The grizzled boss of one of the most notorious and lucrative crime organizations in the western United States took another sip from his glass and puff from his cigar. “I always thought you and Daichi were too smart for this job, this lifestyle. So you’re going to kill me. That’s fine. But, you do realize that once I die, someone else will take my place. You can’t stop it, Toma. There will always be bosses to head an organization. This system is set up to carry on long after my time and yours. You think that this act will somehow rid you from all of your evil deeds? That you may one day get clemency from the boy, so he doesn’t kill you, too?”
Toma took another sip from his glass and placed it down. He put out the remainder of his cigar on the armrest of his chair. “No. I don’t think that it will. I am an evil man, and I have done evil things. But, I have finally seen the aftermath of my actions, and I plan to spend the rest of my life righting those wrongs until my last dying breath. A man once told me, long ago, ‘Once the game is over, the king and the pawns go into the same box.’” Toma stood up, placed his sword back in its sheath, and grabbed the pillow that he was sitting on.
Martin gulped down the rest of his glass of wine and placed it on the armrest of his chair. “You don’t have to do this, Tiger. My time in this world is almost gone. I have loss everything: my money, my power, my freedom. Why don’t you leave and let me rot in here? You really plan on killing me after all that I have done for you?” Martin’s tone changed as desperation and anger began to set in. “I built this organization, and I made you who you are. Just leave and don’t come back! Just let me be!”
Tiger walked to Martin and placed his hand on his shoulder to comfort his old friend. “Why rot in here when I’m offering you something you once offered us…freedom.”
Martin’s eyes began to water and his body had a slight quiver to it. He looked up at Toma with remorseful eyes and a crooked smile. “Goodbye, Tiger. Thank you.”
“Goodbye, Lion. I love you, my dear friend.” Toma lunged at Martin, pillow in hand and covered his entire face. Martin fell out of his chair as he tried to fight back initially. The Lion was no match for the younger, heavier, stronger Tiger. In minutes Martin’s strong blows weakened. The squirming as he tried to break free had slowed. His breathing had gone from heavy, as he struggled, to light and then slowly…gone. The hand that grasped the back of Toma’s shirt eventually loosened and fell limp on the concrete floor. The leader of the Lazzero crime family had died.
Toma removed the pillow from Martin’s face and gazed upon his body with tear-filled eyes. He bent down and gave his boss one last kiss on his forehead. “I will see you again, one day, my friend,” he whispered. “Officer Dye, help!” he cried out in the room. “I need some help. It’s Martin!”
***
The green, broken-down station wagon belonging to the late Carmine Lazzero rolled past a “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign. I’m here, Justice thought as he stared at the city’s bright lights. I’ve avenged your death, Mom; may you rest in peace now?
“But we are not done yet, Justice,” a voice came from his passenger seat.
Justice turned his head and occupying the seat was Katherine Davis. “I don’t understand—I avenged your death,” he explained.
“You said you were going to rid the world of evil. Well, there’s still evil in this world, son, and until it is gone, I’m still here.”
Justice turned back to the road as they drove past the first buildings along the city limits. “So what’s first on our list, Mom?”
“Why don’t you check your jacket pocket, and let’s take a look?”
He reached into his jacket pocket. There was nothing I put in there, he thought. He fiddled in his other pocket, and that’s when he felt a thick piece of paper. It was an old photo, the one he had found in his father’s secret box back at the house. The photo was of all the pack members in their nicely pressed suits. There was a significant difference, however, in the photo from the last time he’d seen it.
The faces of Carmine and Anthony were wiped out, erased, like they no longer existed. He gazed at the photo and then back at his mother. “Who is the next to be scratched off this list?”
“They are,” Katherine replied, pointing at Daichi and Toma. “They are getting ready to leave town. You must stop them before they have a chance to leave.”
“Understood,” he replied, picking up speed in his station wagon as he drove through the city.
“Find the Crimson Tiger—Daichi and Toma will be there,” Katherine directed to Justice as she watched him dodge and dart his way through the busy Las Vegas streets.
Finally, they found it, the Crimson Tiger. The bright red lettering with shimmering gold caught his attention as he neared. He pulled to the side of the road and placed his car in park. He sat and waited. He watched the front door to the Crimson Tiger. After about ten minutes, four men walked out of the front; two of them were Daichi and Toma.
“There they are—go and strike now,” Katherine demanded, as she sat in the car. “Hurry up!” she cried, slamming her hand on the dashboard. “They are going to get away.”
