Roper laid back on his sofa and stared at the flaking plaster on the ceiling of his apartment. Soft jazz was playing in the background but it seemed so very far away from him right now, his mind racing with what seemed like a thousand thoughts a second. A deep seated sense of regret permeated his being. The player had been played at his game, he allowed someone else to get a rise out of him, made him play to their tune. Regret and Anger, bubbling through his body like spider venom with no antidote in sight.

Roper considered his options and let them stew. He could just leave town forever, go ply his talents for another employer in another town. Start afresh from the beginning. He shook his head, that would only merely postpone the problem. Eventually he'd find another like Madeline, another master to bark orders at him like he was a dog, To throw occasional treats at him for being a good puppy. Roper grimaced at the thought. 

There was also another thought that nagged at him incessantly so, he had started to become attached to the outfit he was running with. Kamille was moving from a typical pay master to more of a friend, a friend with very large pockets but a friend none the less. He wondered what she would make of him, if he just left and news came down from Madeline's edict of banishment should he not comply. The disappointment in him she'd feel for letting her down.

Roper started to feel despondent at the situation he had found himself in. He was caught like a rat in a trap, beholden to those around him and it hurt. He was used to having no-one to answer but himself. Roper let out a deep sigh, one that could be said to have emanated from his heart. He didn't have a choice, he had to comply with Madeline's wishes.

He had to be that monkey again, the pawn for those in what he calls the great game. This wasn't Roper's fight but he was doom-bound to end up joining it. He hated himself for getting caught like this again.

Roper groaned as he rose up from the couch he was reclining from. He grabbed his jacket and cap from the lounge chair opposite the sofa and prepared himself, Physically and mentally. He then left his dingy little apartment to chase a man's stolen wealth for what he couldn't even keep.

It had started to rain when Roper had arrived outside a familiar little haunt he used to visit in his younger years, It was a place he used to pick up a lot of his work from before he found himself in Kamille's family. It was like walking down memory street for him, he hadn't been here in awhile and he was hoping that his old contact that he used to pick up work from Don Ricci was still here. It had been a time and time likes to change everything eventually. 

Roper's hand remained in his jacket's pockets and he pushed his way inside the run down bar, he kept his head down and the brim of his old flat cap conceal his eyes. He glanced around the place and was a little surprised it hadn't changed at all and his old contact sat in the fair left booth as usual. He was a thin, balding man roper guessed to be in his late 40's with a wispy beard and a pair of sunken dark brown eyes. He wore a beige well worn suit that bore a few holes and several creases, Roper had taken many a unsavory contract with this man and over time began to know how to play him, He liked his drink and when he had imbibed one to many, He liked to brag, He liked to brag a lot. Brag about things that weren't necessarily his, much to the Chagrin of his own boss.

Roper walked up to that familiar booth and sat on the opposite end of the table facing his contact. His contact knew him immediately and cracked a smarmy smile, a smile that'd make a normal person's hair stand on the back on the neck, Roper however, returned it with a smile of his own.

"Anthony, I never thought i'd be seeing you in a place like this again. Not ever since you landed yourself that nice cushy job with Kamille's outfit" He said in that irritating mincing tone of his "What can i do for you my young strapping friend" Roper did his best to suppress a shiver, He did not like working for this man "Come to take on some extra work from dear old me, Kamille not paying you enough for your services Mhmm?"

Roper kept his expression and demeanor neutral and responded in a cool manner "I'm not quite looking for work Matteo, I'm actually looking for information about a local mark. Someone local around here, I figured you could point me in the proper direction. I can of course pay you for your time and discretion on the matter. I'm doing better with money these days and you know i can generous to friends"

Roper offered his most convincing smile to Matteo, Roper wasn't going to tell him shit about his actual job he took from Madeline but by the toothy grin Matteo was giving him. He fully believed Roper. "Come now Anthony, Tell me all about this job of yours, I maybe able to help you with this pursuit of yours. Why don't you order us some drinks to whet my appetite, For the sake of the old days" Roper almost smirked, Matteo had completely bought it.

Roper flagged down the barkeep who hurried over with a premium bottle of Whiskey, the brand was Matteo's favorite and two glasses. "Matteo, my treat. Let me pour your glass for you" Roper said with a smile "You're so kind Anthony, Not many people tend to look after their old friends when they've moved up in the world" He responded

The game of compliments and Roper's tactful dodging of questions went on for a few hours. Until Matteo was sufficiently liquored up and had began to brag a little.

