Marvel: Impregnation System-Chapter 170 - 163: War Committee

"Now, let's begin this impromptu war committee," Ricky announced, his gaze sweeping across the room, not just at the three groups under his domain, but at the unexpected outside parties as well.

While the Luciano Family, Agatha's Coven, and Elias' Sanctuary were all accounted for, he had also allowed representatives from these marginalized groups to take their seats at the table.

For the Luciano Family and the Italian community, Ricky naturally called upon Lucky, the former head, whose presence was both expected and understood.

For the mutants, he brought the ever-formidable Raven as her influence within her foundation had grown so significantly that Elias, ever the cautious one, was visibly on edge, squinting at her from across the table.

And finally, there was the greatest headache of them all, Morgana Le Fey.

Not only was she an outsider to witches and mysticism, but her ties to Camelot and Merlyn made her vital for this meeting.

"Before we get into it I would like-"

Click

Click

Click

Suddenly, without warning, the sharp click of heels echoed from outside the door, somehow carrying through the room and cutting off Ricky mid-sentence.

His frown deepened as murmurs rippled through the hall, voices hushed yet tense as a few grunts followed, brief, pained sounds, before the double doors facing Ricky swung open with deliberate force.

Confusion rippled through the room, a wave of murmurs and shifting postures spreading among the lower ranking members of the spread out factions.

Meanwhile, the more seasoned figures at the table reacted differently, no bewilderment, just cold, simmering annoyance.

Raven, Agatha, and Elias to be more specific, turned in unison, their gazes sharp and unamused, fixed on the figure who had once again stolen the spotlight.

"Am I late?" Selene asked, her smile laced with false innocence, her voice smooth yet carrying an undeniable edge.

She stood at the forefront, an amused expression playing across her face, as if every step of this disruption had been carefully orchestrated.

"Fashionably so." Raven said, her off handed comment not going unnoticed by Selene who turned her attention towards her.

"Ah, Raven, how good it is to see you again. I see you're doing-…........... well." Selene's smile was warm, almost too inviting, yet her eyes dripped with mockery as the deliberate pause was meant to incite a reaction, but Raven only narrowed her eyes, unimpressed.

"Well, at least one of us is happy about the other's arrival." Raven chuckled, her smile as sweet as honey, yet her eyes glinted like sharpened daggers as the subtle tension in the air was enough to make Selene's mouth almost twitch.

"Oh, don't say that, Raven," Elias drawled, leaning back with an almost lazy smirk from his nearby telepath.

"We should always expect an overbearing presence to intrude on discussions that have absolutely nothing to do with them." Elias words dripped with venom, his gaze locking onto Selene with a pointed sharpness, daring her to react.

"I would rather be overbearing than underwhelming." Selene laughed, the sound dripping with condescension as she lifted a hand to her lips in mock delicacy as her gaze, laced with pure disdain, settled on Elias, striking him where she knew it would sting the most.

"Aye, declaw, this ain't some catfight." Ricky held up a hand, cutting Elias off before he could lash back, his glare sharp enough to carve through the tension.

"And Selene, what are you doing here? This doesn't concern you." Ricky's voice carried an edge of irritation, the unexpected interruption gnawing at his patience which was already thin for its own good.

"It, indeed, does concern the acting executor of the High Table as that attack on your zone was an indirect attack on us, and I am merely here to assess whether or not this would become a problem." Selene said smoothly, her voice carrying the weight of absolute certainty.

She spoke with perfect composure, betraying not a hint of doubt, because there was none.

Selene had been observing New York for quite some time, watching, waiting, and assessing.

Through the Continental and her mirrors, she had kept a meticulous eye on Ricky and his every move, not out of concern, but for her own purposes.

It was that very vigilance that had alerted her to Merlyn's attack long before the rest of them had even pieced it together.

Now, presented with the perfect opportunity to cross paths with Ricky, she thrusted herself into this situation without any hint of shame.

"Sure you are." Agatha whispered, scoffing under her breath as all she saw was another woman pining away at Ricky's attention.

"Agatha, I can assure you that my presence here is strictly business," Selene's words rang out, though from the side, she caught Morgana watching her with an amused expression.

"Uh huh." Both Raven and Agatha said in unison, knowing full well the gravitational pull Ricky has for women of varying backgrounds.

