91

THE long door to the dimly lit study of Lord Lucario opened and Mico sauntered in, closed the door behind him and walked up to the large mahogany table where Lord Lucario sat, at his favourite position, at the head of the table.
He bowed his head as soon as he got to him.
“My Lord,” he said raising his head up, “you sent for me,” he added as his arms instantly went behind him.
Heavily smoking, with the thick smoke hovering around his face, Lord Lucario cracked his throat to speak.
“Words filtered into my ears that you guys just finished from a meeting,” his deep growling voice spoke.
Mico’s eyes twitched.
“Yes Your Lordship, we just did,” he replied.
Lucario nodded knowingly.
“I see. What was discussed?” He asked and Mico looked at him, trying to see through the thick smoke, Lucario wasn’t even looking at him as he spoke, his gaze was fixed somewhere else.
Mico sighed.
“Boss J officially told us she would be quitting the organization, and she further went ahead to delegate duties to members of the team,” he explained.
A weak smile played on Lucario’s lips.
“You may go,” he ordered and immediately, Mico turned around and walked out of the room.
It wasn’t up to five minutes he left, that the door opened again and behold, Jasira at the door. She had knocked only once, and had opened immediately after the knock.
Lucario who was having his head bowed slowly raised it up to behold her sight, a little frown appeared on his face and he immediately looked away, having his head bowed again.
She stood at the door for a few seconds, looking around the room and feeling in everything that was going on. Lucario on his own part, said nothing to her, neither did the other men standing at different positions in the room.
After standing at the door for ages, and having been satisfied, she walked away from the door and closed it behind her, then advanced into the room, counting her steps and walking slowly.
“My Lord,” she called as she walked up to him, her arms folded.
“What do you want?” He asked, his head still bowed.
Jasira smiled weakly.
“Well My Lord, I am here again to ask what the hell the task for me to do is, I need to leave, there is no time on my side again,” she said.
Lucario scoffed.
“Really?” He asked.
She sighed and moved a little bit closer.
“Father, I do not want this to sound like a disrespect. I still have that level of respect I have always had for you, I still regard you as my father, just do this one thing for me and let me leave in peace,” she said.
Lucario snickered.
“Jasira, what exactly do you want outside there that we can’t give you here?”
She rolled her eyes.
“Father we have talked about this already, just tell me the damn task,” she said.
He smiled lightly.
“How about the team? What happens to them?”
“They will be fine, I have already told them of the recent development and delegated duties to them, they will be okay.”
He nodded knowingly.
“I know.”
She sighed, already sensing that.
“So? I am waiting.”
“Jasira go think about it, again,” he said in order to dismiss her.
She widened her eyes in shock, but maintained composure, not ready to even argue with him.
“I will be waiting to hear from you Lucario,” she said and turned to leave.
Lucario watched her in disappointment as she left, the very fat cigar still smoldering between his fingers as he contemplated the whole thing.
As far as he was concerned, this was his adopted daughter, the one whom had always been the pride of his organization. Ruthless yet compassionate, intelligent yet instinctive- she was everything he had ever hoped for in a successor.
Still, she had abruptly decided to quit the life of crime, citing personal reasons that she refused to disclose. He just couldn’t shake the feeling that something more was at play.
Quickly, he reached for his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart. A voice answered almost immediately.
“Boss?”
“Antonio, I need you to gather the team. We are having a meeting in my office in ten minutes,” Lucario said, his voice a low growl.
“Understood, boss,” Antonio replied, ending the call.
Lucario tossed the phone away and leaned back in his chair, exhaling a cloud of smoke. He didn’t like being kept in the dark, especially not when it concerned Jasira. If she was in some kind of trouble, he needed to know. If she was betraying him, he needed to know that too.
Ten minutes later, Antonio and two of Lucario’s most trusted men, Luca and Marco, stood before him, their faces a mask of readiness and loyalty.
“Boys, we have a situation,” Lucario began, tapping ash from his cigar into a crystal ashtray.
“As you must have been hearing, Jasira has decided to leave the family business. She claims it is for personal reasons, but I don’t buy it. I need you to trail her, find out exactly what she is up to. Discreetly. I don’t want her to know she’s being watched.”
Antonio nodded, his face serious. “We will handle it, My Lord. We will follow her every move.”
Lucario leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.
“And if you find out anything, anything at all, you report back to me immediately. Understood?”
“Understood,” Luca and Marco echoed in unison.
As his men left to begin their surveillance, Lucario felt a pang of worry. He cared deeply for Jasira, more than he would ever admit, but in his world, trust was paramount, and he needed to know if her loyalty still lay with him.
It wasn’t a task for just a day, it took them a few days.
For the next few days, Antonio, Luca, and Marco shadowed Jasira with practiced precision. They followed her through the bustling streets of the city, keeping a safe distance, their eyes always on her.
Jasira seemed to be living a normal life, far removed from the dangerous world she had once ruled. She visited cafes, went shopping, and spent a lot of time at a particular office building in the financial district.
On the fifth day, their patience paid off. Jasira emerged from the office building, her face alight with a happiness they hadn’t seen in her before. She was accompanied by a man, tall, with a confident stride and an air of authority.
Antonio recognized him instantly: Jeremy Petersons, the CEO of Petersons Companies.
The realization hit them like a freight train. Jasira was in love with Jeremy, and that was the reason she had decided to quit the mafia. They watched as the couple walked hand in hand to a nearby park, their gestures filled with intimacy and affection.
Antonio quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Lucario.
“Boss, we have got something. Jasira is in love with Jeremy Petersons, the CEO of Petersons Companies. That is why she quit.”
There was a moment of silence on the other end before Lucario spoke, his voice colder than ice.
“Keep following them. I want to know everything about their relationship. Don’t let them out of your sight.”
“Understood, boss,” Antonio replied, ending the call.
The men continued to watch as Jasira and Jeremy sat on a bench, talking and laughing. It was clear that this was no casual fling; the depth of their connection was evident in every glance and touch.
Antonio couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Jasira. She had found love, something rare and precious in their line of work.
As night fell, the couple walked up to a car, presumably Jeremy’s car and boarded it, then they zoomed off. Antonio, Luca, and Marco resumed their vigil, ensuring she was safe before reporting back to Lucario.
Back in his study, Lucario listened to Antonio’s report with a stony expression.
“So where the hell did they go to later on?” He asked.
“To his mansion My Lord, they had driven to his mansion,” he replied.
Lucario remained silent, contemplating the implications. Jasira’s love for Jeremy Petersons had changed everything. She had chosen a different path, one that led away from the shadows and bloodshed, but why Jeremy of all persons? Why this young man huh?
“Good work,” he said finally, his voice betraying no emotion.
“Keep an eye on her, but do not interfere. I want to know everything that happens.”
As Antonio left, Lucario sat alone in the darkness, his mind racing. Jasira’s choice to leave the mafia for love had thrown his plans into disarray. Yet, deep down, a part of him understood. He had always wanted her to be happy, even if it meant letting her go, she was his daughter, and he loved her.
But now, he just wasn’t feeling alright, she had betrayed him, betrayed the family with what? With a man, this same man he was even protecting huh?
“Hmmmmmm,” he growled fisting his hands.
No, it just isn’t gonna end here, he was going to put an end to the whole charade. He immediately reached out for his phone and dialed a contact already in his call log, the person picked up immediately.
“Zach, meet me immediately,” he said.