Chapter 2

“Where the fuck is my money Jacob?” asked Yuri standing by the window looking out into the night, his right-hand man Jacob and his third went to collect this evening. But something happened along the way and they lost the money including important documents. They had no valid explanation of where the money went or who took it. His second was standing by the door with his head bowed, the walking stick he carries was visibly shaking, he was afraid for his life, no one made such mistakes with Yuri’s money and live till the next day.

“Boss we left the car to deal with that man and when we went back the money was gone, we did not see who took it and we asked around but no one saw anything, but I promise we will resume the search in the morning and we will find the money. Someone must have seen or heard something.” Jacob explained to his boss, he still had hope that he will understand, he knew the person Yuri was yet he still had hope that maybe this time, he will give him a chance and time to look for the money.

Yuri turned to look at the two men, he took small sips of his cognac then puffed on the cigar he had in his hand. “So, you are telling me you lost my money than had the guts to come back here and tell me that shit?” asked Yuri looking between his second and his third. Jacob and Matthew said nothing. “Alright.” He nodded then reached for the gun on the table, it belongs to Jacob.

When he saw this Jacob started pleading with him. “Boss please, just one day, give us one day and if we don’t find the money, then you can do anything you want with us, please.” Begged Jacob, Yuri looked at him in the eye then lifted the gun and pointed it at Jacob. He opened his mouth to speak but Yuri pulled the trigger. “I hate it when they beg.” He said handing the gun to Matthew.

“Find my money, you have until the end of the day tomorrow and if you don’t find it, you know what will happen,” Yuri said then with a wave of his hand, he dismissed Matthew, he half jogged to the door not wanting to spend a minute more in that room. “Get this cleaned, find someone to track my money down, and while you are at it, kill Matthew.” Yuri gave the order to one of his assassins.

The man in the shadows did not have to reveal himself but he was there, in the shadows and he heard his boss’s request. He disappeared into the night but his first stop was in Matthews's room who was pacing trying to think of who might have taken the money. A bullet came through the window shattering it as it penetrated through it all the way to Matthew’s forehead and got out the other side.

A few moments later clean-up arrived both in Matthew’s room and the penthouse. They cleaned up quickly and efficiently then left the penthouse. Yuri took his phone and made a call. “Boss.” Answered a voice on the other side. “Find out if any of my rivals took my money because no one in their right mind would steal from me and I don’t think it was a normal person who did this. They fear me too much for that.” Ordered Yuri with his thick Russian accent.

The latter broke beads of sweat on his forehead; he knew what this call meant, that no one was getting any sleep as long as the person who took the money was not found. The latter internally cursed the fool who stole from Yuri and make them work all night. The man already had a lot of demands yet other people were stupid enough to provoke him. “It shall be done, boss.” The latter answered.

The way he was cursing at the idiot that took the money was as if he would kill him with his bare hands when he found him, he was fuming with anger on the inside but on the outside; he maintained his composure; you don’t show hostility towards Yuri or you will die for it. “I don’t need to emphasize how important this matter is, do I?” Asked Yuri, the latter popped his eyes finally not able to maintain his composure.

He would have died for that reaction if he was in front of Yuri but now he was over the phone and could react however he wanted. When had he ever emphasized or stressed anything for anyone? The man gave orders and expected results promptly then if that is not done, you are as good as dead. Now the man cursed Yuri internally and wish he could die.

“No boss, I know the rules.” He told him, “mm” that was all the answer he got from Yuri before the call was rudely cut. “One day you will meet your match you son of a dog and it will be over for you.” The man smirked thinking about the day his boss dies. Oh, how he longed for that day but at the moment there was no time to daydream, he had to get the information Yuri needed or he was the one who was going to die without seeing his boss's death.

The streets of J City might have been quiet on the surface but they were far from it, Yuri’s people went out in numbers gathering intel about the missing case, small-time gangs and drug dealers had been woken up rudely by his people looking for this case. They too had to put the word out on the street about the case or none of them would be spared by the Russian mafia boss.

Oh, how they wished they had the culprit right there in front of them so that they could rough him up before giving him away to Yuri. “Who the hell could be stupid enough to steal from that man?” asked one of the small-time gang leaders to his people. “Whoever he is, he must be tired of living and what could have possessed this fool to steal from that man, anyway?” answered the subordinate also angered by the person.

“I wish I could know who he is and watch him die myself just for those guys waking me up at the night.” Said the gang leader clearly pissed off by this unknown man. His subordinate did not comment this time, he was afraid that his boss will take his anger out on him. The man also called his people on the streets to get the word out.

The criminal minds were working hard this night, each one thinking that it was their rival who took the money and secretly smiled at the fact that they might be removed from the picture by someone they could not even compete with. The streets suddenly became busy, all the small-time gangs that were woken up by the knock and the note were on the road looking.

The note was brief, simple, and to the point. ‘Deliver the case you stole or die.’ Each note had a Lux hotel stamp and everyone immediately knew who it belonged to. Yuri, the Russian Mafia boss. They knew he was not bluffing and also that whatever is in the case is valuable. Each one wanted to find whatever information they can about the case to clear their names.

While all of this was happening, the man of the hour was snoring away in between Italian linen, for the first time in years he was warm, had eaten, and had taken a bath. He was content as he slept and did not mind dying after this. It was worth it, for someone like him to get to experience such luxury and be treated with such respect. It was everything he ever wanted, at least now he will die a happy man.

On the other side, Yuri had his phone on his bedside, waiting for the call to come through telling him they had found the case. To him, it was not about the money in the case but the important documents that were there. Without that case, there is a high risk of a war between him, the Yakuza, and the Bratva. He did not want to have a war with either of the mafia’s, it took a long time and bloodshed to agree to what they had. If he messed this up it will be over for him.

That is why the notorious mafia boss could not sleep a wink, waiting for news on the case and his people knew very well that no one was allowed to even breathe without that case in his possession. His number two had been careless and now the case was gone and they had no clue who stole it.