Chapter 20 - We are the Mafia

1918. London

A month after the end of the First World War

In one of the hotels.

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

Along the long corridor of the hotel, which was illuminated by soft light from wall lamps, there was a young guy about 20 years old with a short haircut. He was wearing a classic suit, with a black shirt, giving him a dangerous aura.

But if someone looks closely at the guy's hand at this moment, they will notice that when walking, his shirt rises slightly, showing a small part of the tattoo.

His steady step was full of confidence that with every step he took, the sound echoed down the corridor as he walked to the furthest room.

Stopping at the door, he knocked exactly 3 times at the same pace, after which he entered it closing the door behind him.

It was one of the first-class rooms of this hotel. The expensive furniture placed around the room was made of high-quality material, sofas and armchairs made of expensive leather, a large crystal chandelier that contrasted perfectly with this room atmosphere making it catchy, but at the same time noble.

- "Victor, everyone has gathered in the main hall and now I'm waiting for your appearance." - said a guy named Oscar Wolf.

Now he was standing at the bedroom door and looking at the person who was in the room.

At that moment, a man was hanging in the room, holding on to the crossbar and doing pull-ups. With each new time, his strong arms lifted his sturdy body completely covered with tattoos.

- "98"

- "99"

- "100"

After doing 100 pull-ups, Victor let go of the crossbar and got to his feet. His wet, muscular body glistened with drops of sweat. Turning his face to Oscar, he said in his powerful voice, "Bring a towel."

The current Viktor Romanov is now completely different from his past self. His tall and slender body covered with tattoos gave him a strong oppressive aura. Coupled with his very handsome face and long black hair that was casually thrown back, it made this sight even more fascinating.

Without saying a word, Oscar went to the closet and took out a towel from there. When he came up and handed it to Victor, if anyone looks at them from the side, they will notice that the dangerous aura of the short-haired man could not compare with the intensity with which the aura emanated from Victor, which pressed on him like a mountain.

"Tell everyone I'm coming down now," Victor said, wiping his damp hair.

[Victor's POV]

When I finished buttoning the cufflinks of my black shirt, I took a small ribbon and, standing in front of the mirror, began tying my hair. At that moment, I couldn't help but look at myself in the reflection and notice how the shine in my eyes became much more noticeable.

At that moment I turned to the photo that was hanging on the edge of that mirror. It showed a beautiful young girl in a wheelchair, along with a boy behind her. Remembering the moment when Emilia forced me to take this photo, I didn't even notice how my gaze had softened again for a long time.

Carefully taking the photo in my hands, I put it in my side pocket and left the room.

...

"Brother, what do you think we're going to do next?" - asked a huge black guy sitting in a classic suit that could not hide his huge muscles. At that moment he was sitting at the table with Oscar.

- "Listen Artie, the war ended a month ago, I think Victor will decide to disband us," Oscar said with a slightly harsh tone, since that's exactly what he was afraid of.

Seeing that his friend was sitting with a gloomy expression on his face, a huge guy named Artie took a bottle of whiskey, poured it into a glass and handed it to Oscar, who looked at him with a questioning look.

"Have a drink, you look like an abandoned virgin right now," Artoo said with a glass in his hand.

- "You're an abandoned virgin yourself!" - said Oscar, but still took and drank all the contents in one gulp.

At this moment, in the huge hall of the restaurant, there were about a hundred people, if not more. This hall was reserved for them, since today was the day when this whole group of people had a meeting. At this moment, any outsider who tries to somehow interfere with them will be kicked out in the ass.

The smell of smoke and alcohol made the atmosphere more oppressive considering all the gathered people who looked as if a huge dark cloud hung over their heads.

The employees of this hotel were on pins and needles at that moment and wanted to leave as soon as possible, but hearing the harsh order of the management, they did not dare even think about it.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps was heard. At this moment, all the faces of the audience turned towards the door, which soon opened. There stood a tall figure dressed in a coat.

At that moment, everyone present fell silent at once, as if on command, and did not dare to make a sound.

With a slow step, Victor, not paying attention to the glances, moved to one of the empty tables. Taking a chair, he dragged it with annoying friction to an empty space in the hall and put it down. Taking off his coat, he put it on the back of a chair, and he sat cross-legged on it, took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it.

A cloud of tobacco smoke appeared in front of his face that had not changed since entering. His poker face was familiar to everyone else, but they could see that at this moment his gaze became more lively than before.

Sitting with a cigarette in his hand, Victor finally spoke: - "I'm glad to see you here.. At this meeting.."

Taking another puff, he continued to speak in his hoarse voice: - "The war is over.. This means that you will finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief.. This time was a terrible period for all of us.... Many of you have lost someone close at this time.. What we once treasured.."

When Victor uttered these words, most at that moment could not help but lower their gaze. All these guys at this moment could not help but remember their loved ones, comrades, relatives who somehow died in this war.

- "As you know, every person has his own goal, dream. So I want to say it just once. If you want to leave our huge family, then I will not stop you.. Since I understand all your worries and worries that you are experiencing now .."- said Victor and looked at the people around him.

These guys were once ordinary boys like him. Who, despite the fear of the face, took a risk and decided to go to war. Each of them grew up in the shadow of the war and they will never be able to live like normal people.

Using his abilities, he was able to rally these guys around him. Over time, there were more of them and they became like a family who supported each other and cared for each other in difficult times, but there were also those who died. Some of them still remain and will remain in his memories.

Everything that was written in the history books could not be compared with what actually happened in the war. That time was hell on earth. Leaving deep scars on the heart of everyone who has ever seen all this with their own eyes.

Suddenly, a voice was heard at one of the tables.

Artie stood up and looked at Victor and said, "Victor, if it wasn't for you, I could have died a long time ago. So you don't think anything... But you know.. I don't have any relatives, and the only family is all the guys around here. So if you decide to do something, I will follow you. "

Oscar didn't waste any time either, got up and spoke out: "Victor, you know, you're like a brother to me, like everyone else here, so I'll follow you to the last."

- "Me too!"

"Hey, hey, I'm with you too!"

"Do you really think we're going to leave you?! The hell with it!"

One by one, the guys started shouting out their decisions to Victor. At that moment, it was such a strange sight that it defies explanation.

For so many people to follow someone so blindly. But they know that the person they are going to follow now is the one who, one way or another, has long proved to them his importance in the hearts of everyone.

After everyone had calmed down, they began to wait for the answer of the person who was now sitting on a chair in the center of the hall.

Putting out a cigarette, Victor looked around at everyone and said in a powerful voice: "Since the tattoo of our family appeared on your body, we have all become a huge force in the war and have proved more than once that we are not just some kids who can only carry supplies for others."

-"Therefore, from today, we will begin to rise to our feet as people in a society where everyone will show their importance in any sphere in which they dreamed of being."

"So that anyone who sees us will bow their heads when we make a speech."

"From now on, we won't just be an ordinary family of kids, but a mafia that can bring people to their knees."