The Dragon

*Joseph* 

I almost laughed out loud. The Dragon is a story from criminal Sunday school. What the hell is this Rachele woman thinking? My incredulous expression gave way to a quiet contemplation, the weight of the name “Dragon” provoking a storm of thoughts I couldn’t yet voice. The room grew tense, each member of the inner circle exchanging glances, unsure whether to challenge the claim or begin preparing for the fallout. I held the photos up to the light, my keen eyes scanning each detail as though searching for an answer hidden within their shadows. I leaned back in my chair; the envelope’s contents spread before me like a puzzle demanding resolution. I exhaled deeply. “So, if this is true,” I murmured, my voice steady yet laced with unease, “then the Brotherhood isn’t just a target—it’s a threat to something much larger than we’ve ever imagined.” The words hung in the air, heavy with implication, as Sandra’s presence beside me, as always, served as a silent anchor against the chaos brewing in my mind. My gaze flickered toward Zeus, then Henry, my expression hardening with calculated resolve. “We verify everything,” I said firmly, the command unmistakable. “And whatever we find, we prepare ourselves to face it head-on. If Dragon is as dangerous as the legends say, then he’s underestimated who he’s dealing with.” The room was silent but charged with determination, as the Brotherhood’s best began laying the mental groundwork for the battle that might soon engulf us all. 

Rachele had given me a letter that must have received recently. It has the small fire and smoke symbol that Dragon used as his calling card. People started calling him the Dragon for this reason. The story says, strong powerful men started popping up murdered, tortured, and branded. The small smoke and fire symbol on the bodies looked like a tiny dragon made of smoke. I made my whole persona after that idea. Smoke, my public persona, also a reflection off the fear people felt when talking about Dragon. He couldn’t be my father. This makes no sense to me. The letter was written directly to Rechele. If real, why would the Dragon do this? Why would he out is self to his daughter in this way? The daughter he ran off and left behind as he supposedly did me? She has a photo with him, as a child, maybe before he decided to disappear completely. So many thoughts and ideas filled my head. Why now? Why come after us? What about the wedding? I looked over at Sandra, who looked overwhelmed as well. “We are getting married, darlin, this will not change that. I promise.” She nodded and smiled at me, whispering “I know.” The letter was handwritten and as much as I hated to see it, the handwriting bore a striking resemblance to my own.

*Rachele,* 
*You have a brother. He rides around this city like some kind of hero in his big bulletproof black steeds. He isn't. He is a criminal, a mafia boss, and a fool. Thinking he is in control of anything is egotistical. Burning people up in flames to make his mark, is distasteful. He goes by Smoke, but his name is Joseph. He is apparently bending his own will and marrying some woman who was married to cop. The cop was dirty and on my list. Luckily the woman took him out, saving me some time. I know you own some kind of dress shop for brides, and you need to infiltrate and let him know I am coming for him and this joke brotherhood of his. I know you have investigated my disappearance since your mother died. You have figured out who I am... What they called me and what I do. Let Joseph or Smoke or whatever he wants to be called know, I will be coming to show him who I am too.*  

*Stop looking. You don't want to find me.* 

I traced my fingers over the little symbol at the bottom of the old-fashioned paper. What is he, a mythical fucking creature. “I want this authenticated.” I pointed to the symbol reaching it to Jay. He nodded but looked concerned. “Say what's on your mind Jay.”  I asked curious to why he has stayed so quiet. “When I was being trained, they taught us things about Dragon. They studied him. He was thought to be dead.” He said shaking his head, “He is real, boss. I don't know if any of this is, but I know he is. I will get ahold of some of my old contacts and see what I can find out.” I nodded, uneasy after his words had swayed my idea of this all being a set up. Jay was an intelligent and vigilant man; he wouldn’t believe in this Dragon is there wasn't something behind it.  

I saw Sandra watching as I commanded presence as I orchestrated the next steps with a precision honed by years of leadership under pressure. The room seemed to pulse with a collective intensity, each person silently preparing for whatever storm loomed on the horizon. My gaze hardened, my thoughts spinning over the implications of Dragon’s emergence, yet beneath the surface, there was a flicker of resolve—a determination not to let this shadow from my past unravel the life I had painstakingly built, without the help of any father. Sandra reached for my arm, grounding me, yet again, in the moment, her touch a silent reminder of the strength we shared. Both of us has faced so much turmoil and trials and came out the other end ahead. As my brothers began dissecting the contents of the envelope with meticulous care, my thoughts wandered to the letter’s cryptic threat and its chilling implications. A plan began to take shape in my mind, the threads of strategy interwoven with the need to protect those I held dear, especially Sandra. Despite the chaos brewing around them, my focus remained unyielding, my resolve bolstered by the silent understanding that, no matter the revelations to come, together we would confront the ghosts of my past and safeguard the future for all of us.  

When the phone rang, we all were startled. It was my cell phone; most of who called it was sitting in the room with me. I picked it up and the numbers on the screen read 0000. “it’s probably just spam.” I said swiping the screen and placing it to ear. A robotic yet demonic sounding voice spoke on the other end of the phone. “Hello, my son.” The words sent spikes through me. “I am no one’s son.” I growled. “Shut up and listen. Dismantle your little clubhouse. I will not watch as you destroy everything I built.” His words like ice water being poured over me. “Listen, fuck, I don't know who you think you are, but you obviously have underestimated who I am.” No answer. For what felt like minutes, the line was silent. “You done?” I said, feeling like maybe he learned I wasn’t just going to back down. “You have made your choice.” The line cut off.  

I slammed my phone down for what felt like the millionth time. “I want all the information any of you can find on this fucking man. He wants to come after us, lets show him why we are the most powerful. Fuck him. I am not afraid of his ghost.” I demanded of the three men looking at me. They all nodded, and I sat back down, turning to the monitor, I typed into the search bar: The Dragon of New York