Potts Gang Warehouse - Two Hours Earlier...

"You told me that you would send me home to my family, all those words, all those times, all of that was a life, you lied to me so much and yet, I did not deserve to be lied to. You allowed me to do so many things for you, you told me to jump and I would ask, how high? You would tell me to kill people, and I would ask, how many? You told me to stand here and guard you as a man comes to kill you, why? What did I do? What will I do?"

Sonny DiCaprio looked down at the bleeding body of his former mentor figure and leader. The man that had taken him in, someone who had given him the home that he needed and yet he always felt it, the usage of him, the fact that his family name was bigger than most and held more weight than most. He was the puppet of someone much more cunning than him, Roger Potts, the man that he trusted above all else, besides one woman, but now? The trust had all but crumbled like a cookie. That sweet trust was no longer there, something that both of them noticed. 

"You know why you know she comes for you, she sent her ever loyal dog, you know him, you left him the note and he followed didn't he? Our Corrupt Officers heard the shots and know that he is coming for us. I told you that I would get you back to your family, your real one, not the one that she gave him, but the one that you were born for. I can give you that if you just drop the gun, your family, the one that you want, is but a moment away if you drop the gun!"

Sonny looked down at Roger and found him what he truly was, the man that he had thought was the bravest person in the world, the man that he thought would protect everybody with this thing of brotherhood, respect, bond, and family. All of it and everything was what he promised to the men that had all but fled, only a few remaining under Roger. Those who left had heard of the infamous Midas Black Reaper, the man that had been the negotiator and man in the shadows for many people and now he was doing a job for someone else, someone who wanted Sonny.

When the men who worked with Sonny had heard he was wanted, many of them were willing to give him up, if it meant their survival as a group and the abandonment of their former brother, then they would leave him, only those who said that had found themselves under the wrath of Roger himself, who saw Sonny as his bargaining chip with the Midas Reaper and whoever was paying him to get this kid away from the life, but he had an idea who and could tell from Sonny's story who it was. 

"You once told me, hell, you told me every day. A family isn't who you were born with, its who you would die for. I have no family like that, not anymore. You call yourself my brother, mentor, and everything under the fucking skies, but you are nothing more than a user and a rat..."

Sonny looked down at Roger once more before firing the deadly shot, ending the life of Roger Potts, he didn't look shocked or even horrified at what he had done, he simply looked content and happy with himself, something that could not be on the face of this kid, it was unnatural, even the man watching him looked like he was going to throw up at the sight of the child looking like he was happy and finally at peace after killing a man...

"Put down the gun, Sonny put down the gun and untie me..."

Sonny looked blankly at the man that had come to save him, he snorted in his head, finding it to be one hell of a rescue party, but up till the last moment, he had failed and Sonny had done the job, he finished off this part in his life, he had done this act of pure violence and joy, knowing that he was already damaged beyond repair to save. He tilted his head to the side, before sighing, walking forward and moving back as Charlie lurched forward, trying to grab him...

"I would advise against that Mr. Pavanno, after all, I am the one that is armed and deadly. You are the weak one that is sitting there, looking at the work that has been here today. Only I have to ask, what was the original plan, what was going to happen after you killed him? Send him off where she would never see me again? Send me to get educated, a good life, a non-hostile life? All of that sounds lovely and yet, it is not what I want, all these people, all these men, women, children. They are innocent and you take advantage, men like you, take advantage."

Charlie looked blankly at Sonny, knowing that he was picking the attacks on his finely made piece of armor, the very piece that had been made since his father had become a monster, but a little teenage kid was picking spots that even he felt stumped. How much had the time with Isabella and Roger affected Sonny? He was beginning to see how much, with how he held the gun with such carelessness, he was ready to shoot again. It was easy for him. 

"Huh, you paint a very bleak and dark picture, you make it seem like you are different Sonny, was it not you that decided the fate of a man right now? Was it not you that decided the fate of other men before? Was it not you that decided to deal drugs? Was it not you that would do anything for a family? Cause trust me, I understand, so much."

