Never Judge



Ray patted his son on the shoulder, Al smiled and looked up at his father, proud that he had survived cutting off eight fingers from the man.

"Bandage him up." Ray ordered as the guard quickly let in a doctor to stop the bleeding, making sure that the man wouldn't die before they got the information needed out of him.

Ray led his son out of the room temporarily, taking him to the next one to speak.

"How do you feel?" Ray asked his son as he searched the young man for signs of trauma.

"Shocked that I could do that, but I'm otherwise fine." Al answered his father. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't sad either.

"Good, that was the easier part. Can you go on?" Ray asked, he wanted to make sure that his son could take what was yet to come.

"I can. I'm just worried about mom's reaction when she realizes that this isn't catsup." Al smiled as he scratched at the stains on his shirt, as if he was trying to rub them off.

Ray laughed and shook his head. 

"That's exactly what your Uncle Cedric said, don't worry, we'll just burn that shirt." Ray smiled as he prepared to explain to his son what needed to be done next.

Al nodded and smiled proudly at his father.

He was glad that it wasn't difficult at all doing what his father had asked him to do to the man. He was also worried that his father would be mad about him improvising, but Ray seemed to approve of it.

"You'll need to extract information from him next." Ray told his son. I'll tell you what to do. If at any time you feel like it's too much, signal to me."

Al nodded, understanding what his father had asked.

"How do you do it dad?" Al asked. "I mean I can do it, but it's not like I fully enjoy torturing the man."

"It's a matter of having to do it." Ray explained. "These people will harm our family, others go out and harm innocent people. Remember, the entire underworld, by extension, is your family."

Al nodded, understanding his father's words.

"Was it too difficult?" Ray asked his son.

"No, not really." Al shrugged.

Ray sighed, confusing Al. He thought his father would have wanted him to be comfortable with dealing out tortures and deaths.

"Is something wrong, dad?" Al asked.

"It's not in the nature of humans to hurt others the way we do." Ray told his son. "I'm just shocked that it doesn't bother you."

Al nodded as he considered his situation and carefully assessed why it didn't seem to bother him as much as it should.

"It's probably because you've grown up expecting all of this in your future." Ray told his son. "Before your grandfather threw me into all of this I had no idea that we were involved in the underworld."

"So what did he tell you the family business was?" Al asked his father as he tilted his head slightly to the side.

"Lawrence Group." Ray shrugged. "When I was young, he'd bring me to the office, to meetings, to company events. As I got older, after I found out about the underworld and our involvement, things started to make more sense."

"Such as?" Al had never seen his father this candid about his past, normally the elder Lawerence chose to focus on the future or on others, never himself.

"The kind of people who would attend Christmass and New Years parties at home. The way people addressed him as Don, and even the kind of influence he had over others. It made much more sense." Ray explained to his curious son.

"How did you feel when he told you about the Underworld, dad?" Al asked.

"Shocked, somewhat disappointed. I always thought we were on the right side of things, all of a sudden we ruled the illegal world." Ray said.

"Order to Chaos." Al said, repeating the words that had been engraved in his mind since childhood.

Ray nodded in response. 

"To bring order to the chaotic Underworld. To do what must be done to strike balance and protect the innocent people that are not involved in our world." Ray explained.

Al silently absorbed his father's words.

Everyone believed that the Mafia and Gangs only caused chaos. That all they did was deal with the illegal businesses and activities. But their role was much more than just that.

Ray cleared his throat, pulling Al back from his thoughts.

"Let's go. We still need to extract information from that man, but don't worry, I doubt it will be difficult." Ray told his son as he checked his expression.

Ray wanted to be sure that his son was ready for what was to come.

"I promise to tell you if it gets too much for me." Al smiled at his father.

"Good." Ray nodded as they exited the room and returned to the one where Troy was being kept.

To Al's surprise the man no longer sat behind a desk with his hands and feet chained down.

Troy was now chained against the wall as the chair and table were pushed to the side. 

More items Al recognized as those used for torture was lain out on the table. 

"I see that my doctors have patched you up quite well." Al said as he observed the man.

"Our doctors are quite impressive, your Uncle Miguel trained them personally. The army has been trying to get their hands on them, but they can't match what we offer." Ray said with a sinister smile.

He picked up a whip that was called a cat-o-nine-tails, it was used to inflict the most damage on its victims.

Ray walked over and viciously whipped Troy on his chest, making the man scream out. 

"I'm assuming you understand how this will go?" Ray asked the chained man as the guards nearby turned him around so that his back was facing Ray and Al. "You will tell us the truth and only the truth. If we discover you are lying, then it won't just be you that pays the price."

Troy nodded as he was forced on his knees. 

Ray handed the whip to his son, who delivered the first blow.