"Why are you always in trouble girl?  I'm getting tired of coming to this school every single day.  So help me..."

That's where Myrah began to tune her mother out as usual.  Elena Rinaldi would begin to remind Myrah how tough her life was since her husband, Angelo Rinaldi had left five years ago.  Then proceed to tell Myrah how her younger brother, Luca, wasn't in trouble constantly and giving her headaches.  It never changed.  It was the same time and time again, like Myrah had any control over her father leaving.  He was just like the rest of the no good Italians.  She didn't know what her mother ever saw in him because once her beloved Uncle Danny had been sent away to prison, there were wars over power across the city.  The Italians versus the Irish.

Before Danny Fitzgerald got sent away to prison for beating that man to death in the locker room after the boxing fight, his sister Elena had been charmed and wooed at 16 years of age by Angelo Rinaldi.  Angelo wasn't much older himself, being only 19 at the time, but swore it was a love so true that Elena had been swept off her feet, and the couple eloped.  For a long time, Elena had been struggling to be accepting of her brother Danny's way of life, and when Angelo gave her an alternative to all of that, she leapt into the relationship thinking life would become stable.  Life growing up in the Fitzgerald household with an alcoholic hot tempered father, Elena was grateful to escape.

Not long after Danny began doing his stint at Riker's, the newlyweds soon had a daughter then a year later a son.  Angelo Rinaldi kept his small but growing family shielded away from the battle for power between the Italian and the Irish mobsters.  His own father was Italian whereas his mother was Irish, and he didn't understand the need for the war.  He was often called soft for not taking sides, but Angelo maintained he chose the side of his family.  Things died down and peace had been achieved before Danny was released from prison, and Myrah had just turned five by the time she first met Danny Fitzgerald.  He told her later on in her teenage years that that's the only moment he ever lost his heart to a female. Myrah had captivated her uncle from the moment she snuggled up into his lap talking so jubilantly, black hair curling at the ends, hazel eyes beaming up at him, as her small hands wildly flew through the air as she told him about the frog that jumped away earlier that day.  Danny was fond of his nephew, and spoiled his entire family, they wanted for nothing, but Myrah was his favorite and it wasn't long before she knew it, too.

As Myrah got older, the interest in school activities waned, and despite the nonstop scoldings she received from her mother about the fights, it didn't have much weight until her Uncle Danny had talks with her.  Myrah looked up to the man who took care of her family after her father had deserted them when she was nine.  He couldn't take the pressure, caved and ran away like the coward he was deep down inside, thus letting his family struggle on their own to survive.  Danny Fitzgerald stepped in to help his sister and her kids, which only made Myrah become more enamored of him.  Myrah was thankful it was only her mother there at the school, and dreaded when her uncle would be told because he was very strict in regards to her.  Myrah resisted though on several things, and stood her ground, something that would prove to her uncle that she was capable of taking care of herself.

Myrah heard bits and pieces of what the principal was spouting off in regards to her behavior that day.  No one seemed to understand that she just wasn't of the mindset to take nonstop bullshit from anyone.  Being called names due to her half Italian and half Irish heritage, Myrah found herself in fights quite often, which in turn led to the principal's office.  It was a neverending cycle, and she just outright asked her uncle a couple of weeks ago why didn't he just let her drop out from high school and come to work for him full time.  Of course, Danny tried to be stern, telling Myrah to stay in school and get an education, but her determination to work alongside her uncle would prevail in the end.  Dinner that evening was a disaster as her mother screamed about this and that, how much of a troublemaker Myrah was, just gonna end up like her Uncle Danny.

"You act like that's a bad thing Ma.  Uncle Danny takes care of his family, you can't deny that.  At least he is around since Da left."

Elena threw the napkin down on the table after touching the corners of her mouth.  The pursing of her lips indicated how angered she was at her daughter.

"Your uncle's lifestyle is not one you will concern yourself about.  It's too dangerous, and certainly too dangerous for a young lady!"

Myrah had to laugh to herself about that conversation because she was the type to get her hands dirty, wrestle and tussle someone to the ground, not giving a fuck about the clothes she wore.  Yet her mother still had these delusions that her daughter was every bit a lady, or at the least Myrah could one day manage to unleash her inner potential and find her softer side.

"Ma you always make out like Uncle Danny's work is a stink.  It's exciting and so full of different things and.."

"Myrah you have the mind of a child.  You don't understand how it all works.  You're only 16, so get your head out of the clouds, and back in the books."

