"COME BACK HERE YOU LITTLE SHIT! FRANKIE! I'M GONNA MURDER YOUR GOAT!" The yelling had been going all morning as if NOTHING in the upstairs office was getting done.

"DON'T YOU TOUCH A HAIR ON UFFA'S BEAUTIFUL HIDE SULLIVAN BLACK! I'LL SHAVE YOUR HEAD!" The Don's voice could be heard echoing in retort to Sully's comments...

Uffa's bleating was loud and panicked as crashes and loud thuds could be heard... All of the associates were quiet downstairs as they listened to the commotion from above, half expecting the ceiling to fall on them.

"SULLY! CATCH HER!" Tony's yell cut through the clattering and then a LOUD thud could be heard.

A few moments later, the upstairs office door slammed and the thunk of footsteps mixed with the clip clap of hooves on the steps echoed down the stairwell, Tony and Sully's voices growing louder as they spoke.

"...would get RID of this thing. Sully, this goat was the BIGGEST mistake I ever made..."

"Trust me Tony, I know..." Sully chuckled. "We should get one of the associates a chance to make good. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll 'loose' Uffa, or get her killed." The two men chuckled as they made their way into the front lounge, Uffa in tow, led by a rope. Both looked a little worse for wear; Tony's clothes were untucked and ruffled while Sully's suit coat was torn, his button down half untucked and dirty. Both looked disheveled.

As luck would have it for the two men, most of the associates had scattered. Everyone knew of Uffa's troubling presence and were afraid of the shenanigans, wanting nothing to do with her... However, a few (un)lucky candidates remained. Sully and Tony looked at one of their newest up and coming... Matty. It was her turn!

"YOU!" Both yelled, causing Uffa to go stiff and fall over. Both Tony and Sully groaned, Sully rolling his eyes at the aggravating creature. They both looked at Matty, Tony holding out the rope. "A hundred bucks if you get this goat out of our hair for the day! We'll NEVER get anything done otherwise!"

Matty literally jumped when both men yelled at her simultaneously. Her resemblance to Uffa, as her mary jane pumps shuffled and clicked lightly against the lounge floor was almost comical. It might actually have been funny if the two weren't so bedraggled by the mornings hircine endeavours. Blinking from the goat to the rope, to Sully and back again a few times Matty slinked forward; her hands wringing nervously, thought NOT reaching for the rope. They'd JUST finished setting up her new greenhouse at the clinic. Sully knew that. Certainly, he wouldn't REALLY ask her to take this... bottomless garbage pit posing as a sorry excuse for an animal... to WORK with her. Would he? 

Fingers tapping nervously together, Matty slid ever so slightly to the right, nonchalantly placing Sully between herself and Tony as she scooched closer to him. Her green doe-eyes blinked up at Tony almost as glassy and innocent as Uffa's usually blank expression as she tried her best to articulate the undeniable catch 22 they'd snagged her in,"Um... sir... not to be... ungrateful or insubordinate... or um... insult your intelligence or anything... but do you really think that... um... having her around MY facilities is the best idea? I mean, with the medicinals and everything?" 

Sully smiled as Matty floundered under Tony's stern gaze, and all her nervous energy and fidgetting died down immediately. Why did he have to look at her like that? He knew she couldn't say no when he looked at her like that.  Catching her wringing hands in one of his own, Sully traced tender circles on the back of her hands as he grinned wickedly down at her... knowing full well what he was doing, "Matty, I understand your concerns. Really, we do. But I NEED this goat out of the building for the day. And I trust you enough to know she'll be safe with you." He leaned down slightly, smiling into her seafoam coloured eyes - which stared up at him with bewitched infatuation - as he sneakily motioned for Tony to hand him the rope with his free hand.  "I promise. I will replace or remunerate or repair any damages... personally.  And you'd be doing the family a big favour by caring for the Don's treasured pet. Me especially." 

