The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. The office was not that well lit as the rain began to lightly fall; the start of storm season was upon Contro City and it was set to kick off today with a ripper. Sin sat leaning back in his chair with both of his legs on the desk crumpling documents. Alonzo Junior leaned impatiently against the closed door, and Salvatore sat opposite Sin with head in hands.
“I can’t believe it,” Salvatore said, each word sounding shaky.
“If I didn’t just see it, I wouldn’t believe it,” Alonzo Junior said.
Sin opened the bottle of scotch on the table and took a large mouthful straight from the bottle. He was trying to hold it together in front of his subordinates; he was a captain now and being weak was not allowed in his personality.
“I’ll do it,” Sin said, calmly.
“Don’t worry about we got this,” Salvatore said.
“Nah, he’s my mistake I need to fix it,” Sin stood up from behind his desk and handed the bottle of scotch over to Salvatore.
“We’ll come with you,” Salvatore said.
“No you two stay here.”
Alonzo Junior’s phone beeped as a text message came through; “Fuck!” he punched the doorframe in anger.
“What’s wrong?” Salvatore asked.
“My mum just messaged me, they got my dad this morning,” Alonzo Junior said.
“Who?” Sin asked.
“The cops. He’s done I need to get home,” Alonzo Junior kept reading the message hoping it would change.
Sin nodded, “I’ll get someone else to pick Domenic up.”
“Want me to?” Salvatore asked.
“No, I’ll need you here for an alibi.”
Sin pulled open the desk drawer and removed his gun and put it inside his jacket. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”
Albert stood outside on his balcony on the third level of his enormous home watching the rain begin to roll in over the city. The wind was starting to bend the trees as blew. Mike opened the sliding door dressed in a grey tracksuit and sporting a concerned looked on his face. “Maybe we should cancel today Al. Alonzo is locked up and Sin just cancelled, it doesn’t sit right.”
The boss took his glasses off and wiped them clean and placed them back on his face. He brushed a bit of lint off his beige sweater and took a seat down on one of the chairs. “Alright get me the vest.”
Mike sighed, “Okay. You want a coffee before we go?”
“Yeah make it strong, I had fuck all sleep last night. Where is Tanya? She was gone when I woke up,” Albert said.
“She said she was going shopping for the day,” Mike said.
Albert looked out over the landscape again, “Not much else to do in this weather.”
Mike shrugged, “Yeah.”
“I can’t believe Domenic gets out and Alonzo go’s back in. Fuck our luck,” Albert said, shaking his head.
“Not really our year,” Mike said.
“We can’t afford to keep going backwards,” Albert said.
“It’ll pick back up. It always does and once this construction starts things will already start to change,” Mike said, reassuringly.
“I hope so,” Albert said, as Mike disappeared back inside to fetch the coffee.
He looked down at the car park he had built and tried to think of what it was all for. There were no children, his parents were both dead, he was not married, friends killed over the years, and now his brother was going back to jail for getting back into the family. Everything he ever wanted was his but there was no legacy. If he died would anyone remember his name? Tanya would grieve and eventually move on. Alonzo would be in jail, Carlos would be left to fight with their rivals and all the businesses would eventually change names and ownership.
Albert felt nauseas sitting in the cushioned outdoor chair, he closed his eyes and tried to breathe as calm as possible. “Coffee.”
Rai stood on the higher ground over looking Michael’s warehouse; flanked by his three bodyguards as the rain hammered down sending the targets undercover. The perfect opportunity for him to send the van in was at last present. The Korean second in command peered through a small pair of binoculars, he scanned the tall tower built inside the yard where he knew two snipers normally lay in wait, but on this stormy day they had retreated inside.
“Guards retreating from the weather, I take it Michael is not here today,” Rai said, to no one in particular.
One of his bodyguards shadowed him close; holding an umbrella protecting Rai from the wet weather. The boss walked carefully down a small dirt pile where a white van sat waiting for orders. It was the same day Michael’s delivery came just a little earlier. The boss Bok was in the passenger seat along with a driver he wound the window down a little as Rai approached.
“Ready?” Rai asked.
“Ready?” Bok repeated over his shoulder.
From outside Rai heard the cocking of a dozen machine guns. Bok nodded. Rai tapped the van and the lights flicked on as it came to life and slowly began its descent down to the warehouse entry.
Rai turned to the two of his bodyguards in ponchos not holding umbrellas, “You two, get ready.” The two men quickly ran to two empty getaway cars waiting nearby.
