Istanbul, 24 December, 9:37am: The cold streets of Istanbul are crowded of people celebrating Christmas with their loved ones. Tourists can't stop buying gifts for their friends, relatives, lovers, and the city is filled with joy.

Like the many festive lights across all over the city, there is also something among the people who walk in the streets, but far more dangerous and dark. Tall men wearing red coats with black hats, showing one hand out of their clothes and the other inside holding something dangerous, ready to give the fatal blow if they feel something is out of place. Besides all the men wearing the same coats there is a symbol of a cross behind their coats with the initials M.W beneath it.

Near Independence Avenue, one of the most famous Istanbul avenues, in a liquor store, two of these man walk in and up to the cashier. The locals inside the store cower in fear while they try not to make eye contact with the men. The clerk, an old man with a tattoo with the same initials of those mysterious man in his hand, just hand over them a briefcase and whisper: "Deus lux mea est". One of the men do the same thing in return and leave with his partner.

Once the two men leave, they drive off in a black BMW and start talking between them.

First man: "The boss will be happy. These Holy days always bring more cash to his pockets."

Second man: "Aye, and I hope for ours too."

First man: "Oh yes, you are new aren’t you? Already met the old man?"

Second man: "No. Only heard some things about him. Is it true that he is a crazy fanatic?"

First man: "Watch your mouth boy! You may lose your tongue for saying that to one of us! He loves the family but he puts God above us all. Not that there is anything wrong with that."

The young member apologizes to the veteran just as they arrive at their destination. It’s a huge building, the interior is decorated with marble pillars and mosaics all over the place, the great basilica of Hagia Sophia. One of the most important and biggest monuments in the world.

A tremendous crowd is in front of the basilica, not that it is a big surprise since it’s one of the biggest attractions for tourists in the city. As people push each other trying to get a ticket to enter, the two mobsters walk past the security looking like they own the place and walk right in without incident. There are many others in the crowd wearing the same clothing as the two mobsters, watching each step and every step of the tourists, looking like shadows among the curious tourists inside the basilica.

They finally arrive in a dark room, the younger man stays at the door while his partner gently gives the briefcase to another man who puts it on the table. The man opens the briefcase which is full of cash and the man and the veteran start counting the money. Seconds later another door opens and the men immediately stop what they are doing and kneel on the floor.

“"Get up”!"... says the man who walked into the room. He had a British accent, and wore a big necklace with a cross around his neck. His neck was tattooed with the words: "“God is light”". He also had a strange knife, looking more like a sword, in his belt.

The two men stood up, shaking a bit on the inside, afraid to stay in the presence of the big boss. They both knew the history of violence that followed the big boss. Rumors were that when the boss was a young boy, his father, a priest, was murdered by a couple of punks who were trying to get some money to buy drugs, the priest refused to give them cash and instead, offered to bring the punks inside his church to clean their souls. They thought they were being mocked so they beat the priest to death. The young boy was there that day, and since then has become the most powerful man in the whole country, having men under his control all over Turkey and even in Moscow, Russia.

The veteran who had brought the cash said in a lower tone: “Boss, we brought some cash, it was a good collect this morning.”

The boss sits in his gold chair, which really looks more like a throne and addresses the veteran: “"Good. I wouldn't expect you to do the opposite right?"

Looking towards the door where the younger man is waiting patiently outside, the boss addresses the veteran again, "So, who is the young man waiting at the door and why is he not helping you count my money?”"

“"H-He is a new member boss. I’ll bring him right here, right now.”".... replied the veteran, trying to hide the fact that his hands were shaking terribly from fear. He quickly steps outside and reenters the room with his new partner in tow.

The young man starts to regret even thinking about the rumors he had heard about the boss being a crazy fanatic. Especially after looking into the boss’s eyes and seeing nothing but coldness and a thirsty for blood.

“"Welcome aboard kid! It’s a good amount of cash I see there. I hope you are being useful for your partner here.”"

With fear in his voice the young man replies, ”"Yes sir. He has taught me a lot about the ways.”"

His partner, the veteran, was shaking inside praying that his new partner didn’'t say anything stupid that would get them both killed. He decides to act but little did he knew these would be his last words: “"Boss, we need to leave, the day is not over and we need to collect more cas-...”"

The man couldn'’t even finish what he was saying, because he felt something cold in his mouth. Blood started coming out of his mouth.... like a horror movie.... as he realized the boss had suddenly appeared in front of him and had stabbed a knife under his chin and the blade penetrate his mouth.

The boss, now looking more like a wild animal, started to stab the man repeated in his mouth until there was hardly nothing left of the poor man’s head.


A few minutes pass and the boss finally calmed down, looked at the young man standing near him who by now was shaking like a pig heading to slaughter. The boss comes closer and gives him a hug. The young man was relieved but still almost pissed himself as he really thought he was going to be the next one.

Covered in blood, the boss, like the other men, was also wearing a red coat making the splatter less noticeable. The boss steps back, looks at the young man one more time and with a smile says: ”"Welcome to Mr. Worker's family, Boy”!"

To Be Continued .........

Written by: Nominal