enjoyed nights, it was time of sinners and she was wholeheartedly one of those.

-I'm sure you're gonna tell me. -man next to her said smirking. She liked those overconfident bastards, she loved whipping their smirks with fear and pain. Snake around her neck hissed and Luna patted it lovingly. Her bright red hair reaching her shoulders went perfectly with python' red skin around her body. Leather clothes fitted her slim body perfectly making her look taller then she is. On her beautiful face green eyes shone with promise of trouble.

-It's said that were descendants of great snake, the one that fooled Adam and Eve in heaven. -she said calmly like man next to her was only a friend. -They said that we're not human and cunning is in our blood. And yet here you are taking me for a fool.

-Old stories. -man shrugged. -Besides I did nothing but follow the orders. You should talk it with boss.

-My sister's many things but stupid isn't one of those. -she said looking at him and maybe it finally got to his brain that he didn't have upper hand as he thought he would. His eyes widened for a moment in panic he desperately tried to hide.

-I was just following orders. -he said again but he wasn't so sure or confidant anymore.

-But who' order it was? -she asked with challenge in her green eyes, bloody red lips smirking now, daring him to lie to her again.

-Dona' orders. -he was stubborn but Luna just shook her head. She knew people very well, she knew when they won't talk no matter what. This ability helped her save some time and avoid torturing when there's no use of it. Unless she was in mood for it. Tonight she wasn't in mood to man' luck. She already had her second target, one that she knew would talk.

-It's not that I don't believe you. -she sighed faking tiredness. -It's just that I don't have time for believing you.

In that moment panic shook man' whole body, he just now noticed that huge red snake wasn't around her neck anymore, in seconds of him looking around to see where it went, snake was already slithering down from tree and colliding around his neck and shoulders making him freeze in fear. He never really had chance of fooling Luna or winning this gam, he could see in this moment that his greed for money made him stupid. In this line of work one moment was enough to lose your life. He was always prepared for it, from the moment he started working for the family. With old man it was easy, he didn't like violence, avoided conflict since war ended. It was stupid to think his daughters would be same. Still man was the bravest when death was sure, you had no way back.

-You first broke family in two. -he chocked out. Snake was already cutting his air, tightening around his neck and shoulders painfully. He could feel bones in his rib cage breaking. -You Luna Serpent will be ruin of this family.

-They call me Devil for reason. -she was still smirking. In moonlight her face was even more beautiful, all sharp edges and shadows. -You know what his famous words were "if I can't rule heavens I'll raise kingdom of my own."

-He fell for that. -man chocked out again, his face was turning violet red now. -You will fall too. You're killing third man in command of Dona' triad. You're starting war.

-You think too much of yourself. -she chuckled, madness burning in green eyes. -Dona should be grateful. 'M doin' her favor buy killing a bloody traitor.

-She won't think that. -man triad with last bit of strength hoping that she would stop and think. He just needed moment to call Dona and he knew he would talk her into trusting him again. With great effort he took out gun from his waistband and pointed it at her. He wasn't good shot, his line of work didn't ask of him to do any kind of fighting, but he still owned gun, and this close up he wouldn't miss. But seeing this Luna laughed, she laughed so loud small park in Heroes Second Street echoed with it. She didn't show any kind of worry just amusement.

-They say that habit is biggest curs of humans. -she said ending he laughter with amused sigh. -You had that gun since Dad gave it to you back in war when you faked panic attacks not to go in battles. You still keep it in compartment of your car. And you still don't know the difference between loaded and empty gun. How the hell did you survive in this world for so long with that useless brain of yours.

He pulled trigger in panic just to hear empty clicking bullets coming out at all. All hope left his dark eyes and he tried to scream but there was no air in his lungs, he couldn't even whisper anymore. He gapped for air but nothing but searing pain came. His head was exploding in pain, his chests hurt and felt cold last thing in front of his eyes smirking red lips. Darkness came as relief, death almost welcomed. His whole body fell to ground first to his knees then face down. Luna crouched down taking with cherry lips.

-Games of power are not for shortsighted people you old fool. -she said to dead man. For a long time now she felt nothing looking at dead people. It all felt predestined to her, death was now only matter of time to her she stopped looking at reasons for that, stopped asking questions. Both life as death come with birth only separated by time that nobody could predict.

She stood up and looked at moon again, May was pleasantly warm and fresh, spring making whole park smell with new life and change. Change wasn't always good but it was unavoidable. Salt City was once more in face of great storm, she could feel it as cold snake' body coiled around her. She shivered but didn't feel fear.

"In times of trouble people pay little to no attention to strong people. It's always about taking care of weak. Sometimes I'm just human, not different from others. In mess I forget to ask are you okay? 'Cos I know that you're strong, you'll pull through. It doesn't mean that I don't care. But even strong people need help sometimes, there's no shame in that. We could never fall apart too much for me not to care or help you. Don't forget that." -Luna could always hear words of her sister in her head. She

-Sometimes you play too strong to my stubborn sister. -Luna whispered to silent night. -When did you plan to tell me that there's trouble in your part of hell too.

