Just Business

Just Business
Soroes James was a high-ranking member of a mafia, and a longtime partner of King Trading, he’d helped Coin get on his feet when he was just starting the business. James had done everything from murder to drug trafficking, but he had recently had a change of heart. He nursed his cocktail nervously from the veranda of his manor, overlooking his swimming pool. He wondered to himself how many people had died to buy him this house. He sipped his drink. Too many to count. Three days ago, he’d taken his family on a free trip to Goldland. The kids had lots of fun, but he’d gone there for business. He’d seen things. Things he couldn’t forget. The secret levels 5 and 6. He’d seen a lot of messed up things in his time as a mafia boss, but what he saw down there haunted him.

He swore to himself he was a changed man. He’d trade the document’s he’d stolen from level 7 to the World Government and become a new man with a new name. He sipped his drink.

“HELLO!!!” yelled Coin, kicking open the door to the room. James swore, and fell on his ass, spilling his drink. “W-what are you going here?!” He exclaimed in sheer terror.

Here. Let me help you up.” He extended his arm cordially, helping James on to his feet. “I was in the area, so I thought I’d come say hello to my best friend!”

James began to sweat. He knew he lived nowhere near anywhere Coin had any right to be. Besides, he called everyone best friend. Coin had to be here for a reason.

“You remember that time when we got into trouble with the blue-face gang? You weren’t really much of a fighter, but god did you have spark. You shot more people in the fight than anyone else! And when it was over, we held a huge party. Wasted every Beri we got. But it was worth it. It was the first time I ever had a hangover. I think we swore each other as brothers or something.” Coin said, pouring himself a drink from a jug on the table.

James nodded grimly. “Yeah, I remember. Took weeks to get all the blood out my clothes. Miracle no one found out about it.”

“I’ll be frank James. I know you stole those documents. I’ve got den den mushi cameras damn it. You're better than that. Why did you do it James?” Coin said, falling back onto a sofa.

James gulped in fear. “Because you’re a fucking monster. You know what’s happening down there on the hidden floors? You were selling fucking children. What do you think is going to happen to them? I’ve got two kids myself. As a father, no as a man, I couldn’t stand to let it continue.”

Coin reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigar, lit it and took a deep drag. “You know. You people are making it REALLY HARD to quit smoking.” He sighed, exhaling a puff of smoke. “I’m a monster, am I? What else was I meant to do with them? It was that or kill them. At least this way they were still in the game.”

James’ fists trembled and tightened. “GAME?! A GAME?! IS THAT WHAT THIS IS TO YOU?! JUST A GAME?!”

Coin shook his head and sighed. “It’s fine. I know nobody gets it except me. That’s because I’m a genius. Back to the papers. You… You hurt me, James. I considered you a friend. A brother even. And here you are about to stab me in the back. When I was a kid, growing up on Merchid island, there was a secret place all the kids used to play. A place where two rivers met. One traveled through the forest and was always cool, the other through the meadows and fields and was warmed by the sun. I remember we used to keep melons floating in the cool side, whilst we swam on the warm. It was my treasure, and I wanted to share that joy. And thanks to you I did. Turned it into a water park. Now anyone can enjoy it.”

James’ fists unclenched. This man was his friend at the end of the day. He was acting too hasty, he was to full of adrenalin. “Look. I’m sorry. I was getting ahead of mysel-“

James froze, Coin raised his hand to silence James. “You hurt me James.” six suited men walked in, one holding a woman and two holding kids.

“No! Please, I promise it won’t happen again! It was adrenaline! We’re brothers aren’t we!” James cried desperately, but two of the suited figures restrained him.

Coin gestured to the remaining suited figure, who passed him a revolver. He took it wordlessly, and walked other to the woman, and shot her in the head. James screamed. So, did the kids. Coin shot one of the kids. “WHY! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!” James screamed.

Coin turned to look at him. “YOU THINK I LIKE DOING THIS?” He was crying. “DO YOU THINK I LIKE HAVING TO MURDER PEOPLE I CONSIDER FAMILY?! YOU MADE ME DO THIS JAMES!” Coin screamed back. Coin wiped his eyes and aimed his revolver at the last of James kid’s and pulled the trigger. Coin walked over to James, who had collapsed to the ground, no longer struggling against the figure’s grip. “Why?” was all he could say.

Coin shook his head and kneeled to James’ level. “The only way to not become a criminal is to not get found out. To not get found out you have to not leave a trace. What do you think happened to Murdoc and Bill?”

James’ eyes widened through the tears. Murdoc and Bill were other old associates of Coin who had gone missing. James had assumed that they had fled and went into hiding, but he then realized he had been mistaken. “Y-you bastard…” was all he could murmur.

Coin placed the Revolver against James’ forehead. “I won’t forget everything you’ve done for me James, but I’m afraid it’s game over. Goodbye. I’ll miss you.” Coin said before he pulled the trigger. The bang seemed louder than the others and reverberated throughout the house. A flock of birds took flight.

END