He moved to a position where he could just make out everything below through the rain. Rai faintly heard the continuous van beeping and after a few moments through the binoculars he saw the large gates opening. The white van progressed through and came to a halt near the warehouse entrance. He saw two muzzle flashes and the gate openers slump to the ground as Bok quickly got out and opened the sliding door to the van.
Twelve heavily armed Korean’s stormed through the warehouse and a series of flashes and pops were heard, slightly camouflaged by the thunder and lightening. The two getaway cars quickly approached the warehouse; where the flashes and bangs had slowed down to random shots, which meant executions were being carried out.
The front warehouse door flew open as the getaway cars both turned around and reversed backwards. Armed men ran out with heavy bags slung around their shoulders. Both bodyguards popped the boots of the cars open and they were quickly filled with bags of drugs. Once full the armed men tapped the back of the cars to leave. It was done.
Michael stood in his kitchen waiting for the kettle to boil as Terrence sat at the kitchen bench on a high stool eating toast. Two guns were present on the food benches at the ready and no family was to be seen. The new boss had ordered them to move house as soon as he got wind of the warehouse hit.
“I should have fucking been there,” Michael said, his fingers turning white from gripping the butter knife he was using so hard.
Terrence stopped chewing, “You would be dead also, they left no one,” he said, still with a mouthful of buttered toast.
“We got to get out the game T,” Michael said, taking the kettle off the plate and pouring the hot water into two mugs.
“I only ever saw two ways out; death or jail, but maybe this is our chance to retire,” Terrence said.
“You ever get nervous?” Michael said, handing Terrence his mug.
“With the amount of fucking things I done, and police technology advancing by the day…of course I do,” Terrence said, as he blew onto the top of his boiling hot coffee to try and cool it.
Michael nodded as he stared at the kitchen bench, “That’s why now is the time to get out. I hope you been saving your money.”
“I’ll be right for a long time,” Terrence said, smugly.
“You know every day I still think about Angelo, and Brian,” Michael said.
“I didn’t feel nothing for Angelo,” he took a sip of his coffee, “That was just orders, but Brian was a good friend,” Terrence said.
“Rai out played all of us,” Michael said, emotionlessly.
“They always had the numbers, we just help them build up. Chuck was too blind with the whole Giuseppe thing, it was stupid wasting so much time on that little crew,” Terrence said.
“The Giuseppe’s used to be Contro. They took a beating from the government for years then the bikers, and finally Chuck came along,” Michael reminded Terrence.
“So are we going to send these mutts our resignation?” Terrence asked.
Sin sat in his car in the lower class neighborhood Samuele lived in. He rented a one-bedroom apartment alone and today his car was out front. The new capo finally mustered the courage to remove the keys from the ignition. He wiped his face with his hands and took a mouthful or water from the water bottle sitting in the centre console. He cocked his gun ready, put on his baseball cap, and left the car parked directly across from Sammy’s.
He knocked on the door four times, “Sammy open up it’s me,” Sin said, nervously.
The capo watched as a shadow flickered over the peephole, and the sound of a door chain unlocking was heard.
Samuele stood with his hair messed up, eyes still half closed, in a singlet and briefs and holding onto the television remote. “What’s up?” He asked, annoyed.
“Fuck you’re grumpy,” Sin said, waving around a rolled up edition of Contro Chronicles, “You read this?”
“It’s fucking early, I haven’t had time to be out and about,” Sammy said, as he let out a yawn.
“I’m kidding, what are you doing today?” Sin asked.
“My collections, why?” Samuele asked, suspiciously. Turning around he opened up a drawer in the kitchen and started fumbling around knives and forks.
Sin watched the back of his best friend fighting back the tears as he removed his gun from his jacket pocket, “Just wondering,” he said, his voice a little shaky.
“I didn’t think it would be you Sin,” Sammy said, his voice shaky also.
Sin’s hand began shaking and the gun was pointing all over the place. “What do you mean?” He asked trying to keep his voice calm.
“You never visit, all of a sudden you come around asking what I’m up to today? What in case I had plans with someone and they knew something was up?” Samuele spun around and fired a shot from the small pistol in his hand hitting the wall beside Sin.
Sin quickly fired a shot hitting Samuele directly in the eye and fired a second shot into his chest. The captain walked over to his best friend and looked at his bloody corpse one last time.
Albert breathed a sigh of relief as he made it inside of Tanya’s closely followed by Mike; who was struggling to put the umbrella down; the wind was fierce and threatened to snatch it from his hands. The rain belted down - forming pools outside on the surface, lightening flashed across the sky, trees whipped back and forth, while thunder made sure that this force of nature was heard.
