Chapter 8: Severing Ties

It was a little past 10 p.m. that night in Gotham City. Even though it was Monday and late, Gotham's streets were as wild and noisy as usual. Police sirens and the occasional sound of gunfire were the norm in the more lawless neighborhoods.

Arias's flat was located in Crime Alley, the epicenter of these neighborhoods. A bright yellow cab was parked carelessly on the roadway near the pavement leading to his apartment. Its driver, an older man wearing casual clothing, was holding a cigarette. He inhaled a few puffs before turning to look at the alleyway on his right side, where he spotted two men walking toward him in fancy clothes. He arched an eyebrow at them; it was odd to see any well-dressed people in that area of the city, especially so late at night.

When Dmitri, the blonde-haired man standing between them, lifted his hand to hail the cab, the driver's uncertainty only grew. But he set aside his bewilderment and decided not to inquire, instead remaining vigilant, as he usually did while dealing with clients in that part of the city. The two men entered the back of the vehicle shortly after the doors clicked open.

Arias gave his instructions before the driver had a chance to speak.

"Crest Hill, Gotham Heights."

The address Arias gave was for the western end of Gotham's Northern Island, opposite where Crime Alley, or Park Row, was situated in the East End. Crest Hill was a neighborhood of middle and upper-class manors. The driver could only accept the man's actions, considering how he appeared, given that it would normally be uncommon for someone coming from a place like Crime Alley to head there. In his opinion, such well-dressed people had to be members of criminal families, which would account for their carefree presence in such a risky area of Gotham.

"Of course, there's not much traffic at this time, so it won't take long, sirs." The elderly man attempted to speak in a polite manner, but it was obvious he lacked a broad vocabulary from the way he tried.

"Oie."

The sudden call from Dmitri made the man a little uneasy.

"Yes, sir?" he asked, fearing he had said something wrong. After all, Gotham's criminal families had a bad reputation for using violence to settle even the most minor disputes.

"Play some music, Taylor Swift," Dmitri said with a straight face, trying to maintain a threatening expression.

…

The journey, which lasted about an hour, was largely silent, with Dmitri listening to foreign pop music that even the driver thought was too… feminine. The driver exhaled with relief as they arrived at their destination and saw that they were still intact. However, his ears, which had to endure a full pop artist's record, were not as fortunate.

The cab quickly sped away after leaving them in the vicinity of a relatively tidy and peaceful area.

"We should be careful. Both the Falcone and Giordano families have some properties here, so their goons might recognize us. Walk fast and don't make eye contact." Before they started heading down the side road, Arias gave his advice.

Fortunately, despite a few interactions with people, no issues emerged, and they soon reached the exterior wall of a modest manor. When they arrived, Arias asked Dmitri, "Cameras?"

Dmitri shook his head. "No, Dad constantly talked about how secure this property is and how security wasn't needed. Aside from the dogs and a few patrolling guards, there's not much protection."

"Good. Then you scale up first and distract the dogs. After a few minutes, meet me by the balcony of your room." Arias swiftly outlined a strategy, and Dmitri accepted it without objection.

Without wasting any time, Dmitri leaped up the 10-foot-high wall with ease, thanks to his newfound strength. After a brief pause, Arias followed, leaping onto the wall to survey the interior. Seeing no sign of Dmitri, the dogs, or the guards, he swiftly descended and dashed toward the main house, then sprinted to the balcony of Dmitri's room on the second floor of the mansion.

He knelt down and patiently waited. Soon after, Dmitri appeared, some of his face covered in drool.

"?" Arias did not speak, but he did cast him an odd gaze.

"What can I say? Bitches love me." Dmitri grinned and wiped his face before unlocking the balcony door to his room.

The duo entered simultaneously as Arias stood up from his crouch, although they found the room quite uninteresting. Arias questioned whether he had forgotten and climbed the wrong balcony, as the room looked more like a yoga studio than a bedroom.

"I've been gone less than a week, and that trophy wife of his has already turned my room into a place to practice sex poses. What the fuck?" Dmitri looked around the room, his brows furrowed in rage.

Arias simply moved toward the room's exit, satisfied he hadn't made a mistake.

"She really grasped the opportunity by the neck. With enough money, you'll be able to replace whatever you lost in this room, so no sense in worrying about it." Dmitri, however, did not heed Arias's advice. For him, the circumstances were even more dire.

"You don't understand. Some of the porn I had on my computer isn't even available anymore. I've been growing my collection for seven years. I can't just rebuy that."

Dmitri appeared to be reflecting on the good old days as he glanced at the spot where his PC had once been.

"I don't know what to tell you. Maybe they just stored it somewhere. For now, remember the reason we're here."

The simplicity of Dmitri's desires was difficult for Arias to accept. He was, in fact, the same young guy he knew from before, except with a larger body.

"Right, I'm gonna choke a bitch."

Arias didn't respond to Dmitri's remark and simply left the room.

They had just stepped into the hallway when a loud bang rang in both of their ears.

"Mmm~"

"Yesss~"

"Pound me, Daddy~!"

"I want everything inside of me!"

"Heh, you're lucky. A spot just opened up for a new child!"

"Come on, Daddy! I'll give you a big, strong, manly son! ~"

As soon as Arias and Dmitri entered the hallway, they heard the unmistakable sounds of a man and a woman engaged in loud, unrestrained sex.

"…" Arias had no words to comment on the matter, while Dmitri looked even more furious than before.

"Oh, I'm really going to choke a bitch."