Streets are as quiet as always save for a few passersby with eyes as sharp as the hawks in the sky. Many will be wary to be walking in this street, a very infamous one for housing one of the most dangerous and the most powerful Mafia Groups out there, Roger's Mafia Group.
Most of the time, this street is filled to the brim with noises going around, shouts of jests and laughter echo in the area coming from drunken men of this group. People believe that this group is cruel, murderers, but within the walls of their territories, they are anything but that.
Heck, some of the bar owners in the area were never scared of Roger. A friendly man whose beliefs will move even those that have their hearts caged by a stone. His charisma is beyond anyone can imagine. He may look like a fool to anyone, but not to his members. They love him for the idiot that he is.
"We can always retaliate." Scopper Gaban suggests, grim expression decorating his handsome face while looking at his leader. No, he's more than just a leader. He's their brother.
"As much as I want to, I cannot. It is only a matter of time before they start deploying all means necessary to get to me. They will not hesitate to include the innocent lives of people living in our territories if that means they can kill me." Roger shakes his head. More than worrying for his family, he worries about the other people who will be caught in a crossfire. So many lives have been spilled already. He cannot do that to them anymore.
"We can always expose them. The people will believe you. I mean, they created this whole system of fear and false promises. Only to support the invisible monarchy they established."
To everyone's surprise, Roger only laughs out loud.
"I can do that, but what good will that do? Will the system be destroyed? It's fruitless putting our lives in the line for uncertainty. The roots of the World Government will always be there. We cannot change that. The shackles cannot easily be broken."
Not everyone can understand what he means but the people here know what he's talking about. Roger always wants freedom but it is the one thing he cannot fully have.
There's always a shackle that binds him so long as he's a citizen of Grandline because Grandline does not belong to the people, but the invisible monarchy ruling over it.
His rise to his position as the Mafia King demands that he be hunted by the World Government for crimes that they said he did. He's not clean at all, but most of the crimes that they blamed on him have been nothing but lies they fabricated.
The evidence he has can be the key to destroy this system, but it comes with a price. If the system will be destroyed, what will happen then? No matter what method he thinks, he knows breaking this will only shed the blood of innocent people. They are the people who have nothing to do with the underground world but live in Grandline.
For now, he will take a step back and disappear to protect his family.
The conversation was the last one he had with his officers before he disappeared from Grandline, not telling anyone where he is, except for a very few people he trusts. His disappearance caused more bad than good. His territories are now managed by no one, left unprotected.
The Mafia Groups hiding in the bushes did not waste their time to claim Roger's territories. Just like any war, more blood is spilled. While Roger's members are hunted down by the wolves, the war for his territories grew harsher day by day. Emperors like Big Mom and Kaido as well as a few unaffiliated Mafia Groups stand their ground in claiming them.
Till the Whitebeards join the fray, claiming the cities that once been under Roger's rule. It's as if he went mad that time because he dedicated a lot of his resources just to claim the cities, taking them under his banner.
While everyone is busy hunting down the members, Whitebeard wastes no efforts thwarting the attempts of Big Mom and Kaido when they wanted to claim a few of Roger's cities. His actions raise a couple of eyebrows in the process with many thinking that he finally made his move.
Even before Roger was called the Mafia King, people are debating on who's stronger, him or Whitebeard. Their resources and men are on even terms, heck, even the number of cities they rule is the same. While the other Emperors are also equally strong, it just seems that Roger and Whitebeard are one step ahead of them, constantly vying for the top spot.
Some say that with Roger finally gone, Whitebeard can now claim the title for himself, Mafia King. With most of the cities under his rule, he could easily have taken the initiative, but surprisingly, he didn't. He remained as Emperor and never dares to crown himself as Mafia King.
And even as years go by, he remains as 'Emperor'.
In a spacious balcony with a sturdy mahogany chair sat Edward Newgate, or commonly known as Whitebeard in the underground world. With alcohol in his hands, watching the view in front of him. He's in deep thoughts with memories constantly coming back to him.
"Is there no other choice?" He asks the middle-aged man, his deep voice sounds solemn as if he's mourning for a friend.
"Hahaha! This is the way I can think of." Roger laughs out loud, amused to see Whitebeard look solemn while looking at him. It's a foreign expression when Whitebeard all ever does is spit insults from here and there to Roger and sometimes makes fun of him. Other times they issue challenges against one another.
Contrary to popular belief, they don't hate each other. Yes, they are rivals, but there is a deep level of respect they managed to build, a trust that seems odd, especially in the world they are in where betrayals are a common occurrence.
"I can assist."
"No. This is our business, Edward. You can't get involved in this shit."
"Not when it involves the Grandline and the citizens."
