❇Location: West Gable wing of Maranzano Family manor, Seoul.

Donghae walked along the long corridor silently. Once in a while gazing up at the ceiling on which dust have gathered through decades of pure neglect. This part of the Maranzano manor was completely different, stranger, colder and more silent than all the other parts of the house which he usually knew , with glory being etched on even the black and white checked floor tiles.. but here, all the dark and closed up side of the Maranzano dynasty was on full naked display...

A mellow, weak light entered the dark corridor through the single framed window behind him. Donghae could hear his own footsteps echoing loudly on the red and black terrazzo tiled floor, his silent shadow stretched ahead of him. It looked nervous just as he was. On either side of him there were closed doors no doubt leading to guest rooms which were abandoned over years. Because of one thing that everybody knew: Jake Maranzano never allowed guests.

He had watched till Jake had fallen asleep. His head resting on the huge mahogany work table, which he often does these days. Donghae felt guilty for leaving him like that. But it's been five days worth of waiting for Donghae, and each day, Tanaka lost his strength a little more.

He had been feeling wreaked ever since Tanaka entered this place. Hearing his story had changed everything for Donghae. Making two things deadly clear to him, first that Jake didn't have the Luciano Family Jade pendant with him, and the fact that he was clearly after it too, thinking that it's rightfully a Maranzano relic...

He felt frustration snake down his body. Why did that idiot of a man break into the Falcons of all places he could go to? If he hadn't come here, Jake wouldn't have known about the pendant's existence!

'And who the hell called Jake that day? And how does he know LaVerè?' wondered Donghae to himself, abruptly standing infront of the heavy bolted door.

Two burly expressionless guards stood in dead silence on either side of the door, with their weapons pointed to the ground. Both of them looked up as Donghae approached, eyeing him, and through him in silence as Donghae tried hard not to show that he was scared. After a quick check and recognizing him as their Boss's personal bodyguard, they stepped aside with their heads bowed in respect.

"I need a few minutes alone" command Donghae steadily, while trying not to loosen his grip on the keys that he was holding so tightly

"si signore" they both rumbled simultaneously in low voices, and immediately started walking away.

Donghae took a huge calming breath once the guards were out of earshot.

He knew Tanaka had refused to answer the questions that Luca had been throwing at him everyday, Jake's own rising edginess showed him how much he longed to kill Tanaka but was merely holding himself just for the tiny reason that this man knew where to find the lost pendant...

Donghae carefully slid the key into the huge rusty old lock, having found the key from Luca's personal closet. Knowing fully well that he was yet again risking his life for CN, and hoping feverishly that the old man was still in one whole piece, Donghae slid open the lock and entered the room...

**************

It was dark and musty inside with one circular edged window positioned high above the ceiling, through which a straight orange beam of afternoon sunlight cast itself on the opposite wall. At first glance the room seemed to be abandoned; but distorted little sun rays fell on the surfaces of things that made Donghae's blood run cold. They illuminated along rusty iron chains which dangled down right from the high ceilings, various weapon were lying on the floor. As Donghae brushed his eyes along the wall, faded brown imprints that was sure to be blood gawped at him from the walls... Finally Donghae's eyes fell on the feeble figure sitting on the bed.

It was Hideki Tanaka. The man who stole his Family pendant. All at once a white-hot rush of anger surged through his veins, making Donghae pause midway to take a calming breath.

The man was chained to the rusty frame of a very uncomfortable looking iron bed. Tanaka was bending slightly, as if he was in a great pain. Looking down, Donghae also noticed an untouched plate of food at his feet. He glanced back at Tanaka who looked as if he would much rather die than staying alive at this point.

After picking up the plate of food, Donghae silently walked closer towards the ragged looking man. Tanaka looked up feebly when he heard footsteps approaching him.

"you need your strength" said Donghae in a low voice after carefully placing the plate beside the broken Japanese man. But Tanaka refused to glance at it.

Finally, the man looked at the measly food and then turned away, making Donghae sigh. This is going to be harder than he thought.

Donghae crouched down in front of him, reaching out his hand to lift Tanaka's wrinkled face to study his reaction, but Tanaka shook his head off to his motion. Misery and regret etched deeply in his features.

"You don't need to go through this Tanaka" Donghae murmured silently.

Donghae watched as the man began to slowly turn his face towards him. But he refused to say anything.

"Right, you don't have to speak" growled Donghae, his patience testing him, "But I can't guarantee Maranzano will let you off the hook much longer, be glad that you at least have something to eat"

Still Tanaka remained stubbornly silent, his ragged breathing being the only proof that he was still alive...

Donghae gave a piercing look at the old man and got up. Taking out Tanaka's wallet from his pocket, Donghae gave a last lingering look at the pictures those were roughly shoved inside it before trowing it on to the floor at Tanaka's feet. The old man took a deep breath when he saw the pictures of his wife and child stared up at him through the murky cellophane cover of the wallet.