He leaned forward, causing him to fall onto the floor, but he did not care, he was in too much to even feel the damage, he had been messed up real good by Roger and his goons before Sonny had come in and well...did his business. 

"Oh Mr. Pavanno, I know very well what I did, because I am not taking you down a peg, I am offering you the chance to be something more to me, more than they were. I am offering you to be my guardian and take me in as your own. Not because we're alike, but because men like you, take advantage. I want to be a man like you, Mr. Pavanno, I want to take advantage..."

Charlie gasped, wondering what in the heck was going on before he realized it, he passed out due to the pain with one thing on his mind, the mentoring of Sonny DiCaprio, was this to really happen? Would Isabella accept it? All these thoughts played out in his head, as his eyes fluttered closed and he was soon consumed in a never-ending darkness as the final words he heard were.

"Don't worry Mr. Pavanno, you are not dying like this, because you are honorable and this is not honorable...."

Dream - Hallucination

"Get him away! Get him away! You promised to keep him away! You promised Charles! You fucking promised!"

Charlie woke up to screaming, but it was not the usual house that he was used too in Philly, it was his childhood home, back with his monster of a Father, but this time, it was his Mother screaming at him, sounding mad and she was never mad at him, she always happy to help him get away from their Father, the beatings, the anger and just the fear of being left with him, the monster that your mother warned you to lock the doors and hide in the closet, to always dodge and run...

"Wha? Mother, what are you talking about? You...you, your never mad at me! Why are you now? What have I done to make you this way? What have I caused to make you hate me? What have I done to make you this way?"

Francesca had continued yelling, as it started to become a buzzing sound to him, it got louder and louder until he closed his eyes, suddenly no longer hearing his mother, but instead, here he was, sitting in front of his Father. He growled, reaching across to grab him, but his Father had merely grabbed his hand, once again, fear acted up inside him, he remembered his Father's strength and prepared to mentally face it once more, but all he got was a soft chuckle as his Father placed it back down...

"What is this? What have you done to mother!? Why is she acting this way!? What did you say you bastard!"

Antonio chuckled, looking to Charlie with a smile still, almost like he could not believe this was his son, before leaning forward, to which got the reaction of his son moving back, away from him and cowering like a pup. Whimpers came from the older Charlie, who could look nothing like a little boy in front of his abuser, in front of his very own Father...

"Your mother is not well Son, she's been trying to tell you something, for so long, to get rid of the boy. To not take care of him, that your not ready, that you're not able too. It's something really, your own mother telling you that you're not ready, that you will never be ready. You want to know what I think?"

Charlie was ready to spit out that he did not want to hear anything that his Father had to say, he was his own man and he was ready to defend himself, yet in front of his Father, all those brave words, all those acts of The Mobster, of the Cat, of the High Roller, all went away. He was Charles Peterson to this man, he was simply the boy that had been used a punching bag, nothing more and nothing less. He was the kid that had been nothing but the skinny little runt and shame of the Peterson name."

"I think your scared, I think that you don't want to be like me, I think that raising someone and becoming the bastard like, that you are afraid you will lash out and make them like you. Make them fear you? Is that not correct? Don't say anything, because I know it is. You're afraid of being me, your afraid that you won't meet the standards that Sonny has set for you, well newsflash, Sonny is ready down that path, he is already becoming the Mobster. What can you do to stop that?"

Charlie burst up from his seat, jumping over the table that separated him and his Father, holding him like he was a mere thug, growling as his eyes darkened with anger. He raised his fist, ready to strike against his father once and for all, yet he could not, he found himself unable too. Knowing that he was going to be just like or worse than his Father if he crossed that line, if he even walked that line, he would be worse off...

