Beginning

Riding in a Black Sedan

Inside the car, a young man with messy black hair and ragged clothes looks around feeling anxious. He was Tang Xuan he felt anxious because he had accepted a job during the spur of the moment  ‘hmm I hope I accepted the right job’, unaware of what kind of job he would be doing. 

He mustered the courage to ask the black-haired teenage girl beside her “um Miss may I ask about the specifics of my job?”. He looks at the girl and the girl stared at him blankly.

Rosalia- Orazia looked at her new associate. No emotion in her eyes as she assessed his abilities. She had complete faith in Nick and he approached the associate first. The way the young foreigner handled himself with  the the triad  of men who tried to kidnap her was impressive.   She pushed the thoughts of why anyone would try to kidnap  her  from her thoughts. Sure she was part of the upper structure of Los Angles now, but there were crew leaders with more influence than  she had. This question would have to be answered at a later time.

What was important at this moment was the job she wanted this new associate to do. 

"I need someone to have an accident. It must look like an accident. Then I need the building that they will be in to have an electrical fire so to speak.  Which also must look like an accident for insurance purposes. You seem like the type that can get things done and keep quite about the details.  So is it a job you would be interested in ?"  She sat  back her dark orbs  as emotionless as she  waited. If he refused she would have to get rid one more witness which didn't bother one bit. She had hoped however that he would accept the current job she had for him. 

Tang Xuan  contemplated for a moment and said, "sure, but under one condition." "I don't want to be some lackey," he paused and continued, "I want to have the right to decline orders." Tang Xuan said this because he doesn't want to be an expendable dog that could be disposed of after some use, which would be the worst ending possible.

He looked at Rosalia with deep eyes and waited for her answer. If she declined, he would jump out of the car even though he would be injured. Freedom to Tang Xuan was more important to him than his life. Of course, if he died, freedom would be useless.

The Little Saint's  eyebrows arched and her pupils grew wide as she heard this associates demands. Who was he to think he could give her any conditions.

She had a fleeting thought to have Nick throw this insolent one out of  the moving car, unlike most teens she did not act out of haste. She looked at Nick and then back to Tang as she gathered her thoughts.

"I don't blame you for not wanting to be expendable, none of  us want that.." She gave the young foreigner a reassuring smile." You have the right to decline orders everyone does."

She leaned forward and placed  her hand on his knee giving it a little squeeze perhaps harder than she intended to. Yet, she held her grip her fingers digging slightly into his flesh. Her dark orbs emotionless as she caught his gaze" 

But we all have the repercussion of not being heard from ever again."  She sat back in the cushioned seat of the car and let her last statement  sit  in the air for a brief moment hoping that what she said had sunk into the young Associates comprehension.

"Tang I am impressed with how you handled that trio, but that does not mean you get to make demands from me. You are just an Associate you have to remember you are not even a Made member of the The Family yet." Rosalia paused and watched the young Associates expression as he processed what she had just said.  "While you are no lackey, you still have to  work like the rest of us, and even when you get a position in this thing of ours you still have to work, you better understand that before you proceed."  

"If you are not willing to put in the work to earn my trust then where are we at Tang?" She sat back in the cushioned of the car as it continued down the road her dark expressionless  eyes fixed on Tang as she waited his answer.

As he heard all that, he turned to nick in the driver’s seat. Then to Rosalia at his side, he smiled and said, “of course, then please take care of me.” He paused, then stared at his poor clothes and continued, “by the way, boss I don’t think I can work for you in these clothes, perhaps…. you could……” he turned to his new Boss with pleading eyes.

While acting pitiful in front of his beautiful Boss, Tang noticed the car stopped suddenly. He turned around and looked outside the car window. 

As he looked out the car window Tang Xuan  couldn’t help but gawk at the sight of the gothic-style mansion behind the black-colored gate and ask, “Boss, if ever I become a Made-man, I get to have your mansion right?”

The fifteen couldn't help herself her head rolled back and she laughed a hearty laugh. "Take care of you? What do you think I am your mother?  She laughed heartily through her words. She laughed a little harder when she saw his pleading eyes. "Your clothes in that state will affect the job I need done, as a matter of fact they will serve you well. I need you to blend in and not bring attention to yourself for this job." She looked over her shoulder at Nick as he got out of the drivers seat and headed toward the mansion.  " Trust you will have plenty of funds to buy yourself two whole new wardrobes. 

Rosalia started climbing out of the  car as she heard Tang ask one more question. She wasn't sure if this Associate was the joking type or if he was being disrespectful.  There were several instance on the car drive that she wondered this. " You will surly become Made some day, you have the ambition for it, but you will never get the deed to The Santuario." 

The Santuario

As soon as he got out of the car, he followed Rosalia into the mansion.

"Oh, the mansion is called the Santuario? what a fancy name." Tang Xuan said as he showed an approving look. "Well, boss if this mansion will no be mine, I get to live here for free right?" said Tang Xuan with a smiling face as he looked at the face of his grumpy boss.

Tang Xuan looked around like a curious cat inspecting every detail of the mansion while following Rosalia. As he followed, he secretly collected some valuables, not knowing Rosalia was observing his actions, pretending she did not notice.

As she lead up the stairs she wondered what exactly he was going to do with the cheap knock offs he was stealing. She laughed silently to herself as he thought he was taking something of value.  When the got to the top of the stairs she turned the left and continued down the hall stopping in front of a room she held a key out tied to a piece of hemp string. 

It dangled spinning slightly in front of Tangs face. " Yes, you will be able to stay here free and I will feed you, but you will buy everything else you need on your own. Don't worry I pay well, you will be able to afford whatever suits your fancy. "

 As Tang reached out for the  key that dangled she jerked it back and grasped in her enclosed hand . " You want a key to your room though you can return my decorations and not steal my stuff anymore or I will have Poe eat your fingers off. " She opened her palm and exposed they key for him to retrieve.