"Okay fine, you're here because you're here cause of the High Table, but this ain't some open forum for you to say whatever's on your mind. This is a meeting run by the Luciano family, and I ask you to respect that," Ricky gestured, knowing that an additional perspective wouldn't hurt as Selene simply nodded, patience etched into her expression.

"I understand." Selene's eyes curled with amusement as she took a seat on the other side of the table, offering Ricky a warm smile that felt anything but.

"Alright, now that there won't be any more people interrupting me, I'd like to give the floor to someone I really respect," Ricky declared, extending his hand as the gerbil scurried down his arm and into his palm and with deliberate care, he placed the small creature at the center of the table.

"This is-"

"A rat?" Morgana asked, having forgotten the presence of this gerbil from the first time she had met Ricky and passed it off as a pet.

"Oh boy." Ricky facepalmed, leaning back as Alexander whiskers twitched as he faced her.

"My form is not that of a lowly rat but of a gerbil, and not just any gerbil. I am Alexander the Great." Alexander puffed out his furry chest with pride, his declaration met with a mix of skepticism and astonishment from the gathered figures.

Across the table, however, Selene's easygoing smile vanished in an instant, her gaze hardening as she locked eyes on the tiny creature before her.

Though, right before the tangent of accolades could spew from Alexander's proud stance, a familiarity blossomed in this oldened witches eyes.

"You are Alexander of Macedonia?" Morgana asked, tilting her head, surprising not only those at the table but the gerbil standing on it as well.

Ricky, expecting Alexander to launch into his usual grandiose speech about his conquests, found himself swallowing his thoughts.

"You've heard of my tales?!" Alexander's annoyance vanished in an instant, replaced by eager curiosity at hearing one of his many epithets spoken with recognition as his tiny chest puffed out further as he regarded Morgana with newfound interest.

"Of course, Merlyn incorporated you into Arthur's studies at a young age. You were a foundation for the king he became," Morgana slowly nodded, almost paying tribute to Alexander and indirectly flattering him.

Cough

"Well, it is to be expected since my achievements have been etched into the tomes of history." Alexander nodded, shamelessly agreeing as Ricky's deadpan expression spoke volumes.

"My accolades are many, so it is natural that others would use them as-"

"Alexander, come on, man." Ricky sighed, shaking his head as the gerbil got too caught up in his own glory and trailed off mid-thought.

"Oh, right." Alexander, shelving the train of thought for now, adjusted himself and stood before these important figures without any hesitation.

Ahem

"Yes, where was I-oh. I am Alexander the great, Lord of Asia, Hegemon of the Hellenic League, Basileus of Macedon, and so on and so forth." Alexander boasted without shame, prompting Ricky to roll his eyes, having expected this display sooner or later.

"But to you all, you can merely think of me as Ricky's master, his teacher in the way of life." Alexander beckoned, his words giving off an even stranger reaction as they all turned to Ricky leaning on his hand.

Sigh

"Yeah, I'm his-do I really have to say it." Ricky pinched the bridge of his nose, opening his eyes to Alexander who slowly nodded his head.

"Like I did with Socrates before, you must honor titles and profess them to the world without shame." Alexander gripped his mighty paw, his excited smile portraying his honorable words since he really wanted Ricky to start referring to himself with his own achievements.

"I'm his disciple." Ricky revealed, leaving the room to sort of stand there in this unexpected stupor.

Snort

Lucky snorted, wanting to mock Ricky but using all his willpower to hold back, careful not to undermine him in his position of authority.

"Alright, enough with the goddamn introductions. Say your piece," Ricky chuckled, barely able to contain his amusement as he covered his mouth, stifling his laughter as the absurdity of the moment hit him.

Even he had to admit, it was kind of funny and even started laughing at himself while Lucky, on the other hand, was barely holding it together, his muffled snorts threatening to break through.

"Right, well, I have pondered Merlyn's actions very carefully," Alexander began, immediately drawing the attention of everyone present, partly because one version of him was a talking gerbil with a ring around his belly, and the other was claiming to be Alexander the Great.

"First, a connection, though thin, is there, from these so-called 'witch hunts' he has conducted for parts of these so-called Chimeras," Alexander said, waving his paw to emphasize the first thread that tied this entire connection together.

