Its an unholy mix. 

The red liquid curls into the milky white drink, forming smoke-like tendrils. He stares into the glass as if fascinated.

The party’s chatter droned around him. Light reflected by the indoor pool shimmered on his surroundings, giving the impression of unreality. He glances to the left.

By the poolside were the party guests, standing around showing off their status and power, stretched out on the lounges, boasting profits reaped from blood. High ranking officials, influential media personalities, people who publicly walk the so-called upright path, were lounging with the everyday criminals, heads of illegal organisations, people whom the public regard as lowlife scums. Every one of these guest are scum, scum that will stop at nothing for power.

That includes him, David Moon, the handsome and enigmatic mastermind of Vulture, a man who had ruthlessly raised the group’s rank and status in such a short time. Vulture is an organisation fronted by a legitimate business that grew on various illegal activities. What set them apart from existing gangsters was that they collaborated with the people of law. They had connections with people in the seats of power that ruled the city. Ten years ago, a gathering of such individuals would have been unthinkable.

David smirked, half listening to Major Peters who was seated on his left. The elderly man had assumed David to be his confidant for the day, and had been prattling about the plans for his unofficial (and illegal) enterprise and his expected gain. His face leers expectantly for David’s approval, gold teeth glinting behind the withered lips.

Attached to David’s right arm like a cancer, the heavily jewelled Councilwoman Perkins was enjoying the envious looks drawn from other women. She flirtatiously batted her dark lashes at him, and occasionally caressed the arm she had latched on. Tittering and agreeing with the Major, she pointed out the potential expenses cut if they were to do so and so.

Her advice could not be less helpful. Their plan was flawed with so many holes, if it were a boat; it would sink as soon as it touches the water. David would very much love to burst their bubble. His sneer widens, but to these fools, he’s smiling rather charmingly. He badly wants to slap the ignorance right in their faces, see them humiliated from peacocking their non-existent intelligence. But David knows how to play this game, these people are his toys. A small lip service and a quick distraction is enough to make them forget the stupid things they were saying.

He downs his glass observed the party guests again. There was virtually no tension in the atmosphere. This was a truly carefree event despite the fact that the party was visibly hiding criminal dealings. The fear of getting caught was absent as even the Chief of Police is standing among them. Disgusting.

David resumes his smile and stalks off.

~

Like a ghostly silhouette, he watched the guests depart the grounds of his mansion. Yes, his mansion, sounds grand doesnt it?

David hummed a tuneless song as he turned away from the window and made his way to the bedroom. Despite owning the mansion, the room David chose for himself was small, furnished with only the basic necessities.Piled in a heap on his bed were documents relating to their activities. He plopped himself down and stretched out on his belly. 

Outside his window which looked out into the garden, the higher ranked members of Vulture were patrolling the grounds. David lives in the mansion with a few dozen of the Vulture members, ones that he trusts. They were among the few that knew the identity of Vulture's other leader, Nick, the boss operating in the shadows. Among the regular members of the group, Nick was the invisible mastermind mingling among them. To the lowly nobodies of Vulture, Nick was a myth passed around to scare away thoughts of betraying the group. 

David's mobile rang. Speak of the devil, Nick's correspondence number flashed on the screen. He smiled fondly and picked it up.

"GET OUT OF THERE!!"

He doesnt need further prompting. The man's frantic scream was enough to ward off any forthcoming questions. David dashed out and grabbed whoever he can, shouting orders to evacuate. Gordon, one of the men in charge of tonight's patrol emerged into the hallway ashen faced.

"In the toilet..They've rigged a bomb.."

David furiously seized the man by the collar and flung him out the doorway.

"Get everyone out! Where's Redfield?!"

The said man rushed past him with a bundle of the documents that were previously strewn on his bed. David knows some of the boys should be in the kitchen now, preparing popcorn for their favourite midnight show. He was about to run down the den when arms wrapped themselves around his midsection and hauled him out of the building.

“Sorry, Boss, but Donnie said we’ve got four minutes tops.” Redfield twisted the struggling man’s arms painfully behind his back. “We cant risk losing you, you know that!” Berk huffed from the effort on his right.

Figures passed the second level window, as if oblivious to the commotion.

“Craig! Russell!” The figures stopped and peered curiously out the window. “Get out here!”

David broke free and ran desperately back to the mansion, the sound of thundering feet hot on his tail. He screamed at the remaining occupants to flee when-

BOOM

The explosion rocked the ground, shooting out glass and piecesof the shattered mansion as flames engulf the building. The impact caught David squarely in the face, slamming him back forcefully. Projectiles impaled the ground around him, closely missing his neck. His legs are on fire. The arms he trusted up to shield himself were mangled, the whites of the bones starkly standing out against the charred flesh. His ears were ringing. He couldn’t hear himself scream, didn’t realise he was writhing on the ground from the pain. Pure agony shook his bones and he cried out. The men behind scrambled up to him, tearing off their coats to beat out the flames. They dragged him as gently as they could away from the burning ruins. Smoke billowed up like black clouds, and the night sky was tinged red.