When every thing goes wrong.

Joker arrived in Vegas a day early, he wanted to catch up with a few old friends and check up on his holdings.  It was a busy day from jump, and the day would end at that same pace.  He was met by Tombstone and Hammerhead.  His store’s have been raided but they managed to get all his product out however they don’t have a secure place to store it all as the feds were raiding every location he had.  To add fuel to the fire the local cops on his payroll can’t be reached.  All this was told to him before he could  finish shaking their hands.   Joker laughed as he thought he was coming to relax, shake hands and kiss babies so to speak.  

He was scheduled to meet with several family members.  The idea was to enjoy the time, build stronger  bridges by laughing and joking and killing time with memories of their younger days.  He now understood that shit will always fall apart and life throws shit at you and you have to weather the storms.  He looked around and told Hammerhead to get two of the girls to rent a storage unit each and drop the product off in them.  He told Tombstone to keep the trucks moving until they get an address to load the product. 

He turned to Doc who was traveling with him to call all the local dealers to get their shipments early or go without for a month or two.  This was all hands on board.  Joker saw that Tombstone was still standing there and asked what was the problem now.  He replied that they have to have a leak for all this to happen.  Joker smirked and replied back no shit we’ll find the cock sucker and sever his motha f’n head off.   Joker walked with them to the car and they drove to his hotel where the Local cops were waiting.  He knew they were there for him so he told them to let him out and to drive to another nearby hotel.

Stepping out of the long dark blue sedan and walking into the arms of the local police they told him that the gambling commission has issued a three days closing of his casino’s and a new audit and he is not allowed near any casino in vegas until the investigation is complete and a determination rendered.  Joker looked at the Cop and took the writ and looked at the name of the prick that signed it.   It was the Governor,  Joker cursed the name Carville, his hand picked man betrayed him.  Joker would get his revenge later when CarVille wanted to run for reelection and the Joker tells him no and that all the funding will go to someone else more loyal.  

Joker walked away from the cops, spotting a taxi he waved it down and jumped in and went to a nearby hotel that didn’t have a casino attached to it.  Joker was now pissed that the hotel looked like shit.  The hotels away from the casinos were not the best. Why should they be,  most of the people staying were broke and could no longer afford to stay at the casino’s.  Joker looked around and said fuck that he got back into the taxi and asked what was the best hotel that didn’t have a casino.  Off they went and then the Joker told the driver to change direction and gave him an address to a friend's home.  

The next morning Joker woke up reaching for his black book and then his pistols as the sound of gunfire rang out.   Looking carefully out the window he saw that  It was kids playing with fireworks down the street.  He shook his head and went into the bathroom and took a long hot shower to start the new day.  He was going to find out who was after him and why.  To his surprise it was not who he thought it was.  

The table is starting to turn   

Joker walked out of his apartment with Hammerhead, Tombstone was in the car with William Fisk.  Joker's first task was to find the police captain on his payroll to find out who was calling the shots that got all his spots hot by the feds and local cops.  They drove to the captain’s house and waited for the captain to come out or for the wife to drive the kids to school. 

The officer walked out and got into his car.  They followed behind him and the officer pulled into a parking lot and walked into a restaurant.  They parked next to him and waited for him to come back.  When he returned he found Joker sitting on the trunk of his car.   He greeted the officer and before he could speak a word he saw Tombstone and Hammerhead standing next to him one on the left side and the other on the right side.  Joker stood up and then adjusted the officer's neck tie.  

The officer stuttered as he held his hands up.  Joker told him to put his hands down; this was just a question and answer session.  The officer explained why they had to raid his spots.  The feds gave him a list and told him to hit the spots on the list.   They had no choice and he did call to give them warning to clear everything out everywhere.  Joker asked for the officer's name and current location.   The name given was Tom Baker and he was still in Vegas.  

Joker laughed and said he’s in Vegas and asked where in vegas.   Before the officer could say Joker told him to get in the car.  He will follow behind him and should he do anything stupid the two men with him will correct his mistake.  Joker got in the car with Fisk and they followed the Officer.   Joker told Fisk that the Captain will keep his job at a reduced salary and should he disappoint me again he will have to retire. 

