People have a hard time believing that a young boy could leave his home, leaving his mother and siblings behind, and travel over the vast ocean to a new country, to search for his father, but instead being told that he has been killed, and set off to find his killer. 
But it did happen, even though 
      

He was just 14 years old when he received the news, that his father had cowardly been shot down in Chicago, and robbed of his car, and life savings.

It was a cold night when he arrived in Chicago, the street were deserted, covered with a tiny layer of snow.
He had just enough money for the hotel room and couldn't afford a cab, so he started walking towards the direction he was told that would be the city center, searching for the hotel he had been told about. 

The cold had started to get to him when he saw the sign identifying the hotel:

Monarch Hotel

He noticed a shape in the street behind the busted-out porch railing of a three-story building.
When he got closer he saw the crumpled shape of a body.
A car drives by and he notices two men in the back seat, each of them holding long-barreled rifles, the car disappears into the falling snow.

He continues inside and checks in under the name *Primus* 

It took just a few minutes before the phone in his hotel room started ringing.
- Be ready in 15 minutes, I've sent a car to pick you up outside. *The voice told him*

The body, wrapped in a shroud, was in the coffin.

- He was shot point blank, from behind, said NiNe
- Have they found him yet?
- No, we ain't found him yet. Ain't caught up to him, he left town and went to Detroit. We've heard that he is employed by a family there.
- Have we sent anyone there to Detroit?
- We sent two guys, both were killed same day that they arrived. There is a lock-down in Detroit right now, they shoot first ask questions later for anyone they don't recognize

- Ok, Make sure that my father's body's transported to the port and accompany it back home.

- Yes brother, will do

- I will have to stay here a few days.
- I don't think the family wants you to stay in this town by yourself.

- It can't be helped. I still have to collect my father's debts and see to some other business, It is business the family doesn't know about. 
- Alright, I leave three of my soldiers with you.

Emeritus and NiNe exchanged some last words in private before Emeritus went back to the car, three of NiNe's soldiers, all of them wearing dark suits were already standing there next to the car waiting for his orders.

- "We have any local people in Detroit at all that can track him down?"  [Emeritus asked the driver]

- "We have a contractor there." 
- "Nothing more? Outsource it then, put the word out in Detroit and a huge reward, dead or alive or any info about his whereabouts.
He is in Detroit and at the moment we have no eyes there, so lets those familiar with the area to track him down and take care of him."
- "Yes sir, I will see to it today" 

The main street was crowded with christmas shoppers this Saturday afternoon, seeing all those people reminded him of his own family, he could barely remember the last time when his entire family got together to celebrate christmas.

- "Drop me off in front of that christmas tree. Go get yourselves something warm to drink and I'll see you back here in 30 mins." 

Emeritus went around the corner, into an ally.
He nodded at the two older men, standing next to a fireplace, they all seemed to know each other.

- Is Kavkaz In?
- Yeah, just saw him go in.

He went inside.
It took a while for him to finally find his apartment. There were no numbers on the doors and every door looked exactly the same.
He rapped at a door and waited for some sort of response but there was none.
He rapped even harder, being sure that it was heard, but still no answer.

[He opened the mail slot:]

- "Stop being so paranoid and open up, it's me. We need to talk." 
- "I'm busy, I've got prior business to take care of. 
- "Yeah, so I've been told, you have been at it for quite some time." 
- "There is no clock on my business! To hell with you!  How did you find me here?!"
- "We're blood, why wouldn't I know where to find you? Open up now, we have to talk, It's about your brother."

The door got unlocked and was shortly followed by the sound of steps walking away from the door.
When realizing that Kavkaz had only unlocked it and left him to open it himself, Emeritus opened and entered.

- A tragic thing. He impressed me with his manly qualities. A gentleman he was.
- I need your help, I need you to ride one last time.
- That, I fear, is out of the question. Your father bought it on himself and paid for it with his life and there is an end of it.
- As much as I respect you, I can't accept this, this is NOT business as usual , this is very personal, you're his brother. I'll let you sleep on it, and let it mature. I'll come by tomorrow again and I hope that you've changed your mind. 

There was a single knock on his door... "Excuse me sir"

- "yes?" 
- "Sorry to bother you sir, but there is an older lady downstairs asking about you"  

He recognized the old lady as soon as he came down to the lobby and so did she. She hugged him and crushed him to her bosom.

