CHAPTER 1

sirens blasting, slow breathing, darkness covered my subconsciousness. The only thing I could remember was being thrown into the water below the williamsburg's bridge New York that faithful night.

i could still remember how I was rushed into the surgical room with an oxygen mask

covering my nose and mouth.

The bright lights, the strong smell of antiseptics, the nurses and doctor running around to stabilize me, the surgical knives and blades tearing my skin as they try to extract the bullets from my severely battered body. in pain so excruciating that all I wished was death. I grapsed the surgeon's wrist frimly, I took notice of the look of shock on his face and then my faint whisper to him.

"Give me new face help me get rid of this one. I will double the amount no matter the cost. I swear to you". I said before passing out.

My name is Ryan Manchester, a one time drug dealer and gangster. previously worked for the pacres, a remotely large group of gangsters that worked in big cooperations and spearheaded a lot of blossoming business and corporate firm's in New York City and beyond.

After that faithful night, the night that changed my life forever and made me who I am today. the only thing I ever thought about is ..... vengeance. to get at the fool who made my life miserable, who claimed to be a boss but was rather the devil himself..... Collins Blake.

Collins Blake, a Russian drug Lord and a fucking deadly kingpin. as one of his lackey, I worked extra hard to make him what he is. to put his name in the mouth of other gangster cooperatives and to spike fear in them, I took lives and ruined families. I burned down business and without mercy, I made sure the enemies last wish was death. He greatly feared and that was because I did dirty jobs. What I got in return, was nothing but a death sentence.

I moved to Bronx city to start up a new life and strategize on how to put the fucker out and make him pay dearly for every thing he did to me.its five long years and counting, but as they do say, every achieve able success requires years of heard work and intense planing to take down a kindpin who controls the city underword, one has to be tactical, smart, witty, stone-hearted and fearless.if I want to achieve my goals, I have to stay grounded and wait for the right moment to strike.

"Mr Jake De Walter, you have been admiring your work for over 30minutes. do you want people thinking that you are the artist"?, Anna asked in hushed tones.

it's not a big deal, I am a renowned sculptor and artist. famous for lewd, sexual arousing pantings and sculptures of naked men and women. under the pseudonym 'deamus', I excelled as an anonymous painter, whose works were admired by all and sundry.

"Anna, even if you want to sell me out, at least ask for my permission", I said, a silly smile on my face."Boss, to sell you out, is to make a lot of money but I like my job and prefer to keep it", he said.

I have been standing in front of a sculpted piece of art work of a naked Greek woman, Breastfeeding a child which was done by me and this was the most expensive piece of art work been displayed. Though. it is up for auctioning by my term,I still regarded it as priceless.

I glanced at Anna and noticed her scribbling something on her notepad. Anna Anderson, my personal assistant. she is the one who stands in for me at, charity donation, public meetings or any organized fan signings and we rearly stood together in public. if we ever did, the communication was brief and simple. as usual, I pay her handsomely to work harder and keep her lips sealed. aside being my P.A, I regarded her as a good, trustworthy and guffy person.

"Any latest?", I asked, looking behind her to see some college students chattering and gesturing at her as they looked excited as though they had seen a celebrity.

she glanced at me with a smile on her face.

"Nothing at all, the bidding is going to commnce next week and this sculpture is up for auctioning. Farouk Alcazar have already pledged $3m for it and if no one is going to go beyond it, it will be sold to him.

That means, we will have to go with the 80-20 percentage the art gallery proposed And"... ,

I took slow steps, standing beside her.

"We've been standing and discussing for a long while. some fans spotted you and are headed this way. You look fabulous by the way, if you weren't my P.A... well...",I smirked,

"... let's leave it there. Good day to you, celebrity", I said, walking away.

I remembered waking up up in a hospital band then the changes accompanied. since no one knew who I was and how I got into the water, there was no suspicion.

They assumed it was a case of kidnap or severe torture or brutalization. I lost my personality I lost my identity more specially...

I touched my check, stroking it gently... I lost my face. each day and night I started at the mirror. seeing a different person entirely, it agitated me. this new face was what gave birth to who I am now, Mr Jake De Walter. A perfect personally that suited my way if life.

I am an American but people claim that am frenchman and although I wasn't comfortable with it, it's saver since Lev's lackeys are always on the move.

I walked into a hall which was set for displaying paintings. I moved in, looking around, seeing people standing in front of most of my work and enjoying the view.

I looked to the far left to see a tall lady with a morde like body standing in front of a painting of two naked lovers sharing a kiss.

Even though her back was to me, I could still see her body outline. wearing a short ,black tight fitting, sleeveless gown, she hadad well rounded, moderately sized buttocks and a tiny, snatched waistline that went down her amazing slight thick hips. she had the body of an hourglass and seeing her with the eye of a sculptor, she would be the best fit of my next work.

I strutted to where she stood, tucking my hands in my pants pocket. I noticed she hard the curves to die for and a stunning,clear brown skin. her permed hair was parked into a ponytail but the tips were blonde.

"Hello mademoiselle",I greeted,standing behind her.Mademoiselle is a French word for miss. I am well versed in French,so to balance the equation,I have to be able to speak French once in a while.She quickly turned around to look at me. When she did,she moved back a bit,smiling.

