The Lucas family controlled the four districts on the western part of the city. The second, third, fifth, and ninth districts were their territory, and it was one of the most beneficial areas to control because it granted them easy access to both the port on the western part of the city as well as the business district that was in the central region of the city. Dante knew that if war were to ever break out, then the other two would definitely try to take out the Lucas family just so they could get their hands on the strategic position that the Lucas held.
As for the situation in the Third district, it was something that Dante had been keeping his eyes on for the past week. There was a small group of thugs who had taken residence in one of the ghettos there, and they were slowly starting to form a gang that extorted money from the traders in that region for 'protection'. Dante had allowed it to happen because they seemed harmless at first, but his spies told him that they saw one of the gang members selling a drug at the corner of the street the previous day, and Dante now knew that he couldn't leave it be anymore. He had to go and deal with it before it became any more serious.
"I'll send a small team to go and handle it quickly. They are all greenhorns, so it shouldn't cause any problems—"
"No, I want you to go handle it yourself."
Dante blinked in surprise when George suddenly spoke up. He looked down at the older man in slight confusion as he wondered what was going on. Dante was one of the most dangerous men in the city, and there wasn't a single person who wouldn't recognize his name. His services were usually reserved only for the most dangerous jobs that required the highest level of skill! Something like this didn't seem like it would need someone of his level.
But Dante wasn't the sort of person to question the leader. Once he was given an objective and his orders, his only job was to accomplish the task before the given deadline. Dante nodded in confirmation and spoke.
"Consider it done, sir."
George smiled in thanks, and he was about to say something when he felt a tug on his fishing rod! George's face brightened once he felt it, and he shouted to Dante in joy as he quickly began to pull the reel inwards! Dante watched with a small smile on his face as George happily cried out when he saw the large carp flip out of the water and dive back in! The man continued to reel the fish in until he eventually pulled it out and let out a loud laugh when it flopped onto the shore and began dancing around! It was a red carp with glistening scales, and George quickly went to pick it up and showed it to Dante!
"Look at this, son! I finally got one!"
Dante clapped gently with a smile on his face.
"It was an amazing catch, sir. I'm glad your time was well spent."
George smiled even wider as he happily turned back to glance at the setting sun, and Dante couldn't help but feel happy for the man. George had always acted as the ruthless and unbreakable boss of the Lucas family, so he had to be strong in front of his subordinates at all times. There weren't a lot of people who got to see this side of George Lucas, and Dante felt privileged that George trusted him enough to let his guard down so much around him.
Dante didn't know it at that time, but this would be the last time he would ever see George Lucas alive. An old man laughing and smiling while staring out into the setting sun and holding a carp that he spent the better part of four hours fishing for. This was the true picture of a happy man, and it would be the final image Dante would ever have of George Lucas.
...
[Stockham City]
[Third District]
The third district of Stockham City was known as one of the least developed districts. It not only possessed the highest number of lower-class citizens, but it also had the largest ghetto in the entire city! For most investors, situations like these would mean that a business would never thrive in the district. They would never think about bringing major development to a district like this because they knew that the people there would not appreciate it, and they would also not have any customers to patronize their business.
But for the members of the underworld that dealt in less legal practices, the third district was a goldmine for customers. The Lucas Family knew that the third district was where many of their less-expensive products ended up, so they couldn't take a risk by allowing some upstart gang to take residence in that region! For a situation like this, Dante would normally send a group of three to four newbie members to handle it quietly. The gang was known to operate from a single abandoned house on the eastern side of the district, and there were only about ten members in the gang, so it wasn't a difficult job. There were no major residential areas around there, so they wouldn't need to be silent, and they could leave the dead bodies out for just long enough for some passersby to see it and they would pass a message to any other gang that was thinking of occupying their land.
But since the boss had given Dante the order to handle it himself, he was currently on his way out of the second district in a black Mercedes. Dante was sitting in the back seat, staring out the window at the side calmly, and in front, a beautiful blond woman in a maid's outfit was driving towards the third district. The woman had a face that would put most models to shame, and her eyes were set in a look of impassivity that would make anyone think she was an ice queen! She wore a pair of round glasses that fell slightly on her cute, round nose, and her plump red lips were set in a neutral line. Her maid's outfit consisted of a white apron over a long black gown that hugged her body criminally but was also loose enough ot allow her to move freely, and on her hands she had black gloves that you would normally see on assassins and hitmen. She was the sort of woman who would seem unattainable to any man, and everyone in the Lucas family knew better than to try to acquire her services since her loyalties had already been sworn to only one man.
This woman's name was Risa, and she was the personal maid and sworn protector of Dante Lucas. The history shared between the two of them was something that no one other than George Lucas knew about, and that history was the only reason why Dante didn't stop Risa from standing at his side no matter where he went. Risa drove past various rundown houses and Dante could see most of the residents of the ghetto staring at their car in both awe and distrust. The third district wasn't the most economically developed, so it had the highest number of poor or struggling families in it, and it was obvious to the people there that a car like theirs didn't belong there.
"Did you contact the regional boss to clear out the street earlier?"
Dante suddenly asked this while still staring out of the window, and Risa looked at his reflection through the rearview mirror as she answered respectfully.
"Yes, master. I made sure he carried out your orders to the letter. Will you need me to accompany you inside?"
Dante's mouth split into a small smile at Risa's question. Risa was more than aware that Dante was capable of handling this on his own, so she hadn't asked to accompany him because she was worried about him being hurt. Risa just loved taking care of him, so she always tried to make sure he never had to work more than was necessary.