"Nah, there are better ways for you to spend your time with than accompanying a man whose death is set in stone."
"Stubborn bastard."
That was the last time they spoke in private, sharing a drink like old friends. It served as Roger's farewell to his rival. And the next thing that happened is series of events that even Whitebeard cannot prevent.
And years after the death of the Mafia King, the rise of new people in the underground world had been growing hysterical, sprouting from nowhere and causing chaos beyond imaginable.
"You would love to see the storm coming in Grandline had you been alive, Roger. The storm is coming. Gurarara!" He laughs heartily, enjoying the last drop of alcohol that he's allowed to consume for that day.
===XXX===XXX===XXX===
"Kidd, someone's outside," Heat is pointing at the door. His voice is low, which warns them that whoever is outside is not someone welcomed in their base.
Immediately, Kidd's expression grows grim. His hand reaches for the gun strapped on his side, making sure that it has enough bullets in case someone attacks him.
With Killer on his side, he steps outside to see whoever visited him this time. His men are on their feet, glaring at the two people standing in the middle of the base, unbothered by the glares directed at them.
"And what do I owe this visit from the Cipher Pol?" Kidd's voice is loud while standing a good distance away from the two. The Cipher Pol members are usually unknown, but there are relatively infamous members like Stussy who is constantly poking around, making deals with the Mafia Groups as she sees fit.
While Cipher Pol is under World Government, in a sense they are not bound by the laws placed by them. They're as much as members of the Underground World who do the dirty works. In other words, they are the World Government's darker side.
The reason why they were not shot to death when they stepped into this territory is that the Mafia members knew not to provoke this group. Should they trigger the fire, they might inevitably start the annihilation of their group. With the Cipher Pol's connections, they will not hesitate to resort to working with Mafia Groups that are enemies with the group they are targetting.
"We're here to make an offer." Stussy smiles.
"Offer? What can you offer me?"
"Apoo. We can offer you that group you hate so much." Just hearing that name makes Kidd's blood boil in anger. If he can throttle that man using his hands, he will.
The offer is enticing. Kidd knows that this is possible if it's them, but he becomes wary of the situation. No one is stupid to offer something like this without expecting anything in return.
"And in exchange of that group?"
"Blue. We want him." This makes him surprised.
"Blue? As in the Revolutionary Army's Chief-of-Staff? Ha! You're a fool - "
"We know you worked with him against Apoo after the incident with Orochi." Stussy cuts him off before he can deny his connection to the infamous member of the Revolutionary Army. A low growl escapes Kidd's throat but this is to be expected. News like this fly very fast, especially to the Cipher Pol.
"You're well informed," Kidd smirks. "So, what do you want me to do?"
"Simple. Just lead him to a trap, and we will do the rest. As for the exchange, we can get you Apoo's head. Simple as that."
The deal is too good to be true. There should be something hidden in her words, but Kidd cannot discern exactly what it was that sets him off, making him hesitant in agreeing to the terms.
'If you want to know more, stall them. Make them talk more. Put that tongue to good use,'
'My tongue is useful enough in licking your - '
'Kidd!'
Briefly, he shakes his head, trying to shake off the memory. All those times they spent together, Kidd admits that he learned a lot from her. Her intelligence always makes no room for an error and she is constantly helping Kidd deal with matters like negotiations. She was his adviser till she betrayed him.
"That's good. And you're good to be informed that I had a contact with the Revolutionary Army. To have this information, shouldn't you have the ability to catch him yourselves? Or is the Cipher Pol's reputation of diligence is just false?" The confident smile on Stussy's lips slowly faded. "Why make a deal with me when you have a wider network that can trap Blue? Surely you would have a lead by now."
"He's slippery and very cautious."
"Don't tell me he's one step ahead of you guys? That's quite a shame."
"That is why we're offering you a deal. All you have to do is fake a deal with Blue, lead him to a trap, and Apoo's head will be yours. Simple enough, isn't it?"
"It is. Simple. Too simple." Kidd nods. "He's a careful man, alright. Even I do not know what he looks like. He never told me anything that can give away his identity nor the Revolutionary Army. If by any chance the trap fails, and he escapes alive, I will have the Revolutionary Army after my neck. Isn't that the same as sentencing my doom?"
"Are you refusing the offer? If you do, you should know that you're indirectly protecting a criminal." Stussy's voice is now cold and stern that can make anyone shiver. But not Kidd.
"I am not protecting him. You can kill him for all I care, it won't concern me, but I won't take part in this shit. Like I said, if the trap fails, will the Cipher Pol take the blunt and anger of the Revolutionary Army? No, right? I am not a fool to entrust my group's fate to the World Government."
