Why Me ?

Chapter Three: The Legend Of The White Moon

The next morning, the meeting room fell deathly silent as Luke burst through the doors, eyes wild with fear. " Boss! You have to see this! " he gasped out.

Ryder looked at him with confusion, while his men exchanged worried glances as Luke spun on his heel. " Follow me! To the tech room, now! ".

They rushed to find one of the guards lying motionless on the floor, with a black rose clasped in his hand. Jeffery arched over the computer, typing furiously.

" Trying to pull up the camera feeds but...they've been hacked! " he called out in panic.

The screens glitched, cameras from across the city flickering in and out of view. Ryder let out a low growl. " Who dared to fucking mess with me like this? ".

" I don't know, boss. " Jeffery responded, " But they're covering their tracks well. Only our interior cameras seem to be working. ".

One of the tech men squinted at the screens. " There! You saw that? A white cape...with a moon! ".

A hush fell over the room as the whispers began.

In the shadowed alleys, there existed a legend - a phantom assassin known only as The White Moon. The deadliest killer the underworld had ever seen, leaving celestial constellations etched into his victims' flesh. An abnormal imprint.

Another member swallowed hard. " The rumors...you don't think he's back, do you? The White Moon? ".

Ryder scoffed loudly. " Don't be idiots. The White Moon was just a story, nothing more. We've seen countless imposters chase that myth over the years. ".

Even as he spoke, the tales continued in hushed tones.

A death-like figure arose from the shadows, his methods swift and merciless, vanishing like the moon's glow at sunrise.

Brandon furrowed his brow. " But who was he? This...White Moon? ".

" A paradox, " one of the older men spoke up. " A person cloaked in darkness, yet leaving a celestial trail with every life he stole. His targets the highest dons, politicians, cartel leaders fell by his blade. He was the most feared assassin in the world. ".

Ryder opened his mouth to dismiss the crazy rumors, but another member cut him off with a shout. " Just got word, the new head of the Luchesse's revealed himself..... As the White Moon! ".

A chill went through the room. Some men had the look of fear in their eyes, while others were confused.

Tales whispered that after he tore down the last mafia boss, the White Moon had vanished into mystery. Some said he had died. Others said that he grew bored of simple assassination and embraced larger cruelties...

Ryder lets out a mocking chuckle. " You actually believe this nonsense? The White Moon was a bedtime story to scare kids. He's been gone for years, if he ever actually existed. The fuck is wrong with you? Plus, even if he's real... What the fuck is this White Moon doing working with the Luchesse's?? ".

But before anyone could respond, Jeffery's computer crackled with static. A glitching video feed appeared - a masked figure, the White Moon. A distorted voice growled out:

" Consider this my declaration of war against the Santos Mafia. Best prepare yourselves..."

The feed cut out, leaving a sickening silence. Ryder closed his eyes briefly, exhaling a stream of smoke from the cigarette he had lit as the glitching feed cut out. He opened them again, lips curling into a small smirk that didn't reach his eyes.

" Alright, you heard the man's big talk, " he said. " Seems like we've got a new player in the game. ".

Ryder stood, straightening his jacket as he paced slowly before them. " I don't care if he's calling himself the White Moon, Bloody Mary, or the Tooth Fairy. He made a mistake letting us know he's coming for Santos territory. Or erase that... He made a fucking mistake for stepping on my territory and killing one of my men. ".