Chapitre 13: The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea

The city bell rang,

At the midnight hour,

The hour of the devil and his allies.

Like the fall of an autumn leaf,

Our hearts grieve your demise.

"We'll have to stop here". Bernard said as he stopped the car a few yards away from Johnny's house.

"Why?" Ralph who sat at the back sit asked with a frown on his face, he didn't wake up on the right side of his bed today and for some reason, he was feeling unease.

"There seem to be lots of reporters and policemen around Johnny's house". Jack who has been watching Ralph's expression from the front mirror replied.

Ralph lifted his head to see the reporters and the police officers who were all over Johnny's house. The sound of an ambulance siren was heard far off. This was a bad sign.

Ralph's expression went pale. They all went silent for a minute. Reporters and police in front of the house of a Mafia meant nothing good.

"Jack?". He called out.

"Yes, Don".

"Go and check out what happened". He instructed.

Jack nodded briefly before stepping out of the car.

Ralph raised his head upward. He couldn't help but wonder what might have happened. Johnny was his uncle's right-hand man and was loyal to the core. Ralph's uncle had once told him a story about how both of them were caught behind the enemy lines in the gun battle between the Wesleys and the Fletchers. The Fletchers were a mafia family whom The Wesleys eventually chased out of London in the 1900s. According to his Uncle, Johnny had single-handedly killed over 20 Fletchers with his fist when they both ran out of bullets. It was a bedtime story for kids born to The Wesleys. Mainly to make them understand the strength the Wesleys possessed.

Though Ralph was almost certain that the story was exaggerated and couldn't have gone exactly the way Vadaly told it. However, he was sure a few parts of the story must have been true.

Within a few minutes, Jack returned to the car. His face looks pale and he stayed quiet. Ralph could see from his expression that something was wrong. Nothing had felt right since morning when Ralph woke up. First, when the maid served him his morning coffee in bed, his favorite coffee mug fell off his hand and ruined his bedsheet, and having his expensive Rolex watch slip off his wrist while he got dressed was another sign to show how imperfect the day was going to be. But none of the incidences of the morning could make a man as heart-hardened as Jack to be this pale. Something sinister must have occurred.

"What is going on?". He asked Jack.

"Johnny is dead". Jack replied as he passed his phone over to Ralph to go through the pictures of Johnny he has taken. "He got shot in the head".

Ralph felt his chest tighten. "Shit!". He felt regret.' If he had known he would have stayed a little longer to listen to what Johnny had to say when they met at the DeAngelis ball. He should have known Johnny was going to be a target. Of course! The man was his uncle's right-hand man, how could he not have thought to protect him? Once again, he could not protect someone he values.' Ralph thought.

"Was there anything out of the ordinary?" He asked.

"No. It was a clean job. I doubt the police will find anything useful to get the killer. But I'm certain someone had a lead on us".Jack replied.

'Yes someone must have had a lead on him. It simply couldn't have been a coincidence. In the world of Mafias, Nothing ever happened by coincidence. Someone must have found out he had met with Johnny and knew he was coming to see him today. The question was who?'

"Bernard?" He called out.

"Yes, Don".

"Head back to the mansion". Ralph ordered.

As Bernard drove home, Ralph got lost in thought again. He had uncovered the names of his uncle's killers but had not told anyone a thing about it, mainly because he wasn't sure how to go about it. The main culprit was A Wesley and his emotions were getting the better part of his judgment, killing his cousin, Thomas Wesley was already giving him sleepless nights. He wasn't sure he was mentally ready to take the life of another Wesley, and he wanted to find out the motive of the killer and why the bastard had wined and dined with their enemies to take down his Uncle. But, perhaps he was wasting too much time and now Johnny was dead. He couldn't help but blamed himself. Johnny was a good man and didn't deserve to die. The thought angered him. He briefly remembered something his father had said to him when he was younger when he asked his father what it meant to be a Don. "A Wesley Don is someone who protects everyone and everything that belongs to the Wesleys, even if it means turning the world upside down". He clutched his fist in anger as he thought of the reply his father had given.

"A Don Should do Better". He muttered. "Bernard?" He called out.

"Yes Don,".

"Turn the car around. Take me to St Peter's Cathedral". He ordered.

"Yes, Don" the young man replied as he drifted the car around and continued driving.

Bernard drove to St Peters's cathedral. It was 3 pm already and the street was empty. He packed at the front of the Cathedral.

"You both stay here and keep watch". Ralph ordered as he stepped down from the car and headed into the Cathedral.

Inside the Cathedral was dark, the windows were locked, and it was however lit up by candles. It was so quiet, that one could hear a pin drop. The red carpet led straight to the altar. Other than Ralph, one other person was in the Cathedral, " The Priest", who knelt at the front of the cross at the altar praying, was the one Ralph was here to see. Ralph walked to the front sit row and sat while waiting for the Priest to finish with his prayers.

"You should have joined me to say a prayer". The priest said as he moved to sit close to Ralph after his prayers.

"Prayers are not for the likes of me". Ralph replied.

"But yet, here you are, in a place of prayers, Don Ralpheal Zander Wesley".

"It's been a while, Father Moses".

"I believe the last time I saw you were 10 years ago. Before you left London".Father Moses said.

"It was thanks to you that I was able to fake my death and leave London unnoticed".Ralph replied. Father Moses was a 42-year-old man. He was the one who had faked Ralph's death and sneaked him out of London under Vadaly's orders.

"I am at the services of your family and there was no way I could have refused to help you escape, because of the kind of life your family offered". Father Moses said.

"You have my thanks".Ralph said with his hat off.

"The last time I saw you 10 years ago, You promised me you will never return or follow the path set for all Wesley heirs". Father Moses said.

"Yes, I remember".

"Yet, here you are as a Wesley Don. King of west London. What changed your mind?"

"I had no choice in the face of destiny".Ralph replied.

"We always have a choice, son".

"Not me. I had none". Ralph said angrily.

"Speak Don Ralph. Why have you come?. I perceive the thirst for revenge emitting from your anger"

"Bless me Father. For I have a task at hand".Ralph said.

"Speak".

"In the closest future, London shall burn like never before. I will rage hell on my enemies and bring fear and terror to the heart of all those who stand in my way and the blood of my enemies shall flow non-stop like the Euphrates River". Ralph said.

"Your anger runs very deep. You have the power to do all of these things you have said" Father Moses said. "Why then do you need me?" He asked.

"What do you need from me?" Father Moses asked again with a frown on his face.

"Keep watch at all times and wait for my orders," Ralph instructed as he stands to leave.

"It shall be done. I will wait for your orders and pray that London might be strong enough to escape the coming horrors before it."Father Moses said as he heads back to the altar.

"Also pray that the blood of the innocent ones does not spill and flow like a river. For I shall spare none that stands in my way." Ralph said as he began to walk off.

"It shall be done," Father Moses said and nods gently.