“No, they’re not,” Justice replied calmly. “The men that they are with may have done nothing wrong. I will not take their lives in order to take theirs. A time will come when I am able to strike, and when it comes, I will not hesitate.”
The two figures watched the four men enter their vehicle and begin driving. Justice started his car and followed slowly behind. “I hope you know what you’re doing,” Katherine replied hesitantly as she leaned back in her seat, disappointed by her son’s lack of urgency in disposing of the pack members.
“You need not fret. Their time will come, and when it does, I will be there to be judge, jury, and executioner.”
Epilogue
Special Agent, Victor Marshal, also known as Handler, sat in the diner on the outskirts of Goodsprings, heading towards Las Vegas. He sat patiently, waiting for his next meeting with another shadow of his.
“Sugar, can I get you anything?”
“Just a cup of coffee for now, Marlene. Make it two cups. I’m expecting someone.”
“All right. I’ll be right back,” the hefty waitress said as she headed back towards the kitchen.
Marshal continued to stare out of the window, waiting for his shadow to arrive. So much has happened these past few days. Every member of the Lazzero crime family, except for Toma has died. The person responsible of these heinous crimes is still on the loose. According to the reports from my other shadows, tension has been building in the other organizations throughout the state, as they are both worried with the recent killings, but equally excited with the prospect of becoming the top organization in the state. Dangerous times are ahead.
“Handler, Handler, you okay?” Agent Stan Moore called out, standing in front of Marshal who was lost in his thoughts.
“Oh, yes. Yes, I am. Please, Mr. Moore, sit.” Handler reached his hand out to the seat across from him.
“You sure you’re okay, sir? You look like there is a lot on your mind.”
Handler gazed down at the table. “I feel a war coming, Moore,” he replied through troubled eyes. “The deaths of the Lazzeros leave a void that needs to be filled. The rest of the crime families in Nevada will be jockeying for position, and I feel that it will lead to bloodshed.”
“I’ve felt it, too,” Moore replied in agreement with his boss. “This person doing all these killings, I can’t decide if it’s a vigilante or a hired hitman, working for one of the rival gangs. And I can’t make heads or tails of the carvings on the both the victims’ chests. Is it a message being sent? Is it his calling card? To this day, it puzzles me.”
“Whoever this guy is, I have a feeling he is far from done. This is just the beginning.”
“What do we do? How do we stop it?”
“Sorry, I took so long, Sugar,” Marlene said, as she brought the two cups of coffee to the table. “Would the two of you like to look at the menus this mornin
g?”
“No, thank you, Marlene,” Handler replied with a warm smile. “We will be heading out soon.”
“Well, if you fellas change your mind, just let me know.”
Handler waited until Marlene was far away from their table before beginning, again. “We need to go and see the Director. Maybe he can offer support to stop a war we see coming. We need to get moving though. The wheels appear to have been set in motion, and we only have a limited amount of time before the rest of the families start to make their move. I hope you’re ready, Moore. Since you no longer need to shadow Mr. Griggs, you’ll be doing a lot more ‘hands on’ work now.”
“I’m ready, sir. This war needs to be stopped. By any means necessary.”
***
195 miles east of Goodsprings, Nevada, Justice sat in a diner. I’m one step closer. This world will be rid of all evil. That is my mission: that is my goal. He pulled out the picture that lay in his jacket. Only two faces remained, Toma and Martin. Your time will come, and when it does, I will be there to see your punishment through.
“Honey, you ready to order?” the elderly waitress in the diner asked, breaking Justice from his thoughts.
“Yes, I am. Sorry, can I get the grilled ham and cheese with tomato soup, please. That’s my favorite. My mom makes it for me all the time.”
“Sure thing, Hun. Where is your mom right now?” she asked, looking around the empty diner for Justice’s mom.
“She’s here,” he explained, pulling out his necklace and looking down at it. “She is always here, and she will never leave me.”
Justice felt Katherine’s hands wrap around his head, and she leaned down and kissed him on the top of his head. Justice closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and smiled from the comfort he felt from being with his mother once again.
About the Author
Michael is a family man first and attempts to be an author second. Born and raised in North Kohala, on the Big Island of Hawaii, he graduated from Kohala High School in 2008. He began writing Of Kings and Pawns in the beginning of 2015 and by the end of summer, he had already completed the first draft. Writing has always been a passion of Michael’s, and he loves to read and write.
Thank you all for your support throughout this entire process, and thank you for joining me on this journey of mine! I hope you enjoyed my story, and come check me out at oshitamichael.com.
-Michael Oshita
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