"Ramirez Felton...?"
Rubi gently runs her finger on the paper, she then lifts it up, placing it closer as she observes the image of the man, till her eyes darted at the written information below the image.
She glazes at it for a moment before she pressed her lips gently.
"The Hags are basically," she stated, as she looked at the other papers on the table. "Ramirez, that man, owns one of the famous clubs in the city," then she skimmed through the papers as if she was looking for something.
Selena silently opened her laptop, as she typed something. "While I was working six years ago, I met a man, who had claimed he could help me get started with life."
There was something which she even wanted to hide from Rubi, but knowing her situation and the circumstances she's currently in. She could not fight the mafias on her own, she needed someone's help, even if she wanted to deny it.
She had a child, her daughter, she didn't want her to witness violence but... "The truth was," she grumbled, breathing in gently as she could, as she tried to gather her resolve and determination. "I had a fair share of mistakes in my life, but Denise wasn't one of them."
Rubi irked her head at the side, as she darted a silent gaze on her. She didn't get what Selena meant by that, and surely wasn't expecting it either.
Selena hesitantly grabbed one photo, clapped against two of the folders against each other. From the grip of her fingers, she was distrusting her decision, but it took her a moment to do so.
It was flipped upside down, and Rubi couldn't see it. After skimming through, Selena silently pressed the photo in her hand, and then she huffed heavily. "This is Darwin," she murmured heavily.
She handed the photo to Rubi with a heavy sneer, which this woman, Rubi had taken, her fingers gripping the photo in between her slender thumbs and index finger as she lifted it up.
Her eyes scanned the image. There is a face of a man, silently appearing on it with his daze eyes locked on hers. She smirked as she noticed another one beside the man. Rubi silently lifted the photo just enough, so she could glaze between the real and the one in the image.
After that she mockingly smirked. "You got guts," said Rubi as she murmured. "A real one for an exiled Chinese woman," she added as she threw the photo on the table.
Selena grasped as she slammed her palm on the table. "Oh, now you're being racist?" She questioned.
Rubi shifted as she waved her hands off, as if brushing her accusation before she took the folder at the side, and silently opened it. "This is Darwin," she murmured as she looked at the file and then she put it down. "I have seen him from a distance. He's the primary boss of The Hag," then she pointed at the other man with a beard. "He acquainted Ramirez as his standing second hand, ideally the second boss of the group."
As Selena listened to the girl's summary, she nodded her head as a confirmation, even though she still didn't like Rubi's sharp tongue, she actually appreciated her matter-of-fact behavior.
"Yes," said Selena. "The group had been on the epitome for years now, they barely showed themselves. The underground isn't controlled by one mafia, in fact, it's not just mafias but also people that are operating illegal activities."
To wrap it up, the group of mafias are members of this big corporate underground organization that works for anything shady. The ranking is based on the population and reputation of that group on the list.
The Hags are a mafia group that doesn't follow the former teaching of becoming popular with the most wanted list. They are Illusive, hidden, or that secretive and a bit too mysterious for their own good.
Of course, that's because they needed to be careful with the cartels. The underground is not a small organization that takes place only within the proximity of the United States. They are all around, a global illegal organization of fuck up criminals.
The Cartels are a group of people in Mexico that operate drug operations under different kind of groups. They are dangerous and secretive just as how The Hags operate themselves.
The young woman, Rubi, had her gaze on Selena the whole time as she explained the situation in the underground, and her situation, nonetheless. Her hands kept on moving at one side, grabbing folders and papers showing her at the evidence and informations that she had gathered.
While she navigated her laptop.
"During 2021, the underground ran an illegal auction," said Selena, then she played a video on her laptop and showed it to Rubi. "This happened that time..."
Once the video started working. Rubi, kept her gaze locked on the happening in the place. It seems that the video took place in a theatrical, opera house, or which had all those chandeliers hanging above them.
The next thing she noticed was the stage in front, and then the crowds. A man stood at the stage, yelling bidding money, as everyone fought with each bidding number. Then at the left side, she could see — Darwin, his features look different here from the photo.
He looked more tired and seemed restless.
"You said 2021? Five years ago," said Rubi as she nodded. "Alright, hit me up," she said, her voice lowering.
Selena nodded as she paused the video, and zoomed in on the stage where the man was placing an elbow on a contained transparent glass. "See this," she said. "This is a coin known as The Coin of Nero."
Rubi rested her palm at the side, as she silently nodded, before she spat. "Or it is also known as Adevărul lui Nero, right?"
She crossed her arms, silently, as she darted a look beside her. Selena's eyes widening as she looks at the woman beside her. "Yeah, you're right, but how?"
"Study your history, lady," said Rubi as she leaned down, and scanned the paused video on the laptop screen. "This was supposed to be in the hands of that family to protect it..."
Selena looked down. "That family...? Whom?"
"One archaeologist from the 19th century, Alfonso Booker, died in 2020 of a cardio heart attack." Rubi said, with her lips twisted as she remembered that news particularly of the archeologist's death.
"At the auction, it was told to us, this was stolen in 2020," said Selena, as she lowered her voice when she realized something.
Rubi silently looked at her, with her head silently shaking. "Just assume it," she expressed sharply. "Besides, do you know who originally was the gatekeeper of this before Alfonso?"
"No, I didn't find any information on this online, so not the slightest." Selena murmured as she nodded her head.
"That's because, it was rigid or, well, pretty much prejudiced," said Rubi, as she leaned back up, as she straightened her back. "No one believes it anyway," she added as she purred. "That's why Alfonso decided to hide it."
There was an ancient saying. 'If one forms, one feels, if one will, one understands,' that's because some artifacts and items from centuries ago meant a lot to the bearer. It's not a curse, but supernatural? Maybe…
Selena took a moment to take in her words. "That coin, who formerly owns it?" She inquired.
Rubi moves a bit, with her body stiffly leaning on the desk. Her eyes darted for a moment before she raised her shoulders. "Beats me," she said as she chuckled. "But I heard, Alfonso found that coin in Germany," she paused as she pressed her lips. "Berlin to be exact. It was under Reich Chancellery roots."
There was a slight moment of disbelief, as Selena listened to this young woman's word, fueling her curiosity only to be given with an uncertain response — wasn't reducing her 'not liking this woman even for a bit' attitude which Rubi found amusing.
But then she shifted, twisting her gaze from between her laptop and Rubi, like a captivated soul over a fascinating information she suddenly came to gain.
It's not merely because she thinks it's an interesting place, but because of the history of such a place. Selena startled turned into the curiosity that was driving her to question it. "Berlin?" She spoke, her eyes widened. "Why would it be there?"
She's right though, and Rubi knew that. The young adult, held her chin as she glanced at Selena, her silence was as clear as the question laid in front of her.
Considering the history of that coin, she wasn't exactly sure. Some information about this kind of artifact, usually aren't complete or bare exposed like others, and the only thing she knew about it was the bearer and its creator.
Not only that...
Rubi turned back as she once again, but silently stared, and hovered her gaze on the footage currently paused, which had her looking at the item. "I am not sure, but if this is connected to your situation," she raised her hand and pointed at it. "It looks like you're a target."