Chapter 24: Evil, Intelligent Bastard

I tapped some of the ashes from my cigarette onto the dirty, shitty, ground. Nothing had changed since the chemical attack five years ago.. which I didn't understand.. martial law was still in place, which pissed me off. Surely, by this point, anything the government and the military pushed regarding a 'keep you safe' narrative had to be bullshit. Somehow we still had to live in these shitty conditions, separated into these 'districts' that were color coded. I scoffed while thinking about it, knowing that we were all living in some asshole new world order shit, but no one would tell you that. I knew firsthand how unsafe the world really was, ever since the police and fire departments were dissolved, because I was having a very easy time running my criminal empire. I was able to find desperate people whose eyes widened when they saw how much money I was willing to pay them for their services. It seems like people's consciences were lessened now that the world was like this, as if they were willing to do things they never thought they would before. I suppose desperation is a strong motivator.

I didn't often ask them to quit their careers because the reason I picked them was because of their profession. What they did for me was just a side job where they could earn extra cash, tax free. The tax collectors only take a percentage of the person's house bills. The new world order knew that some lost their jobs, so in order for them to even justify still taking money from us, they used the only thing they knew people still had, which was their houses. Not everyone was laid off, of course, hospitals were still running since people got injured more now, factories were running that provided food and water for our rations, and the military was well in business. Of course... politicians were still in business... the mayor often made stupid annoying commercials to propagandize people into thinking this new lifestyle was good for us. I refuse to be brainwashed. I may be an evil bastard, but I'm intelligent.

It takes intelligence to run a criminal empire. I'm still being just as careful as I was when the police were watching me back in the good old normal days. I know I don't technically have to, but I think and hope that the world will be normal again, and I refuse to increase the possibility of getting caught should the police come back. My plans to get Gypsy back failed, but five years have passed, and she's probably not the spring chicken she was when I initially kidnapped her, so I'm leaving her alone. When I woke up with one of my wrists handcuffed to the bed I had in the basement of my brothel, my head was pounding. I still don't know who those two assholes were that came posing as customers to take Gypsy away. I was grateful that one guy I had a firefight with didn't kill me because I felt like he knew his way around a gun, and he easily could have. He had also left one of my wrists uncuffed, so I was able to free myself and recover from being smacked in the head.

Gypsy got lucky that she had two guys who were willing to rescue her from my clutches. Most of the women I send my thugs out to kidnap aren't so lucky, and they're never missed by anyone. That girl in the orphanage is a good example, she's an orphan, and a lot of people these days have no family structure anymore. They've either had loved ones who died in the attack, or they become homeless because they lost their jobs when martial law was instated, and they couldn't keep up with normal life anymore. The girl is annoying because she keeps coming over here, but she's underage, and I'm not touching her with a hundred foot pole until she turns eighteen. I know the underage laws are probably not being enforced, but I've still got my own standards. Children deserve to be children. Ahh crap, speak of the devil.

"Hey, hottie, can I have a ciggy?"

"No. You're sixteen, go away. Cigarettes are for adults."

"Dammit! I just want to have some fun. You look like fun."

"You're disgusting."

"UGH! RUDE!"

"Did you think I was a nice person? Jesus."

The girl glares at me, as she often does, with her pink eyes. She always tries to intimidate me, which is hilarious, but I know that teenagers are like that, always thinking they're so tough, and that us adults are stupid old fogies that can't hold our own. I wonder how she'd react if she knew what went on in the brothel, but I don't dare tell her since I have future plans to recruit her. For now, I'll just keep being a douchecanoe to her so she stays out of my establishment, but not too much of an asshole that she doesn't ever want to come back. The girl gets all flirty again and tries to talk to me more.

"So what's your name? I don't think I've ever been formally introduced to you. We've been neighbors for forever. What do you think, sexy, care to give me your name? I'll go home after you tell me. I promise."

Wow. This girl is manipulative... I guess she does have potential, and part of me wonders if she does know what goes on in the brothel. She is sixteen after all, she's got to know what sex is already, right? I laugh in my head as I doubt that she does since there aren't any schools anymore, and I doubt the religious orphanage owner would tell the kids about sex. That skill though, the manipulation, that can't be taught. Perhaps this bitch can be my new Gypsy... She'll have a different name of course...

"I'm Leonardo, I don't care if you call me by my full name, or if you call me Leo. Both work."

The girl smiles seductively at me...

"Thanks, Leonardo, I'll see you around. Bye, baby."

...and keeps her promise. She turns and walks away back towards the orphanage.