New underground

Martil’s POV

I tossed my phone back into my pocket, throwing the cigarette on the ground before stepping on it. It was past evening already and I have had no sleep.

When things are tough and rough in the gang, that was how it always ended. Sacrifice was to be made. I headed back into the gang house.

The male looked like a half alive, almost butchered pig.

“Kaleb, you almost killed him.” I said,

He scoffed. “He is quite tough. He tried to bite his tongue to kill himself so I cut it off.”

The lady whimpered in a low voice, trembling very hard as the chains used to lock her hands made sounds every single second that passed by.

Initially, I thought she was the hard one because of the way she looked. Well, do not judge a book by its cover.

“He can’t talk, yeah. What about the girl?” I asked, plopping myself down on the seat.

Kaleb took a knife and walked towards her. She tried to step back but there was no escape route.

“You have a perfect face…..but it could make a beautiful carved piece.” He trailed the end of the cold knife from the line of cheeks, up to her sight area.

She cracked. Her lips trembled. “They’re underground.” Her mascara had been ruined but she was less bothered about that.

Her partner grumbled loudly, trying to stop her from talking but unfortunately, his tongue was off.

“What underground?” Kaleb pressed further, still playing with the knife.

Occasionally, she tried to push her face away to avoid being smeared with the sharp tip of the knife.

“Old nightclub in town. They have a basement level.” She continued, “Please, that’s all I know.”

Kaleb looked at me, waiting for the signal. I gave a slight nod.

He leaned back closer to her, his voice dropping to a soft dangerous one. “You did well, bitch.” He said, “But if I find out you told me a lie, pieces would be carved out of you and it will be worse than your partner’s”

The girl tried hard not to cry. Kaleb wiped his knuckles with a handkerchief from his pocket like he had just finished fixing a bad engine rather than breaking two people open for answers.

I stood up, slipping on my black gloves. “Get the car.”

We moved.

Night swallowed the city as Kaleb handled the wheel while I rested on the seat, watching how the streets and lights blurred past.

I hated stealing. Theft from my men wasn’t just business, it was an insult and these kinds of insults spread fast in the mafia world if it isn’t treated fast.

The warehouse looked like an abandoned one from the exterior. A cracked label sign hung above the entrance but it was quite different after stepping in.

Inside the warehouse reeked of lust, blood and fear….just like every other one I had been to. It was always the same. Loud bass, cash, pussies and guns.

A club dressed as an abandoned graveyard.

We stepped inside further. Thick smoke from cigars, vapes, tobacco filled the air as music shook the floor. It was heavy, bodies blending against pillars as laughter and cash were thrown around.

Tables were lit with lamps where powerful men with scarred faces played cards and gambled. It was a regular den. A den where predators came to feel safe from other predators.

“Clubbish enough for you?” Kaleb grinned.

I ignored him. I had a den too but I rarely went there. The moment we entered, I had seen shoulders tensing and eyes following us. They knew who we were or maybe they just knew what we represented — fear.

One man blocked our path near the stairs leading down.

“Private area,” he said,

Kaleb tilted his neck slowly and slightly. “Move.” One low command.

The guy hesitated. That was a clear bad choice on his part.

I didn’t even stop walking as Kaleb slammed him into the wall, the sound of bone hitting concrete cutting through the music for a moment before the bass swallowed it whole again.

We descended the stairs.

The underground level was darker and quieter. In my world, we all knew what happened down here. Deals happened here. The real kind of deals, the ones that involved millions of dollars and other currencies.

It was also where weapons were used in transactions , shipped in and out, hidden in liquor crates. It was where heavy loads of cash were being counted and big men pretending they weren’t nervous of each other.

A guard reached for a gun. I was faster.

My fist met his jaw with a satisfying crunch, and he dropped down like a weak puppet. Kaleb laughed under his breath, kicking another aside.

“Message delivered,” he muttered.

We didn’t stop walking until we reached a thick steel door.

Two men stood outside it. They were bigger and obviously smarter because they didn’t move immediately.

“Boss doesn’t like surprises,” one said,

I stepped closer, letting him see my face clearly. “Then he should’ve thought about that before stealing from me.”

A pause. They exchanged looks. Then, the other opened the door.

The room inside was much quieter than the club and the gambling den above. It was almost elegant compared to the chaos outside.

There were big leather chairs, crystal glasses. A man sat behind a heavy table like a king. He was older with calm eyes. He smiled when he saw me.

“Grave,” he called smoothly. “I wondered when you’d come.”

Kaleb stayed near the door with his arms crossed as he watched everything like a godlike vulture.

I stepped forward slowly, taking a seat.“You took something that belongs to me.”

The boss leaned back. “Business is business.”

“Not this kind of business.”

His smile faded slightly. “You came here alone with one man. That’s either confidence or stupidity.”

I leaned forward, resting my palms on his table. “You’ll find out which.”

Silence stretched between us.

Then he chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re not here for the money, are you?”

“No.” I answered nonchalantly.

“Then what do you want, Grave?”

Before I could answer, a sharp click sounded behind me. It was metal that just slid into place.

I didn’t turn.

“Boss… you’ve got company.” Kaleb made a sign that my gang members are aware of when we can’t talk. A warning sign.

The man across the table smiled again. It was wider this time like his plan was sailing well. “You’re not the only one who’s been looking for answers,” he said.

My instincts horn blurred. Then, a familiar voice echoed from the shadows behind me. It was one I hadn’t heard in years.

“Still as reckless as ever, Martil.”

I froze. That person just called my real name. At that moment, I realized. They didn’t steal from me just to get a reaction, they stole from me because they wanted me here.

It was a trap….for me.

“Duck!” Kaleb suddenly yelled.