She dialed number on her phone and pressed it to her ear, it was quite late but she didn't care, phone rang for long time then came the answer in gruff voice.

-What the hell boss? -Jack said in annoyed, sleepy voice. Sometimes she thinks that she's too soft on him, he's too bold for somebody working for mafia boss. But she learned how to value strong people, ones who don't bow or kneel easily, having their loyalty means much more.

-You little shit pick yourself up from whenever' bed you're sleeping tonight and come to Heroes' park. -she said in calm but demanding voice. -I need you to send gift to my sister.

-Fuck. -he cussed in whisper but she could hear him getting up from bed and getting ready. -For who long do I have to play middle man between the two of you.

-You might get lucky tonight. -she said smirking even tho he couldn't see it. -There's high chance that she'll just shoot you dead.

-Thanks Red. -he groaned. -Thanks a lot. I can see that I mean I lot to you.

-Be fast. -she said unbothered by his sarcasm. Jack was known to play jokes in life and death situations, it was his defensive mechanism. Maybe that was the reason why both Dona and Luna liked him. When they fell apart it's him who stayed the only connection between two sides of mafia family. And even if Luna wasn't sure how her sister will react she could at least be sure that Dona won't shoot Jack dead.

-Clean ups are always the worst. -she shook her head saying those words to her snake. -At least you didn't made much mess buddy. No blood this time, such a good boy.

🃏🃏🃏

Dona rubbed her face with both hands tiredly, her big office mostly dark with only table lamp on. One wouldn't believe how much of paperwork there was in mafia. It's curse of making everything look legal on surface. This was underworld of Salt City and her own legacy. Her long, red hair was tied to messy bum on top of head, green eyes shinny from lac of sleep. She knew that big building was empty aside from her and security and on rare nights like this it felt lonely. She was young but she felt old in this big office and leather chair. Life always felt tiredly endless to her.

She had to deal with mess that occurred recently but she was too tired to find reason to any of it right now. Never ending battle gets boring with time and soldiers get careless too. For now she could only assume that it was stupid mistake of her trade man, the whole shipment of goods got lost on it' way to City. That meant punishment, bloody chase after goods and even more paperwork. She sighed again lighting another cigarette, ashtray was already full but she was too lazy to get up and clean it. In the silent, lonely night there was suddenly knocking on her door and one of security men came inside.

-Boss, Jack's here. He has gift for you. -he said bowing slightly and she sighed again.

-Damn you Luna. -she whispered cuss. -Let him in.

Security man left office for a moment and she drug poisonous smoke of cigarette almost wishing that it would be deadly instantly. Moments later Jack came to her office with three security men carrying big wooded box after him. Box was big enough to fit parson' body inside and Dona was sure that dead body was inside that box.

-Dona. -Jack said smiling charmingly but she could see in his dark eyes fear he was trying to hide. -It's always pleasure seeing your beautiful face.

-Cut the crap Jack. -she growled. Night was almost fading away and she was too tired to play games. -What's in the box.

-Well… -he scratched his neck in nervous tick, his handsome face was still smiling but he wasn't hiding worry anymore. -It's mister Toby Adams. You see, Luna… she…

-She killed him. -Dona groaned stabbing already smoked out cigarette into full ashtray. -She's really not giving me enough space to keep this peace between us.

-She said he was traitor. -he sighed to serious now. -Our men caught him sneaking your goods into one of our abandoned warehouses. It was just luck that they were there preparing warehouse for some business. So she sands him like this to you.

-Can she let me deal with my men in my own way. -Dona growled wanting desperately to break something but still wouldn't show how much she was really angry. Her own man stealing from her to frame her sister. Fid Sam already forgot how war looks.

-Of course. -Jack nodded unsure. -But she thought since he tried to frame her she was obligated to punish him for that. You know Devil' rule and all that.

-I have rules too. -Dona growled again. -Traitor or not it's life for life. She knows this, she was there when we made the rules.

-Ah fuck. -Jack whined like little kid. -She said I might get shot tonight.

-Cunning bitch. -Dona chuckled bitterly. -She knows I won't kill you. Tell her to deliver my goods back and get out of my sight before I change my mind.

-Right. -Jack almost jumped towards door. -It was really good seeing you again Dona.

-Get lost. -Dona spat but there was no real bite to it. He smiled once more with that youthful mischief and left. Three security men looked at her with expectation still holding big, wooden box.

-Take it to garage underground and put it into delivery van. -she said with dark frown on her pretty face. -I'll call somebody to take care pf it. Get rid of CCV footage for whole night. Make it look like there was some bug or glitch in system. Go! 'M fucking going home to get some sleep. This shit looks like it might last for awhile.

Three of them only nodded taking wooden box out of her office again. She stood up instantly leaving all mess of papers on table. She was done with being mafia boss for the day, she felt like sleeping week off while dragging her body out of office. Her apartment building wasn't that far from office building but it still felt like it was. The moment she was in her apartment she fell into bed without even changing her clothes and fell asleep instantly. Salt City' underworld can go to shit for all she cares.