"NOOOOO!!!!!"

I just can't believe what I heard. It was a Friday morning. Business was slow and had a few clients walk in. I finished the paper works for three coffins to be shipped to New York. I made coffins for a living. And through the years, I have mastered the art of making coffins. I cater to what people wanted for their dead love ones. I am a master coffin maker, but never did I imagined making one for my daughter. I sat down at my table and replayed the conversation I had with Koehler. The Chicago don, who was formerly an associate in my past life.

"Clover was gunned down a few hours ago. She didn't make it. I will meet you at the North Side morgue." Koehler told me in a sad voice.

"Don't let them touch my daughter. I will pick her up. You told me she wasn't into our business. You promised me that Koehler!" Then I hung the phone. Tears streamed down my cheeks.

I was once what they called a wise guy. I've been a hitman to families that needed my services. I was an interrogator, I was an executioner. I was called Depravity. I managed to make everything corrupt and evil. But something happened and I was lucky to be let out of the business alive. My daughter, Clover, was the only family I had left. And now she's dead. It has been years since we last met, and it ended in a nasty argument. I told her I didn't want her to enter the mob business and she blamed me for everything.

"What do you expect? You raised me with this. You surrounded me with this evil!" That's what she said. I heard rumors that yes, she was working with the mob. But Koehler promised me she was on the legal side of the family business. And now, she's dead. Gunned down with other North Side members that were eliminated. Now, my dearest daughter way laying on a cold table. I have to get to her and grieve for her. I have to pray for her and bury her. I picked up the phone and placed a call to an old friend.

"Yes it's Depravity. Meet me at the North Side morgue. It's Clover" That was all I needed to say. I tried not to imagine what my dead daughter would look like. I'm glad her mother wasn't alive anymore to experience this dark sadness. But I have to face it, even when I know it will break my heart.

It's been a day or two since I buried my daughter. I met some of her friends and associates. And I finally met with Koehler after years of working away from the mob. He invited me to his headquarters so I can see where Clover worked.  I went through her things, mostly clothes and shoes. Man were those heels long and thin. I shuddered at the thought of my own Clover killing someone. Then I found this small box and remembered it from her childhood. The box where she usually hides mementos or special items. I found the little pendant cross that me and her mother gave her after her first communion. How she looked like an angel wearing that brilliant white dress. I also found a small photograph of our family. It was taken on our trip to Florida. I suddenly felt a deep numbing ache in my chest. I placed everything back in the box and hid it in the drawer. I don't think I am ready to take the trip down the memory lane that was my daughters life. I stood up and made my way to Koehler's office. I found him behind his desk reading some papers. He looked up and offered me a seat.

"Tell me why I should get back into this business. Tell me why I should get back to the same thing that killed my daughter?" So many questions, but those were the important ones.

Koehler was looking over his financial reports for the day when he heard a knock on the door. He was expecting a very important visitor today; Clover's father. He felt this meeting would help them both get over the loss of their loved one and perhaps start them down the road together to a brighter future.

"Come in," Koehler said, loud enough to penetrate through the wooden door. The door creaked open and an older male walked in; Depravity. Just on time and looking rather miserable. Koehler nodded his head towards the seat in front of his desk and Depravity soon after filled that spot. Before Koehler could say a word, Depravity spoke up, speaking of why he should get back into this business.

"You don't seem to realize; once you get into this business, you never get out. But I'll humor you and pretend like you did. You should get back into this business for your daughter. She didn't leave any children behind, but somebody needs to carry on your family legacy. You have a duty now. You need to get back into the swing of things for your daughter; for your family. I can help."

Koehler reached down to the bottom of his desk and pulled up a bottle of whiskey. He poured some into two glasses, handing one to Depravity, hoping to sway him.

He is right. It was great living a simple life. Making coffins. Three meals a day. Sleeping early, waking up early, working all day. It was great. It was simple. But it wasn't me. Koehler is right. Once you're in, you never get out. And it took the death of my daughter to realize that. I was good in what I used to do. And now, I'm sure, everything will come back to me. The job, the rackets, the money and the violence. I took the glass of whiskey and swallowed it. It burned my throat, helped ease the pain I had in my chest. I stood up and walked towards the window facing the lawn. I wondered if Clover used to walk there. She always loved walking in the garden back at home. Specially at times when something's troubling her.

"I'll join the family and be your associate." That was the simplest reply I could give Koehler. But I know he knows what my reply meant. That I would be a part of his family and would only leave it when I die.

"I assume I will be using Clover's office? I want to stay where she stayed."

Seeyara is busy wiping dirt off from each of the vases displayed at the Evolution lounge when she noticed an old man passes by. Though Seey's life changed after all the happenings lately in the city of Chicago, she still manage to make their headquarters clean and pleasing for the family and of course for their visitors, like today.