- Oh My poor child. My poor child. Will you be staying with us or are you heading home to your mother?
- I am staying briefly. I have some business with uncle Kavkaz. I met him in yesterday but didn't have time to talk things through properly. I mean to convince him to hunt down father's killer
- Well god bless him for that, [she hands Emeritus a bag] ... This was in your father's room.

He opens the bag and inside there is a watch, a knife, and two semi-automatic pistols.

Russian voices echo from outside the hotel, and they increase in volume.
Uncle Kavkaz enters, without looking up, from the cigarette he is trying to roll, he starts walking towards the table where Emeritus is sitting and sits next to him...

- Glad to see you uncle, you have an answers for me?
[Kavkaz is still struggling to roll the cigarette] 

- Let me do that. [He takes the fixing and rolls, licks, and twists the cigarette]
- What exactly is it that you want boy? Speak up!
- I want you to go to Detroit and track down the ass hole who killed my father. I've been told that he is a soldier for a family over there and I need somebody to go after him.

[He lits the cigarette and hands it back to his uncle]

-  There is a police warrant out for him.
You will be paid 1500 dollars for bringing him dead or alive or evidence of him being dead. On top of that, the family will pay you 5000 dollars and cover your expenses. 

[He picks up the bag and puts it on the table]

- You have free hands and artistic creativity when it comes to how you will kill him, but I DO have a request... well more of a condition...

[He opens the bag, hands him the bag, and continues]

- I want you to use my father's guns and knife and I want him to know why he is being killed by who's order.
- Well, these will do the job, but I'm bringing my own stash as well. Better safe than sorry.
- I have a contract with a few cops in Detroit and one of them will pick you up once you arrive.

Emeritus stood up while fixing up his suit.
He hands Kavkaz a brown envelope, "You will need this in ND," and starts walking upstairs back to his room.

- "By the way, you'll be leaving tonight. Your tickets are in that envelope."

Looking outside of the windows Emeritus attention was drawn by a man sitting in a car on the other side, it seemed like he was watching the hotel.
      
He asked the bellboy if anyone else had checked in there recently?

- "Yes sir, yesterday, a gentleman checked in, he asked for a room on the second-floor." 
- "Is it the man sitting in that car over there?"

[The bellboy leaned outside over the window to get a better view]

- " Yes sir it's him"
 - "show me to his room, and bring the extra keys" 

It was getting pretty dark outside, Emeritus heard steps in the corridor, getting closer to the room on the second floor.
The steps were heavy, yet kept a descent pace.
The door got unlocked and a man came in.
He wasn't that much surprised when he saw Emeritus sitting in a chair in the corner waiting for him.

- Why are you watching the hotel?

- My name is Stylianos. I arrived from Detroit last night.
- I don't know any greeks, what's your business with me?

[Stylianos takes a small photograph from his coat and hands it to Emeritus...]

      
- "I believe this man is the one you came to Chicago for and are looking for."
- "Lets pretend that I don't know what you're talking about, so go ahead and explain for me how you ended up in Chicago and this hotel room." 

- He is called Rex, I believe, though in the months I have been tracking him he has used other names. I have been tracking him for a few months, before that incident in Detroit, which involved your father.
- So, what's the reason for you running tabs on him? Can't be because of my father I reckon. Emeritus asked
- He didn't like the idea of being looked over when his Don picked a new Capo so he shot and killed that Capo and left Dallas, long story short, he ended up in Detroit." 

[Emeritus tips back in his chair and draws back his coat to display a gun.]

- So, are you some kind of a bounty hunter?
- Yes sir, the family in Dallas has put out a reward for him, he says and coughs.

- I hold out little hope for you earning your bounty without my help, so my suggestion is that you throw in with us.
- Well, it sounds rational and I reckon It'll be to our mutual advantage. I know Rex and It requires more than one man to take him down, Stylianos said while continuing to cough.

[Emeritus stands up and walks towards the door... before he leaves the room he turns around;]

- You better look in to that coughing of yours. The winters here are not merciful... *He says before closing the door after himself


[Meanwhile in Detroit...]