'Think of things from a bigger perspective. Do not make a deal just because it will benefit you now. Think if it will bring you disaster tomorrow. Your members' lives are in your hands, always remember that,'
Kidd curses himself for remembering her words again. The wisdom she told him has been rooted in him for years now. Even if he denies it, she always had an impact on him. Nothing will change that.
"You have a few days to think of our offer. We will come back for an answer. It would be in your best interest to think of allying with us than with the Revolutionary Army."
This made Kidd roll his eyes. These people think they can intimidate the hell out of him, but no. He's not the brash Eustass Kidd everyone made him out to be.
"And as a bonus..." Stussy regains her smile. "We can deliver you the head of your ex-lover, Atty. Sab Regor. Or if you want, we can deliver it to you as a downpayment."
Kidd stiffens at the mention of the name. Before he can say anything, Stussy and his companion are already leaving.
What she said sounds more like a threat than an offer and he does not like it.
===XXX===XXX===XXX===
Ann arrives in the office fairly early. Against Marco's wishes, she took the bus on her way to the office despite him offering to fetch her. It's not like she can't commute at all.
Her mood's better ever since last night. Was it about the kiss? Damn, she's way over her head for thinking about it.
'Stop thinking about it,' She clicks her tongue, a little irritated for feeling giddy about a simple thing.
Forcing a smile on her face, she greets the security personnel as well as the receptionist on her way to their department. After clocking in and greeting the staff there, she made her way to her desk to study the blueprint of the new model. This reminds her that she needs to submit the report to the finance department. Technically, this is not her task but Blenheim insisted on letting her handle the report since it's for a new project she's part of, new modifications in their next model.
Ann decided to finish a few tasks before submitting the report. On her way to the elevator, she meets a few employees from the administrative department glaring daggers at her.
This made her raise an eyebrow, confused why she's being glared at but in the end, she shrugs it off that it might not be her.
"I can't stand people who get into the company using a backdoor method. Worse is they had the nerve to seduce someone from the upper management." Ann's ears twitch because she can feel their eyes digging holes at her back.
"You're right. Someone must be feeling so damn proud for seducing a billionaire and the heir." Ann rolls her eyes, exasperated at their words. Of course, they are talking about her seducing Marco and getting into the company because of his backing.
For the past few weeks since starting here, she noticed people are looking at her with scrutiny. The kind of people who judge someone's character based on what they see. She lets it slide, deeming them unimportant. She knows that she didn't get here because she's dating Marco but these people didn't know that. Explaining it would be a pain too. It will only make her defensive.
"Gold digger. Such an opportunistic bitch."
She's not affected by the first thing she called her but rather the second one because it is true. She's using this opportunity to get close to her enemies, and even going as far as dating Marco just to make things believable.
Remembering him makes her heart tremble a little.
'No, this is just one of those undercover missions you did. You betrayed more people than you can count on just to get where you are now. There's no use in feeling guilty about this.'
And just as she finished contemplating her situation, her cellphone starts ringing. Talk about the devil and he shall appear. Hesitation builds up in her heart. It's not the best idea to answer it while she's with these people in the elevator, but on the other side, her petty self wants to annoy the hell out of me.
So she answers his call.
"Hi! You called?"
"Are you in the hangar, yoi?"
"No. I'm on my way to the Finance department. Why?"
"Izou's been pestering me to formally introduce you to her. She won't let me live even for a damn minute, yoi. Are you okay with going to lunch with her joining us?"
From what Marco told him, he forbade his siblings from approaching Ann, explaining that they're rowdy and annoying. To be fair, Ann is fine with not meeting all of them at once. She'd rather focus on a few tasks than getting more eyes on her.
But in this relationship where Marco seems to be serious, she knows this is inevitable.
"Yes. I'm fine with it. Don't worry."
"Alright. I'll bring Thatch along since that bastard also wants to tag along." Ann laughs a little remembering the red-haired sibling of Marco who reminds her of Luffia.
"I'll see you later in the parking lot."
"No, I'm on my way to Finance Department too. Will see you there in a while."
The call ends and even without looking at the people behind her, she can feel their glares getting more intense.
"Bitch. You just love to show off, don't you?" One woman asks. This time, she was talking to Ann, even going as far as yanking her to face them.
"Huh. Were you talking about yourself?"
"I don't know what Sir Marco saw in you. You're just a nobody! A low-class gold-digger."
"I don't get why you are so irritated about me dating Marco. Are you... perhaps... jealous?" She sounds so sarcastic and that hit the mark for these people. Her voice sounds so innocent that it just added to the irritation these people are feeling.
Jealousy can bring people's darker side because these three women with Ann seemed to have forgotten that this is professional ground and they should act accordingly instead of being gossipers. They're about to retort to her when the elevator opens to one of the floors, revealing a familiar face from the upper management.
