Leon knew one place that might be safe in this city and very vacant at the moment so there where the group of four headed. The old warehouse of Hector Norman where they planned to steal the Pride of Del Mar.
A few hours passed since the escape from the Honey Saloon and aside from Leon, Zal and Jordi were both afraid and tired. On Leon's orders, none of them is to leave the warehouse unless he tells them so.
Zal was still devastated by what happened with the Pride of Del Mar painting but he at least had two days to blame himself well enough. As for Jordi, the fact that Leon told him that Jessica is his sister… or half-sister in that regard. It meant a lot to him.
Any street vagrant like Jordi would have always wondered what it is like growing up in a family. He had the people of the saloon indeed but an actual family is something he never knew. Turns out that he had an actual family all this time and he never knew… and of course let's forget about the awkward things mentioned earlier this afternoon.
"That's what I am telling you. This other boss is different from the Bull and apparently, there is some bad blood." Zal said.
"And what does that other Boss go by?" Leon asked.
"The Spider."
"Alright… never heard that one before."
"From the name you can understand Leo. The spider has a web, connections, a big trade, someone very rich."
"That almost sounds like an Aristocrat."
"Aye! Someone from the upper society mingling with the affairs of the lower class. A gangster in some elegant suit."
"Come on! You're making it sound like I am up against the Godfather?"
"The what father?"
"Oh! Forget it."
Leon always forgets the fact that this word has no notion of God.
"Alright. There are a few things we must do. Mistakes I need to right before leaving this fucking city."
"What is that, Leo?" Zal asked.
"Jessica and Jordi saved my life. It is only natural that I save Jessica's, I owe her that at least." Leon said, "I also did something I am not proud of. That painting we stole and the Bull destroyed, it is also on me. I was the one who handed it to him."
Zal became silent and nodded.
"I understand how you are going to save the girl but the painting… I am not sure what to do either."
"Simple." Leon replied with a casual smile, "You are going to draw another one. A perfect replacement that can't be thought of as a fake."
Zal made a dull face for a moment before raising his brows, slowly smiling and laughing a few times slowly.
"Good one."
"I'm serious. I'll go bring your tools and the fake you tried to make."
"Come on." Zal stared at Leon with doubt, "With my skill, you think I can copy that?"
"You copied the lady of Grace."
"And it ruined me." Zal spoke as he raised his hand, "I can't. I will no longer compromise art."
Zal walked away as he dug his hand into his messy hair and tried his best to keep his thoughts in order. He was traumatized and can't forgive himself after what happened with the painting the other day.
It was understandable that he blames himself but Leon wanted him to do it.
"I'll get your stuff and see what you can do."
Leon had his reasons too. He was a thief indeed but he worked for a cause he believed in which was to steal and retrieve. What happened with the painting was his sloppiest work ever.
"I just want to get things right, that all." These were the words Leon said before turning over to Jordi, "How is Jessica?"
"She's hot." Jordi said.
"Duh!" Leon nodded.
"I'm saying her fever isn't going down."
"Oh! Well… let's do it then."
Leon approached Jessica who was lying on a few old bellows they could salvage in the warehouse and put his hand on her forehead.
"What are you doing?" Jordi asked.
"A new trick I learned." Leon said and was about to use his magic but looked at Jordi and Zal, "If any of you start talking shit about what I am about to do, I may as well gouge out your eyes."
"Fuck you." Jordi snorted, "Don't you dare take advantage of her."
"Won't be the first, not even the last." Leon smirked and focused as he channeled his inner Mana to his hand.
He has already spent all of the Light Mana he stored in himself so he could only rely on the last remaining bits of sunlight going down through the worn-out roof.
"Alright… let there be Light."
As he said so, Leon's hands radiated.
"Holy…"
It was the first time he willingly showed this to someone with his face not concealed. It surely startled Jordi and attracted the attention of Zal who narrowed them before widening them in shock.
[Light Magic - Healing] was a spell that Leon learned but one thing he didn't really understand about this spell. It is not something your average joe can just sit around and watch.
"Mother of Agartha! Matron of All!" Zal dropped on his knees.
