The Coscas

Severino walked inside the room and his eyes widened with the turnout. All the big bosses from every cosca were present there, the Venturis, the Babineauxs, the Vasilievs, the Carters, the Zhaos and the Ishidas. He lowered his head and made his way to his new boss.

“What happened to you?” asked Michelangelo after seeing minute lacerations on his face and his hands. He tried hard to clean but the blood behind his ears was still present. Michel gave him a napkin to clean it off.

“Vigilantes!! They were waiting for us. They ambushed us on the way to the club,” said Severino in a single gulp and downed the two glasses of drinks kept before Michelangelo.

“What??!!” shouted Michelangelo and stood up. Every single person sitting in the light and the dark hiding their dark, perverse faces looked at him.

“What happened?” Vittore Venturi, a rugged faced man, the leader of Fina Cosca, asked his son, Michelangelo, from the next table over.

The table next over had all the biggest parties from the Fina Cosca sitting there. Vittore Venturi, his elder son, Narciso Venturi, the consigliere, Vicktor Volkov and their guests from Argona. All the rich people lived in Argona.

As soon everyone heard the word ‘vigilante’ their ears stood up. No one dared to act against SMS but a group of vigilantes were creating a lot of trouble lately. They had been attacking consignments and freeing a lot of abducted and kidnapped people making the auction ring suffer.

“Vigilantes! They attacked Severino,” said Michelangelo.

“Did you get the consignment here safely?” asked Vittore to Severino.

“Yes, boss, I did! They are being cleaned up and dressed up in the back,” replied Severino. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Is that what you are worried about? He could have died. Wait! How many people died?” asked Michelangelo, concerned. He knew if Severino was hurt, it meant some people died.

“Three products died because of heat,” replied Severino.

“Don’t call people, product. And I was asking about our guys,” said Michelangelo.

“All of them! All of them!! They killed all of us. I am the only survivor. I don’t know how I am alive,” replied Severino with shaking hands. Even after two more drinks he didn’t stop shaking. The residual adrenaline was keeping him alert.

“Michael! Sit down! Sever! You did good! This is a fortress. No one can get in. Relax! I will find Tikhon and tell him everything. We really need to deal with these Vigilantes. They always know when and where to attack. They have become a menace. What the hell police are doing? We pay them so much. What is the benefit of so much corruption if we cannot use it to our benefit. Idiots!” shouted Vittore and left the boys alone.

Everyone was murmuring about the vigilante as the news spread in the club like wildfire. They knew they were safe as the club was really a fortress. One could get in a castle with a dragon for once but not in Sevendale Club. No one was allowed in without a passcode and if anyone tried, he or she was immediately gunned down.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere else? God! Look at your face and your hands,” asked Michelangelo, concerned. “Do you need me to do anything?”

“I drove with two dead people on my side, Michael! It was freaking horrible,” Severino exhaled loudly. Tears started polling in his eyes. He was all calm and fast in crisis but after his heart slowed down and the last of adrenaline left his system, he started to feel these gusts of emotions, a mess of anger, fear, and survivour's guilt. He was breathing fast and heavily.

“Okay, stop thinking about that. I told you not to take that job. I asked you to work with me in my construction firm, but you wanted to be my bodyguard. Why do you never listen to me? Now, let’s get out and get something for you to eat,” said Michelangelo.

“No!” shouted Severino. Again, everyone looked at their table. The table that seated Michel with all his bodyguards. He didn’t want to sit with his family as he didn’t want anything to do with his family. He was attending this ceremony as his father asked him to. Because the Supreme Boss personally invited every member of the family as not being present at the party would mean declaring war against him and no one wanted that.

Even if Michelangelo didn’t want anything to do with SMS, he was not the one to start a war.

“We cannot leave before the Supreme boss gives his speech. Tikhon Boss needs to see everyone present here. We have to stay put. You are going to be one of the nominees. You have to be here,” protested Severino.

“You know I don’t care about that,” Michel was least interested in any law or rules of SMS.

“Do you care about me or just want me dead? My consignment was attacked. Vigilantes were following me. I have to show my face to him else he will kill me. You have to show him your face else he will declare was on Fina Cosca. Hell! He will declare war on all of Finauldo Island,” whispered Severino in a shouting tone.

“Fine! Calm Down! We will wait till his announcement and then we are leaving. I hate seeing all those tortured souls being tested and prodded and stripped naked. It’s not enough for us that they are kidnapped and abducted and smuggled in horrendous conditions and then sold to these monsters,” Michelangelo gritted his teeth.

He too looked around and saw all the people waiting for Tikhon. First, his eyes fell on Ishida Masayuki, the scary leader of Limiri Cosca from Thobhu Limiri, dressed sharply in a grey suit. His strict face was enough to instil fear in even the most fearless people.

At his table was his family, his gorgeous wife, Kazumi and Yoshiro, his son, the front-runner to become the new Supreme leader. He was taught from his childhood that SMS was supposed to be his legacy. He religiously and with discipline trained from his childhood to become the big boss.

Accompanying them was their consigliere, Fan Cheng. A man, also known as ‘the Nose’ in his circle. His nose was so sensitive that could take a whiff and tell all the ingredients used in any dish. People always used him for their entertainment.

Michel’s eyes darted to the table next to them where the rich and extravagant sheikhs were sitting. They were one of the regulars of the auction ring. No matter where the auction happened, they were always there.

Next to that table were Babineaux. All were laughing at that table as the leader of the Frenwan Cosca based in Frenchrwan Aunia, Leonide Babineaux was a real joker. He could kill with jokes as well as his guns. He was the gun king of the SMS. His wife, Violette, his daughter Aurelie and his spoilt and pampered son, Renart were with him. Their consigliere, Vita Milano was quietly sipping his coffee.

Next were the members of Ceanba Cosca from Rusgal Ceanbaof. The extremely handsome and charming leader, Vikentiy Vasiliev, his gorgeous wife, Olya and their consigliere Aziel Anderson who kept an eye on the security of the club via his phone. He was considered an IT genius.

Then he squinted his eyes at the Monda Cosca from Mondia Fesia. His was the team responsible for kidnapping and abducting all the people sold in the auction ring. A man of short height, the leader Zhao Zhaohui was sitting with his wife Zhong Xiang and three sons, Xiaojian, Changming and Guang.

Working as their consigliere was the human GPS of the SMS, Dominique Abel. That man was walking-talking map. He could tell the right path to anyone in any situation within seconds.

Last but not least, he looked at Caspian Cosca based in Caspian Nyqua. The man with a mesmerizing face, Octavius Carter considered to be the most handsome in SMS was the leader of Caspian Cosca. He was accompanied by his wife Serenity and his two sons, Marcellus and Treyton, and his consigliere, Kubo Kayo, a tall, stoic-faced man who had his degree in mechanical engineering.

All were there for the nomination. All wanted to know who would get shortlisted to be the new Supreme boss. If Tikhon had a son, there would be no need to put anyone through the short-listing procedure. He had one daughter, one living daughter and he kept her away from everything.

Everyone knew that if Afanasia was alive, she would easily take over SMS, but Tikhon had his own daughter killed. Her mistake, she fell in love. Her story was famous yet shrouded in mystery. No one knew what really happened all they knew was that Vicktor was her bodyguard, and he was the one who killed her on Tikhon’s orders.

Michel was in his thoughts when he was interrupted by a loud gong. Everyone knew what that meant.