Chapter 3 - The Gangster Clan Living Next Door

 But.. “Nothing much, just the gangster family next door,” Father replied instead with a smug expression.

“Bloody hell,” I gasped,

“Sophie Language.” Motrher Yelled, turning to father with a glare, and he quickly cleared his throat or prtended to. 

“Sorry mom.” I said and turned to my father, “You mean to say there’s a real mafia leaving next door? Like he is our neighbor?” I questioned father with fascination. Obviously, I’ve only seen those gangsters like people on T.V, but to have one staying right next to me…. Oh Holy moly. I’ve always wanted to meet a real mafia… this might just be my luck.

“Huh?” Father spat drawing aback,

Sighing, “It’s a figure of speech Sophie, not the actual thing.” Mother corrected, staring … no more like still glaring at father.

It clear she doesn’t want me to know… can’t blame her though, “Oh…” I turned to father with a disappointed glance, “Right, like those thing exist.” I sighed, standing up with my bag, “I should head upstairs then,” I said with a yawn,

“Oh… You must be tired. Go rest up I’ll call you when dinner is set,”

“Thanks mom.” I hugged her and went up to my room,

Emily turn a red eyes to Daniel, “Just what do you think you’re doing, dear, were you really going to disclose that to her?”

Sighing, “Emily she needs to know in other to be save.”

“Save from what, Dan?” she glared at him, “The information from the headquarters Cleary stated that… this was a none active mafia, not an active one, so why are you worried?”

“You and I know that the non-active ones are the most dangerous of them all.” He replied,

“You might be right, but where have you heard that a mafia boss staying at a community filled with high level officers? Has it never occurs to you that maybe they want to leave in peace, so i don’t think it wise to go looking for trouble, and be careful of whom you share that information with. Just like, we’re finding out about them…. They’ll be doing the same thing.” She finished,

“Then what about the child that goes to Sophie’s school, what are we going to do about it?”

“Nothing! Being a gangster’s child doesn’t stop them from going to school. If you were to mention that to Sophie, it will make her more curious. I don’t need to remind you of her fondness for those bastards. I’m having issues with peeling that untrained personality from her, no thanks to your brother; I don’t want to add anymore to it.” She sighed, “And beside… they leave like four houses away, so I don’t think there will be any problem as long as you don’t tell her anything.”

“Yeah… he is not my brother but a relation,” he responded, pissed,

“Of course love, if you say so.” She said

Daniel sighed again, hating the fact that his wife was right. Being a retired force woman, she still has so many skills and knowledge, “Fine,… I won’t say anything to her.” he agreed and halted, “Am hungry.” He added,

“Ha-ha, of course you are.” Emily said with a smile, “Go freshen up, I call you when dinner id ready.”

“Oh… sure. Thanks love.”

“No problem.”

As soon as Emily heard the sound of close door, convinced that Daniel was inside, she picked up her phone, punch in a number, after ringing for a while… someone pick up, “Hello!” An old female voice resounded for the other end.

“Hello Mira! It’s me Wild cat,”

“Ugh, wild cat? Ah Emily Rust, been a while since I’ve heard that name. How are you doing old friend?” Mira asked,

“I’m doing great Mira, what about you?”

“Well, I’m okay just getting old.” She replied to her,

“I supposed,” Emily said and halted,

“Well, I supposed you didn’t call to chit – chat, what do you want?” Mira asked,

“Oh nothing much, just some information about the sudden Mafia boss leaving in our back yard,”

“Oh… you’ve heard about that?”

“I would be a fool not to. So, what do you know about it?”

“Nothing much! I mean, I know exactly what you know.”

“Seriously, there is no way that is true. You were on of the best informant back at the force, so don’t bullshit me and just fill me in, please.”

“And for your information, I still am,” she replied hastily, “Great to know, Mira,” Emily responded

Sighing aloud, “Fine Rust, you just convinced me,”

“Well I am glad.”

“Yeah! Anyway when I got the alert from the headquarters, I got curious, and started to do my own investigation, it turned out that they left out some piece of information.”

“What kind?”

“Like his background and all that. I found out from my search that he’s a cross breed between Russian and America. Alexander Kova a rootless drug lord who took over the drug world of the Russian at an early age. Was married….”

“Was?” Emily said interrupting Mira’s explanation,

“Yes, the two times he was married, both wife was murder in cold blood, but to the world, he is divorced. It was said that following his wives death, close to ten mafia organization was brutally destroyed alongside their bosses.”

“Well, it’s obvious who did it,”

“Yeah! Well, no one had the guts to speak out.”

Emily sighed hard, “But this doesn’t say why he suddenly moved into our community, right?”

“I thought that way too until I discovered that… the wives who were murder left something precious for him,”

“His children?”

“Yes, Natalie Kova a sixteen years old girl and Michael Kova a six years old boy,”

“Wow… A mafia with kids and a young one at that,”

“Yes but that’s not all. Six months back both of them were kidnapped on their way to school; five of his body guild killed in the process. Good thing, they discovered it on time both children would have been killed, after that he moved down to Canada,”

“Wait! You mean he fled. You’re saying a brutal drug boss just like Kova fled from his enemy. That’s preposterous!”

“You think so?” Mira asked, “But I think it’s the prefect plan. You know, him leaving among the high ranked force men, doesn’t just protects him and his family but removed eyes from his activities. And beside I don’t think it’s a bad thing if he had fled.” Mira added,

“What do you mean?” Emily Inquired,

“You and Daniel was one of the best duo agent the force has ever seen, at the mention of your names criminals piss their pant but all because of a child, you both abandoned an Ops. When I heard it…”

“Yeah… well, when I got a call that my child was becoming the very thing I was fighting against… I couldn’t help it. I knew then she needed her family, so I just …”

“Yeah… I understand but did you have to quite. I got a shock when I heard that,” Mira complained,

“Sophie needed a mother and not an agent, and I couldn’t be both at the same time. So, one of us needed to stay behind, while the other continues… I just decided it to be me, and beside I help out sometimes, and now that we have decided to have more kids… I need to focus on my rusty sex technics.”

“Ha-ha yeah… just like your name. Anyways… that’s all I’ve found out about the Mafia. We’re his cover.”

“Yes…That’s makes more sense. We serve as coverage to his activities. While he leave here pretending to be retired, he does his dirty work underneath our nose.”

“Yes,”

“But serious, are we going to allow him do that?”

“Well, as long as he doesn’t make any trouble, that’s should be fine. I don’t think I’ve the strength to go against a drug lord such as that.”

“Yes you are right. Amway thank you from the information, Mira… now I can sleep in peace.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Talk later,”

"Yeah! Bye." She hung up, her voice distant and distracted.

Emily sighed again, her mind heavy with unspoken worries. "Even at that… I need to keep a close watch on Sophie," she murmured to herself, her eyes focused on the task of cooking.

The familiar sounds of the kitchen surrounded her, but beneath the surface, a sense of unease lingered, reminding her of the challenges she faced and the need to protect her loved ones.