Family came first. That was what my dad guided me to know more about, family wasn't just bloodline—it was solace, strength, and unity in sickness and in health. Family were friends and often hobbies; the things that made you push forward and do whatever it took to keep it safe. It defined me into the person I was today and I was proud of the person I became because of my family.

In the case of the Oliveira family, they took that to a whole different level. It was sacred for them to be united, the family consisted of two brothers and one sister led by their mom and dad. Feliz Oliveira, the mastermind of the treasure as well as a high masters in  Anthropology with glasses and big guns as muscles. He had been our ally for decades and he was a close family friend, that was a great achievement for him since we never connected ties with anyone.

"You're still packing, Deon. You haven't changed. That only means that you don't accept the culture change and that you prefer to always stay like yourself." He demonstrated.

"Yes, I can see that you still under the culture anthropology shit." Dad taunted Feliz as they both had a good laugh about the old days.

Moving onto Hera Oliveira, she was a spiritual assassin, like she had the knowledge of souls and mysterious revelations of tribes. She was dressed in her own handmade green dress that had vintage bows across her chest and her long shiny hair had little flowers in them that matched her eyes. She was like a second mother to me, she taught me all about Baris old tribes and tributes from the ancient mafia world.

"We haven't seen you in a long time." She approached mom as they shared an embrace. They were long time friends even before they got married to dad and Feliz, they even joined the same gang before and improved it. Mom used to tell me those stories through bed time when I was a kid.

Christian and Mason Oliveira were identical twins, both older than us by a year which marked them twenty years old. The only feature seperate in their faces was the grin and the frown. Their sister, Ada Oliveira, was stuck between them with a stoic face, that was normal for a nonchalant sixteen-year-old raised with different brothers but she did look like her mom with her stitched emerald top and washed jeans.

"Look who's here, brother." Christian frowned at us with arms crossed.

"Athena, I missed you." Mason grinned as he gave me a hug and I had to step on my tiptoes to hug him back, I could feel Leo's glare on the back of my head but I did miss the family gatherings we used to have.

Christian literally gripped Mason back to his side as the harsh ice in his eyes hit me like a snowstorm. Leo and Christian both shared one thing in common: hate. They hated the same way, their usual way was glare and frown just like they looked right now.

"I missed you too, Mase. How's your right arm?" I questioned.

"Still got the swing." He goofily made a football bat swing move with his right arm. He was in the football leagues ever since we were teens. Technically, we were one year away from being young adults but it did feel like we were in it already with the gang fights and the action in our lives.

"How are you, Ada?" I spoke in a friendly way, and she just gruffed out a 'fine' and went back to the house. If it wasn't for their tradition, she would lock herself in her room.

Christian and Leo were silent which made things awkward before Hera came and hugged me, she expertly steered me away from her sons. Unfortunately, Leo had to walk with the twins as Mason babbled his ear off about the matches he played back in France.

"It's been a whole six months, what have you been up to?" She asked me as her eyes studied my side profile with her arm around my shoulder.

"Well, just university and mafia stuff." I simply answered.

"You remind me so much of the days with your mom, we used to go overboard with killing other clans at night and studying in the mornings. That is until we fell in love and got married early," She smiled when she talked as she reminisced the good old days, then she winked at me, "so, you and Leo, any marriage plans on the way?"

"Too soon."

"Leo is attractive, you should have babies by now." She was a vixen at heart as she nudged me.

My cheeks reddened as she chuckled when we went to the meeting room, dad and mom and Feliz were having a toast to memories as they talked animatedly.

"Get me out of here, please." Leo dramatically whispered in my ear as Feliz called him to join.

After the reunion that we had, it was time for the real purpose of why we were here in the first place. There was a threat, and not just an ordinary threat. It was danger to all of us. Dad realized that as he stood in front of the elongated wooden table when he talked steadily about the overview of things. We all took our seats, Mason gulped nervously as he scratched the back of his almond colored waves as Christian was broody and poker-faced. Mom and Hera listened attentively with tilted heads, and Leo tried to soothe me as he rubbed his fingers on my thigh under the table.

"The Baris family had always been a danger to all of the mafias. They are merciless and they wanted more than just a key to a treasure, they craved for something else...for the thrill of killing," he walked around us with his hands behind his back, "this week will be for research not for fights. By now, they knew we were here and we aren't going until we find the treasure."

"What is in the treasure?" Christian asked.

"The truth that will end all of our enemies."