"So Sadiq," Arthur said lightly to his favorite hit man. "There is a certain governor in the house at the moment who...has a debt."

Sadiq smirked. "You mean that ass hole who bull shitted his way through an election?" The Turk asked, knowing Arthur had dipped his hands into several politicians over the years.

"Yes. Mr. George Carter. He came to me months ago asking for money. He promised me he'd give me back my money plus $2,000 by the 13th of this month," Arthur looked down at his calendar on his desk. It had Alfred's blood on it. "Do you know what day it is today, Sadiq?"

"The 29th, sir."

"Exactly. "

"What would you like me to do with him?"

Arthur sighed as if he were bored. He opened his desk and pulled out a few files. "These are a few incriminating photos of him with a prostitute and him doing sexual favors for other high up business owners. I want you to threaten him with them. Then when, because I know he will, he ignores you, I want you to go after him. If you could gather more about him, that would be perfect. When you kill him, throw the pictures around his corpse. I want his wife and kids to know it was a good thing he died. Can you do this for me?"

"It would be my pleasure, boss."

Gilbert smiled and opened the door to the basement. He had bought Matthew some books to read while he was being confined in the basement. He had a list, but added a few of his own favorite books. Gilbert was eager to talk about them with Matthew.

As he rounded the corner, Gilbert saw Matthew sitting on the couch, crying. Immediately, he dropped the books and ran to him. "Mattie! What happened?! Why are you crying?!"

Matthew glared at him. It was an expression Gilbert has never seen from him, and the Prussian was taken aback. "I don't know, Gil. Maybe the fact that I don't know if my brother is alive or not is too much to handle."

The albino's face grew even paler. "Matthew, it's not how it looks-"

"Not how it looks?!" Matthew snapped. "What do you take me for?! An idiot?! You shot my brother because he didn't deserve me?! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Gilbert growled, stood up and gripped his hair. "I didn't mean it like that! I just wanted him to feel shitty about what he's done to you!"

"He's my brother, Gil! He hasn't done anything to me! Siblings do this to each other! It's the only thing we have left as a normal family! God, he's the only one left! And you almost took him away! I might never see him again! What if I forget his face, Gil?! What if he's dead and I don't even have a picture of him?! Just the video of him getting shot! Because that's the only clear memory of my parents that I have! All I remember is their eyes staring in shock and horror at the ceiling! Even the happy memories are clouded with them! I can't remember them!"

"At least you know they're happy!" Gilbert shouted. Matthew went silent. "The only thing I have ever gotten from my parents was disappointment! I was an accident and they never let me live it down! My mother wasn't even interested in men! She got really fucked up, then got pregnant! My father? He almost fucked up a sixteen year old's life. He knocked her up and took my brother once she had him," Gilbert's eyes were flooding. He gripped Matthew's biceps and looked him in the eye. "Do you know what it's like? Trying to convince another mistake that he is loved? That he is supposed to be on this earth, all the while being the reason why the people he called mother and father left? I... I told him that I almost got them killed. Being in the mob, it wasn't that hard to convince him. But...the night before...when he was at a friend's house, I came home bloodied and beaten. The woman who gave birth to me just...looked at me. For the first time since I was a child, she really looked at me. I thought...that she...finally saw me as flesh and blood. I thought we might cry together. But...she spat at me. She told me...that she had made a lot of mistakes in her life. But I...I was the biggest one. I was the one that cost her the most. 16 years of hell because of me. She said she was going to do something with her life before me, even though it wasn't true I...I still can't get it out of my head."

His head became heavy, so he rested it on Matthew's shoulder. He gripped his arms tighter. His knees buckled, making both of them kneel on the ground. "Mattie, we're two fucked up puzzle pieces trying to fit together. Please...I know you're mad at me...I would be too...but please...I just...tell me about when you were a kid. Those normal memories. Tell me about those memories and let me pretend they're mine."

Silently, Matthew had been crying, listening to Gilbert's life, trying not to feel awful about complaining about his own life. A hand came up to stroke Gilbert's soft, silver hair. "There was this park...it had swing sets and slides and everything a kid could ever want... It had a huge area for football or soccer...we would have a picnic...we would go to it every Sunday."

"Every Sunday?"

"Every Sunday. It was the day we could all be together. All be happy."

"Was it...nice?"

"Yes, Gil, it was perfect."

