Crimson affairs (Hiatus)

Chapter 1

'The people of the day tell stories; the people of the night, live them'. That's what my father told me before he got sick and retired. These words tell you everything about my life in my family's business. The Cortez family is a legitimate enterprise as far as any lawyer or district attorney needs to be concerned. We deal in manufacturing during the day and keep our hands clean. The media loves our name and our sponsorships. It's all very nice and tidy with tons of paperwork.

It's during the night when life really begins. Only during the night, where the sun comes down and the lights go blazing. That's when I get to have fun. My cousins keep us strong and in control. My 'extended family' collect dues. It's not clean, it's not nice, but that's the way it is. Everyone in the city knows it's true, and tonight, I'll remind everyone of who's in charge

~

The governor was in town for a meeting with the mayor earlier this afternoon. They were discussing how to deal with the rise of criminal activity in the city. My sources told me that the national guard might call in if they couldn't get a handle on it. It was all whispers and hushed conversations, but I couldn't let that happen. A meeting like theirs didn't happen during the day. So we moved in on city hall as soon as the sun went down.

We had the building surrounded on all sides. My voice echoed over the radio, "Move in now. Mow down the men in blue and blast down the doors." I always liked the sound of my own voice, cool and deadly.

Seconds later, gunfire erupted outside of my van. There were screams and shouts as bodies hit the floor. Then silence took over. A deadly silence which lasted long enough to know the fight was over. A bit of hell broke loose, and an explosion went off a few yards away. The shockwave was so intense that my van shuddered. Once that was over, I stepped out and surveyed the scene.

City hall was in ruins. Security guards and police had been called in to protect the governor during this trip. I walked passed their bodies on my way to the entrance. That perfectly groomed garden that made it look like the place was special, now held nothing but shrapnel. It was almost funny seeing the gaping hole in the wall that used to be a door as I stepped through it.

A few more guards came running around the corner to face me. I pulled out my gun and aimed two careful shots without breaking stride. Their bodies hit the floor before I even saw their faces. Who needs video games when you've got perfect aim in real life? The conference room doors were shut and probably locked. How cute.

"Take it down," I said to my right-hand man, Josh. The hulking bodyguard didn't hesitate to ram the door down with brute force. It crashed open like it was made of wooden chopsticks. I strode into the room with my hands in my pockets, and my hat tilted to the right. The governor, mayor, and all the other fancy-titled men in cheap ass suits looked at me like the devil just strolled in to claim them for their sins. I can't say I didn't like it that way. A guy like me doesn't wear a designer red suit and tie because I love roses. "It seems like you forgot to send my invitation. The security didn't look like they'd let me in...so I had to get a little rough. I hope you don't mind." Oh yes, I loved the way my voice made them sweat and tremble.

"Mr. Crimson, w-we didn't think you'd want to attend." The mayor tried to keep cool. I pulled out my gun and aimed at his head. The old man flinched and looked like he wanted to crawl under the table.

"So, if I don't think you're worth two bullets, I should just kill you with one? Is that how you want it to work, Jimmy?" these men were normally powerful figures in the community. I couldn't call them by their real official titles, or they'd start to get confident. "No, I didn't think so." I grabbed a seat at the head of the table and put my gun down facing the governor across from me. he was the only one who didn't look like he'd piss himself. People from out of town didn't know me well enough to be respectful apparently.

"What do you want? Who do you think you are, making a scene and barging in here like you own the place!? This is a government meeting, and you can face a lifetime sentence for this! If you leave now, you might not get the death penalty!" An eyebrow flew up on my head. Can you believe the nerve of some people? I couldn't help but start laughing right then and there. No one else joined in, but if they did, I would have shot them, so...that's for the best.

Instead, I grab the gun and send a bullet into the governor's arm. "Don't get me wrong here, Richie. I'm a fair man. I run my business just like all the other fine gentlemen in this good city of mine. But I don't like competition. As far as 'the law' is concerned, I don't exist. You'll never get anywhere if you keep making that mistake. As a matter of fact, if you try to pull out your phone, I'll let you. Go ahead, anyone, make a quick call." No one moved, and I smiled. The governor was in obvious pain, but the man had grit. He pulled out his phone with his good hand and dialed 9-1-1. After a few seconds, my phone started ringing. I didn't answer it. I let it ring for twenty seconds just so that the point got through. Richie hung up, and my phone stopped ringing. "Oh, no one answered? Maybe you should try again. See how much help it does.

"I don't know how you run the rest of the state, Richie, but you don't run this city. I am the alpha and the omega. The optimum primus and the magnum opus. I am the only law that matters here, and I won't take kindly to having you back here in my town." I watched as my words knocked the fight out of everyone in the room. Any calls made within a thirty-foot radius of my phone, would be redirected to me. It was a handy little trick that made them think I had a direct line with the police force. Funny how the police commissioner thought I owned the government office. With just a few tricks and brute force, I took over anyone who could have me shut down. "Now, if we're all clear on how things go around here, I'll take my leave." I gave them all a wide smile that I knew would haunt them at night. Then I strutted out of city hall just as the fire department was arriving at the scene.

There was a group of women staring at the scene from the sidewalk. Now for a little bit of showboating. I sent a cool smile their way and tipped my hat. Even if my home wasn't full of mirrors, I'd know how good I looked every day just by seeing ladies fawn over me. My charm was irresistible after all.

Except, there was one woman in that crowd who didn't seem impressed. In fact, she looked downright annoyed. She wore a silver-laced white dress shirt and skirt which made her stand out against the drab city scene. When I walked closer, she grimaced. "Congratulations, you laid waste to a bunch of hard working men who just wanted to do their job. I hope it was worth you making a grand entrance." What? Who the hell is she?

"Who the hell are you?" I asked her coldly. Instead of glaring at me and responding like I expected her to, the lady in white rolled her eyes disappointedly and started walking away. She pulled two of her friends along even though they clearly didn't want to stop watching me.

"I'm someone who simply doesn't care. Have a good night," she sounded so disinterested by me that everything in the surroundings seemed to disappear. I focused on her moves as she walked away without sparing me another glance. She wasn't trying to pick a fight like a city tomboy, and she wasn't playing hard to get because no one could fake that lack of interest. Who the hell is she?

A tap on my arm pulled me out of my trance. "Mr. Crimson, we should probably head out now if we want to avoid the cops. I'm not sure that we have enough ammo to keep going if it comes down to a big confrontation." I tore my eyes away from the lady in white and tried to focus on the situation at hand.

"You're right Josh. Let's roll out." With that said, I got into my van with Josh and we drove away from city hall. The rest of the attack squad would take a different route back to base after making sure they weren't followed. When everything was said and done, tonight went perfectly. Just another night of living life the right way.