CHAPTER 3

"ARE YOU SURE he's still there?" Marcus asked.

The men around him nodded. "Yes sir. We told our man to keep an eye on Giovanni's son."

Marcus nodded.

They were in a brown colored van, heading towards where a rival family's son was spotted.

"There is still time to turn back, Marcus," Julian leaned and whispered to Marcus who shrugged him off. "Did you tell your father about this operation?"

Marcus chuckled, "My father is getting old. He should not be disturbed with trifle matters such as this."

"You call going to kill a boy a trifle matter?" Julian asked.

Marcus looked away without answering.

The van screeched to a stop just outside a Cafe and the men hopped out with their guns concealed within their jackets.

The street and front of the Cafe were almost empty, the few people around did not glance at the men.

Marcus gave an inconspicuous sign, telling the men to go around and surround the Cafe. The information said that their target was inside.

"You don't have to be here, sir," One of the goons said to Arthur.

"I know," Marcus replied. "But I want to be here," He cocked his large pistol and said, "Follow me." He led Julian and 3 other men into the Cafe.

It was almost empty apart from the workers and just a couple of people. Marcus examined the room with one glance and noted that none of the people in could be Giovanni's son.

"We have no business with you," Marcus said to the lead waitress behind the counter. She nodded fearfully. "Where is the young man that just left this place?"

The waitress looked like she was about to lie, she gulped and pointed at a side door.

Marcus turned and said to two of the goons, "Wait here," Then he took Julian and another guy through the door.

It led to the bathroom. One of the small glass windows was open.

Marcus stretched up and looked through it, he could see the figure of a slight man running away. "That fucker is escaping!" He yelled and leaped down.

They bounded out of the bathroom and through the Cafe.

"Come!" Marcus told his men as they ran out.

"What of the men you told to surround this block?" Julian panted as they ran.

"They probably didn't know that the window should be watched!" Marcus replied without stopping. "Radio the men at the back and tell them to chase him down."

Julian slowed down to bring out his walkie-talkie to speak to their thugs.

Grateful for his 3 times a week session at the gym, Marcus ran at full speed without even breaking a sweat.

"They have him cornered on down 2nd street!" Julian yelled.

Rejuvenated by the news, they ran to where the young man was surrounded by the goons of the Salvatore family.

"Marcus, this is near the school!" Julian whispered fiercely, still trying to catch his breath. "You can't do anything here."

Marcus raised an eyebrow and chuckled sardonically. "I can't? Watch me."

His men parted the way to reveal the young man.

"Do you know who I am?" Marcus asked.

The man shook his head.

"So why did you run?" Marcus asked again.

The man stared defiantly into Arthur's eyes but did not say anything. Marcus swung back his leg and kicked the man hard. "Well, I know you… Giovanni…" He said. "I am Marcus Salvatore. You and your family messed up, your father especially."

"Marcus, the school yard is a few yards away. We can't do this here with kids around," Julian whispered beside his cousin.

Marcus looked around to insoect their location.They were on a cornered side, away from the main street and hidden from any stray eyes.

"And the kids are outside," Julian whispered again. "I think they are on recess now, you can't…"

"Shut it, Julian," Marcus snapped. He brought out his gun and opened his hand to one of his men. He was handed a long black tubular object which he screwed to the barrel of his gun. He pointed it at Giovanni's son and pressed the trigger twice. The sound was suppressed, like the sound of someone slapping the wall. The young man slumped like a sack of potatoes.

"Move the body," Marcus said, removing the silencer from the barrel of his gun and handing it back to the man who gave him.

As his men started to pack up the body, Marcus walked aside, and Julian followed him.

"What has come over you, Marcus?" Julian asked quietly.

"What?" Marcus asked innocently. "I did what we came here for."

"Near a school?" Julian asked, gesturing to the next building.

Marcus scoffed and looked at the school. "Hmm," He spotted a little boy seated alone on a stair, looking at a coloring book while his mates played.

"Sir, we are done," One of his men called from behind. "We should be leaving now."

Marcus turned and nodded. "I hear you, Julian," He said to his cousin. "And I appreciate your concern, even though it's unwarranted."

Julian nodded. "Let's go back home."

"Yeah," Marcus said slowly. He turned and looked at the child. "You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up with you later."

"What? Where are you going, Marcus?" Julian said.

Marcus didn't answer, instead, he walked away. He heard Julian's exasperated sigh and chuckled to himself. There was something about the child that drew him closer.

He got to the iron fence and started to climb over it and into the school.

"Marcus, what the hell are you doing?" Julian called.

Marcus chuckled. "Go on. I'll see you guys later." Julian sighed and went away. The iron fence jingled under his weight and that caught the boy's attention. He watched as Marcus groaned and jumped down into the school back yard.

Then he stood there, watching what the boy would do. The boy simply pinned him with his sad sky-blue eyes and then slowly, his young face broke into a grin. Marcus released a breath and walked over to crouch beside the kid.

"Hey there, buddy," Marcus said gently. "What's your name?"

The little boy blinked multiple times before saying, "Jake, but everyone calls me Jake."

"Well, Jake, my name is Marcus. Can I sit with you?" He asked. The boy nodded and scooted over to create space. Arthur sat on the hard stair, feeling the butt of his gun dig into his back. "Why are you all alone here? You should be playing with your friends,"

Jake sniffled and said, "I don't have any friends,"

"Why not? You look like a fun kid," Marcus said.

The boy looked out sadly and said, "The other kids refuse to play with me. They mock and tease me."

Marcus frowned, "Why?"

"Because I don't have a father." The boy said in a small voice.

Marcus cursed under his breath. "Everyone has a father, Jake," He said gently. "What happened?"

Jake's shrugged his tiny shoulders. "Mama would not tell me anything."

Marcus quite understood the mother. Maybe the little one was a mistake, or the father jilted them as soon as he heard she was expecting. Jake is still too little to understand all those.

He stood up and held out his hand, "Come, I want to have a talk with those kids, okay?"

The boy looked up at Marcus for a moment, and then he took the hand and they walked to the playground where a group of kids were playing in the jungle gym.

Jake followed Marcus timidly, clutching his coloring book in one hand, and Marcus's hand on the other.

Marcus looked around, there were a couple of teachers at a corner, discussing within themselves and not paying attention to what was going on in the playground.

A chubby kid looked as they approached. "Jake is comiinngg…" They all giggled and scrambled away.

Marcus stood before the little children, "I heard you have not been including Jake in your playtime because he doesn't have a father…"

They looked at Marcus and then to Jake who stood beside him. "I want that to end today, do you hear me?" He said in a strong voice.

They nodded vehemently, scared at Marcus's tone.

"I am his father, and if Jake comes home and tells me of this again, I will come here with the boogeyman!"

There were gulps and shivers in every child around.

Marcus reached behind him and pulled Jake into their midst. Almost immediately, a child came up to Jake and offered him a leaf – a sign of friendship.

Marcus smiled internally as he walked away back the way he came. Just as he climbed the fence out, he glanced back at the playground and saw that all the kids were playing together.