"Now it's your turn to explain yourself." Alex said with a dark expression, staring at Rudeus, who didn't even bother turning in his direction.
Silence settled under the table as Ryan simply waited patiently, while Alex grew closer and closer to flipping the table over and grabbing Rudeus by the collar. Meanwhile, Rudeus just stared at Ryan thoughtfully.
"I think the same, kid…" Rudeus broke the silence with a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair. "First of all, what you did is impressive. The answer might seem simple once you know it, but reaching that conclusion on your own is admirable…"
He suppressed a laugh then said: "And here I was thinking I'd be the one teaching, only to run into another teacher. No one would expect that from a kid like you, least of all me. I'll give you that credit, and as the rules say, I'll reward you accordingly. You deserve my respect."
'The reward... If it's good enough, I'll consider joining the mafia instead of handing over what I know to the feds.' Ryan thought.
Rudeus coughed dryly, his true expression turning serious. This time, there was no mask, only the naked truth. Whether that was good or bad, he deserved the truth, and everything that came with knowing it.
"Your father… he was part of the upper ranks of our organization. An old and trusted member who trained and led many from the new generation, earning the respect of many in the process."
Ryan briefly glanced at Alex, who nodded in response, confirming every word that came out of Rudeus's mouth.
"People were loyal to him…" Rudeus sighed again. "More loyal to him than to the organization itself… he might even have become the next Boss through sheer popular pressure, or rather, through a rebellion. All it would take was a word from him, and everyone would rebel against the current regime in his favor."
Ryan narrowed his eyes, a mix of surprise and tension.
"Why is that important?" Ryan asked.
Rudeus quickly explained.
"A few days ago, your father was conducting an ultra-secret investigation. His location was unknown even to us. He had only taken his most loyal subordinates. Later, those same subordinates announced his death during the mission. According to them, he had been shot multiple times in a firefight.
They said they performed first aid on the spot and sought medical help, but he was too weak and died a few hours later… but of course, they altered the details so his family wouldn't discover the truth, the official cause of death would be illness."
In an instant, Rudeus's face wrinkled like a dried plum. "It all happened too fast. He died and was taken to the funeral before we could investigate, by the time we found out, the entire family was already around the coffin, blocking any inquiry.
Several standard procedures were ignored, and the cause of death being that specific virus created yet another barrier, just like you said. It was too much work. Someone wanted to hide something."
Ryan nodded, bringing a hand to his chin, trying to reconstruct the entire scenario.
The fact that his father was a high-ranking member could mean he carried hundreds of the organization's secrets, making his disappearance an extremely serious threat that needed urgent resolution.
If he betrayed his colleagues, the organization could collapse. And, apparently, he had indeed deserted while being protected by his subordinates.
'In the end, I was right. He ran off with the money and abandoned me.' Ryan thought. 'For some reason, I'm not even surprised.'
"We'll keep investigating," Rudeus said. "His subordinates won't talk, and everything is still murky. But dark skies always clear to reveal the light. Eventually, the truth will come out.
But we didn't come here to talk about that. After all, we've already buried the man. For all intents and purposes, consider him dead."
Rudeus then reached down and grabbed a black suitcase with metallic edges, opening it on the table to reveal some papers. He coughed dryly.
"I think we're past the point where I can lie and say I'm your father's lawyer and blah blah blah. We came to deliver your inheritance… or at least part of it." Rudeus handed a stack of papers to Ryan, whose heart pounded with excitement.
He continued: "That said, your mother should've received everything, but since she can't, due to her… 'Intense' feelings toward your father. I'll give it to you in parts as you prove yourself worthy.
Don't mess it up, and I'll give you the rest over time. Oh, and yes, some of it is theirs too! Don't spend it all by yourself!"
Ryan barely listened, swallowing hard and nodding repeatedly. He had no idea what his father had left him, but decades of hard work surely meant a lot of money and assets. Considering he was a criminal, Ryan could even dream of receiving the Mona Lisa.
Diamond rings, pearl necklaces, gold bars!
No dream was too big!
What young man wouldn't be thrilled by that?!
Rudeus pointed at the paper.
"This is the old, beat-up apartment you live in now. That's all you're entitled to for the time being. Sign here." Rudeus said casually…
Ryan slowly raised his head and stared at him in silence with a broken smile…
Time passed in an awkward silence.
'I believe the feds will pay more for information about this mafia.' Ryan sighed. 'After all this discussion, I even thought we were going to be friends, what a shame.'
"What are you waiting for? Don't you want the apartment?"
"That apartment?That's all?" Ryan asked, unimpressed.
"..."
"Tsk!"Rudeus scratched his head, uncomfortable with the tension, and muttered before speaking. "Look, I know, that apartment's ancient. Even your father only used it as a cover. But in this economy, not everyone has a roof over their head. And you're getting one for free! At sixteen, you own your own apartment!
Just imagine what girls will think! You can throw parties without asking anyone, fill that dump with young people thirsty for se—I mean, fun! You'll be very popular!"
Ryan remained silent, dejected. His expression slowly fell despite himself. He clearly wanted more. He knew the price of his knowledge.
"Ungrateful brat," Rudeus muttered.
He clicked his tongue and pulled a key from his pocket. "Alright, I get it. You youngsters are a pain in the ass."
He tossed the key onto the table, catching Ryan's attention. "I can't give you everything, you're still just a kid. I'm not handing it all over for you to waste on booze and women. But you really did something impressive today. So I'll give you some credit. But listen, what I'm going to give you isn't a reward, it's a responsibility." He tapped his index finger on the table.
"This key isn't a joke... The choice is yours, Ryan, as are the consequences. Know this: if you choose to take this key, you will no longer be just a boy caught in the middle of your father's shootout. You will become an affiliate member of our Mafia, and with that will come much more trouble than you can imagine, as well as some privileges... the choice is yours."
Ryan swallowed hard, surprised by the proposal, but still, no one needed to tell him what the right choice was.
Ryan grabbed the key and inspected it curiously.
"Good choice."Rudeus coughed again, picking up more papers."I'll give you the Manhattan Café, It also belonged to your father. There's a luxury apartment upstairs for you to live in, and John comes with it to help you...
We used that place for many things in the past; So the least I expect is good management!"
Ryan nodded quickly, his eyes shining brightly. "On top of that, I'll give you fifty grand. For administrative and personal use, but mainly for emergencies! You never know when you'll might need to flee the country!"
Rudeus coughed. "And to make it clear! I expect you to multiply it tenfold! At least! And give your sister a treat!"
Ryan nodded even faster, in total ecstasy, thick sweat running down his forehead. He was starting to like this story.
"Oh, right. This too." Rudeus pushed a gun across the table, a small handgun. "You never know when you might need it. As for the fake license, it'll take some time. When we deliver it, buy a motorcycle. It might come in handy, got it?"
Ryan grinned from ear to ear, almost crying with joy. "Thank you, Uncle Rudeus!"
Ryan wasn't going to destroy the mafia... not today at least.