'Well dear brother, I am here, meant to be meeting someone of significant standing in the so-called alliance that you are starting. How Kaleb O'Connell, an advisor to O'Bannion as you so elegantly put it, let's get this over.'

Walking into the Training Facility, Maria had let her thoughts stay in her mind, she found the Purgatory Gym much more suited, but whatever suited the Irish worked for them, and who was she to judge? Well, the Heiress of a Multi-Million dollar organization that would be passed down to her. She, of course, did not think the position would suit her, considering she would have plans to do otherwise with the Cordelia fortune than to invest in the Cartel life once more. 

"Maria Cordelia, I'm Jakob Smith, with the Philadelphia Inquirer, I would like to get your thoughts on the sentence that the esteemed, Charles Pavanno got just last week, how do you feel about all of this?"

Jacobson Smith, commonly known as Jakob, in the Philly crowds. The man was to put it simply, a whore and lusted after women like the common man. Although her brother could be stated as the same, Maria found that her brother hid his dalliances with ease and did nothing to even earn the ire of them, most of them knew what they were getting into her, but the man in front of her, well she despised him to put it simply. 

She knew that he would be searching for a story, considering the man he worked for, was the very man that she worked for. Charlie Pavanno owned the Philadelphia Inquirer along with Joe Adonis, as part of a rather unbiased opinion on the mob, while they were seen as criminals, others did not and allowed them to be seen as Gods, Goddesses, Kings, Queens. These people worked for the mob with the intent to become like them, some of them never did, others? They stayed where they were, as the help. 

"Jakob Smith, what a surprise it is to see you here, one would think that you are here to associate with the Irishmen. Do they appeal to you as women do?"

Jakob had released a laugh, the intended jab washing over him, he knew that Maria had found him a beast and whore in every sense of the word. Only, how could he help it that women found him attractive? He was but a man and what he did in his time was hardly the business of herself or the organization. 

"No, not at all Maria, I found myself solely focused on the carnal desires of myself and the women that I occupy myself with. I do wonder if the hate you bore me, is the result that you find yourself interested in this weasel as you have said in the past. Or am I wrong?"

She laughed quite loudly, her laugh would have sounded angelic to those who did not know her and in fact, it did. It was like a lullaby that would be used to make babies fall asleep, but to the Irish Thugs and Jakob, it was the warning bell that the Latina was going to go off and they would have to dive for cover, should anything else cause her anger to become even more volatile. 

"Why should I debase myself with you? I have been saving myself for one man and lucky for me, you will never be him. As he is a man that you can never hope to be, Mi Amor..."

Jakob allowed a smirk to crawl onto his lips, while his eyes were as blank as a canvas. He did not allow the jab to show that much, but one would be able to see. He had cuts and the razor stood opposite him, ready to bring him down to size once more. 

"How unfortunate for you, you shall never have that man. I believe he cannot debase himself with you, the disgraced daughter of Hector Cordelia. It seems that you already debased yourself with the likes of Martin Aburra, I do wonder, does Mr. Pavanno know about that?"

Maria growled, she stepped forward, her plump lips were a thin line, no longer looking like the beauty of Medellin itself, instead, she stood as the Heiress of Cordelia, she was representing herself as her Father's daughter, in a way that made the craven of a reporter back away in such fear, that he tripped himself up slightly, only being saved as Maria grabbed his arm and tucked it into her own, whispering something in his ear with such a sickly sweet voice that the Devil would shriek in fear.

"My dear Jakob, you forget yourself. You are the mere reporter of a News Firm that is under the control of Joe Adonis until Charles comes back from his stay. I would remind you that while you may work for Joe, you are on our payroll. We wouldn't want those payments for Frieda to stop now, would we? Of course not, now run along, before I find another reporter that can do your job, ten times better."

Maria watched as the weasel backed away, possibly going to find the next cow to milk in order to get a cheap story from this drama with Charlie, he needed the break, a Five Year break? Well, that was not ideal for Alphonse and her brother, but she had to make it work, otherwise, she would be regarded as a failure.

"Ms. Cordelia, Aye, Ms. Cordelia!"

A thick Irish accent rung out behind her, Maria turned to find an Irishman with a glint of mischief in his eyes, before taking her by the arm, she was rather struck back by his forwardness but allowed herself to be led.

"I hear that you want to speak on the behalf of Alphonse and Henrik, I do wonder what I can do for this alliance of ours."

Maria knew this man was Kaleb O'Connell, a Captain or Capo in the American Mob terms. He was a simple guy who led a crew but controlled a number of businesses that would be kicked up to his boss in LA, O'Bannion. 

"I am not here to speak of the Italian-Irish Alliance, I am here to offer one, on behalf of El Jefe Cordelia."

O'Connell sensed something wrong here but led Maria to his office. Allowing her a comfortable seat, as he got some glasses and a bottle of wine. 

"Well, Dama Cordelia, please do inform me of this alliance that you have in mind..."

With Maria negotiating with O'Connell, how will Alphonse do with O'Bannion in LA?