Matty whimpered a little as she chewed on her bottom lip; Sully's smile widening. "You're the best," he smirked, squeezing her hands with both of his and kissing both her cheeks in that mafia-family way of theirs. Matty didn't even have a chance to protest as he turned away.  With a chuckle and not a single word more, Sully clapped Tony on the shoulder and tugged him back to the stairs... leaving Matty standing alone in the middle of the foyer, staring down at the rope now clutched in her left hand. How the fuck did that happen??

Matty's lips moved but no words came out as she croaked softly, glancing from the rope to Sully's retreating form and back again. That was some Class A manipulation. She wasn't sure if she felt angry, betrayed, or just downright fucking impressed. 

Sighing down at the still "dead" Uffa, Matty tugged the rope half-heartedly.

No response.

Clicking her tongue loudly she tugged again, harder this time.

Still no response.

Bracing her feet on the ground, Matty tugged with all her might; the rope straining toward the door as her feet slid along the floor helplessly. The goat remained stubbornly glued to the ground as Matty slipped and landed in a plop; her tailbone aching as her feet sprawled around Uffa's "lifeless" body. 

With an irritated huff, Matty stood, smoothing out her dress as she moved around to shove Uffa from behind. "Ay, dios mio," Matty groaned, Uffa sliding inch by inch toward the door as Matty's feet slipped and slid griplessly against the slick floor. "Vamos. Vamos," Matty strained, throwing her weight against the dead weight of the animal, "Andale, estupido. Vengaaaa---AH!" 

The world went topsy-turvy as Uffa finally decided to come alive again; hopping up with a carefree bleat just as Matty took another lunge at her posterior. Her cheek collided with the floor as Uffa clip-clopped around to stare down at her with empty, rectangular pupils... almost as if saying 'well what did you do that for?' Matty groaned, rolling over and sitting up with a sour scowl as Uffa began chewing on her long swarthy locks. 

"Baaa-aah!"  whined down the hall the hall as Matty yelled, swatting the goat away from her hair. "EN SERIO?!" she shrieked, finally finding her way to her feet as she tugged the goat outside; a shit-storm of spicy Spanish cussing echoing behind her as the tower finally drifted into sweet silence for the first time all day. 

Coming out I nearly jumped out of my skin. I pulled out my gun slamming my back against the wall, slowly moving towards the crash I had heard, or what sounded like a crash. I tried to move easyas these shoes  were not the quietest pair I could have worn, but I was working today, so comfort was not what I was doing today. 

I just arrived to see Matty getting up, and the goat..what was the name?  I forget, but it was Don's prize winning, well not prize winning probably, but she loved it. Matty was speaking Spanish, seemingly pretty hot headed. I had heard this goat was something else and an attitude to match. I snickered a little bit hearing the goat doing those goat sounds, the Baaaaaaa you hear at the zoos. 

I reholstered my gun, laugh at myself that I was thinking all of that racket was an intruder and I had to be ready to get 'em. Funny that get 'em would have been the goat and Matty. She must have goat duty today. I am sure we all have to at some point, but we have to get work done here too. The goat ate my homework.. how would that go over.. as funny as it sounds, I imagine not very well. I slipped out and about, not sure what my agenda was going to be today....

The day was quickly devolving into a fiasco by the time Matty closed the clinic for lunch. Uffa had already devoured most of the hem of her dress, headbutted someone's child, peed on EVERY PLANT in the waiting room, accidentally toilet papered the east exam room with gauze, and was now happily munching away at anything she could get her grubby goat lips on through the open door of Matty's small refrigerator. Matty, frankly, didn't care. It was still. It was relatively quiet. And she was actually able to sit down and stuff a taco in her face before the rest of the day dissolved into hircine madness. Groceries can be replaced, she thought. Let her eat. This was nice. This was fine. 

About halfway through, and right in the middle of the most scrumptious bite of heaven Matty'd had in weeks, the phone rang. With a heavy sigh, she relinquished her taco to the small plate in front of her and stretched over to grab the receiver from the wall. "Bueno. Matty speaking. Vaya al hospital para todos emergencias. The clinic is for non-emergent needs only," her tired voice crackled over the line with her usual obligatory greeting, "Como puedo ayudarte? How can I help you today?" 