"Sonny is not going to be me, Sonny is not going to be any of us, he is not for this Life. I will take him under my wing and I will guide him, but no more than that. Do you understand me!? Sonny is going to be a new chapter, a new person, just like I promised and I always, ALWAYS, keep my promises, Father."

Antonio chuckled, before Charlie started to become faint, his head all over the place and he suddenly fell back, fainting, knowing that he was going to be out of it soon, he allowed a laugh to escape him before truly entering the darkness...

I Will take care of the future, I will save it...

"Mr. Pavanno, please do wake up...we have work to do..."

Underworld Doctor

Sonny sat at the chair of the Underworld Doctor, who eyed him and his greasers warily. He could tell that the Doctor was obviously worried about informing him that Charlie might not wake up, yet Sonny knew about the man himself, The Midas Black Reaper. The one who hunts and is not afraid to use any means to get to his intended target, he had found him and was not going to let him go. He knew who had sent him, yet it also hurt him that she did not come herself, she could have said something or even sent something to him.

"Why did you not take me with you Isabella-Luciano, why did you not just protect me? The man you sent, is he capable of doing what only you can? Is he the one that can truly give me something that he himself needs, perhaps, but for now? I will not hold out hope, he has yet to be anything special, he has yet to live to his moniker..."

Soon enough, mumblings came from the bed that Charlie was laying on, he was obviously out of it, clearly not conscious and speaking in a tone that was not familiar to any of the men, fear, and worry. Sonny looked at Charlie now, finding him to be something of a broken mirror, someone who kept fighting no matter the falls he had gone through, he was broken and yet fought like he was whole, he hid his himself with a smile and yet, Sonny could not help but admire that about the man that he had forced to take himself under his wing.

"Mr. Pavanno, I do believe it is time to awaken, we have a lot of work to do..."

Charlie gasped, looking around the room with anger shining in his eyes, taking Sonny behind him, already guarding him like he was a priceless piece of art, another point in his favor, Sonny had unknowingly stated in his head. 

Charlie looked around the room, finding himself looking at two Greasers, who he immediately took for enemies and guided Sonny behind him. Only when he saw the familiar face of an Underworld Doctor, this one being York. One of the doctors that had called in a favor with his Cousin, Luckie Luchio. He relaxed and brought Sonny to the front him, kneeling down to meet his height, which was a bit of strain, considering that he was not at one hundred percent. 

"Sonny, do you know what you are asking? I know that it has been a while, but I am truly worried that this is a path you seek because of her...because of the one that you think abandoned you. In a way, your right, that is what happened. I want you to think about this, I want you to really think and believe this is what you want because then, we need to figure out how to explain to her that you are under my care..."

Sonny thought for a second, he knew why he was mostly doing this, but he had also found himself looking up to the young Charlie Pavanno, the one that he had seen around the former HQ of Ivory Tower, the one that had worked his way up the ranks, becoming one of the most powerful people in Philly and possibly, the states. He was someone that started from the literal bottom as a mere citizen, an ant and became a Mobster through his hustle and hard work.

"Mr. Pavanno, I know what it is I seek, I know what it is I want and this? This is the mere building block, you have inspired me. With these past few moments, but even before, in the Ivory Tower, you were a quick noticeable guy. Perhaps I want to work under you because I admire you, or perhaps I just want to see if we're really alke, maybe that is all..."

Charlie nodded, before motioning to the greasers to get his shit together, they had work to do and this is merely the start, he was not going to allow Sonny to look like this, it was time that he had got some real threads, perhaps a haircut and a shower as well, the little bastard smiled like a goddamn sewer...

"You coming Kid? Or you wanna go get something to eat first?"

Sonny smiled lightly, before handing the gun off to Charlie, who nodded back in respect to him. They all walked out, paying the Underworld Doctor, knowing that things were about to get more hectic than usual and with his report back to Isabella being needed, he knew that shit was going to be hitting the fan and possibly a volcano would be erupting soon...

"God damn me and my never-ending luck, eh?"