"Oh, uhm... hello", she responded.I raised a brow, taking in her facial features. High cheekbones with rosy cheeks, soft slightly grey eyes, long narrow nose, thin neatly drawn dark eyebrows, pouty lips in the colour red, long eyelashes brushed with black thick mascara and an eyeliner highlighting her pretty shaped eyes.

Long neck adorned with a coral necklace, full, impressive boobs, D-cup size to be precise. I appreciated her womanly features and, she has a nice scent. She smelled like luxury and wealth. Something seemed familiar about her and I couldn't place a finger on where I have met her before.

"It looks as though you have quite the eye for great art", I said, giving her a subtle smile.She grinned, glancing at the portrait."Yes, I do. I am a big fan of seamus. Though he is not the type who takes the credit and comes out to the public, I love all his works and I always look forward to each new release", she said.I glanced at the artwork, a painting of prehistoric lovers, sharing a kiss while sitting on beach rock. The lady wore little clothes, which barely covered her body while her male lover, wore a piece of clothing that covered his groin area.

"It's attractive as well...", I glanced at her, she was busy admiring the painting,"... pardon me, my name is Jake, Jake De walter",I said, offering her a hand.She turned, looking down at my hand. She took it,"Rachel blake, nice to meet you", she said, shaking my hand.

Rachel blake, that's it... what a small world. So Blake only child is all grown up now and looking like a bag of pumpkins. We hardly get to see his daughter, the last time I did, she was 11yrs old. From what I know, Rachel was born to a black mother.

Her mother was assassinated in her hotel room when she turned 6. It was meant to be blake, but that old geezer was so smart to have figured it out. Blake left the room before the assassins came. With him unavailable, they had to take out his wife."Nice to meet you too. You look amazing, Rachel. Do you come here often?", I asked."No, I actually just returned to the states. I have been at my homeland for almost a decade now", she replied."That makes it two of us. I am a travel essayist and sometimes, I forget where I come from....", she chuckled,"... I always have this little reminder on my cellphone. When it gets to the middle of the year, it pops up like 'Hey Jake, time to return to Bronx City'", I said.

She laughed,"It can happen to anyone. My family stays in Manhattan,I am actually in Bronx city to work for a living. I need to get my hands working on something. I maybe young and all but I am still industrial", she said."How old?, i asked. If i should be guessing, she would be 22 or 23. I don't know, it's been a long while since I last moved with her father."20,I will be 21 by December. Pretty young, right?", she asked, cocking a brow at me.Pretty young and a good bait. I smiled,"Yeah, But way past the legal age", I said.Her eyes trailed down my body.

"You are very tall, Height?", she asked."6'7 and you, lemme guess...",I observed her with the eyes of a sculptor. Without the heels, the length of her torso added to the length of her lower half,"...5'9. With the 5inched heels,6'2 ", i said, cocking a brow at her.

She was astonished, tapping my arm."How were you able to tell?", she said excitedly.I shrugged a shoulder."Well, I am pretty good at guessing. I can tell a person's height by just standing in front of them", I said.She giggled,"Okay, Mr Jake De walter. I should be heading back to my hotel. I...","You don't have any apartment?", I asked.

She sighed,"Yes... it's not like l don't have the cash or anything, I haven't been able to find a conducive one", she said.I quickly took out my wallet, looking for a business card that belonged to an agency."I know of a legit agency that helps with this type of thing. If you are in need of an affordable luxury apartment, they could fix one for you. Their houses and apartments are the best...",I took out the card, handing it to her,"... here, that's their telephone number. Give them a call, before you know it, you already moving into your own home", I said.

She took it, reading what was written on the card."Why ,thank you. How thoughtful", she said, smiling.I chuckled,"Just being a friend", I said.She opened her clutch purse, putting the card into it."Thank you, I appreciate it. Gotta go now, see you later", she said.I nodded with a smile. She moved past me, walking towards the exit. I turned around to watch her leave, taking seductive catwalks as she moves. I took out my phone from my pocket, scrolling down the call log in search of Bill's number. I dialed it, it rang for a while and then he picked up,"Hey dude, what's up?", he greeted."Hey Billy, it's been a while", I said."What's poppin' though, wanna get another apartment?. You know, it's been a long time since I last spent ya money", he asked.I chuckled, shaking my head,"Billy, nice of you to think me as a big shot but still, I have a client for you. Remember Rachel, that fucker's daughter?",i asked."Yeah, what's up with her?", he asked.I turned around to look at the portrait."She's in the city and she needs an apartment. I want you to put her in the empty one opposite mine, The number is 3117",I said."Hmm Ryan, you got somethin' up ya sleeves, yeah?.

Still on that revenge game?", he asked."For old time sakes, like always, we get to take care of the family. Little Rachel is all grown up now and would be needing a baby sitter, I'm just being nice", I replied with a grin on my face."Funny Ray boy, you ain't nice, you know that. Especially to The Pacers. But what the fuck you gonna do with the punk's daughter?. That's some dangerous game y'are about to play",he said."Pfft. Just do as I say, I'll send something for you afterwards", I said."Okay pal. See ya later", he said, cutting the call.

I locked my phone, putting it back into my pockets, my eyes grazed the fine sketches and the extensive stretch of oil paints on the piece of canvas. Collins blake.. even with the aces up your sleeves, you couldn't pull out a joker. It's a pity, I am the one with the joker now. I smiled.••••