"Leo! You're… You're a… Holy Man?" Jordi looked at Leon with expressions pale as a sheet.
"Eh?" Leon didn't really know what that was but he shook his shoulders, "More or less."
Leon had no idea what that meant and it didn't feel like the time to ask around. He wasn't even that good at healing since his magic can only deal with minor flesh wounds. In Jessica's case, it will stabilize her.
Leon managed to at least do that. Whatever critical condition she was in will pass now safely even though she doesn't look any better.
"Give her some food from the rations I left. Something easy to chew." He said as soon as he stood up from over her.
"Did you! Did you bless her?" Jordi asked.
"I'm sorry, what?" Leon felt taken aback.
"Bless her. You're a holy man. A brother from the temple?"
"Your Grace. Those who use the skills of a healer are addressed as Your Grace, boy." Zal hit Jordi on the back of his head, "They don't give some cheap ass blessings."
Zal then looked at Leon and smiled.
"Your Grace. It is of absolute honor to be in your presence." Zal bowed.
"Hmmm." Leon widened his lips and looked aside, "This world is too much."
After a minute of silence, Leon decided to speak.
"Keep my secret, will you? My presence in these parts is classified."
"Of course, Your Grace." Zal bowed even deeper.
Jordi looked between the two and spoke.
"Your… Grace. What is classified?"
"It means if I tell you, I'll have to… you know… kill you." Leon said and made an unfortunate expression.
Jordi knew that Leon wasn't lying. He just killed two Dogs as if they were flies.
This was coming in handy somehow.
"Zal, as I said. I will bring you your tools and you see what you can do."
Zal raised his face with a distressed expression before nodding in acceptance.
It was then when Leon finally managed to step out of the warehouse. Right now, he has two tasks to finish and time was of the essence.
First, he headed towards Zal's workshop since it had all the tools Zal needed and the unfinished fake portrait of the Pride of Del Mar. Second, he headed towards the slaughterhouse which belonged to the Bull, Hector Norman. Leon wasn't sure about it but he may find that thing still lying there.
Getting into the slaughterhouse wasn't hard since it had minimal security as if Hector had taken all his men and headed out to his folly. According to the rumors Zal told him, Hector Norman left the city to hunt down a treasure which seems to be the one that the map behind the painting led to.
It was just strange. Gangsters have minimal interest in buried treasures. They don't bother with anything aside from business and territory.
But that wasn't all. Hector Norman not only abandoned his business but his entire position as a Syndicate Boss. He no longer will have the authority he used to have now that his territory is being eaten away by the surrounding bosses, especially this Spider from the Harbor District.
Hector's behavior seemed out of the norm and thus after recovering Zal's tools, Leon broke into the Slaughterhouse.
The place was empty for the most part and Leon was able to search every room thoroughly. From what he could tell, the Bull and his men just took everything they could carry that day and left town.
If they didn't, Ruth wouldn't have managed to get support from the other Boss and defeat Jessica.
The only room that was locked was Hector's office, there was clearly no one inside so Leon swiftly picked the lock and checked for traps before opening the door.
There was indeed some stuff here. Papers, maps, and the scent of burnt paper. It seemed that Hector got rid of all the critical documents left by throwing them into the fireplace.
As for the last room, the secret room behind the office, the one which Leon was actually heading for. He couldn't find a way in but most certainly he can just break in by literally breaking the door in.
And?
He found it.
It was still there thankfully the same as the last time he left it.
"I am… so terribly sorry."
The Pride of Del Mar, the remains of the painting, the one which the Bull ripped off the full portrait.
Leon raised it from the ground, put it on a table, and started checking it out.
What remained wasn't as damaged as he feared but what was lost was almost 40% of the whole portrait. Even if it is someone as skilled as Zal, he will face too much difficulty with it.
"Unless…"
Leon wasn't going to jump to conclusions but he at least has his own ideas on what to do. He wouldn't leave it all to Zal after all.
With everything in place, Leon started to travel back to the warehouse.
i imagine someone destroying the mona lisa for found a hide treasure
the money than that gangster can do with that treassure is small compared with the painture 
Blob Nutural
Thanks for the chapter
thanks u da man