Kavkaz arrived in Detroit train station, ripped open the envelope given to him back in Chicago, as instructed on the envelope:

"Open when in Detroit".

...It contained a key to a locker in the train station.

A short detour to the locker storage before walking out from the station with a bag, 
He walks to the nearest cab parked outside the entrance

- Where to mister?
- Downtown.

*Kavkaz hears the church bell clanging from distance as he reaches the local Russian pub, Pravda.
Even before entering he can hear the balalaika music and the guests singing Christmas songs.*

The older man behind the counter recognizes him:
 

- "Moy brat, what brings you to this corner of the world?"... he smiles and shakes his hand 

- "Do we have go through this again?" He says smiling back 

*They walk to the back office* 

"You need to be careful, and want to be inside during daylight and move around at dark, this is his territory, and he is in his element. They have the cops in their pockets and you are all alone out here in Detroit."

*He opens the safe*

"Here is some money for your expanses while here, you go get some rest now. We've got a couple of locals out there looking for him, we will extract a plan once we know where he is."

*Kavkaz pulls out the envelope from his pocket and looks at the picture inside and reads it one last time before burning up its content and returning to the bed, he lays down, closes his eyes and drifts away.*

The two first knocks fail to awaken Kavkaz. They are followed by another two, but this time a lot harder this time and result in Kavkaz waking up.

- "Are you awake?"
- "Yes yes, come in."

The old man enters the room accompanied by a pale skinned man with black hair.

- "This is Nima, he'll be working with you during the time you are our guest. Orders from Chicago... but right now I need you to go downstairs, we've got someone in the basement who needs help to talk."

Down in the basement Kavkaz finds a bruised man tied to a chair, bleeding from his nose.
He puts on his black leather gloves as he walks to him... abruptly grabs him by the hair and pulls him to the ground.

"- I've got no time and it is time for you to talk. Where is Rex holding up? Where is his safe house?"
"- As I told your friend over there; Go fuck yourself, and while you're at it fuck your family.

Kavkaz walk behind him, hooks his two fingers and shoves them in the mans nose and pulls him down to the floor, and drags him through the room to the other side... near the fireplace.

- "Now, let's see what tune you sing, shall we?!"... Kavkaz pulls out the branding iron from the fire.

The man starts kicking, vainly trying to hold Kavkaz at bay but without any result as he is held down by three big russian men.
      
- "Your final chance, speak now or forever hold your peace."
- "Fuck you."
- "Take of his shoes, cut off both his pinkies and let his feet roast in the fire, I need to make a call to Chicago"
... Says Kavkaz and goes upstairs.

One couldn't help but hearing the screams coming from downstairs.
It wasn't clear what the conversation with Chicago was about, but the seriousness of the conversation could be read from Kavkaz facial expression.
He couldn't hold his cool anymore, he poured himself a drink and went back down...
By then the smell of burning human flesh had filled the basement.

- "I'll kill every one of you motherfuckers if it's the last thing I do, He and the rest of you cock suckers are going to pay for what you did to my brother."

Kavkaz uttered something in Russian, Nima and another guy grabbed a hold of the man and carried him back to the chair and tied him down to the chair again.

- "For every second I waste in this fucking city, I'll make sure that you experience hell and suffer you cocksucker. Once I'm done with you, you'll beg me to let you die quickly.

He grabbed two long needles from his bag and pushed them in his eardrum. A painful scream filled the basement.
He was still screaming while bleeding from the ears when Kavkaz picked up a knife from the bag and started to cut off his eyelids.

- "SCREAM LOUDER! I love listening to you screamin'. Oh, what a sweet music it is. Now you'll have to watch me do it to you, I want you to know that it's me, that I'm the one who is doing it to you. Me! I guarantee you'll tell me what I want to hear or else you'll regret the day you ever met me!"

Snowflakes are falling down on Kavkaz and Stylianos while they are standing on the balcony...

- 'Has Rex been seen?'
- 'No, but we saw Gill Hayes a few hours ago, we saw him shopping, he is a foot soldier for the same family that Rex is working for, we tailed him to a house one block away. He was here buying supplies, with this...'
      
He flips a silver pocket watch to Kavkaz. It had an orthodox cross cut- out in the middle.

