A dark room, for dark talk. That's how Achilles liked it. Deep in thought, eyes transfixed on the single flickering flame coming from the candle at the centre of the table. Shaking himself out of his trance he looked around at the dimly lit faces sitting around the table. Each family head and their hands were present, silently waiting for the meeting to begin. A couple of Made Men from each family stood watch outside and once everyone was present Achilles gave the signal to close the doors. Orders were to keep the doors locked until told otherwise, the Philly heads had business to attend to.

Once the sound of the doors shutting had died out, the room was in complete silence and Achilles cleared his throat.

"You all know why we're here. The situation between ourselves and the current Godfathers have changed somewhat. After telling us they are retiring, they've demanded $300,000,000 from us before they're willing to budge."

A loud murmur was heard throughout the room as those present revealed their disgust at the demands.

"Although it would be a nice retirement gift for the old guys, it's an insult to the three family heads who have been running the districts these past weeks. For me, there's only one way to go about dealing with this but the decision is ultimately up to yourselves. Gravity, Inertia and Whatsername. You three control the current districts but with the Godfathers unwilling to relinquish their titles you will remain Dons in the eyes of the community until either the $100,000,000 they each demand is met, or they go on to the next life."

A silence then fell on the room. Each family head deep in thought on what should be done while their hands sat quietly wondering what their leader would decide. Finally, they spoke...

Don Gravity cleared his throat and was the first to comment:

"The Smith & Wesson family feel these demands are an insult. We plan to take out the Godfather at the earliest opportunity."

Secondly Don Inertia commented: 

"Off on a Tangent echo this statement. What the Godfathers have demanded from us is ridiculous, it's time to take matters into our own hands.

Don Whatsername listened to the others and noded in agreement:

"The Mountains Beyond have also decided it is in their best interests to take on the Godfather of South Philly in order to claim it as our own."

Achilles had expected this reaction, it wasn't wise to try and extort the three strongest Dons in Philly. He saw the resolve in their eyes and spoke up:

"Then it's settled. We will conduct a synchronized attack on the current Godfathers tonight. Have your men ready and line any pockets needed to keep the cops out the way for an hour or two. When everyone is ready, you will be given the nod and we move. The meeting's concluded, start preparing."

The sound of chairs scraping the ground accompanied the upper structures from each family as they got up from the table and headed to their waiting cars outside. Heading off to contact whoever it was they needed to. It was certain that blood would be shed this night...

Whatsername left the meeting and told the guys to get everyone together. She had a plan but everyone had to be a part of it. She told them to get everyone to meet her at the headquarters in an hour. She needed time to go over the details in her head and calm her nerves. This was going to be the biggest night of her life; everything had to go as planned.

An hour later as the residents of South Philly all came together, Whatsername stood at the head of the room dressed in her best pants and blouse. Once everyone had taken a seat she started” The current Godfather of South Philly wants $100 million dollars to retire and leave us his business here. I’ve thought it over and spoken with Tetley and Curtis; I’m going to give him what he wants.” Whatsername smiled at the bewildered faces around the room and then continued. “Well I’m going to let him think he’s getting what he wants. That’s why I need you guys.”

Whatsername turned to the associates on the right side of the room. “You guys will go keep the cops away. A meeting with the upper structure of our organization and theirs will turn some heads. Line some pockets, buy their kids some toys for Christmas, whatever it takes to keep them out of our way tonight.”

She then looked to the made men on the left side of the room.  “We will need six cars. You will be our drivers and look outs. We will arrive in one limo but the other five cars will have to arrive as soon as we’re inside.”

“Does everyone know their jobs so far?” Everyone nodded and wondered what exactly Whatsername had planned. They knew they’d all find out with time and needed to do their parts well. “Okay off you go, I will work the rest of the details out here with Satanta, Curtis, Tetley, Achilles and Utopia”

Later that evening Whatsername and the five men climbed into the waiting limo. She continued to explain en route to an old warehouse. “I have invited the Godfather to this abandoned building for a last sit down meeting. I have the money in this brief case. He and I will enter a room; I have asked my personal chef to prepare a wonderful meal. The Godfather cannot resist good food and he cannot resist his ego being stroked. I have told him, he and I will have a good bye meal just the two of us. After which I will give him his money and he can retire off to some island. Just wait for my cue; I will not have a gun. When you hear my cue, you take out the five he has brought with him and will we all leave in separate vehicles. Meet me back at my place.”

