Chapter 8
The Phoenix Mafia
Five and a half hours later the plane landed in a Phoenix airport. We had left around noon and arrived at two thirty, then it took another hour to get our luggage. When we finally left the airport, Clara insisted that we stay at her parents place as neither of us had the funds for a hotel to stay at. I argued that her place would be too easy to track down, but I did have to agree that our funds for this trip were negligible. I finally agreed for lack of anything better to do at the moment and we hailed a cab to ride out to her parents place.
The ride was quiet for about five minutes as we both powered our phones up and got caught up on messages we missed during the flight. That is until she gasped, a nearly inaudible sound but one I heard none the less. A glance over showed her eyes wet with tears and a hand clamped over her mouth as she read something on her phone. With a glance at our drive to make sure he wasn't paying attention, I scooted closer to her to see what was distressing her. It took all of a few seconds to understand. The message was apparently from her mother who was telling her that her father hadn't come home for the past few days and she was worried. It also detailed that strange vehicles and people she hadn't see before had been talking to him about two weeks prior and he had been agitated with them and wouldn't tell her anything about it.
Clara looked up at me. "My father…" she couldn't say any more, but could see that I was reading the message.
My brows furrowed. We were invited out here, then at the same time her father goes mysteriously missing. It was too coincidental.
She looked out the window to organize her thoughts and track our progress through the city. "Hey, this isn't the way. Sir!" she smacked the cabbie's seat. "This is the complete wrong side of town. Where are you taking us?"
"Your presence has been requested by the boss. I was sent to pick the two of you up and drive you to his location."
I looked up sharply and through the mirror saw that we had some human punk in a green shirt driving.
"Not many get personal invitations. You are either very lucky or in big trouble pal. Now don't cause any trouble and you won't be harmed. I was told to deliver you in as good condition as was possible." The look in his eyes begged for us to fight back and from the way the girl beside me was tensing, she was ready to give it to him.
I put my arm across her chest. "We will go without a struggle." I ground out. His gaze became aggravated and out of the edge of my vision I saw her disbelieving stare.
"Why G?" she whispered at me.
"He wants us to fight. I have no doubt this car is rigged with the proper measures to subdue at least one of us. If we don't fight then there is a better chance of us having the upper hand when we get where we are going." I explained. I didn't bother whispering. There were probably recording devices planted in here too. "While we are in this cab, don't talk. We will get where we are going soon enough. People in this line of business don't like to wait." I glared pointedly at our driver. He narrowed his eyes and grumbled under his breath.
The rest of our ride was quiet but tense as our driver weaved in and out of traffic. When we pulled up to an old-style Radisson hotel with two bouncers dressed in black on either side of the entry doors.
Our driver then spoke up once more. "Go talk to those men, tell them you are here for the Senior Service. Follow their directions. Going anywhere else is not really recommended. Boss owns this whole end of town." He unlocked our doors to let us out.
"What do you mean he owns this end of town? That's ridiculous for one person to own that much." Clara objected.
He leaned around his seat. "You ain't too bright are you?" he teased.
"She has had the pleasure of living in the light." I sighed as I opened my door. "Come on. We want to keep moving. Stay close to me." I told her.
"A gold-path chick eh? That's hot." He looked her up and down. After that she was quick to get out of the car, followed by his cackling.
I felt a pull in my spine and without warning the car jumped ten feet forward. Thankfully she was already out. The sudden movement slammed the door shut though.
The driver put his hand out the window and flipped us off as he peeled out down the street and around a corner.
"That was accidental, right?" she asked, looking up at me.
"Yeah, completely. Can't bring myself to feel bad for it though. He was an ass." I answered as I unconsciously pulled her up beside me by her shoulder, holding her close.
"Not very convincing." She laughed and pushed me off lightly before settling next to me. "So we are going in?"
I glanced down at her and saw the uncertainty on her face clearly. "Yeah, now we go in. Don't speak unless spoken to. Since you are one of those who have always abided by the law I don't see you being accepted too kindly. I'm not even sure why they wanted you to come. I have a bad feeling it involves your father. Let's go."
At that she shoved away from me. "How many times do I have to tell you that my family doesn't have any nefarious ties?"
"Hmph." I walked up to the guards and provided them with the code.
"Elevator straight through, hit the red button then go to floor thirteen." He instructed.