"There is also the matter of him regarding Ricky as a 'worthy threat,' which can be linked to Morgana, who has been a constant danger to Camelot," Alexander continued, shifting attention toward Morgana, who merely observed in silence.

"But, these connections have nothing to do with the attack." Alexander boldly declared, striking a cord with Agatha and her coven since to them they aren't just attackers but their tormentors.

"The Ordo Draconum has been hunting us for centuries, killing members of our coven-"

"Exactly, but that is my point, why would someone like Merlyn send the Ordo Draconum towards Ricky." Alexander interrupted, highlighting this exact statement and now gesturing towards Ricky.

"Ricky's presence here in the city of New York is not something hidden, it's boasted," Alexander remarked plainly, showcasing how out in the open Ricky is and then circling back to his next point.

"And from the assessment I gained from Morgana's and secondhand descriptions of Merlyn from my peer Chester, I can say without a doubt that he is no fool." Alexander's words held the room on edge, every eye focused on him, save for one.

Morgana, to Ricky's surprise, began nodding in agreement, her expression serious as she processed the gravity of Alexander's words.

"That's true, I've never known Merlyn to do something without another in mind." Morgana gestured, agreeing with Alexander openly as the gerbil continued.

"So if Merlyn, this calculating and competent figure, knew of Ricky's presence in New York, knew the people around him, and knew not only the powers he possessed but also that the Ebony Blade was in his possession, then I ask you all, why?" Alexander opened the stage with a sweeping gesture, prompting the gathered crowd to exchange uncertain glances.

"Isn't it obvious? He's here to thwart another one of Morgana's plans," Selene said openly, her tone not mocking but matter-of-fact, as if it were the most obvious conclusion.

"I mean, it's practically a running joke in the magical world, how Morgan fails time and time again," Selene mocked, her tone sharp despite the casual delivery, while the witch merely adjusted her hair.

"If we're talking about failures in the magical world, Selene, I'd say you take the crown." Morgana's words sliced through the air, and Alexander tilted his head, intrigued by the tension crackling between them.

"Really? That's rich, coming from someone whose efforts have never borne anything at all," Selene fired back, resting her head in her hands as Morgana merely side-eyed her, unimpressed.

"At least my crowning failure wasn't at the hands of a mere slave girl." Morgana's words dropped like a stone, instantly chilling the room as the air turned so frigid that when Ricky exhaled, he saw the mist of his own breath.

That confident smile Selene had worn throughout the exchange vanished the instant Morgana struck her one sore spot as her expression soured, the shift as immediate as a candle snuffed out.

"I'd say that if you pried any further into that matter, you'd be making an enemy of me, but let's face reality, you're nowhere near my level." Selene's words carried the weight of a warning, yet Morgana merely chuckled, unfazed by the retort.

"Of course, though that is simply at the moment." Morgana faced Selene without a hint of fear, their auras clashing like opposing tides of black and green, swirling and raging in a silent battle of dominance.

Bam

"Jesus christ, enough!" Ricky slammed his fist on the table, capturing the attention of the woman as his angry expression rang out.

"This isn't some damn group therapy session where you all get to hash out your differences and come together, it's a f*cking meeting!" Ricky yelled, his eyes swirling with his sovereign aura, forcing Selene to rein in her emotions.

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"The next one to bring up sh*t that has nothing to do with this meeting is getting booted, do you all understand!" Ricky yelled, his tone leaving no room for argument as it wasn't a question, just a fact.

"Alexander, go ahead." Ricky sighed, gesturing the floor back to Alexander who nodded and regained himself.

"To answer Selene's question, I do not think Merlyn's actions are also tied entirely towards Morgana." Alexander continued, trying to regain his momentum that had stumbled due to old wounds.

"Although it's true that the Ordo Draconum could be interpreted as a group formed to rein in Morgana, that reasoning became null and void the moment Angela spoke," Alexander gestured, his gaze sweeping across the room before finally settling on Ricky.

"The Ordo Draconum's purpose was not to rein in Morgana or to kill the coven, but rather, as Angela made clear, it was directed at Ricky, the one who possesses the Ebony Blade," Alexander said, waving his paw as he gestured toward the man at the head of the table.

"But now we are faced with a problem, an issue." Alexander turned back to them all, placing his paws behind his back as he began pacing.