- 'This watch belonged to my brother'
- 'Are you sure?'
- 'Yes, it has the names of his two dogs'

Kavkaz and the Greek drive along a barely defined road.
They approach the building and when trying to knock they notice that the it's unlocked.
Once inside their discover that man is hanging from the ceiling.

It doesn't take them more than a few steps inside the apartment before they hear a distant car honk.
Kavkaz stops.

- 'I knew it.'
- 'Knew what?'
- 'We're being followed, I asked the driver to signal with a honk if anyone entered the building.'

Muffled steps from downstairs--more than one person.
Kavkaz takes a few steps to the side of the door, kneels down, raising his pistol and aim it at the stairway.

- Who is out there?
- We want to talk to you.
- There is nothing to talk about!

Suddenly: Two men rush up the stairs and open fire while continuing the run...  Nothing that two shotgun blasts couldn't stop.
The steps stop, Kavkaz  quickly opens the door and another two shots are fired.
A scream of pain is heard fromt he staires.
      
- You son-of-a-bitch!
- Are you Rex?
- I don't know any Rex.
- Listen you asshole, I know it is you! 

Kavkaz waits, sitting next to the door, looking outside, guarding the stairs.

- "My name is Foster, this is the police who is in there? Speak up.

- "None of your business! Leave or more of you will die!"
- "Who is in there with you? 

- "Not that son of a bitch you're looking for..."
- We've got the building surrounded and in one minute we will burn it down, come out with your hands on your head and if you're not those we are looking for, you will not be harmed and. 

Kavkaz looks outside the window, searching for a escape route, but seeing half a dozen of police officers outside, made him change his mind.
      
- "Tell your men to be careful with their guns! We are coming out!
      
The door opens, a shotgun and two revolvers are tossed out... Moments later Kavkaz and the greek are both handcuffed and taken down to the car waiting for them outside.

- 'We were told that people were seen going into this building and we thought it was Rex'... said the police officer while uncuffing them. 
- 'I once heard that you cops were dumb, and apparently you guys remain true to form.'
- 'You have to apologize my men, we didn't know who was in there, and they are a bit edgy since we had cops executed in broad daylight. There used to be peace in this part of town, but recently we've started to see a new more raw form of violence hitting our street  this Rex fella seems to have brought it with him from West Coast.

As they walked out the police station, approaching the car parked outside with the engine running, Kavkaz recognized Emeritus sitting in the back.

- What brings you to Detroit nephew.

- We had a call from our friends about your minor setback... he replied and nodded at the driver... And also Rex seems to be climbing the chain of command here in Detroit. Have you heard of Ned?" 

- Ned? No, I haven't.
- I'm surprised you don't remember him. 
      
Emeritus hands Kavkaz a picture,and continues;
      
- He arrived from New York yesterday and he has brought a few soldiers with himself, and might be running with Rex. A short skinny fellow, nervous and his face is all messed up.

- No, it still doesn't bring anybody to mind, I would remember an ugly face like this... 

- We don't know where they are but we have our local boys here searching, we should know by tomorrow. Then you'll have two days to clear them out from the territory, no witnesses.

      
Kavkaz shrugs.

Nima flipped his knife lightly in the air and grabbed it with blade pointing opposite-wise, before plunging the knife with brute force into the chest of police officer coming out of the building, forcing him back inside.
      
Kavkaz pulls out his gun while entering the building and fires at the other cop coming down the stairs, the cop jerks back towards the wall, hit in the face and slides awkwardly down the wall.

The first cop on the floor with the knife in his chest is moaning; 
- "Oh god, I am dying!"

Kavkaz and Nima walk over to him.

- Do something! Help me! Don't leave me lying here! I deserve better than this.
- I'll make sure that you are buried right. when you tell me about Rex. Where is he?
- Fifth floor, last door to your right. They are four of them inside.

Kavkaz takes out the magazine on his second pistol and starts putting bullets into it while taking the stair to the fifth floor, constantly looking up ahead. 

      
- What do we do now? Nima asks.
      
Kavkaz takes out a pack of gum, unwraps it and starts to chew.
      
- Now we wait. Til they get out, so that we get them all in one wave. We will kill down to the last one.
- We wont take any of them alive back to Chicago?
- I doubt it, we shoot them as they come out blazing, let's hope that with the first down it will take the starch out of the rest of them.