Myrah shook her head in disbelief at the woman who ran off with a wretched Italian at the age of 16 herself.  She was still enraged whenever Angelo was discussed because he couldn't handle the pressures of another war between the territories.  It was always the Irish battling to keep what was theirs against the Italians, and all her father wanted to do was sit out on the sidelines, claiming he was neutral in the first war while Danny was in prison.  Myrah just didn't believe Angelo would ever embrace his Irish heritage to do what's right then midst another war years later when he took off.  Some role model he was Myrah thought.  She didn't need to go out to work to help her family survive, it was just the allure and excitement of tales about her uncle that drew her to that way of life.  One day she told him straight up she was coming to work for him, and he laughed in reply.  That only fueled her determination though.  Her mind was drawn back to the chattering at the dinner table, and spoke softly and tired.

"Ma I'm knackered, so goodnight."

Myrah wanted to retreat to the privacy of her bedroom, and think on the plans of how one day she was to work side by side with her uncle.  She wanted to be able to buy anything in life she would desire, and command the respect that her uncle did.  Myrah had already discovered that people nicknamed him Danny Red because he had a short temper, and albeit he reigned it in during his stint at Rikers, her uncle had a very low tolerance for whankers in life.  Myrah laid there drifting off remembering all the stories she had heard known to the public, and even several the public wasn't privy to.  Her thoughts briefly lingering on the fact Myrah greatly idolized her uncle before she dozed off to sleep.

The door swung open wide as a furious teenager stormed inside the local cafe.  She saw her uncle sitting at a table, so Myrah headed over there still outraged at her mother's yelling.

"Uncail Danny.  You gotta do somethin' about Ma."

Danny glanced up towards his niece, arched an eyebrow then spoke in a firm tone that brooked no arguments nor rebuttals.

"Don't be interruptin' me little girl.  Shamus take her over there to the table to wait."

One of the men who was seated nearby, stood up then escorted Myrah to a table.  Once he was done with his conversation, Danny came over to the table where Myrah flopped her furious frame into a seat, huffing with a scowl, but didn't dare say anything until he leaned down to kiss her forehead.  He sat down then inquired what the problem was.

"Why do I gotta sit for hours in that place.  C'mon Uncail Danny it's like a prison!  I don't know why..."

Danny put up a hand silencing Myrah's tirade regarding her education.  She felt a little bad for calling it a prison when he endured prison life for over seven years of his life, but she was feeling suffocated in that wretched school when she longed to be out IN the world, working, making money, and most of all spending time with her uncle.

"You're special Myrah.  Life will be open with so many possiblities for ya that I didn't get.  You remember how I told ya I got into fighting.  That's just not... He sighed before continuning.  That's just not what I want for you.  This life?  Gotta look out for you little girl."

Myrah scoffed a bit at the implication she was a child, yet knew it was an affectionate term from her uncle.  He continued onwards about how he didn't want the same struggles he faced for money, and life for her as he had faced.  Danny knew that her home life wasn't the best with that lowlife Angelo deserting not only his wife, but his two children as well.  Myrah focused on what Danny had to say, agreeing with his rational line of thought because in the end she'd get what she wanted.  Myrah even smarted off full of bravery that she would just go venture out on her own if her uncle refused to bring her into the mix himself.

Danny thought briefly about the people he knew, and how they might try to take advantage of his niece, or what they may do to her if she wasn't properly educated in their business.  He also knew his niece wasn't just all talk, and when she said something, and put her mind to it she did it. He gave a sigh as he gave into her, and spoke his next words.

"The business isn't going anywhere, priorities first.  Then we'll sort out some business for ya, but not until then.  Get your education.  Oh and Myrah....don't tell your Ma."

Danny Fitzgerald had his wits about him as he stood there that night observing her every expression while Myrah thought over his proposal.  It was the perfect opportunity to fulfill the dream she had had for several years, to work alongside her uncle, the downside of that was dealing with the whankers at the school. 

Sure enough, the last two years of school were full of struggles for Myrah, the classes still held no interest to her at all, and the kids were continuously picking fights.  She held her ground no matter what, but she didn't go looking for fights anymore, choosing to keep a low profile as much as possible.  The times proved challenging though when the same groups of kids taunted her about the fact she was half Italian and half Irish.  The goal remained in the forefront of her mind regardless because working with her uncle was an important one to strive for, so she did just that.