"If Merlyn, the ever-so-competent and calculative figure, actively sought out the Ebony Blade and had Angela declare that Ricky must turn himself and the blade over, we must now ask, why? Why now, specifically?" Alexander questioned, his pacing slowing as the weight of his words settled over the room.

"Although it is stated that Merlyn created the blade and its counterparts, it had been residing within the Vatican's hold for generations, from own observations." Alexander clarified, sensing a hole in the logic but pressing forward regardless.

"Aye, Alexander, what about his morals? Could it be some kind of mentality thing cause he's supposed to be chivalrous, and knightly, and stuff like that?" Lucky chimed in, fully aware that his son wasn't the noblest person and wondering if Merlyn might have an issue with that.

"I thought of that too, until I realized that to the world, Ricky is sort of a hero," Alexander revealed, immediately receiving frowns and disbelieving expressions, even from Ricky himself.

"I know, I know." Alexander held up his paws, stopping what would be the onslaught of criticism that would follow.

"But if we truly think about it, Ricky has slain Dracula, a figure known for his wicked deeds. He embarked on a trial that, although selfish in its intent, still paved the way for a sense of relief among a group of people we refer to as mutants," Alexander pointed out, emphasizing the significance of this fact, it simply didn't add up.

Alexander knew exactly what kind of person Ricky was, but Merlyn shouldn't have and unless he had been watching Ricky closely, there was no way he could have known his true nature.

"Unless Merlyn has been watching Ricky from the moment he obtained the blade and every moment afterward, then in my opinion, there should be no moral intent behind Merlyn's actions as of now," Alexander concluded, dismissing the notion that Merlyn saw Ricky as unworthy.

"Then if it isn't related to this Ebony whatever, how did Slick get on this guy's radar?" Lucky asked, watching as Alexander pointed directly at Morgana.

"The second Morgana made contact with Ricky, he must have become aware of something, because not long after, the confrontation was made." Alexander revealed, turning the focus back onto Morgana who suddenly was met with the gaze of everyone.

"And it couldn't be a coincidence, since Morgana has been entrenched in the coven for months, at least from my accounts. Yet only after they speak does the attack happen." Alexander continued, ramping up everything he had been thinking so deeply about while Ricky had been getting fiercely laid.

"Holy sh*t." Ricky muttered, actually getting to the point before Alexander led him there as the gerbil nodded.

"Yes Ricky, it is exactly what you're thinking." Alexander chuckled, seeing that same revelation he had all while everyone else was left in the dark.

"But you said it didn't have anything to do with Morgana." Raven, curious to this revelation, but it was then that Morgana clicked her tongue.

"I see, it must be because of the poor sealing on your front as my power must have rang bells-" Morgana assumed, directing the blame onto Agatha who immediately scrunched her eyebrows.

"No, that's not it either," Alexander revealed, gesturing toward everyone with a wide smile as if it were some big reveal.

'Aye, skip this part.' Ricky's voice echoed in Alexander's mind, his telepathic link activating thanks to his high favorability, the gerbil halted in his tracks, eyes flickering with understanding.

"What is the instance that notified Merlyn?" Selene finally joined in the conversation, asking as her gaze pierced towards Alexander who seemed out of character to hesitate.

"His connection." Morgana whispered, suddenly realizing this as well as Alexander slowly pouncing on that subject to adhere to Ricky's wishes.

"Ricky has a connection to their plane of refuge, one that incites haste," Alexander phrased carefully, ensuring they understood the significance without outright revealing what that connection was, preserving Ricky's privacy.

"Sorry, I gotta ask, what's the connection?" Lucky asked, feeling like a sore thumb but seemingly out of the loop.

"Yes Alexander, what is the connection?" Selene asked, crossing her hands in front of her face and prompting towards the gerbil.

"The interdimensional energies of the otherworld." Morgana spoke up, covering for Ricky and Alexander as Selene turned her gaze towards her.

"You mean-"

"Yes, the very same ones that empower the so-called 'Captain Britain'." Morgana revealed this fact, causing Selene to scowl and Raven to widen her eyes.

"Wait, I thought that position was passed down by England-" Raven chimed in, her words a glaring confusion that is often interrupted as such.

"The British Isles are all but under Merlyn's control, since Avalon was made from the collective consciousness of it," Morgana stated, her arms crossed as she leveled her gaze at the group.

Her words carried a weight that silenced the room, underscoring the significance of Avalon and its seat of power, Camelot.