Sully chuckled at the other end of the line. All the tower was used to her self-translations at this point, but the familiar weariness in her voice made him chuckle. "I probably should have stopped you sooner, but I can't help listening," he said chuckling again in that awkward way that people do when they need something. "What?" Matty asked flatly, sounding a little perturbed. 

"I have a job for you," Sully rushed out, and she could almost hear him flinch,"I know you're on goat duty, but everyone else is out and this is a now or never opportunity." 

The switch in her brain between lover and boss didn't quite click on right away, due to her fatigue. And a myriad of half sentences spilled over her lips before she caught herself, "Que mier... There is no wa... What do you... You must be... They're  busy?! I  am fucking busy!!! Esta cabrita es una pinche BRUJA!!!" 

Sully cleared his throat, and Matty actually sat back away from the phone. Oh yeah... this was business. With a deep breath, she resettled herself and turned on the business voice, "Sí, Señor. I understand. What do you need me to do."  Her tone was much better, but the crisp bite of an auditory eye-roll still slithered beneath her words. 

Sully chuckled, for such a feisty little thing she was always quick to submission when necessary. Part of it tickled him... and part of it tickled  him. "I need you to see a guy about a package," he said calmly, trying to hide the slight lilt of entertainment behind his voice. "It's a quick pick up. I will send Harvey with the hearse so you can slip Uffa in the back. He can clean it up after. All you need to do is represent me to our distributor. He already knows you are coming. Just exchange the briefcase Harvey gives you for the pouch the distributor offers. If he wants you to examine the merchandise, just tell him that you trust his sense of self-preservation and get out as quickly as possible. Harvey will stay with you the rest of the day. If he thinks you need more hands, that is HIS call. You will listen. And AS SOON as you're day is done at the clinic, you will both come here immediately. No deviation. Is that clear?" 

Every hair on Matty's body stood on end. "Crystal," she purred in a sultry tone. "Anything else I need to know?" Again Sully gave her that throaty giggle that drove her nuts, "Only that this is a personal investment for me, and you're the only person I trust enough to handle it properly." 

"Ay. Okay, okay. Send the car. I will be ready," Matty sighed as she placed the receiver back in its cradle. This was turning into a VERY long day. Staring down at the hem of her ruined dress, Matty hung her head lightly as she turned back, reaching again for her taco.... but finding only Uffa's head. "AIEEE!" the yelled, a vein on her forehead bulging ever so slightly as she stared down into those blank, unblinking pupils. "Pinche puta, you ate my fucking taco, too!" Matty rubbed her temples furiously as she stood, "You're a fucking devil goat, I swear. If Sully ever makes me do this again, I'm gonna find El Chupacabra and feed you to him. They'll say 'Matty what happened? And I'll say I dunno. It musta been Dragnas. And no one will even think twice about it. Sure, maybe we'll go to war. But it'll go down in history, that's for sure. The Las Vegas Goat War... La Guerra de Cabra!" Matty fanned her hands across the air, "We could make a show out of it... and sell little baby goat statues. It'd be great." 

Matty continued rambling onto herself as she dug through the stash of Jacquline's clothes Sully had given her for "special jobs". She'd need something nice... and also goat proof. If there even was such a thing. "Businesswoman. Businesswoman. Goat walking businesswoman..." Matty mused to herself as hangers swished along the crossbar of her closet.  "Think like Frankie," she whispered aloud, "Yeah, right. Think like Frankie in Jackie's closet. This should be eas...OOO!" Her chattered squeaked to a halt as stopped on a particularly fetching vest/pant duo. Dark grey, pinstripes, just perfect for hiding the .380 ACP Sully insisted she buy. There was no blouse with the set, but she was almost sure she had one of Sully's dress shirts tucked away somewhere. Usually she slept in it when she got lonely, but today it would be part of her wardrobe. He was small enough it could pass as hers anyway.  Moments later Matty strode down the Clinic stairs tugging Uffa along with her... hair swept back in a sleek updo and heels clicking sassily against the hardwood floors. Even with a goat in tow, she actually REALLY looked the part for once. And Harvey seemed almost impressed as she slid into the passenger seat of the Herse. Maybe the little princess was finally starting to fill the Madam's shoes after all. 