A diploma was just a piece of paper, but in this case it was something more significant for Myrah.  She stood there reading the calligraphy on the paper.  'Myrah Dana Fitzgerald' was in bold lettering across the middle of the paper.  She couldn't hide the smile that even reached her hazel eyes when she read over the word 'Fitzgerald'.  The day after she turned 18, Myrah was legally able to change her name from Rinaldi to Fitzgerald.  The name Rinaldi was a painful reminder of the father who had deserted his family.  Myrah even spoke to her uncle about changing her name once she was old enough, and he didn't object to the idea.  She could tell Danny was pleased with the thought of her carrying on their Irish heritage.  She stared at the fancy script on the paper once more as she thought back on the night her uncle made her the deal.  Myrah had to fight a chuckle in remembrance of her uncle's parting words that night, as if he was scared of her mother or something.

"Oh and Myrah....don't tell your Ma."

On graduation day, Myrah ventured off to Caffe Reggio, the local coffee shop her uncle frequented, and walked in with pride as she headed to his reserved table located in the back.  She smiled as she recognized a few of the faces, acquaintances of Danny Fitzgerald, from the times she would skip school over the years sneaking off to hang out with him.  Danny was talking amongst the people gathered at his table, glanced up as she approached, nodded towards Myrah, but kept speaking to the guys.  She took a seat, whilst she was excited to show off the diploma, Myrah had never forgotten that time she bounced in interuppting his conversation, and the fierce look she received. "Don't be interruptin' me little girl" was etched in her mind since that day.  Myrah wanted to be respected and valued for what she brought to the table, and if her own uncle berated her in front of his peers then no one would ever take her seriously in this thing.  Danny Fitzgerald was only 38, pushing 39, but the man commanded respect of all who worked for him.  His reputation spoke volumes, and Myrah was deadset on earning that same respect someday.

Once Danny finished the conversation, he turned his gaze towards Myrah then smiled as he moved a hand to wave quickly.  Two of his long time pals got up moving to the next table, so Myrah could come have a seat.  Two men a bit on the stocky side, Declan, the taller one winked at Myrah before taking his seat while Shamus lightly punched her shoulder then smiled whispering the nickname he branded her with, 'Little Red.' She took a seat by Danny then beamed with proudness as she slapped the diploma down on the tabletop.

"A deal's a deal Uncail Danny.  Pay up."

Myrah smirked having caught her uncle offguard because whenever he parted his lips and arched an eyebrow knowingly at her, Myrah knew she surprisingly got the better of him.  Danny let out a slow breath before he looked Myrah in the eyes.

"Alright lass.  I'm a man of my word.  'Ol Shamus over there will be needing help on an upcoming job."

Shamus heard his name spoken, and briefly glanced up towards the two, yet missed the slight frown flash quickly across Myrah's face at the news she wasn't working directly with her uncle.  She liked Shamus and Declan well enough, having gotten to know them some over the past two years when she came to visit the cafe, but it was her uncle she wanted to be working with closely.  The frown faded as her uncle began explaining starting at the bottom was how everyone proved their worth, and he wasn't playing favorites.  Secretly, Danny was doing all he was able to do to keep her as low key and protected as possible.  His enemies would use Myrah against Danny if it was publicly known she was now working with him.

Danny Fitzgerald had taken over the reigns a few years back because his ability to lead was proven during the second war that occurred while Myrah was still in school.  For years the Italian mob had tried several ways to remove Danny from his new found position of power, but failed miserably.  He had succeeded his mentor, Aiden Tierney, in the role within the organization, but Aiden stayed involved with everything still.  Business continued to prosper and soon expansions were talked about across the city.  He still didn't trust outsiders with the knowledge of his precious niece working with him, always introducing Myrah as a worker, not family.  The only two guys under him that he could trust with her safety as he would his own, Danny put her working with Shamus O'Toole and Declan Tierney.  Declan was the nephew of his mentor, and someone he'd known since the boy was young.

"Alright kid.  Gonna need you to take this package down to O'Keefe's Diner, speak to Tommy then hand off the item."

She sat there staring at Shamus with a look of disbelief on her face as he cut into the steak he had kept on eating during the meeting.

"That's it?"

"Yep."

"Are you kiddin' me here?

The slight angered tone Myrah had caught Declan's attention, who was seated next to Shamus.  She wasn't paying Declan much attention at the moment since her outraged reaction was directed towards Shamus himself.

"Look kid.  If ya go problems with the job, take it up with the Boss."

Myrah grabbed the package off the table then stood up quickly from her seat.  The low grumbling spoke of her displeasure, but she wasn't gonna go have it out with her uncle again.  The first time she went to her uncle complaining about the menial task she was given, Danny calmed her with telling her every part of the organization was important.  How they needed couriers to pick up cash payments to keep the betting stations up and running, keeping the flow of smooth transactions on the down low, so the banks couldn't trace activity; how they needed people the cops didn't recognize to make drop offs of goods.  Danny had a way with words that made Myrah feel each and every job was key to a well oiled machine running efficiently.

