It had been a turbulent visit to Las Vegas and Curtis had been keen to get home and back to business. He'd taken a car from the airport to the office and after a few quick calls he'd headed straight into the streets. Stepping out of the Factory headquarters he took in the absorbing winter day. He'd always enjoyed the fresh bite of the breeze and the crisp crunch of snowfall underfoot. He allowed himself a quiet moment of reflection and walked to a local square where he stepped into a coffee shop, grabbed a fresh cup and stepped out into the center of the plaza. Taking a hot sip of coffee he looked around at the expectant faces. 

"I'm sure you are all very keen to find out what happened in Las Vegas. Well, the simple fact is, they were removed."

He took another sip of his coffee while the expected mumbling died down.

"It's not a condescension to say Sydney was a good woman, it's a simple truth. She was well liked and well regarded as a member of our thing. Not just by the masses, but by all of those on the Commission too. However, being well liked and well regarded is not enough when you are one of the half-dozen most powerful people walking the streets. We collectively felt it would have been a dereliction of duty to let personal feelings cloud professional judgement.

There are numerous reasons we could give as to why the final decision was made. It wasn't anything personal, but in a sense that lack of personability was one of the major issues. Charming Chairman aside, Las Vegas was very insular. The rest of the city wasn't very pro-active about mingling with the rest of us in Cosa Nostra. This thing of ours demands constant communication at the upper levels. It requires trust, relationships and allies. Without a consistent effort to forge working relationships and develop healthy professional practices, we are left with non-functional separation. This was an issue. 

There have been an alarming amount of rogues, pro shooters and other miscreants coming out of various parts of that city. Little has come by way of apology, or effort install systems to help rectify these issues and improve prevention. Most incidents have been handled very poorly in terms of time and professionalism, and in a couple of cases only resolved when the Chairman herself had to intervene. On those occasions it was eventually handled perfectly, but if those around her are falling short time and time again that responsibility does fall on her shoulders and it's a poor indictment of the whole city. Once a leader or group of leaders have been identified as an 'easy touch' or a soft mark by trouble makers and insurgents, it's always bad for business. This was an issue. 

The city has, repeatedly, come under fire for member whoring and abysmal recruiting practices. Any family, district or city can have a couple of innocent mistakes or slips, sometimes things need to be seen a addressed but in Vegas it was a continual theme. Multiple sponsors and leaders were pulled on multiple occasions over actions that weren't in keeping with any of the rules that have ever been in place in regards to recruiting on our shores. It wasn't simply a case of different views on how it can or should be done, it was people incapable of performing a role, being put in the position of having to do it. Whether it was a lack of training or a lack of caring we'll never know, but regardless of why it happened, it did. This was an issue.

Then there were the bizarre numbers of mobsters being dropped from their families and shot. Some of these were Made Men! Taken out the back door and disposed of like embarrassing trash. Button men in this thing of ours given the worst insult possible on their way out of this life. I have no idea where or when this started being considered acceptable but in our time at least, it will not be tolerated. When they were called out on it in public, it did stop. This suggests that those practising it knew it was a poor decision and agreed it never should have happened, yet not a single word was offered in either explanation or apology for it. Rectifying it helped, but the fact that it happened and the failure to communicate regarding it wasn't good. This was an issue.  

There is a small catalogue of other complaints and cock-ups surrounding the city's actions over recent times. Some of these issues had the potential to cause us personal problems. Looked at individually they're all small and forgiveable. It's only when the picture emerges of this being such a large number of mistakes and the direction that points to in regards to the future of the city that it forced the hands of the commission to make a decision here. 

A Godfather should always be able to retain control of their city and its inhabitants. Individual leaders in Vegas were either unable or unwilling to control some of the more undesirable elements of our society and that was bad for business. Something being bad for business is unacceptable. This was an issue, it's not any more."

He looked around at the various faces and took his time to enjoy another few sips of the hot coffee before finishing up.

"I've no doubt the families of the fallen and the bereaved will feel hard done to. This is only natural. No one involved with what we did would wish you anything other than our sincere condolences at this time. We hope the next generation benefits from the difficult lessons of the last. 

It is also only natural for people to spout hostility, threats and accusations. All very understandable. I dare say I won't be here to listen to much of it, but go ahead if it makes you feel better."

Finishing his speech and his cup, he stepped back and wandered off through the snow in the direction of the coffee shop.

Someone will one day, that's almost certain. 

Curtis didn't make this decision on his own I doubt. It's not as if he acted on his own as a tyrant, Curtis just takes it upon himself the task to give you all a soft and honest answer to the why's. He explained it very softly and as honest as possible with absolute no disrespect. I don't think the GF commission could have sent a better person to break the news of the "Why's" to the world. In this thing of ours relationships, trust and actions of a District or City are even more important than gun power and strength. We can only judge each other based off of what we see and hear, through either relationships or word on the Streets.

