The Mafia Way

Flashback 3: Reuben Meet Ash

"It's been fucking 1 month Ash! Did you find anything?" asked Gulf annoyingly as if his movement was tightly bound by an invisible rope.

"For fuck sake Gulf, I'm trying to crack every file there is to find this guy. Could you give me a fucking break from biting my ass on this" said Ash as he was too annoyed by the dead end.

Both Ash and Gulf currently seating at the park, the private property park not far from the national park, doing their hacking as both try their best on cracking files after files of a different person that goes by the name Reuben or Artem or both.

Unknowing to them, from afar someone, was looking at them through his binocular smirking at their activity before he leaps down from the tree that he was resting and head over to them.

"Hi boys"

"Oh my lord, Reuben!" said Gulf as he was shocked beyond words thinking that they both got caught by the security guard.

Ash looking at Reuben from head to toe as he hesitatingly greets him; "Erm, hi?".

"Hi Ash friend of Gulf, study the same course at International University in Moscow IUM" while smile at him.

His action makes both Gulf and Ash have major goosebumps while their legs are rooted to the ground, unmoved and totally speechless.

"Ho-how do you know my name?" asked Ash as he looks at Reuben suspiciously while his left hand quickly grab the pepper spray.

Casually Reuben take his seat right in front of them both as he said; "Put the pepper spray down and I know you because the both of you have been trying to snoop around and hacking into places that you two didn't suppose to. You know if you want to know more about me, you can just ask me and I will tell you about myself more".

Gulf straight up without beating around the bush, looked directly at him; "Then tell us about yourself," as he urges Reuben to speak up.

"Okay then since the both of you are super nosy, I'll just tell my story and it's totally up to you to believe me or no"

"My name is Reuben Artem, age let's skip that, my occupation before being your mentor I am a retired Black Hose Lieutenant Army that goes by the name RA"

"Wait just RA as in the alphabet R and A?" asked Ash as he looks at Reuben.

"Yes, just alphabet R and A" answer Reuben in which Ash quickly grab his laptop and search for the RA file.

Instantly Ash got a hit that was under a highly confidential classified file surrounded by a couple of firewalls which Ash automatically start his hacking job.

"I guess he found the files, anyway Gulf. When I tell you, I will and want to help him out by passing my knowledge and skill to you, I really meant it".

Pause Reuben for a second as he looks directly at Gulf who was looking at him. Then he continues;

"I saw myself in you, the sorrow, the rejection, the drive of wanting to be the best and get things done, the sign is there all of em that's why I want to help you as I don't want you to fall down the drain like I am so I do a quick background check on you and your friends before actually making a contact with you"

"But why? I mean there are other people out there who have the same problem as I am which can fill your shoes"

"Like I said Gulf, I saw myself in you. I was born in a gang family, my parents were killed by our enemy gang members, I drown myself in alcohol, I sleep around, I trained like crazy, tried different things, involved in different missions because of that I am now at the first phase of my final stage of cancer. So before I go, I want to do something right, even if it's just one person as I'm still standing here talking to you"