Instantly, the three women badmouthing Ann steps back to the corner, politely greeting the newcomer who was raising an eyebrow at them before smiling at Ann.
"Ann! It's finally good to meet you!"
"Uh, yes. Pleased to meet you, Ma'am - "
"Please, drop that. Don't call me Ma'am or whatever. Just Izou. It makes me feel so old being called formally. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier on. Your boyfriend is such a worrywart. Damn Marco, hogging you to himself." It didn't escape Ann's ears the way Izou emphasized the word boyfriend. The wink is a dead giveaway that she's doing it on purpose.
"He must have his reasons."
"Oh, please. He's just worrying we will scare you with the big talk! Anyway, where are you going?"
"On my way to Finance Department to drop these reports." She answers.
"Good timing. I was about to go back."
When the elevator opens to the floor of the Finance Department, Ann, and Izou stepped out of the elevator not even looking back at the three women who must have been furious at Ann.
"Were they giving you a hard time?" Izou asks this as soon as they are in her office.
"It's fine. It's a minor matter."
"Did you at least told Marco about incidents like this? From the looks of it, this is not the first time this happened."
"I don't want to bother him with such trivial matters. Besides, I can handle it just fine. I don't want to be a crybaby just because someone dislikes me because I'm dating him. I guess this is just a side-effect of dating someone like him." She shrugs.
Izou nods and is pretty impressed with how Ann is handling it. So, she changes the topic to something else.
"I'm surprised you recognized me." Ann freezes a little at what Izou said. It may sound casual, but one mishap can make Izou suspicious of her.
"You're famous and Marco's been mentioning his rowdy and nosy siblings for quite some time now."
"Rowdy? Nosy? ME? That chicken-head better hide his neck because I'm going to be coming after it." Ann raises her two hands in defense, chuckling at Izou's reaction.
"Okay, maybe he's just exaggerating."
"Of course, he is! Oh, by the way, did you know about his reaction when he saw you? Damn, he's so smitten. I was there with him in the bar."
"Really?"
"Yes! You should have seen him. We're glad he grew some balls and approached you." A chuckle leaves Ann's lips, feeling giddy at the thought of Marco being smitten when she was singing.
Just as they're having a good conversation, someone came knocking on Izou's office. It's Marco.
"Hey, birdbrain! We were just talking about you." Izou greets her brother and kisses his cheek.
"I hope you're not painting me into a bad light on Ann's books, yoi." He sounds unimpressed at Izou. He knows how Izou is and so as his other siblings.
"No worries, not so much as she'll want to break up with you." The two women shared a teasing smile making Marco groan. "Anyway, I will see you two in the restaurant in half an hour. Just have a few things to do."
Marco and Ann leave Izou's office and on their way to the elevator, Marco can't help but ask. "She didn't say too much, did she?"
"Hmm, no. Not much. Just a few words about you being smitten when I was working at the bar."
"I knew she'd say that."
"Haha! It's cute of you."
"Are you teasing me, yoi?"
"Maybe." Her smile never faded. It just grew wider while looking at her boyfriend who's feigning depression. "If we had time, she would have told me about a few embarrassing things about you."
"Please, no. I'd rather keep my image the way it is, yoi."
"Oh, so there are a lot of embarrassing things to know! Now, I'm looking forward to hearing more." She can't imagine Marco pranking anyone during his teenage days. His image is that of someone mature, intelligent man. Perhaps there's more to it than he lets on, just buried in the deepest memories.
"For that reason, I'm getting reluctant in letting you spend time with the rest of them, yoi." Ann only laughs at him before stepping out of the elevator so they can get his car.
As soon as they get inside, he starts speaking with a little hesitation.
"But you know, my siblings are eager to meet you. Not in the office, of course. What I mean is a formal dinner. Family dinner, yoi. Pops too, if I may add."
Silence engulfs them while sitting in his car. Ann contemplated a little on what she should say now that Marco's presenting an opportunity for her to finally get close to Whitebeard.
"It doesn't have to be immediate. We can set a date and time when you're ready. I don't want to pressure you in this."
True, there's no pressure from Marco but not to Ann. She's pressuring herself to move forward with this undercover mission. The more she spends time with him the more things will get complicated.
"Are you sure about it? Introducing me to your family is a big event for someone like you."
"I am sure, yoi. That is if you want."
Was it odd for her to hope that he will delay this meeting? Yes, it is. But she shakes off those unnecessary thoughts then forces a smile.
"Why not?"
"Really? That's good to hear! We will have our usual monthly family dinner in two weeks. I am sure they would love to meet you."
And so does she.