Never Judge

Cedric couldn't help but laugh as he watched Jonathan turn pale, he was sure that the young man was now panicking. What he said could easily have offended both Cedric and Ray, especially since the two were now related.

"Relax Jonathan, there is a very good reason why Ray knows these things." Cedric told the younger man with a laugh as he was no longer able to keep a straight face.

"I was still having my fun." Ray said as he rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Jonathan still did not relax as he maintained a stiff posture, worried that the two men would suddenly destroy his family for his comment.

"We are petty, but we like you, kid." Ray commented as he tried to get Jonathan to at least process what they were saying.

Jonathan, though remaining cautious, nodded. He knew that he just needed to watch his words next time.

"What do you know about the underworld, the people you pay to keep your casinos safe and running?" Ray asked as he observed how Jonathan's body language changed with his question.

"The underworld?" Jonathan asked, unsure if he had heard Ray's question properly.

"That's right, the underworld." Ray said with a nod. "Mafias, Gangs, all of them."

"Well. . . I'm not sure if I can tell you." Jonathan said as he hesitated. 

"Is it because we are friends with Alexi?" Ray asked.

Jonathan slowly nodded, admitting that his hesitation was due to their connection to the President's son.

Cedric and Ray laughed at his concern, they knew that this was normal, after all the person that was supposed to uphold the law was the President's family.

"Alexi is well aware of the underworld." Ray explained to Jonathan. "We trust you, so we will tell you this, Alexi is part of one of the most powerful groups in the underworld, wanna guess?" He asked Jonathan as he leaned forward eager to hear what the man would say.

"The Rocci family? Or the Dean family?" Jonathan asked as he recalled which families and gangs were most powerful.

"Not a gang?" Cedric asked, curious to understand why Jonathan had given the two most powerful Mafia Families rather than the two most powerful gangs.

"I don't think it would suit the President's son to be part of a gang." Jonathan admitted. "I think he would be a better fit for a Mafia Family."

"Very good observation, you are not completely wrong." Ray said with a mischievous smile. "He was involved with the Dean family in his early years, then later on the Rocci family, but that's not the group he belongs to."

"I highly doubt he is part of a gang." Jonathan said with a confused look on his face.

"No, not a gang." Ray said as he nodded, confirming Jonathan's suspicions.

"That's impossible." Jonathan said as he looked up at Ray. "I mean, how could he be part of that group when he is the President's son."

"Because he is a member by blood." Ray said with a grin.

"I don't think I understand what Jonathan is trying to say." Cedric told Ray.

"Why don't you explain it to Cedric? I mean I'm sure he knows what it means. He is just very confused at the moment." Ray asked Jonathan in a way that the young man couldn't refuse.

"There is one group or maybe family that is higher than all the gangs and all the mafia families combined, but even it's existence could be a myth." Jonathan explained.

"A myth in the underworld? Interesting." Cedric said as he glanced at Ray. 

He had, at this point, more or less figured out what Jonathan had been saying earlier but he decided to play along. He wanted to see how Jonathan would describe his friend.

"According to the people we pay, the Dean Family, all the heads of the Mafias and Gangs follow one person or one group, and that's the King of the Underworld." Jonathan explained. "I didn't really get details on whether or not that person was the head of a mafia family or gang in the past."

"It's a position that is won and inherited." Cedric explained, catching Jonathan off guard. 

  "Wait, what?" Jonathan asked, forgetting about his earlier blunder.

"Oh right, we actually know the King of the Underworld." Cedric said with a chuckle.

"Please don't tell me that it's the President's son." Jonathan said as he turned pale.

"No, but the King of the Underworld always comes from one family, and that family is related to the President's wife." Cedric explained. "The king always needs to prove that he is capable of dealing with the complexities of the underworld."

"Isn't the President's wife your aunt?" Jonathan asked as he looked at Ray.

Ray nodded and grinned.

"I wonder how long it will take him to realize?" Cedric whispered as they watched Jonathan's expression change from confusion to shock then to fear.

Having interacted with the members of the Mafia, he understood how powerful someone had to be in order to get all the heads in line. This meant the King of the Underworld had to be someone truly powerful.

"Yes, Jonathan." Ray said with a nod as he gave Jonathan a kind look. "I'm he."

"But, how?" Jonathan asked as he tried to figure out which question to ask first.

"Maybe some other time, but I needed to tell you who I was before I could offer you the job I had in mind." Ray told him.

"Job? A job?" Jonathan asked.

"You are very promising, Jonathan, and trust me I had to fight Cedric just so that he wouldn't offer you one too." Ray explained, making Cedric laugh and shake his head.

"You will have better opportunities with Ray than with me, and you are a better fit with him." Cedric explained.

"I will give you an option, work at the legitimate side of Laurence Corp. or work for the King of the Underworld, the choice is yours." Ray said as he looked intently at the young man. "Of course you can also refuse.." He added when he realized that what he had said was quite threatening.