Roper watched Matteo slam down shot after shot of whiskey while not really drinking all that much himself, He wanted to keep most of his wits about him. Matteo on the other-hand wasn't looking all that well and began to slur in his speech.

"Did I tell you about my New Purchase Anthony?" Matteo asked roper, Roper smiled and shook his head "It's the Delahaye 135, Beautiful Car She is" Roper nodded and remarked "That she is, Pricey too. I didn't see it outside though, Otherwise, I'd of asked to look around Matteo"

Matteo observed Roper and tilted his head like he was calculating something in his head before answering him. "I don't keep it here cause it could get taken in this neighborhood, You know what it's like Anthony" He made an excuse but Roper could tell that he wanted to continue to blag "I understand Matteo, You wouldn't want to lose it to someone like me now would you" Roper joked "But you could show me where it is" Roper took a sip of his whisky before goading Matteo on "If you've got a very nice car like that, I can only imagine what your place must look like, You could probably more then impress and impressionable rising star like myself"

Roper watched the idea move across Matteo's eyes and saw him take the bait. "Sadly though, It seems i won't be able to see a place like successful people like yourself live in" Roper said in a forlorn manner "Well, That can be arranged Anthony" Matteo said drunkardly "How about i show you both my digs and my car"

Roper feigned shock "You would do that for me Matteo?" Matteo smiled and replied "Of-course my boy. Would you like to see it tonight?" He offered "Ofcourse Matteo, You've got to show me how the masters get on in this life of ours" Matteo nodded and started to get up from the booth "I'll grab us a Taxi and take us there" Matteo had a stupid grin on his face when he said that, Roper smiled back with a grin of his own. Jackpot.

Roper rose himself and followed Matteo outside into a Taxi Matteo hailed and the pair drove to the destination.

When Matteo and Roper stepped out of the Taxi at the end of what seemed to a decently long journey, It seemed that both of them had spent a fair bit of time in the bar. It had gotten dark and nippy, the street itself was dark with the occasional lamppost illuminating the road. Most of the street was lined with thick privacy hedges, no doubt hiding the lavish buildings behind them.

Roper took a deep breath enjoyed the fresh air compared to the smoke of the bar. He looked at Matteo who was fumbling with something in his jacket pocket with a look of irritation on his face, feigned irritation or real, Roper couldn't tell. Matteo nodded at Roper and mumbled "This way Anthony. It's just past this gate" the look of irritation on his face lifted as he seemed to find something and pulled a iron key out of his pocket.

Roper nodded and followed Matteo's lead. He watched the man walk up to the high iron gates and unlock them and gave him a small push open before gesturing to Roper to follow him in the large estate garden. Roper looked around the moonlight soaked garden and couldn't help but admire them before gazing upon the estate himself. It was a far cry from the dingy little apartment he lived in, The manor was 3 floors built with an colonial Style. Most of the windows were dark except for a few of the windows by the front door. Roper's lip curved in disapproval, that just made his job harder. 

Eventually after Matteo's stumbling up the estate path, they arrived at the front door of which Matteo knocked. First it was met with silence and then Matteo knocked a second more frantic time "Sorry, Lost my key" He mumbled to Roper, Roper didn't say a word, He just listened. Just before Matteo knocked a third time, He heard footsteps inside the house heading towards the door.

The sound of a few locks could be heard and then the door open slightly, revealing the face of an elderly silver-haired woman. Her features were hard to make out in the dark of the night and she spoke in a very hushed tone to Matteo, Roper could only make out "Faugno" "Don't" and "Vistors"

Roper could hear Matteo make excuses to the silver-haired lady and after enough of them. The Silver-haired Lady relented and fully opened the door to let them in. Roper didn't know what lie Matteo fed her but he knew he'd be watched during his time in here and he had to work quickly before getting spotted.

Both he and Matteo entered inside.

Roper walked through the door following Matteo, He looked around as he did. The place looked like it belonged to a fairly wealthy man and Roper believed that man to be Mr Faungo. Roper managed to suppress a smile that his former Handler managed to get him access to this place and if he wasn't on a specialized job, he would of came back to pick this place of every bit of it's wealth.