She looked at the man who is wearing a dirty piece of clothes, his hair is slightly grey yet he has a body that is well fit. She stare at his back while examining him. "He looks familiar" Seey thought to herself. She moved closer to check the man who is now standing in front of Koehler's office. He titled his head giving Seeyara a chance to see his face.

"Oh my god!" Seeyara cannot believe who she is seeing. She only saw him once but she cannot forget that encounter, it wasn't a good one. She suddenly remembered their first and last meeting.

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"Is Clover doing some dirty works for Koehler?" Clover's father asked like he is interrogating a criminal. Seeyara looked up to him with her usual angelic face. She and Clover visited Mr. Depravity at his place where he make his best coffins. She is sitting on a coffin-inspired sofa while waiting for Clover to return from the kitchen.

"Clover is merely a messenger of the family. She is great with her job" Seeyara answered without blinking. The man looked at her with sharp stare. He is sensing that she is lying but somehow she seems to be telling the truth, now he can't surely tell. Seey slowly bowed her head to avoid his examining eyes. She heard him sigh. "As a father, all I want is to protect my daughter from any harm. I'll take your word, if I found out that you lied, I'll surely make your coffin. You know what I am capable of" Mr. Depravity said. Seeyara laughed awkwardly. "I assure you. She is doing fine."

That night, Seey left the area with Clover who is sitting beside her wearing sunglasses to cover her swollen eyes. Clover always keep things to herself. She doesn't want to be comforted, nor asked about her personal life. Seey have no idea what had happened and never will.

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Curious of Mr. Depravity's sudden visit, she walked quietly towards Koehler's office and is fortunate enough that the door was a bit ajar. Seeyara is never nosy, she doesn't like being listened to secretly, but today its different. 

"So he'll be back." Seeyara whispered while walking away from Koehler's office. She heard everything.

Mr. Depravity is a well known and respected mobster back in his active days. He will be an asset for the family. His experience will be a great contribution to Evolution. Seeyara is lost with her thoughts when she heard a loud crack.

"Oh nooooooooooooo!!!" She screamed. "Not my favorite vase!" Seeyara said as she slowly bend to pick up the pieces of her million-dollar vase that she bought a week ago from an auction.

I was coming to speak to Koehler when I was told he was in a meeting with Clover's father. I sat and waited until they were finished, and then very respectfully walked up to the man who raised Clover and shook his hand then immediately placed a key in that same hand.

"My name is KL sir, nice to meet you. You are holding a key to a casino in Vegas!, your daughter was suppose to take the place over. We all know by now it did not work that way, however the men running it... got what the deserved. I personally made sure of it!. Place belongs to your daughter but since your here now... its yours!... consider it as good income, or if you don't want it sell it. If it weren't for Clover I would set the place on fire or blow it to the foundation but the choice is yours to make. Again it was nice to meet you."

I left and went back to my hotel to most likely start drinking heavily as passing the key off brought back a lot of memories of Clover.

Koehler raised an eyebrow and stuck his tongue in his cheek. Depravity wanted his daughter's room? That was an odd request. He had seen people ask for their father's belongings before, but never has someone asked for their relative's room. Koehler shrugged it off and looked at Depravity.

"Fine, but on one condition. I need you to go see the mayor. Tell him to call his police chief off. They've been threatening to shut down our operation and I feel like they're closing in on the evidence they need to do it. Take care of it how you see fit, but get it done. Time is of the essence."

Koehler kept a close eye on Depravity as he nodded his head and got up. He left the building without saying another word.

It was surreal to be sitting in Clover's former office. I had all of her things packed in boxes and transferred to an empty room in the basement that I transformed into a storage room. I locked the door as I didn't want anyone rummaging through my daughters things. It was the only thing that was left of her. I remembered how Clover used to bug me during her teens to build a basement in our house. She wanted one and she would make it her bedroom. I didn't approve of it because she already had her own spacious bedroom. I guess she just wanted to isolate herself after her mother died. Even though I tried hard to keep our selves from drifting apart, time and other things beyond my control succeeded to make us strangers to each other.

I looked at the key that KL handed me. It was a symbolic key of ownership to a casino in Las Vegas. Koehler probably asked Clover to run it for him. I will need to fly to Vegas and check it out. I'm not a gambler, but running a casino is one of the most profitable way to earn money for the family. It is also a good place to launder. But I will have to delay my Vegas trip. Koehler needs something fixed pretty quickly. Apparently, the Chicago mayor is squeezing Koehler's operations. After Big Bill Thompson lost to Tony Cermak, the mob had  a hard time running things. Now, I was tasked to talk to Cermak and settle things with him. Thinking of a way to conduct this, I reached for the phone and made a call. It was a call to my former associate. Being back in the business means getting in touch with informers, associates, friends as well as scums.

"I'm back. I need info on Anton Cermak. Mayor Anton Cermak..."