The second time Myrah went to scoff about how she was capable of taking care of herself, so why wasn't she doing more than deliveries or pick-ups, well Danny sat her down to explain without deliveries the business wouldn't get taken care of then money and supplies would begin to flounder and business would drop.  Her responsibilities increased with the amount of cash payments, showing she was trusted more.  A lot of these payments were from bits and pieces of the gambling racket Aiden and Danny were involved in.  The third time Myrah dared to confront her uncle, Danny lost a bit of his calm composure when dealing his niece.

"Myrah girl.  You aren't gonna get any special privileges here.  Everyone has to earn their keep, work their way up.  I'm not gonna keep on with this every time you get sent on another job because you feel the task is beneath you."

"Uncail Danny...."

"No.  That's the end of it.  There's a bigger job coming up, and Shamus will be needin' ya.  It's gonna be out west at the Green Art Gallery.  It will be a quick in and out job because the guys had the plans laid out for weeks now.  Your job will be getting them outta there safely until outta the city limits.  Declan will take over the driving from there til you get back here."

Myrah started to open her mouth to make a comment, but the look on Danny's face made her keep quiet instead.

One thing she learned over the next period of time was to take whatever job she was tasked with, and do exceptional work.  Myrah wasn't gonna be favored, nor was she gonna get anywhere just because of her family name.  She was gonna prove to all the guys in the organization that she was just as valuable and devoted as they were, if not moreso.  At times, it was difficult to keep her temper under control, even to the point of using brute force on pick ups when a few of the marks got attitudes because she was female.  Rumors began floating about the city of an upcoming war, but Danny brushed them off not taking them seriously.  Weeks turned into months, yet he still refuted the notions of a takedown by the Italians.  

Over time, Myrah began handling more jobs for her uncle, each task completed showed how well she could handle herself in the business.  The guys would undoubtedly sing her praises, but none mattered as much as from her uncle.  Business kept booming while Danny Fitzgerald profited in his leadership role at the top of the organization.  Times got stressful when Danny's mentor got sandbagged with no hope of assistance from those on the organization's payroll.  Judges, jurors and the like were unable to be bribed or coerced into dropping the charges.  Aiden Tierney, the man who saved Danny from an abusive home life, taught him the ropes and guided him through life, was now facing a 45 year sentence with zero chances of parole, thanks to the influence of the Italian mobsters over running the city.

Myrah opened the car door then jumped into the backseat, slamming the door startling Shamus causing the cigarette to fall from his hand into his lap.

"Feckin' hell."

She watched in amusement as he scrambled around to retrieve the burning cigarette before it caught his pants on fire.  Shamus managed to capture the fallen cancer stick then settled it back into his hand as he glared in the rearview mirror.  Myrah chuckled softly then sat back as she extended a hand towards the front seat.  Declan sat in the front passenger seat watching the scene in silent amusement as he did every other time when the three of them were on a job together.  Shamus ignored the pouch in her hand as he continued to glare at Myrah, so Declan took the item from her hand.

"All okay lass?"

Myrah sighed softly, but answered anyways.

"Why wouldn't it be?  You guys ask me that every time I get back to report in for the past year and half.  I've handled deliveries, pick-ups, any and all errands for Uncail Danny, and you guys too.  Even saved you two bums from getting caught with my dandy driving skills when those rent-a-cops from the art gallery tried to chase after ya last year."

Shamus took a drag off the cigarette then gripped the steering wheel as he shifted his frame towards Myrah.

"You call that fiasco of a getaway 'dandy driving'?  You're just lucky your uncle is the Boss, Little Red, otherwise you'd still be payin' for the damages to my car."

Myrah made a slight frown at the nickname given to her by the men closest to her uncle over the years, but inside she was feeling pride and a closeness to her uncle.  She'd heard many stories over the years, and even more since she began to work under his crew.  Danny Fitzgerald had a temper, and appropriately nicknamed Danny Red, due to the short tempered nature he had.  Some people advised him to keep his composure before his temper became the death of him.  Myrah had difficulty believing he was as hot under the collar as the stories proclaimed, but she had also heard a few stories from Shamus and Declan themselves, and she didn't have much reason to not take their word for things.  They were around Danny more than she was because he talked to her after she began working with his crew that he was keeping Myrah with a low profile. He was too protective of his niece, and despite the disagreements over this decision, Myrah knew her uncle had her best interests at heart, so she didn't fight him on too much.  