"You seem to be having a family Mr. Tanaka" said Donghae, walking slowly around the room,

and running his fingers along the chains that ended with cuffs

"You'd want to protect them I imagine? I'm sure you didn't come here empty-handed for no reason"

... "Please don't harm them"

If Donghae hadn't been watching Tanaka move his lips, he wouldn't have believed that the man actually said anything, his voice was gone, barely a whisper got through from his throat.

Donghae felt an unbidden feeling of sympathy creep up inside him for the man. He suddenly remembered how his own father died to save him and his mom.

But this man is the reason why you lost everything! Even your father!

"Why did you take the pendant?" growled Donghae, making the man shudder at the sight of his murderous stare, "Answer me Tanaka! Before I change my mind about your life!"

... "The pendant does not belong to you." muttered Tanaka, shaking to the bones, he looked scared out of his wrists, "It can not belong to you" he whispered desperately

"Actually, it does. Belong to me" said Donghae silently

Donghae leaned over to Tanaka's ear and spoke the words which sent a shock down his spine, "La vera Luce che Svela"

Tanaka's eyes widened upon the same words that he clearly remembered seeing on the back of the Jade pendant. Tanaka suddenly shuddered violently while crashing away from Donghae and glaring at him.

"H-how do you know of this phrase? This is something only Cosa Nostra would say"

Donghae smiled in a way that made hair stand on Tanaka's neck. His smile was sinister and a little painful as if he was pitying Tanaka.

"what I'm curious Tanaka, is that how much you know about Cosa Nostra to say that" said Donghae taking out his gun, "either you tell me, or you die in vain without protecting yourself or your family, you don't need to die like this"

When Donghae took out his gun, with it's clear silver metal reflecting the light, It truly scared Tanaka realising that into what kind of a situation he had put himself and his son in. For all he knew, this boy standing before him could be and UnderBoss or Consigliere of Maranzano. He could either trust his words or die in vain.

Tanaka hung his head when he started talking, his voice was barely more than a whisper.

"I was desperate" he said, "I-I tried to save A-Akira; my wife. So, yes sue me for taking your pendant... it was all in vain after all, the safe was empty when I got there"

"Which safe?" asked Donghae raising an eyebrow.

"The safe in Osaka, I used the pendant as a signature stamp to open it, but it was empty already! P-please believe me!"

"That was just one safe Mr. Tanaka" said Donghae. "out of many"

Tanaka's eyes wavered in both shame, disappointment and rage. He could have saved her! He could have still had her by his side!

"My son however did survive" said Tanaka slowly while Donghae made no move to edge him further, believing that it was the best to let him speak on his own accord

"My wife died when giving birth to him."

"I'm sorry to hear th-"

"-yeah right" interrupted Tanaka harshly.

Donghae continued to stare at him,

"What's his name?"

"Why?" asked Tanaka, so you bloody Falcons could kill him too!?"

He looked at donghae with a piercing stare and frowned. But Donghae was not affected by his out burst, he simply kept his calm like he he always did.

Tanaka suddenly sucked up a huge staggering breath and looked at him with red rimed eyes,

"I'll-... trust you..." he said in a whisper with broken breaths, "please help me! That's all I ask!"

Donghae was torn between emotions, this man had no idea that he was Aiden Luciano, heir of Cosa Nostra, but he understood one thing, this man was desperate to save his child

"My-my son... His name is Hisui 'Jade' Tanaka" he whispered, clutching Donghae's hands "please keep him safe!"

Donghae stared stonily at the man,

"Before I agree to that Tanaka, why don't you tell me how you got the Luciano Family Crest?"

The man whimpered before he picked up his courage. Donghae was sure he had never uttered a word about this to Jake or Luca...

'Which explains quite a lot,' thought Donghae who had a sudden urge to smile as he remembered how bad tempered both of them had been for the past few days.

"Me and another Professor called Ventura, found it in Greece. We did an excavation based on the scrolls. Both from Cosa Nostra and the Falcons. I translated a Greek scroll and was able to find out it's origin by it. The falcon scroll however, seemed... different somehow..."

"How so?" asked Donghae suddenly nervous

Tanaka looked up at him right in the eyes,

"who are you?" he asked in wonder,

Donghae took a deep breath, he knew he was stepping in glass spiked grounds, but it seemed essential that Tanaka should know who he really is, he looked back at Tanaka without any fear,

"My name is Aiden Luciano Mr. Tanaka, and I'm the leader of Cosa Nostra"

A/N: y'all I'm so sorry it took such a bloody long time to update this, it was because I was thinking the whole damn time about this chapter.. You see? The plot gets really complex... But it's OK since you guys enjoy reading my weird stories 😂

Thank you for the support! And if you liked this chapter please feel free to comment and vote ❤❤

Stay tuned for the next episode!