They made it to the feds apartment on the strip and they walked to his door but the fed wasn’t home.  Tombstone picked the lock and they walked in and lightly searched the place they found a large brown envelope with instructions on where to raid and a dossier on the Joker.   Joker looked it over and it had great details but nothing specific that would destroy his business.  They put everything back and walked away.  The officer was told to get the details behind how they got their information.   

The officer came to see the Joker later that day with a name, that name was Alexander Cora.  Joker asked how he came by that name?   The Officer said that he heard the fed make a call to that name and the man on the other end had the fed explaining that they found nothing and that they did hit all the locations given.  The fed looked nervous when he was done and then packed up and pulled his agents with him.  They were heading back to DC.  Joker nodded and the officer left.   Joker looked at the men with him.  Alexander Cora was an old friend that once upon a time they did a lot of work together.  Then one day they had a falling out when Alex chose to go with Bernie Wineburger.  Joker stayed with the five points gang.  

Alexander was very rich and grew to be very powerful businessmen.  Joker needed to find out why he would come after him.  They haven’t spoken to each other in ten years and when they parted ways they didn’t owe each other anything.   Joker was upset that he couldn’t figure out the puzzle but he knew someone Alexandra cared about.  Joker told them that they needed to find a young arrogant bastard named Sebastian.   He thinks of himself as a pimp that all women love and the smartest man in the room. If he resist beat the fuck out of him.  He has two women with him at all times; they are his bodyguards and that they are fully capable women.   Joker warned them not to underestimate them.  Tombstone and Fisk were ready for a little action.  Hammerhead was told to go with them while the Joker called in Doc and Whispers from Philly.  

Several days had come and gone and Sebastan was enjoying his time as a guest of the Joker.  Sebastian explained that Alex only wanted to make his presence felt and let the Joker know that he was there for business and that if they were to go toe to toe he could fuck up everything the Joker had going on.   Joker explained that he wanted to let Alex understand that if Alex wanted to make a go that those he loved would be the first to go.  

Joker released Sebastian with a personal message that when they last parted ways they were friends this display of power to introduce his return was overkill and now the friendship is on the cusp of breaking and that he may remember that there is a dam good reason why they call him The-Big-mother-fucking- Joker.  The next move is on him but another move to hurt him would indicate his true intentions and he would be met with overwhelming force friend or foe. 

Fisk was happy to release Sebastian, Fisk thought that the man should be taken out back and chopped into non-existence.  Tombstone wanted to shoot Sebastian until there was no trace that the man lived and the remains of his body could not be made out by the medical forensic department.   Joker released him because he didn’t want a war with an old friend that was as nutty as he was.  

Joker sat behind his desk as Doc was flying around the world with Hammerhead making connections with everyone that they would need to handle this new onslaught that was coming towards the business.  Joker had him making these contacts slowly and steady.  Alex was never one to take over and build a team he ruled in complete fear and fear leads to hatred and those that served under him hated him deeply.  Joker wanted to end this problem by taking everything he built and returning it back to the original crafters and only retain a small ten percent finders fee.  

Joker's plan was to not  fire a shot, but to take his business and money away and make Alex into a helpless, homeless man.  To have him arrested and while in the joint have him watched by the inmates until he ends his own life.  To raise his children as his own and as for his wife he would give her the choice to leave, stay with Alex or join him at his side.  To send Alex a picture each year with him in his house with his family surrounding him with hugs and smiles.  Joker wanted to break him mentally and spiritually, the inmate to break him physically.  

Tombstone didn’t know the Joker’s plan but he knew that the Joker plan would be sadistic.   Joker knew that he would leave Alex with two options.  Joker was getting into the mind of Alex.  Alex would have to look at the release of Sebastian as a sign of weakness, and underestimate him thinking that Joker was weak and fearful and could overtake the Joker operations easily.  Or he would wonder what was the Joker up to and spend countless hours watching the Jokers operate.  To cover his moves he had his people working buying property and changing up locations.  Joker was also buying up spots that he knew Alex might need later as he grew his own operation.   

Joker spent time figuring out what brought Alex back to the states.  The only thing new that coincided was the forced move to sell meth.  The Joker’s end on that business was small.  Five percent for connecting with The Hells Angels to cover the midwest and west coast, The Mexican and Cuban cartels.  The Cubans operated in Florida and Georgia.  Joker himself was not moving the product nor was part of the security of it.  His job was to keep those three parties happy, relay issues to the commission and collect his taste.