"Got it." I grabbed her hand and started inside. She resisted at first, then followed.
Once we were inside she was practically glued to my side and she seemed to shrink into herself. On the other hand, I stood tall and walked as if I had every right to be here and possibly even owned the place. All the people scattered through the lobby sitting on chairs chatting or at tables with small meals watched curiously. I didn't escape my notice that when I pressed the red button one or two nodded while a few others shook their heads or looked away. After pressing the button, a panel opened and a button with the number thirteen became available. I pressed that and when the wall next to the elevator opened, I was startled, but managed to not show it. Clara not so much.
We stepped inside and it closed, then started to go down.
"Whoa, what? I thought we would be going up?" Clara gasped as she grabbed a bar on the wall to steady her.
I could help but huff a laugh. "Seems like whoever this person is, they took being a part of the underground literally."
She glared at me. "I see you can still joke. I assume all this is quite normal for you though."
"To a point, yes. Our headquarters weren't quite so flashy. The one in charge of our finances was very stingy with our income." I wasn't sharing names, and information like this wasn't really a betrayal of our sect yet.
An intercom cut into our conversation. "From what I've heard, you haven't really been a part of things for some time though. Now what is that about? Plus your father got himself caught. Damn fool was way in over his head and just took the illusions that were given to him. Can't say I blame you though, really. I'm glad you left that particular group. Why your father didn't send you south to me I can't understand."
The elevator finally stopped its decent and opened. In front of us stood a very short skeleton. He was about the size of a child, but from how he was dressed and certain marks that could have been easily overlooked, it was obvious that he was much older than myself. I just stood there staring and taking him in. This was the great Boss that I had to be wary of and that had summoned me?
He held out a hand. "Don't you know how to greet a new pal?" he asked.
"Oh, right. Sorry sir." I stepped forward and grasped his hand firmly in mine, only to jump as the whoopee cushion in his hand was flattened with my firm hold. Behind me I heard Clara squeak then smother a chuckle.
He grinned widely. "Come in you two. We had some items of business to discuss. Unfortunately most are quite unpleasant." He made his way over to a small bar that was built into the wall and poured himself a glass. "Would either of you like a drink?" he offered, holding up the decanter he held.
"No thank you sir. We are underage." I declined.
"Pfft, nonsense. If you can risk your life on the streets or run your own business then you are more than responsible enough to imbibe, but I won't push you to do so." He set the jar down. "Now, onto business." He sat behind a huge desk that dominated the opposite end of the room. We still stood in front of the elevator. "Please seat yourselves. I don't know how long this will take." He waved at two chairs that sat facing his desk.
I made my way over to one and could hear her following behind me. She settled on the edge of the other one. Her uncomfortability and tenseness was easily read.
"Relax kiddo. I have no gripe with either of you." His words were directed at Clara, but I found myself relaxing all the same. He turned to me. "Now, Gaster is it?"
"Junior sir." I amended for him.
"Well obviously. Gaster Sr. was my son." He paused for a second and then cracked a smile at my disbelieving look as I once again took in his short stature. "He got his height from his mother, may she rest in peace. As I was saying though, I would like you to tell my about yourself. My son was not very forthcoming with details about you in the one or two letters I received from him shortly after your birth. I'm sad to say that he hasn't really spoken with me for the past sixteen years or so." He looked down, spinning the ice in his glass before he set it down and sighed. "Please tell me everything you remember of your life and tell me what kind of father and man my son became." He truly looked heartbroken.
It then caught my gaze. A picture frame on his desk that showed a younger him, a beautiful human woman, and what looked like a teen version of my father. I reached uncertainly, but when he nodded, I took it and examined it. The younger version of the skeleton in front of me looked happy, my father looked only slightly less grim, but he had none of the anger that had adorned his features for the last few years that I knew him. As I stared at the picture, picking out and memorizing every detail, I once more told my tale, as I had told it to Clara, leaving out nothing. If I had looked up during my telling I would have seen that a dark scowl had overtaken my audience's face. I only saw it when I finished my tale and looked up, grip tight on the frame.
"I am sorry my boy. I did not raise him to be like that. I can only assume that something changed him."