I do know there were truly some good people in Las Vegas, Sydney I spoke to on a couple brief occasions and I absolutely loved. I will always have that respect for her as I could see and feel she was truly a good person. Rest in peace to all of the fallen of Las Vegas, and the many great people that were lost.

I saw this coming that is why I refused to be Made. I had a feeling. This was simply and if we are being completely honest here, a power play and I say this with respect, well played and I look forward to the future and all the great things to come.

To be honest, everyone and their mothers saw this coming. It should have been clear for weeks now that it was just a matter of time. Although I do not condone what Curtis and the rabble of people have done, I am certainly not sympathetic towards Las Vegas.

Would you have rather gone out guns blazing and eventually be wiped out, or put down like an injured dog?

Curtis, once again I applaud you and your honest, blatant style in the way you address the masses. The reasoning is once again, sound and logical. I'm a huge fan of what you bring to this thing we hold so close to our hearts.  Its incredibly refreshing, thanks.

A long time ago, a few life times now, my father let Sydney spread her wings and have a go at trying to establish a hierarchy in the city, you can never take away what she managed to achieve, let alone, to what ripe old age she reached.

I think one of the main points to take away from this is that while everyone, or a high percentage of us loved the person that she was, that's sometimes, sadly, is just not enough. That likeability doesn't not hold it weight on its own, sure it can prolong a longevity, but its not sustainable. While I "didn't see it coming" like most other profess to know- (a common statement) after a take down, I was unimpressed by their lack of effort that they seemed to not be contributing to our way of life. A kinda' plodding along ethos, for a lack of a better term.

If History teaches anything, its that when standards start to slip, you are putting yourself and your city/district on that pedestal, and that my friends is not a great place to be in. 

POWER PLAY? ..... ERM, I don't know if it was, I was not privy to what happened, but looking at it logistically there probably wasn't a real need for such a move, just yet. Jesus there are still districts left empty, so in terms of a power play to expand ones district to another, I cant see the logic. Im not saying that this wasn't a huge motivation behind the take down, but id like to believe that it was the poor slipping in standards that forced the issue.

PARANIOD? ...... HEH, maybe, who knows, but, I don't think there is anything wrong with a bit of paranoia. A person in a position such as Curtis would be daft to not at least consider what other districts are thinking, surely it makes for perfect business sense to be kept on ones toes. It maybe the case that he was worried about the growing guns of Las Vegas, to that I say, SO FUCKING WHAT!  Again, it would be a huge mistake on the part of Curtis to not worry about them. Once a district gets in range of another, of course things start to stretch and those relationships do start to take a different turn- you can not cry foul play at such logic.

RIP, friend. You had an amazing run.

Well done the victors, effortless, as usual.

Lookingz approaches the small crowd gathered around Godfather Curtis and clears her throat. When she realizes that nobody is even taking notice of her over all of the bitching she slaps Two-Gunnz in the back of the head.

"Will you just shut up?!"

She yelled at the guy. Things suddenly when quiet and people turned to look at her. The small woman, with blazing red hair, clears her throat again.

"Now.. It was no secret that Las Vegas had its troubles, and boy did it have a lot. More than what one woman was clearly able to handle. I am positive that Godmother Sydney ran things the best she could, tried taking care of things as fast as she could. I'm also sure that if given a second chance at life she'd do it all over again. 

The reasons listed by the Godfather are legitimate ones, although I do believe slightly embellished to gain approval of the masses, but legitimate all the same. There is no reason for anybody with a bloodline that worked under the late Godmother to come out here and make a fool of themselves. Do you think she would want to see that? Do you think she would have tolerated your parent doing this? No, she wouldn't. If anything was passed down to you guys from your kin that she taught them, it would be to hold your head high and not succumb to mindless bitching.

Nobody likes to see their family die, but it is a part of life. Now it is up to you guys as the future generation to get off your knees, dust them off and prove that you can  not only operate on the same level as your mother/father.. but that you can be BETTER than them. Take their life lessons, and learn from them. Use them to your advantage."

Lookingz smiled at the crowd and gave a nod to Godfather Curtis. She slowly left, walked around the corner to an empty alleyway and shot herself. 

You want the facts Mr Two Gunnz? your father was wandering the streets while all about him were dying. The order was given to shoot him to prevent him protecting his former family. Between that time and the shooter pulling the trigger you joined a different family, these things happen.

Two-Gunnz see the irony here is this, all you're doing is proving that the takedown was the correct decision. If Las Vegas was littered with people like you, its a wonder they lasted so long. Show a little decorum, this butt-hurt stance will do you no favours in this life. I get it, you're hurt you died. I get it, you're not familiar with such things as takedowns and that's fine, but I implore you, go take a seat, chill the fuck out.

Currently you're making Vegas look worse than they probably were, and that's not really fair to all the other cracking mobsters that died here today. Their fathers or mothers would not thank you for this show of pure idiocy. Las Vegas was much better than you're accounting them for, leave it be.