“Hey Al,” Donny said, as soon as the Irishman saw the boss. He helped himself off the bar stool with the support of his cane.
“Don’t get up,” Al said waving him down.
“They’re over there,” Donny pointed to the far end of the venue where Carlos and Eddie sat waiting with warm drinks for the cold weather.
“Thanks, you need anything?” Albert asked.
Donny shook his head, “Nah I’m going upstairs to sleep.”
Mike took a seat at the bar while Albert made his way over to the only two captains present at the meeting. They both stood and greeted him respectfully as he approached. “We all put in and got the best lawyer looking into Alonzo’s case,” Carlos said, before Albert even sat down.
The boss nodded, “Any one heard from Sin?”
Eddie shook his head. Carlos shrugged, “I called my boy he said not to worry.”
Albert parted his thumb and index finger through his moustache as he thought about what to discuss. “Where’d you guys park? Fucking car park is flooded.”
Eddie shrugged, “My boy is still parking somewhere.”
Carlos laughed, “We parked across the road on the higher ground.”
Albert nodded, “Me too.”
“Hey Vincent,” Carlos called to his young associate sitting across from them at the bar.
“Yeah skipper?” Vincent asked.
“Take the umbrella and go check-“ Carlos stopped talking and his eyes darted to the front entrance door. Albert spun around in his chair.
The four men walked inside Willows dressed identical; they all wore black overalls that covered black long shirts, black gloves, and black balaclavas. One held a shotgun and the other three men raised their handguns.
Mike quickly pulled his revolver and let out a shot but was instantly dropped by a shotgun blast to the chest and multiple rounds from the other three shooters. The four shooters fanned out inside and Vincent dropped to the ground on the other side of the bar, scrambling for his handgun; dropped in the confusion.
The barmaids screamed hysterically as they dropped to the floor for cover and patrons ran about the bar looking for any other way out.
Everyone was in panic mode and the shooters continued firing, shattering glass everywhere. Albert was crouching behind a bar corner he and Carlos were hiding behind, while Eddie, in a fit of rage stood up and began firing rounds before being dropped by a bullet to the head.
“Vincent?” Carlos yelled over the gunfire.
“Yeah?” Vincent called back.
“Where the fuck are you?” Carlos fired two shots from around the table in the direction of the gunfire. The shooters were getting closer.
“Shooting at these fuckers!”
The side entrance door opened behind Albert and one of the security guards ran in with a shotgun raised. Albert quickly ran toward him to escape out the back door. In an instant the security guard plummeted forward just missing Albert. John walked in from the entrance door wearing a trench coat, with both hands equipped with semi-automatics.
The driver opened fire simultaneously from both weapons, both shots clear head strikes. Albert Giuseppe slumped to the floor a few feet away from the dead body of his bodyguard Mike. Carlos looked at his dead younger cousin in shock and reloaded his weapon. It was over.
“No!” Vincent cried, pleading. A volley of shots rang out and the sound of another body hitting the floor echoed throughout the pub.
John raised his guns at Carlos who maintained his own aim at the hitman. Everything went silent as the sound of someone hobbling down the stairs slowly put everything on edge. A shotgun blast rang out.
John looked surprised as the three balaclava clad men scurried out the front door another shot just managed to clip one on the shoulder on his way out. John gulped, who the fuck is this?
“Al?” Donny called, worried.
“He’s gone,” Carlos shouted, keeping his aim on John; who now had one gun fixed on Carlos and one on Donny.
“Drop it ya fucker,” Donny ordered.
I don’t take orders from you. Should I? “You drop it first,” John said, aiming his gun from Donny, to the floor.
“Fuck off,” Donny squeezed the trigger and at the same time so did John. The Irishman staggered back into a table and crashed onto his back. John had managed to miss getting hit and Carlos fired another shot that also missed. John fired both guns and the bullets struck just centimeters from where Carlos’s face was and then tucked his weapons away as he exited out the back door again.
Carlos gave chase and by the time he reached the side door he couldn’t see a thing out in the rain. The driver was gone.
Rai’s three bodyguards surrounded Fin the monster in the tiny one bedroom apartment. Furniture lay scattered everywhere from the struggle that had taken place.
“You treacherous dog!” Fin shouted, angrily at Rai who remained stone faced, hiding behind sunglasses.
The three bodyguards quickly rushed the tattooed brute. Fin picked the first one up and tossed him like a rag doll and then knocked out the second. The third slowed down and was more cautious having seen his two comrades disarmed to easily.
