A large procession gathers in the chill weather at the corner of 92^nd and 3^rd Avenue, on the Upper East Side, dressed in black, the women having veils draped from the brims of their wide hats. An enormous brass band is tuning up to one side, dressed all in white, their instruments gleaming with a brilliance that reflects the light, lending an almost ethereal glow about the group. A feeling of festival infuses the crowd. The racuous sound of the band overwhelms most of the voices, though the large black man at the front of the group holds up his blinding white gloved hands to get their attention. Slowly they gather, arranging themselves into rigid lines, the talking ceased, their instruments silent, for now.

Slowly he lifts his hands, one holding a slender wooden baton, and the players raised their instruments at the same time, the movement focused solely on the brass and woodwinds, and the white gloved hands. As he lowers his hands, the band begins to play St James Infirmary, and a small knot of singers to the left begin to sing, their melodious vocals shivering, mingling with the haunting notes of the trumpets and tubas.

Louis Armstrong steps out of the knot to the stunned gasps of the mourners, and, smiling, begins to sing.

"I went down to the St. James Infirmary
I saw my baby there,
She's laid out on a cold white table,
So so cold, so white, so fair."

The group behind him chimes in with the chorus as the entire procession begins to move down the road, their steps in perfect time, tapping the beat on the street.

"Let her go, let her go, God bless her;
Wherever she may be
She may search this wide world over
She'll never find a sweet man like me."
Oh, when I die, bury me
In my high top Stetson hat;
Put a twenty-dollar gold piece on my watch chain
God'll know I died standin' pat.”

Ariadne, her tear-streaked face hidden behind a thin black veil, steps in time with the band, her hands clasping a gris-gris, a rosary, and several magnolia blossoms. A smile brightens her sad face, and she begins to sing along with Mr. Armstrong on the next verse, glancing back to see family members gathering in the wake of the procession.

“I want six crap shooters for pall bearers.
Chorus girl to sing me a song.
Put a jazz band on my hearse wagon.
Raise Hell as I roll along.

Roll out your rubber tired carriage,
Roll out your old time hat.
Twelve men going to the graveyard
And eleven coming back.

Now that I've told my story,
I'll take another shot of booze.
And if anyone should happen to ask you,
I've got those gamblers' blues.”

The procession stops in front of the tall, imposing gates of the NorCo compound, liveried doorman standing to either side of the huge entry. Ariadne steps to Louis Armstrong's side, going up on tip toes to kiss his cheek. He pats the side of her face with a warm smile and then takes her hand as they walk forward. Stepping up onto a soap box, she speaks.

 "Ladies and Gentlemen, we gather here today to celebrate New Orleans, though it's closed to us for now, we know it will rise again, some day. Until then, please, avail yourselves of our transplanted southern hospitality."

She waves to large tables at the left of the gates, draped in funeral black and groaning with massive amounts of quitessential southern foods, from red beans and rice to boudin, the tables bracketed by large steaming kettles of gumbo, the melange of spices, seafood and fried chicken grabbing the senses.

"Please, eat, help yourselves as we say adieu to that beautiful, shimmering jewel of the South!"

Captious grabbed some shrimp and went to a corner to sulk.

It's fucking cold here.

I know, Captious, I know...makes me miss them stinking damned swamps all the more, you hear me?

What was that I heard they got gators in the sewers up here?  They can't be as big as ole Atchafalaya Arnie, eh?  Or mebbe One Eye....Big Head....I don't think these New York types know what a big gator can do.

<em> Wiping the tears from her face, Roksana walks over. Giving Captious a quick hug, she turns back. </em>

Yes, we are used to the sunshine and warmth of our beloved Nawlins. Yes, we are gonna miss the strangeness and beauty of our old home. 

I know I will always remember where I came from, but it's time to move forward. To see what New York can give us. 

I guess you can look at it as an excuse to go on a shopping spree, Cap! <em> winks </em>

arathorn walks up to the crowd with his bacardi in hand and says this is not cold!

Luigi greets the mobsters assembled and then dives directly for the food, as soon as his appetite is satisfied he goes over to ariadne and captious3.

Look ladies change is almost always for the better, if nothing else atleast theres whores up here i havent been on...yet.

Luigi raises his glass

To good old new orleans and to new york becoming our new nesting place...cheers people

*Epsilon takes a look around, breathing in the fresh New Orleans air for the last time, this was a difficult moment for him saying goodbye to a city that had been so special to his lineage*

My great great great grandfather first came to work on these streets for a certain Father_TeQ some many years ago, later in that lineage my family was afforded the opportunity to set up an office of their own in this grand city. I knew this day was coming, I knew of the changes that were coming to our world, I just didn't realise how hard it was going to be saying goodbye to a city; a home; that had given me so much.

*Epsilon walks over to Ariadne placing a hand on her shoulder, no words were exchanged but the pain was felt by them both; they knew there was no coming back after today. Epsilon took one last long look at the NORCo offices, the paint was peeling, the roof cracked, nothing worked.... he loved it here. He turned slowly and began to speak*

With every great loss comes a great opportunity, our world is changing. Business is going to boom, more drug competition, operations expanding into multiple areas of more established cities, there was going to be a lot of work to get done, and little time to sit here and remember what was. I will never forget this place, but it is time to go...

*Epsilon takes his first step away from the old building, his cab was already here... The airport and the bright lights of New York awaited*