Whatsername and her five men stepped out of the car and walked into the warehouse. The Godfather stood inside with his five men. He looked inside the briefcase and the money all appeared to be there. His right hand man patted down Whatsername ensuring she had no weapon and Tetley did the same to the Godfather. Once both hands were happy that no guns were being brought into the room Whatsername and the Godfather entered, closing the door behind them.

The two had a glass of wine and began eating the beautiful dinner. Whatsername had requested the Godfather’s favourite from her chef: spaghetti, asparagus and prime rib. As the two visited Whatsername glanced over at the Godfather. “Sir you have some sauce on your face”. Whatsername watched as the Godfather wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin that had been placed in front of him. “Sir you seemed to have missed it, here let me help you.” Whatsername rose and walked to the other side of the table. She stood over the Godfather and reached down to the table. Her hand quickly went past the napkin and straight to the extra sharp steak knife. In a quick and swift movement she cut the throat of the Godfather sitting below her. She loudly remarked “There I think I got it all”. Her men knew what to do with that cue, Whatsername picked up the briefcase and hurried out the back entrance to the car sitting waiting for her.

As Inertia walked out of the room, the cogs in her brain were already moving.

She had anticipated that things might come to this when she was first sent here to help grow this city. Bella Vista’s Godfather, Sabella, welcomed her on her arrival. He was clearly eager to have someone around to do all the heavy lifting and pounding of the pavement, while he sat back in his plush office relaxed and carefree. Inertia has always been a patient, gracious, and loyal soul, but Sabella’s callous attitude had begun to wear down her resolve. Her loyalty after all was not to this man, but those who believed in her and sent her here in the first place.

Soon after arriving to Philadelphia, she had brought the man cakes and sweets for a daily tradition of afternoon tea. Inertia always had enjoyed baking, and Sabella had a weak spot for all things sweet. This was clear from her first meeting with him, when he had put five spoons of sugar in his cappuccino. At first, the food she brought were innocent enough, an offering to pave the way for her crew to get settled in Bella Vista. But as she felt she was getting taken advantaged of for her sweet nature, she began to get vengeful. If he was going to sit around on his arse all day, being served hand and foot and barely paying attention to any of the problems in Bella Vista, he should not be allowed to be comfortable doing it!

First it began with low dosages of arsenic mixed into the batter of her cakes. Just to give him some headaches and digestion problems. Nothing overly toxic. But as she resented him more and more, the doses crept up, to the point he began to excessively sweat, started to vomit, and lose his prized dark, allbeit dyed, black hair. As he grew more and more ashen every day, Inertia had moved on to slipping the poison into his tea as she made pleasant small talk with the sick man. she would console him and tut along when he complained of his ailments.

Inertia knew that poisoning was always looked down on as a method of murder, deemed a woman’s weapon. But, to poison someone slowly, well it took patience, intelligence, and planning. As the heavy metal worked through Sabella’s system, his men began to listen to her orders. Her crew grew and began to be the ones other mobsters of Bella Vista deferred to. In Sabella’s weakness, Inertia solidified her power.

Now that Whatsername and Gravity had both agreed that the current leaders of Philadelphia needed to be taken out, Inertia was a on a mission. Plans were set in motion. She had her left hand man, Nucky_Thompson, set out to arrange the announcement in the market square in the afternoon. While helping her right hand man, Stein, set up for the crew’s Christmas party she had spoken to him about the plans forward, and he had agreed with her wholeheartedly. With the support of those around her bolstering her courage, she went to see Sabella for one last afternoon tea meeting.

Inertia walks confidently up into Sabella’s bedroom, no one even batted an eye to her walking in with a loaded gun. By now, they knew not to question Inertia. His staff all stopped and murmured a respectful “Good afternoon Ms. Inertia” as she passes. She throws open the bedroom door and is greeted by Sabella propped up weakly in his bed.