The silver-haired lady glared at him before hurrying herself into the kitchen. She was hunched and wore clothes that roper thought to be from the start of the century. Matteo gave Roper one of his familiar toothy smiles before telling him "Don't mind Mrs Appleberry, She's been my house keeper for a long time now" An Intelligible could be heard from a corridor in response "Just going to show my friend here around Mrs. Appleberry an have a drink. Don't mind us" Matteo said loudly in response before leading Roper to a roomy living room.

Matteo flipped the lights and walked over to what Roper thought was the Liqueur cabinet and Roper took the opportunity to examine the room. The upholstery seemed to be imported and the woodwork made from rich mahogany. The living had several expensive looking paintings hung up, Roper also noticed that the room didn't seem to show much signs of use. Roper however nodded at the Decor with approval

Matteo had managed to open a bottle of bourbon and called Roper over to sit with him, his glass in hand. Roper took the invitation and sat with the man and listened to man talk of the house, the car in garage and how well he was doing. Roper continued the conversation until Matteo seemed to be falling asleep on him. Roper made no attempts to keep the man awake.

When a soft snore could be heard coming from Matteo's lips. Roper decided it was time to do what he was originally contracted to do and rose up from the chair he had been sitting from.  

Roper crept out of the living room and back into the foyer. He could hear the sounds of someone humming from the corridor opposite him and the very occasional sound of cupboard being opened and closed, he figured that the house keeper was cleaning, probably in the Kitchen. In the foyer was a grand looking staircase going up to what Roper could assume to be the bedrooms and maybe offices of the house and his gut told him he'd be best looking up there.

After Roper quietly climbed the stairs he found himself on the crossroad of hallways with wooden oak doors on each side. Roper grimaced at the fact he'd have to check each room to find his prize. He took out a small torch he kept in his leather jacket for such occasions and flipped it on and started to open doors.

He spent what felt like 10 minutes opening bedroom after bedroom and couple of toilets. It seemed like this house could home a small army if the owner desired too before Roper came across a small office, maybe Faungo keeps notes of his wealth in here Roper thought and stepped inside.

The room was dominated by a desk in the middle of it, of which an executive lamp sat on the side. The thick window curtains were drawn and two metal filing cabinets sat at the back, This seemed to be where Faungo conducted business while he was here. Roper headed towards the desk and tried to pull one of the drawers open. Locked.

Roper sighed gently and placed his torch on the desk and flipped on the desk lamp, he had shut the door on his way in and the dim light of the lamp should hopefully be hidden by the door, the only way someone would know he was here is if they came this way directly.

Roper patted his pockets for his tools of the trade and pulled them out, He'd never leave home without these. He unraveled the tools on the desk, took the look-picks and started to work on the drawer lock. He was a little surprised by the quality of the lock, it took him longer then he expected and then with a satisfying click and turn, the Drawer was open.

Roper rummaged through the paperwork inside, It was mostly to with things on what Roper read to be Don Ricci's estate, Taxes paid by their various fronts, shopping lists of Don Ricci's favorite wines, a communication from Don Ricci to Godfather Jemaine. Nothing solid about where he stored the wealth though.

He was about to start working on the next drawer when Roper found something a little unusual within the Drawer. A raised surface near the back that stood out, He picked up his torch and went in for a closer look. It didn't seem right, on a hunch roper went to pull it and with a little effort it came right off, revealing a cord that you could pull. Roper curious now, decided to risk it and pull to see what would happen. 

He heard a loud click from underneath him. He looked around and found that the floor had risen up underneath the table, where you would put your legs, If Faungo was going all this length to hide something, It must be good Roper thought as he lived up the false wooden floorboard and Roper found a black metallic Yale safe looking right at him. Jackpot roper thought. 

Roper spent a good while fiddling with the safe. It took him more then a few attempts to open the damn thing, every little miss irritating Roper. When he heard the final tumbler click as moved the dial, relief washed over him. It had taken him far to long, he hoped that Matteo hadn't woke during the mean time.

He pulled the handle and the safe opened wide, revealing not wads of cash Roper had hoped but leather bound ledgers, 4 or 5 of them. Roper frowned, he felt like his pay day never came. He opened one of the ledgers and decided to take a quick read, Roper came to realise that these ledgers were worth more then an entire safe of cash.