"Those in Otherworld are intrinsically connected to various dimensional nexuses. Those who wield Otherworld's magic, such as members of what Merlyn has dubbed the 'Captain Britain Corps,'" Morgana said, rolling her eyes as if it were a pain to even talk about.

Her explanation didn't fill in all the gaps, but it was enough to keep Selene at bay as she intently focused on the conversation.

Ricky hid it pretty well, considering how rash he could be, but when he briefly made eye contact with Morgana, she had this look in her eye that seemed to confirm something from their earlier conversation.

"So, in my humble opinion, after understanding all these facts, I personally believe that Merlyn is purposely throwing cannon fodder at Ricky, not only to empower him but to lure him to Camelot for some unseen goal of his," Alexander revealed, wrapping up Morgana's explanation and adding his own insight, neatly tying everything together.

Alexander understood that the connection likely lay with what Ricky referred to as the Nethergods, and from what Morgana implied, these entities appeared to be enemies.

However, that didn't mean this secret couldn't stir trouble, which is why he kept it hidden beneath his explanation.

But if Angela had said something completely different from "You are worthy," and considering she was merely a messenger, then the pieces might finally start to align, yet they were still so scattered.

"But, correct me if I'm wrong, you're saying they're luring Slick to this 'plane of refuge.' how would he know that throwing cannon fodder at him would lead him there?" Elias mused aloud, tilting both pairs of eyes toward Alexander, who shot him a sidelong glance.

"Although Ricky has amassed many achievements, they all stem from one exact thing," Alexander said, raising his paw, a tiny claw extending for emphasis.

"Pride?" Lucky mused, voicing his thoughts, but Alexander dismissed the notion with a shake of his head.

"Wrath. If one were to thoroughly analyze his actions, it would be clear that Ricky operates with a retaliatory mindset." Alexander tapped his temple, his words prompting them all to gradually shift their gaze toward him.

"Whenever he's asked why he killed Dracula, Ricky simply says, 'He killed my bird.' And if someone were to trace the path, they'd find a clear shared history between the man known as Dewey and Ricky, one that, coincidentally, led to his supposed exile." Alexander continued pacing back and forth, while Ricky shook his head with a quiet chuckle at how ridiculous this sounded but couldn't deny it.

If someone truly delved into Ricky's actions and took a moment to examine everything surrounding him, given enough resources, they would uncover everything necessary to provoke a reaction from him.

"Then why would he send Angela with the Ebony Shield and Crown if she was just a messenger." Agatha asked, however, instead of Alexander, Ricky chimed in.

"He's trying to lure me toward her," Ricky said, pointing at Morgana as she simply shrugged, his earlier realization finally sinking in.

"Why?" Raven and Agatha both asked at the same time, prompting Morgana to raise her nose into the air.

"Because I have the last piece of the ebony puzzle within my grasp, to be more specific, I have the Ebony Chalice." Morgana proclaimed to all of these people since it was currently resting in her castle's coffers.

"Exactly, Merlyn is trying to put these two together to, what I can only assume, ransack Camelot." Alexander got to the point, revealing the fact that still didn't make sense to a lot of these people.

"With all of this in mind, there must be a greater purpose since no opponent would actively empower what they deem their enemy without a larger goal in mind or the intention of bait. Either way, one thing remains clear." Alexander got to the final point, spreading out his arms towards them all as a man started rushing towards the building in great haste.

Huff

Huff

Huff

Blood dripped from his open wounds, staining the ground beneath him, yet he forced himself forward, his urgency far outweighing the pain.

"Merlyn will not stop attacking until Ricky faces him head-on-"

"LET ME SEE THE BOSS! LET ME SEE THE BOSS!" A thick Italian-American accent bellowed from the other side of the door, the desperation in his voice undeniable.

Ricky's gaze snapped toward the entrance, his expression darkening as the others followed suit, their attention now fixed on the commotion outside.

"Let him in!" Ricky yelled, a foreboding thought crossing his mind as the doors suddenly burst open to that same bleeding man.

"BOSS, THEY'RE ATTACKING THE BROOKLYN PORT!"

20 minutes earlier,

"Why are we doing this~" David, the shark-toothed mutant, whined, slumping his shoulders while hauling heavy merchandise off the shipping container.