"E-Excuse me sir?" Clara cut in. He looked to her inquiringly. "Sir, I can tell you that he was not like that for all of… of Echo's childhood." She stuttered as she forced herself to use the name I had given her to use for me. He looked at me speculatively at the odd name, but let her continue. "When the both of us were very young, I can recall that Mr. Sans was very warm-hearted toward his son. I believe that it was only in the years after my mother and I moved away that he began to change. I can't say why he would have changed, or why Echo can't remember beyond nine or ten years ago. I believe that whatever cause the change in Mr. Sans had to have happened around then as that was when I stopped receiving letters from Echo. None of his letters ever mentioned a change in his father. If anything, they always spoke of him in a fond light." She clasped her hands in her lap, looking down at them.
Where his face had been dark before, now it was contemplative. He turned to look at me. "You honestly have no recollection from you're younger years?"
"No sir. Occasionally I'll get a sense of de ja vu like when I first heard Clara's name, but that we were friends, I can't remember. I don't remember these letters I supposedly wrote. I think I remember a friend, but it is like trying to think through a fog. I suppose I may have blocked it out for one reason or another." I explained.
"Hmmm, well, for one you can stop calling me sir. My name is Sans. I am the first of our line. It is not common knowledge, but our particular species of monster is rather long lived or they used to be. It seems each generation is weaker in magic and shorter in life span. On another note, I don't think it's that you blocked out your memories. From how you describe it, it is more likely that you had a block placed on your mind for some reason. It may lift eventually, but beyond that I'm not sure I can help. Perhaps my brother can help. I'll introduce you to him later."
"Wait, I have more family?" I asked, disbelieving.
"Not much in the way of blood, but never forget son, the entirety of the mafia will be your family. You can walk away from family, but family will not leave you." He said.
"Yeah," I laughed scornfully. "I've seen how they stick by you when you are at your worst and how they just can't leave enough be." I didn't hide the sneer as I complained about the summons to come here.
"I can understand your distaste for us because of how our branch in the Big Apple treated you, but let me assure you, they have been misguided for quite some time. Your tale is the worst we have heard yet, and believe me when I say that it will be investigated and we will work to correct the situation. We are so much more than some random drug cartel. We don't only deal in the dark my boy, we help support those on the streets. We are the family that keeps everyone connected one way or another."
I just glared at him. Clara for her part looked nervously between us.
"Well, I didn't call you all the way down here to chat up the past, though I am glad I finally got to meet you. I must admit that even here, in our heart, things are not as I would like. I had you bring young Clara with you due to her indirect ties with our larger corporation."
Here she interjected. "Why do you both think that I am somehow wrapped up in all this? My family has nothing to do with this sort of activity! We have always followed the laws. We are not criminals!" in her indignation, she had planted her hands on his desk and stood to yell down at the both of us.
"My dear, as I was just explaining to, ah, Echo you called him? Yes? Well as I was saying, not all we do is involved in criminal activity. We are also the owners of some of the largest gambling houses, legal brothels, and believe it or not, medical research facilities. We also have many holds in the law."
Her eyes went wide when he mentioned that the medical research. "Then my father?"
"That is correct. Both your father and your mother work in industries that are owned by my branch, and if I may add, they are both very high up on the ladder. A few more promotions and they might have even been inducted to our society. Your father was offered such a promotion, but turned it down. My second in command had become a bit too pushy on bringing in new blood and now he has stepped over his bounds. Unfortunately I do not have the means to broach the topic on my own. I was hoping I may be able to bring you in to help as you have been absent for such a long time and therefore do not have a name. As for you my dear," he turns to Clara, "I felt it necessary to bring you in on this due to the connection you have to all this. I fear it goes back to Gaster Sr. Many of my leads suggest he had a hand in all this. I understand that you both have reasons for not wanting to be part of our organization, but I must ask this of you."
Clara looked at me. She looked both scared and determined at the same time. I knew before asking that she would do anything to get her father back. She likely was not too happy about being proven wrong on the fact that she did indeed have ties to the mafia though.
Seeing as she was the only tie I currently had to my past, I could not see letting her go. "I will stand by you." I told her. I may not have actually gotten her caught up in it, but if she was going to look for her father, she would need help navigating the dark. I knew how to help her there.
She nodded, then turned to Sans. "I want to find my father. I don't like finding out that I will be a part of the mafia, but I can't just leave my family and with how you make it sound, I can't exactly run from it anyway. Just like bonehead here, I'm locked in."