"Hey, Irunya..." Ivan whispered to his sister as he observed the city from his 28th story office. "Lets watch it burn."

Irunya looked at her brother. "What do you mean?"

Ivan smirked at his window. "Lets watch this city burn from the sky lines on top of the world! 'Till there's nothing left in her! Come, grab the children! Look out for burning buildings! It's the end of the world!"

"Brother, you are scaring me."

"The city looks so pretty! Do you want to burn it with me? Watch this city fucking bleed!? Being the world to its knees!?"

"Ivan, what are you talking about!?"

The Russian slowly turned to his sister and smiled a wicked, awful smile at her. "I'm going to bring it all down."

Arthur sat at his desk and scribbled down his on his calendar when he heard a knock on his door. "Come in." He called.

The door opened with a voice. "Hey, little brother~."

Arthur's head snapped up. His older brother stood in the door frame. A mad man's smile was painted on his face, his green eyes ablaze. "B-Brian! What are you doing here?! I thought you-"

"That I was still in the looney bin? The asylum? The fucking living hell?" His voice cut with every word. Brain walked up to the desk and placed his hands on the two corners of it. "Well, good news, the funny farm has lost another pig. I've missed you, Arthur~. Why don't you look happy to see me~?"

A chill crawled its way up Arthur's spine, settling between his shoulder blades. "I didn't know you were coming, that's all. You should really call ahead."

Brain tilted his head back and let out a deep laugh. "You snarky little shit, it was a surprise! I wanted to get your heart racing!" It had worked.

"Do the others know you're here? Does Shemus know?"

The Irishman's face fell. "I haven't spoken to Shemus in 10 years. Allistor and Dylan are so deep in the bottle that they didn't even know I left. And Peter gave me a much warmer welcome than you did."

"Well, a victim doesn't usually cheer when their attacker gets out of jail."

Brain groaned. "Please, are you still going in about that? I was just playing."

"I was 8 and you cut me with knives!"

"I needed practice!"

"I still have the scars!"

"So do I!" Brain hissed. "No one gets away with hurting daddy's precious favorite. You better check yourself: you might have had it bad, but believe me, the rest of us had it worse." A small growl slipped from his throat. "Now, tell me where my brother is."

"I don't know-"

Brain gripped the top of Arthur's hair, pulling him up and forward so they were face to face. "Don't lie to me, baby brother. You know I don't like it."

Arthur stayed silent.

Brain connected a fist to his gut.

"L-Long Island...his bar is on 62nd street."

"Good boy." Brain dropped him onto his desk and went towards the door. As he was leaving, he paused. "Oh, and I heard your pet ape got shot. Next time he's sucking your dick, tell him that once you're dead and gone, so is he."

"Heracles! Adskhan! Get your asses in here!" The chief called to the new partners. "I got something for you!"

Heracles looked up from his book. "Shit, I don't wanna do work." He groaned as he got up and went to the office, Adskhan nipping at his heels. They sat down in front of their boss.

"Alright, I just got a call from the governor. He told me that he got some incriminating photos in the mail today, said that he was being blackmailed. It's our job to find the blackmailer and shut him down. Is that clear? You should go over to his office around 2 to talk to him. He's a bit...terrified of these pictures getting out."

Heracles raised an eyebrow. "That's all? Really?"

The chief shrugs. "It's his first case. You'll get better cases when he's ready."

The Greek's eyes rolled as he got up. "Fine, whatever." He mumbled and left. He went to the coffee machine near the elevator and checked his phone. He had two text messages, one from his mother and the other from Sadiq. Happily, he opened the one from Sadiq.

From: Sadiq

Hey, kitten how are you? Is 8 good for tonight's date?

Heracles smiled at his nick name and texted back.

To: Sadiq

Just got a new case from chief. It sucks 'cause the rookie needed a small case. And ya 8 is perfect :)

Moments later, a response came.

From: Sadiq

I got a new project from the boss too. Mines a bit more fun tho. Sorry. but I'm excited for the date. See you there ;)

To: Sadiq

K see you there :)))

SUCH A JAMMED PACKED CHAPTER. Dude! I like this chapter a lot. The plot is stirring. Yes theres actually a plot. And its moving! It's on its way! Muahahahahahahahaha. And I really really like Brian... I think I'll keep him. Read and review! Danke guys!