The ledgers had details on every one of Don Ricci's illicit rackets. How much each one was tributing up and the tax being paid forward to Godfather Jemaine, As Roper read through the Ledger, It seemed that Don Ricci had been withholding up to 70% of the tax owed to the Godfather of the city. This would be enough evidence to get him killed.

The Other Journals contained names and addresses of the Capo's operating under Don Ricci, as well as names of the Soldatos assigned to them. Roper gulped when he realised if he was caught with these ledgers, Don Ricci would be coming for him. Faungo will know that someone had rummaged through his stuff, The house keeper knew that he had come with Matteo and Matteo would finger him. He was now a loose end that Don Ricci would very much like to silence now. 

"Fuck" Roper whispered "Fuck, Fuck, Fuck" What the fuck had Madeline got him into, none of his previous jobs had put him directly into the firing line like this. Roper had found himself at the centre of a city wide conspiracy to defraud the Godfather. Roper's life was now at stake and he felt caught in a game that he wanted no part in.

Roper thought and considered his options, He didn't have a choice. He'd have to turn to Madeline for protection, she was the one that sent him on this god damn job. He had to rely upon the one who got him on the firing line. He had started to fucking hate her but he had no choice, without her he'd being living on borrowed time.

Damn it. Roper closed the safe and placed the false board above it. He made sure to close the desk drawer and took the ledgers with him. He needed to get them to Madeline before Faungo figures out his been here. He packed up his tools and torch and replaced them into his jacket before turning of the desk lamp.

Returning him to Darkness.

Roper exited the office and found himself in the darkened corridor again. He let his eyes adjust to the dark before making his way over to the staircase. Just before he reached the staircase, a door opened to his right, revealing the elderly silver-haired lady. Fuck Fuck Fuck, Her eyes widened and Just before she was about to shout, Roper balled a fist and hit her hard in the face.

She crumpled to the floor, out cold. Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, Fuck Roper thought as he realise what he had just done. The ledgers he was holding was causing him to lose his composure. He hurried down the stairs and heard Matteo snoring heavier from the Living room, He didn't go to him. Instead, Roper went out the front door and into the moon-lit gardens.

Roper's hurried walk broke into a sprint half way down the path and he raced out of the gate and down the road and kept running and running. Running as far as his legs could go, Clutching the ledgers in his arms like his life had depended on it.

After some distance, Roper slowed down as his lungs burned. He had stopped in front of a payphone, an idea came across his head. He still remembered the number Madeline had phoned him on, he thumbled in his leather jacket and found a quarter, He put the ledgers on top of the machine and hit the numbers on the dial pad and let it ring.

A man picked up "Miss Evans isn't available at this hour, If you would like, You can leave a message with me and she'll get back to you as soon as she can" The voice sounded foreign. Almost like.. Mr Muscles. 

"Mr Muscles!, I need to speak to Miss Evans right now" Roper pleaded "As i said, Miss Evans is not available at this hour. You can leave a message with me otherwise I'm hanging up the phone" The thick eastern accent responded

"Look Mr Muscles, I've got no time for your bullshit. I've got things in my possession right now that is of dire Consequence to Miss Evans, She needs to see these now"

There was a moment of silence and then Roper heard the phone being passed over to someone, The next voice he heard was a rather tired female voice. She sounded annoyed at her rude awakening "Yes Anthony, What's so important that you need to wake me up at 3 in the morning"

It was that late Roper thought to himself and responded "I found something on our mutual job that you need to read tonight. It cannot be skipped, If this is delayed it's going to have dire consequences"

There was a pause again and then a response "Okay, Where are you" Roper gave her a rough description of his location "Hold on, I'll have a car sent to pick you up. Don't move" Then she hung up. As is her way. 

Roper left the booth, Taking the ledgers with him and sat on a low brick wall. His head in his hands until he saw the lights of a familiar car. It pulled up beside him. Mr Muscles got out of the car and opened the back door and told him to get in, when he climbed in the back. He found out that he wasn't alone this time. A rather disheveled looking Madeline was sitting in one seat. 

He handed Madeline the ledgers and explained to her everything while Mr Muscles drove them back to her office.