"Because someone attacked our family, that's why." Paolo scoffed, pushing past him and hurrying to finish the job to be done with it instead of constantly whining.

"But we're runners, not slaves-"

"Aye, how about instead of whining and crying, ya get back to work!" Johnny reprimanded, hauling some merchandise of his own as Paolo glared at David for getting him in trouble.

Since the impromptu War Committee, which was at first the scheduled meeting of all the groups under Ricky's control, was set to convene, other operations had to take a back seat.

High-ranking figures and their trusted hands were required to attend out of custom, but their absence left many areas without proper oversight.

To compensate, lower-ranking members of the family were tasked with filling the gaps.

Among these lower figures were the runners, and Johnny found himself assigned to assist with the manpower shortage on Lil Tony's counterfeit shipment haul.

It wasn't glamorous work, but someone had to make sure the operation ran smoothly.

With key figures occupied, the responsibility fell on those like Johnny to keep things moving, whether his runners liked it or not.

"This is so stupid, we're supposed to run for the Luciano family, not be pack mules," David mumbled, kicking a pebble to the side.

"Are you questioning the great warlock Ricky Luciano?!"

Johnny instinctively heaved a tired sigh as that familiar warlock kid, the same one who had eagerly gotten Ricky's autograph a while ago, stepped forward, backed by the rest of his coven.

The speaker of the coven kids was Jeremiah, and unlike the usual weak and scrawny build most warlocks had, he stood tall and carried a bit of extra weight.

As mentioned earlier, they didn't have an issue per se with the other normies and mutants, but rather, their ideals clashed with how they each interpreted Ricky.

To them, he was a figure of power, influence, and, most importantly, a symbol of what magic could achieve when paired with ambition.

However, there was such a wide array of magical disciplines among the warlock kids that their differences often blurred, making it difficult to distinguish them from one another at a glance.

Externally, these differences didn't bother them as they had no qualms about the various backgrounds, abilities, or bloodlines among their ranks.

But internally, when it came to their mindset, their beliefs, and their philosophy regarding Ricky's role in the grand scheme of things, they would set themselves ablaze with conviction, preaching their truths with near-religious fervor.

"Okay first of all, he's a mutant-"

"No, he was an Italian first!" Paolo interrupted David, his voice sharp with conviction.

Although their fists had stopped clashing, their words had taken up the fight instead, each syllable thrown like a jab, each retorting a counterpunch.

"Oh, not again~" Johnny sighed, facepalming as the loud array of banter suddenly escalated into a full on debate.

After the fight, they had finally started getting along, but now they never seemed to shut up about what they thought Ricky and the Luciano family truly represented.

"Benny, don't-"

"But I don't get it," Benny spoke with such clarity that his voice cut through the conversation, even as Louis tried to cover his mouth.

"Shut your mouth, you're gonna get us in trouble again!" Louis whispered in a high pitch, holding Benny back from speaking his brutally honest opinions.

For all the bickering, progress between these marginalized groups was made through the unexpected friendship of Louis and Benny, who, for some reason, got along like two peas in a pod.

However, it was becoming apparent that Louis would never be able to escape the trouble sparked by Benny's relentless honesty.

"What are you talking about?" Jeremiah, who had yet to be introduced to Benny, asked with a raised brow as Louis slumped his shoulders and ducked his head.

"Here we go~" Louis whined, already bracing himself for the inevitable argument that would lead to another fight.

"Isn't Slick all three? I don't get why you all have to pick and choose what he is. I don't understand," Benny stated plainly, his words hung in the air, and across the massive container ship, Johnny, who had been facepalming, suddenly spotted Benny speaking.

His expression twisted, and without hesitation, he started rushing toward them, as if already knowing exactly what was about to happen.

"What don't you understand? Did I stutter?" Jeremiah shot back, as the other coven kids chuckled behind him.

"I don't understand how you can't see he's all three. Unless you're an idiot." Benny's words immediately fanned the flames within Jeremiah, whose eyebrows twitched in irritation.

"What?" Jeremiah asked, his tone laced with the irritation spelled out on his eyebrows as he squinted his eyes.

"Are you ignorant that he's a mutant, Italian, and a warlock?" Benny emotionlessly pressed, accidentally choosing a word that Jeremiah didn't fully grasp.