Fin did a dummy step causing the bodyguard to stumble a little, but regain balance.
“Soon as I’m finished with him, you’re next,” Fin said, glaring at Rai.
“I doubt it, but okay,” Rai said, smiling and lighting a cigarette.
The third bodyguard, Lor, punched Fin in the face barely causing any damage and the large man kicked him to the ground winding Lor.
Fin looked back up at Rai who was aiming a machine gun at him, “You said no weap-“ Fin was cut off by the heavy machine gun fire Rai emptied the clip making sure there was no chance of this life force coming back.
“That’s that,” Rai said, helping Lor to his feet; who then proceeded to help the other two.
“All your enemies are smoked now,” Lor said.
“They are,” Rai said, looking down on Fin, the man he had feared for so long was now a corpse, “Burn this place down.”
“I hope we’re still going to have a job,” Lor joked.
“You will.”
Michael and Terrence sat at the small sports bar drinking their retirement beers, watching the sports channel. “Two more,” Terrence ordered, as he placed down money on the bar. The side door creaked open and the wind chimes sounded, causing both men to look cautiously as they had done with every man that entered.
An old guy with white hair walked in and headed straight toward them, causing Terrence to feel in his jacket for his gun. Michael patted Terrence not to. They had a deal to carry their guns still but no killing or dealing. The older man sat two chairs away and looked around the bar as if searching for something.
“Help you?” The barmaid said, not even making eye contact as she wiped a glass dry.
“You got milkshakes?” The man asked.
“No.”
“Fuck, well then I suppose any beer will do,” He said.
“Which one?” The girl asked.
“You fucking deaf? I said any!” The old man slammed his hands down on the table, “I just got outside its nice enough to sit down in a bar I don’t give a fuck what beer you give me.”
“Relax pal,” Michael said, switching seats with Terrence to be closer to the man.
“Alicia, I got this one,” Michael said, pointing a thumb to the man.
“Thanks kid,” The man said.
“Names Michael,” Michael said, offering a hand.
“Domenic,” Domenic said, introducing himself.
The three men sat together watching the sports drinking beers and swapping stories eventually putting together the pieces of the puzzle and how they were sworn enemies. “Well I don’t know what I’ll do now the king is dead,” Domenic said, finishing his beer.
“I heard Carlos survived,” Michael said.
“He never liked me much, I was close with the brothers,” Domenic said, reminiscing.
“Not unless the three of us start something new,” Terrence said, smiling as he took another sip.
Michael raised his glass, “To getting back in the workforce.”
Carlos stood tall in his suit as dozens of people lined up to shake his hand at Albert Giuseppe’s funeral. Everyone was there from businessman, crooks, and even police were present; snapping photos. Sin stood to Carlos’s left and Salvatore to his right. While Alonzo Junior waited nearby with his younger brother.
The moment Carlos had been waiting for his entire life had arrived. He was finally the boss. Regrettably inheriting the position through the death of his cousin, but he would no longer be a shadow playing second best to the younger Giuseppes. The old school would survive another day and the young ones would learn their place at his table or suffer the wrath.
“Boy, make sure you tell that dog eater Rai I want a fucking word with him,” Carlos muttered into Salvatore’s ear.
“You got it pop.”
“Sin, first thing tomorrow go and pay Ted a visit make sure he hasn’t forgotten any arrangements Al had with him,” he said to Sin, as Ted walked away from shaking his hand.
“Sure thing boss,” Sin said, respectfully.
“Look at this kid,” Carlos nodded at Alonzo Junior who was angrily looking at everyone lining up to shake Carlos’s hand.
“He’s got a lot of built up anger,” Sin said.
“The kid has been through a lot his father just went back inside, we can put him to good use now with that anger,” Carlos said, smiling.
Sin pressed a finger to his lips trying to remember something, “One more thing, I just remembered.”
Carlos took off his designer sunglasses, wiped them and placed them back on, “Well spit it.”
“Domenic got in contact with me said he wanted a sit down with Michael, you know Chuck’s successor.”
Salvatore laughed, “You Wish, there is no succession there.”
“He fell for that old Temptress drug business,” Carlos said, shaking his head.
“I should have got him then and there, but I wanted your go ahead,” Sin said.
Carlos nodded, smiling as he shook the next persons hand, “You got my permission. That shit is Dirty Money.”
A/N: Check out Yeral's Short Story - Featuring Sammy, Agent Yeral, and Chuck's enforcer Philip.
http://www.wattpad.com/story/1181412-yeral-short-story