"Excellent. I'll have you dropped off with your mother for now then. I will reach out to you via a messenger when we have a lead that you can help with. Please feel free to enlighten you mother about all this. Once we get all this taken care of, we will see that your parents either get full promotions or proper protection from those who would wish to put them in the positions they have now found themselves. If you need to reach me before then, you can reach me at this number." He slid a piece of paper across the desk to me.
I typed the number into my phone, then passed it to Clara. She looked like she would rather burn it, but finally relented and put it into her phone.
"Now I have a question." I sat forward. "You mentioned that each generation of us were weaker than the last. I am much more powerful in my magic than my father was. Since he refused to have me taught as I explained earlier, that magic is now very volatile. Clara is trying to teach me. Can you possibly give me any pointers?"
"Remove your inhibitors and let me see what you have. I can feel their suppression, don't look so surprised." He laughed at me.
I slid off the ring and slipped it into my pocket, then turned away for a moment to remove the piercing. I had found that others found it disconcerting to watch me mess with the piece. With both pieces removed I looked to him for further instruction.
He walked around his desk and looked at my hands. "Take these off." He waved at my gloves. Once I had, he took my hands in his. "Now summon something. It doesn't have to be big. I just need to feel how you channel it."
I took a breath, then focused on the air between us, a specific spot. With another breath, I slowly allowed a miniscule amount of my magic free until I felt a faint warmth in front of me. I then held back the remainder. When I opened my eyes, I saw an orb of fire floating between our joined hands. It glowed with three colors this time. There were white, sapphire, and yellow flames flickering inside and throughout the orb.
"Now dismiss it." He ordered.
With a short, sharp exhale I closed the focus point.
He released my hands then rubbed his own. "You are definitely very powerful. Your control is next to nonexistent though. I'm surprised it took this long for you to break those inhibitors your father made you wear. These ones you are using now likely have a different type of spell or you would have shattered them the second you touched them. Those colors though, that is truly a rare phenomenon."
"What do you mean? We thought it was just due my magic not having been able to settle." I asked.
"No, I can confirm that you magic has settled. It still has a lot of room to grow, and will continue to grow, but it has definitely settled. Those colors are not your personality colors. Those are your emotions. That is why your magic is so much stronger than anything your father ever came across. I myself have only read about it. Your strength comes from your emotions. The very heart of magic. I can't help you very much. Listen to your tutor and let's hope you both live long enough to see how strong you can become. Now off with the both of you. I have another meeting shortly. A cab will be waiting for you at the entrance. Get some rest and come back tomorrow. We will arrange a proper greeting where you can meet our people and your family here in Phoenix. Now shoo." He swatted us playfully back toward the elevator. When we got back to the lobby, the windows were dark. We had been underground for several hours and the lobby was empty. When we stepped outside there was indeed a cab waiting for us. This one had a young woman in a purple stripped shirt.
"The Cloud residence, right?" she asked in a chipper voice.
"That's right." I answered.
"Alright then. Climb right in. We'll be there in a jiffy."
We climbed in and got settled. "You should probably let your mom know we will be there shortly." I told Clara. I felt a bit more at ease now that we were out of the headquarters, though my new knowledge weighed heavily on my mind.
"Right." She pulled out her phone, then halfway through writing the message, she remembered something. "Um, driver? What happened to our luggage?"
"Oh, call me Frisk. Your stuff is all in the trunk. No worries. I made sure that Chara didn't knick anything." She was humming to a quiet upbeat tune on the radio.
"Chara? Is that the name of our driver from before?" she asked even as she went back to typing her message.
"Yep, that's right. He was in a surprisingly good mood today. I'm guessing you two didn't fight? He always instigates fights, but hates taking care of the cleanup later. Since he had an easy morning, I got stuck with the cleanup, so he was relatively happy this afternoon."
"Oh, okay then. He definitely didn't seem happy to be driving us, but if you say that he was in a good mood, then maybe he was."
The rest of the ride was quiet except for the quiet beat of the music. It took about another hour to navigate the city and get to the other side. The house was small, but not poor. It looked to be a sort of townhouse.
"Here we are. If you need a lift anywhere, just use this card." She passed us both a ride pass and winked.
"Thank you. Have a safe evening." I bid her and we both stepped out and I started unloading our stuff from the trunk.
Clara ran up the walk and was caught by her mother in a hug. Apparently her mother had come out when the cab had pulled up.
Now to fill her mother in on all this. Oh happy joy.