"I'm not ignorant of that-"

"Then why are you arguing?" Benny interrupted, tilting his head with his hollow gaze staring at Jeremiah with pure curiosity since if he truly understood, there'd be nothing to debate.

"I-you-we-" Jeremiah stammered, struggling to form a retort but the words tangled together, leaving him utterly speechless in the wake of Benny's breakdown.

"Benny, stop talking!" Johnny yelled from the distance, rushing watching Jeremaih blush in embarrassment as his entire body violently trembled.

"WHO EVEN ARE YOU!" Jeremiah yelled, his rage getting the better of him as Benny slowly nodded his head.

"I'm Benni with a Y." Benny pointed to himself, introducing the name given to him by Ricky who should've been a little more specific with how he worded it to this child.

"What?" Jeremiah, caught off guard by the weird introduction, could only stare at him weirdly as Benny went to introduce himself again.

"I said I'm Benny with-"

"That's enough!" Johnny yelled, stepping up behind Benny and covering the boy's mouth, silencing him before he could spit out any more words to stoke the ever-present flames of violence that always seemed to follow him.

Huff

Huff

Huff

"Man, I gotta run more~" Johnny heaved out breathes, muttering to himself before looking down at Benny patiently waiting for him to release his grasp.

"Benny, stop talking and get back to work." Johnny ordered, knowing this kid only responded to as such as his dirty blond hair nodded.

After being released, he grabbed his box and started walking toward one of the trucks, Louis shaking his head beside him.

"Why can't you just let things go, huh?" Louis asked with a heavy sigh as Benny looked at him, then down at the stuff he was holding, clearly confused by the question.

"Because it would break-"

"No-URGH!" Louis grabbed his hair, stomping forward as Benny tilted his head at this confusion but followed along nonetheless.

It was then that a ship slowly began to pull up to the dock as Johnny noticed it right away, but several workers, busy with shipments and holding their manifests, frowned as they saw it approach.

Though they were occupied with their tasks, when they glanced at the ship's name and the numbers engraved on its hull, confusion washed over their faces.

"Aye, Boss, are you expecting someone?" A man asked with a respectful approach, walking up to Johnny since although he was younger, he held a higher rank within the Luciano family.

"No, why?" Johnny asked, side-eyeing the boat that looked to be a big fighting boat as the man scratched his head.

"We ain't got no fishing boat scheduled to dock today, not for our goods or the port," the man said, scanning the logs and finding no entry. Johnny frowned but shook his head.

"Maybe it's some clueless Joe. I'll go warn 'em." Johnny patted the man's shoulder before heading toward the boat, his hand instinctively reaching behind him to ensure his handgun was still tucked in his belt.

"Aye, AYE!" Johnny yelled towards the oncoming fishing boat, seeing a clear figure wearing a yellow trench coat.

"Oh, hello!" The man let out a gargled, gruff tone while shielding his face away from him.

"THIS PRIVATE LUCIANO FAMILY PROPERTY, THIS AIN'T NO PLACE TO DOCK IF YA DON'T GOTTA APPOINTMENT WITH THE FISHES!" Johnny warned, outright telling him that he'd die if he continued forward but the fishing boat never ceased.

"I was told to deliver a message to someone known as 'Ricky Luciano!'" The man's voice was garbled, almost bubbling, as Johnny straightened up, his gaze locking on the fishing boat while his grip on his gun tightened.

"And what would that be?" Johnny's voice sharpened, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the man, who was slowly becoming clearer in his view.

Johnny's eyes went wide with shock as the man in the yellow trench coat turned around.

For a split second, Johnny froze, his body betraying him in that fleeting moment of hesitation as it was a mistake that would cost him dearly.

In the instant their eyes met, the figure before him ceased to be human.

What replaced it was a grotesque, crab-like monster, its body grotesquely stitched from malformed patches of flesh, an unnatural jumble of fused hands.

Antennas twitched, weaving through a decapitated human head that grotesquely sat atop its body as the head jerked and twitched like a marionette, its features horribly distorted.

The creature's massive claw stretched toward the fish storage area, and when it opened, dozens of crabs spilled out.

But something was horribly wrong and instead of the usual crustacean forms, each crab bore a human head, twisted and lifeless, their eyes wide, frozen in eternal, silent screams.

"Merlyn sends his regards."

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long guys, I'm just really swamped today. Anyways enjoy.