The Mafia Empire
Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Capturing Wood's Men

Meanwhile, the three wagons were moving faster on their return journey than when they had arrived. Having unloaded a hundred cases of alcohol, even the horses seemed more spirited. In the back of the wagon, Graf lifted a hidden compartment and stashed the money box inside.

Julian had specifically requested the compartment be built, not just to hide money, but also to store contraband in case of a search.

Sitting in the wagon with the two unconscious police officers still lying at his feet, Graf couldn't shake the feeling of unease. He glanced at the officers, unsure of what to do next. After all, these were police officers, and no matter where they were dumped, their discovery would undoubtedly cause big problems. For now, taking them back to the farm seemed like the best option.

Perhaps Julian would have a better solution.

The wagons had been traveling for about ten minutes when they left the bustling center of Ternell City behind. The streets grew quieter, with only the occasional passerby, heads down and hurrying along.

Graf, lulled by the wagon's movements, dozed off.

What Graf didn't know was that, just as Wood was unaware of Graf's path, Julian had arranged for Dave and his men to follow them to prevent any surprises.

At that moment, Dave was watching as five or six men in felt hats and trench coats trailed the wagons. After thinking it over, he decided not to make a move just yet. It wasn't that he was afraid—far from it. But there were too many people in the city, and who knew when a vagrant might pop out of a dark alley like earlier? If a fight broke out and someone witnessed it, things could go south quickly.

On top of that, the men following the wagons didn't seem to want to intercept them. They were keeping a safe distance, which made Dave think it would be better to wait until they reached the outskirts before confronting them.

Ternell City wasn't large. About forty minutes outside the city center, the buildings had become smaller and more run-down. After passing the last intersection, even the streetlights disappeared. The only light in the darkness was the faint moonlight and the dim glow from the wagon's lamps, like a lure for the "fish" trailing behind them.

When they were just ten minutes from the farm, Dave and his men sprang into action. As they charged forward, the men following the wagons, alerted by the noise, immediately scattered, diving into the tall grass on either side of the road. Dave quickly split his group in two, pursuing a couple of the stragglers, shouting orders as he ran.

The sudden noise roused Graf from his sleep. He wiped the drool from his mouth, groggy but alert enough to hear the commotion.

"Stop the wagons!" Graf knocked on the wooden panel between the driver's seat and the back of the wagon. The three wagons came to a halt. Graf jumped out, shivering slightly in the cool autumn air. The breeze brought with it the sound of Dave's voice.

"We got one! Don't let the other one get away!"

That single sentence was enough to snap Graf fully awake. The muscles in his cheeks twitched, and he banged on the side of the wagon, pulling down the oil lamp. "Hurry! Let's see what's going on!"

With the added light, two more of the stalkers were captured and tied up, their hands bound as they were hauled into the back of the wagon. Graf looked curiously at Dave and asked, "What's this? Out catching thieves in the middle of the night? What did they do to piss you off?"

Dave, looking a bit disheveled with grass stuck to his beloved checkered wool sweater and mud on his shoes and pants, panted heavily as he responded, "These guys… they've been tailing you ever since you unloaded the goods. I thought something was off about them."

...

"In this world, entertainment options were limited. Without the luxury of television, most people turned to simple pastimes like reading the newspaper or replaceing their own ways to pass the time. Many busied themselves by having as many children as they could while still able to work.

Some, however, might not have truly wanted so many children, but didn't know how to avoid it.

Julian, still single, didn't even have that distraction, so he simply went to bed early."

By the time Graf returned, it was already past ten. Julian had long been cozied up in his warm bed, fast asleep. Despite the Huen family's poverty, they had kept their house well maintained, especially the beds and linens.

Just as Julian was deep in a bizarre dream, a knock on the door startled him awake. He immediately sat up, reaching under his bed for the dagger he kept hidden there, gripping it tightly in his hand.

"Who is it?" His voice was calm and steady, showing no signs of panic or fear. He quietly slipped out of bed, threw on a piece of clothing, and stood outside his bedroom door.

Soon enough, a familiar voice answered from outside. "It's me. Are you asleep?" Graf's deep voice, which always sounded a bit muffled, came through the door. Julian wasn't sure if all big guys sounded like that, but Graf certainly did.

Julian tucked the dagger into the waistband at the back of his pants and opened the door. Standing there was Graf, still dressed in the same clothes from earlier, with no time to change. Julian looked him up and down before asking, "Why aren't you sleeping? What's going on?"

Graf hesitated, scratching his head, unsure of how to begin. After a long pause, he finally spoke, "We attacked two police officers on the road… and caught some people who were following us."

Julian's drowsiness vanished at Graf's words. He turned back to quickly dress and then followed Graf outside. As they walked, Graf recounted the events from the afternoon and evening. Julian had no complaints about Graf's choices.

Allowing those police officers to take the shipment and get away with it might seem like an easy solution, but it would only feed their greed, making them a problem that could grow into an unmanageable black hole.