“Bella! How lovely to see you today. I fear I am nearing the end, and that St. Peter is waiting for me at the gates of heaven. Please promise me bella, that you will ensure my son takes up my role in this district. Watch over him for me, he is young but he will learn with responsibility.”

Inertia snorts in disgust. His son? That is who he think is strong enough to take over and lead Bella Vista? The coke addicted, whore loving, money spending, ego maniac self serving dolt? Wasn’t he JUST trying to extort $100M from her so she could lead? Was he expecting for her to pay that much, just to sit behind this idiot while he got all the glory? If she hadn’t resolved to kill him earlier, this request alone would have spurred on her next act.

“‘Sorry Sabella, I cannot promise you that. To promise you that, I would be letting this district down.” Sabella looks at Inertia with shock and sputters incoherently at her. “But what I can do for you today, sir”, she sneers ,“is be your angel to death and mercy. Goodbye Sabella” And with that Inertia pulls the trigger, shooting him between the eyes.

His men looks at her shocked. “Clean up this mess boys. I expect you all in the Market Square in one hour.” Inertia says breezily, as she walks out of the bedroom, out of the house, and strolled home to change her outfit.

The scenery that went past myself was all but a blur. I was deep in thought from the meeting that I  had previously with Inertia, Whatsername, Achilles and our close entourage of trusted members of our respective families. Outraged with the ways of Philadelphia life, we decided that we would not take it anymore. The lies had to be stopped. The extorting ways of our Godfathers had to be stopped. Their lives had to be stopped. With this grim realisation, we all departed to gather up our guns for this showdown.

Acting upon mine and CatBug’s orders, Koga had led a small squad of guns to the main drugs laboratory of the Old City Godfather, and with great success. Many bullets later, Koga had reported back that he had managed to take over the drugs ring with minimal casualties. To quote Koga “We have some fucking war wounds, but nothing that will stop us now”. This brought a small smile to my face.

On the other front, Batiatus using his smooth words and “many coin”, had managed to convince the prostitutes of Old City District that it was in their best interest to align themselves with my faction. Albeit perhaps a colourful choice for a career, it was important for them to be onboard financially. I didn’t ask for the methods used, but I knew Batiatus would pull through with minimal fuss.

The rest of the events were almost a blur. I had arrived at the residence of the Old City Godfather under heavy fire from his henchmen. Sprinting off in different directions of the residence, myself, CatBug, AmyPond and WeepingAngel were now on the offensive. Making a direct path towards the centre of the mansion, the rotund figure of the Godfather came into view. A cackle and an evil grin on his face, he looked confident with guns in either hand.

Pausing only slightly for effect, I saw the first gun raise to roughly the same level as my head and the loud whizzing noise as the bullet barely misses my face. Jumping behind a pillar for cover, I can hear the bullets burrowing into the other side. Slowly looking around the pillar to see where he now was, I see both guns once more raised at the same level as my head. Panicking, I move back behind the pillar, but inadvertently moved my right foot out from behind the pillar. Shock followed by searing pain had entered my body as my foot and leg had been shot.

Falling to the floor, my Smith & Wesson piece slips out of my hand and slides down towards the feet of the Godfather. A laughter escaping his lungs as he walks towards me, whilst slowly taking his time to reload his pistols. Arching my back up against the pillar with my hand slightly behind my back, I await the fat, slovenly Godfather to approach me. Perhaps it was old age, or perhaps it was the thrill of the gunfight that led to the error and the subsequent error of the Godfather. Finally arriving at my feet, the Godfather’s sly grin turned to horror as he saw the glint of the gun that I pulled from the back of my trousers. Before he could react, the quick bursts of bullets hit his chest, as he fell backwards. The pain etched on his face as the life left his eyes.

Slowly picking myself up from the ground, I drag my gun across my foot and slowly up my leg as I finally manage to stand up on my own two feet. Staggering back slightly, I prop up against the wall, trying to regain my breath. Flicking my field of view upwards, I see the concerned faces of CatBug, AmyPond and WeepingAngel rushing towards me at a fast rate. CatBug grabbing hold of my right side, Amy grabbing my left as WeepingAngel’s face erupts into a big smile. The Old City District Godfather had fallen.