With Uffa safely tethered in the back, the two sped off to their destination... nervous butterflies churning in her stomach as she clutched the briefcase Sully had provided. What could he possibly be sending her for? 

Matty slid from the hearse with a self-important air of confidence unlike anything Harvey had yet seen from the woman... even going so far as to tug the goat along with her into the casino Sully had chosen as their meeting place. It was on the very edge of the Strip, just bordering Sumerlin territory; a kind of neutral territory of sorts. 

Inside, the bar was conspicuously empty; just as Harvey ensured her it would be. Sliding into an empty seat Matty slipped the briefcase onto the bar with a sly smirk at the bartender, "Sparkling water, extra sparkle?"  The youngman behind the counter nodded curtly and scurried off to the back of the building. Matty took the time to survey the small building Sully had seen fit to send her into. Plenty of exits, clear line of sight throughout, mirrored bar with a clear view of the door and casino floor, old enough and off the beaten path to not draw attention or large crowds. Overall, not a bad strategic choice. 

The burly bartender came back after a few minutes and slid a tall, sealed bottle of mineral water across the bar. Matty turned it over with a curious eye, and was greeted with a soft tinkling sound as the contents sloshed and shifted. Frowning slightly... in that odd satisfied way that people sometimes do... Matty nodded, "It's all here?" 

"Go ahead and examine it, if you want. I'll bring you a strainer," the bartender sneered, placing a heavy hand on the briefcase. "Nah," Matty smirked confidently, "I trust your sense of self-preservation is more acute than that." Slipping the bottle into her purse, she grabbed Uffa's leash and twirled out of the chair. The world spun violently in reverse as she tried to leave, her slight ribs slamming against the hardwood edge of the bar with a sharp crack as the man gripped her wrist and jerked her backwards, his hand still firmly atop the briefcase, "It's all here?" He repeated her words with a snarl, and Matty growled lowly under her breath. "Maybe your sense of self-preservation isn't as high as I thought,"  she quipped, wrenching her hand away with a sneer of her own.  "It's all there. But touch me again you'll be getting a little extra recompense. Comprende?" 

The man laughed, sliding the case behind the bar with an almost genteel smile. "Ja. I see you," he said with a curt nod. "Good doing business with you. Give Mr. Black my regards." Matty nodded, dragging Uffa out of the casino with a matchbook hanging out of one side of her insatiable little goat mouth. 

As quickly as she was able, Matty shoved the goat back into the hearse and slid into the front seat; bag clutched tightly to her chest. "Drive,"  she snapped at Harvey; doubling over as they rounded the corner out of sight of the casino. 

"I THINK THAT FUCKING BASTARD FRACTURED MY RIB!" Matty yelled down the hallway from her bathroom to the patiently waiting Harvey hovering in her kitchen.  "Stupid fucker..." Matty hissed as she started wrapping her ribs, moving back to the kitchen before she was even done. Harvey looked as though his eyes might pop out when she rounded the corner to the kitchen with no shirt. He nearly choked in his rush to turn his back. Always modest. Much like Sully. 

"Warm flesh make you squeamish, Quin?" Matty teased. "That's unfortunate. Because I'm gonna need you to fasten these," she chuckled as she eased her way around Harvey, guiding him to help her tie the bandages just below her bra line. "Thanks," she chirped with a pained groan, ignoring the look of 'i could die right now' on Harvey's face. Slipping Sully's shirt loosely over her head, she quickly wrapped a few plantain leaves around her bruised wrist and moved toward the sink. "You watch the goat. I'll get the strainer." 

With the bottle squeezed between her thin thighs, Matty was able to wrench open the bottle with her uninjured hand. The lid twisting free with a satisfying, fizzy pop. Matty giggled gleefully as the bubbly liquid flowed out over the metal strainer, softly glimmering gems cascading out with a tantalizing 'PLOP!'