Myrah was present for the beginning of the downfall for her beloved uncle, but she was still too naive to know it back then.  Aiden was made an example of by the courts, the judge and jurors held little compassion for the defendant.  Charges after charges were piled up, and he was into the 15th month of the 45 year sentence, which might as well been a life sentence that Tierney was slapped with, when Danny got the phone call that destroyed every last bit of control he could have on his temper.  Aiden Tierney had been found in his cell.  Apparent suicide the prison doctor declared, but Danny knew better.  He knew what it was like on the inside of Rikers, and he knew what kinda man Aiden Tierney was.  That man would never fucking kill himself.  Myrah sat there in Danny's office when the call came in, and she watched in silence as Danny slammed the phone down.  He walked over to the bookshelf, bracing his hands against the third shelf, bowed his head for a few minutes.

The outburst full of rage that followed had Myrah gripping the chair arms tightly as she watched her uncle yell then begin shoving books off the shelves, figurines crashed to the floor, a lamp was knocked over off the table nearby when he turned about.  The look in his eyes held so much anger, something Myrah had never been a witness to before.  His breathing was frantic, but slowed down some once he set eyes on his niece. The room was full of tension, thick as mud, and no one dared say a word, not even Myrah.  Danny glanced from her face to Shamus then Declan before he barked an order for them to watch over Myrah.  Danny Fitzgerald stormed out of his office slamming the door so hard, it detached from the hinges.

The city was under siege due to the warpath Danny Fitzgerald was on after hearing the news of his mentor's untimely death at Riker's.  Case by suicide it was proclaimed, but Danny knew better.  He knew the Italians placed a hit on Aiden Tierney, and he vowed with everything he had that he would avenge his mentor's death.  Vito Toscano, head of the Castelli Family, denied the accusations of placing a hit on Aiden, but Danny knew the ins and outs of Riker's, and what it takes to get shit done on the inside.  Word eventually reached Danny that three caporegimes from the Castelli family organized the hit on Aiden.  Danny Red was well known for his hot temper, and his eyes only held destruction and turmoil in them now, and nothing nor no one could stop him.  Vito Toscano wanted a war, and a war he would get.

It took Danny some time over the following weeks to plan the hits, gathering the intel, locations, targets and such.  Patrick McCarthy was her uncle's right hand man, but Myrah never really worked with him much at all, moreso was familiar with him and who he was.  Myrah was even involved in the intel gathering, but at the time she wasn't privy to the why's, she just did as she was told.  Despite working closely with Shamus and Declan for the past year or so, it didn't take Myrah long to get acquainted with other associates within that time.  Shane and Samuel 'Sammy' Flanagan, brothers who had accompanied the group for the Green Art Gallery job over on the west coast, were sitting in the car with Myrah.  

"Alonso Lombardi, Ernesto Mancini, Gaetano De Marco."

Myrah turned slightly from the position she was in, a hand gripping the steering wheel as she looked into the backseat to Sammy.  He was gazing out the window while his brother, Shane was in the front seat flicking the cigarette ashes out the cracked window.

"Who exactly are these guys?"

Sammy took his time to face Myrah before speaking in his raspy voice.  At first meeting, Myrah had difficulty following what all Sammy said, but over time she grew accustomed to his low scratchy voice.

"Little Red you know you ain't supposed to be askin' stuffs."

Myrah gripped the steering wheel tighter as her brows furrowed deeper, but Shane jumped into the convo before she had a chance to argue.

"Give her a break, Sammy.  You remember how you were full of curiosity.  Those guys are Capos under the Castelli family.  They hit one of us?  Gonna hit those fucks where it hurts, with the money makers."

It didn't take long for it to sink into her head the full implications of the current assignment, knowing the tidbits in regards to the recent tragic death of Aiden Tierney.  She noticed the gun in the holster underneath Sammy's jacket then glanced over to Shane, spotting his piece as well.  Myrah turned back to face the street, keeping her hands on the steering wheel still.  Myrah wasn't a child anymore, and even though her uncle didn't bring her into to dangerous side of business, she had heard enough stories of how things were handled.  Several times she stood outside her uncle's office, hearing his loud voice booming through the closed doors. The words 'Castelli family' were uttered probably a hundred or more times in the spaces of a few weeks since the death of Aiden Tierney.  Last week Patrick was yelling back to Danny that he was insane to wage a war of this magnitude against the Castellis, but Danny was irate and refused to listen to his advisor.

Two weeks later Myrah had been summoned to a meeting with her uncle.  A man named Sean O'Keefe was waiting outside the office later that day when she arrived at the compound.  Myrah glanced about spotting the Flanagan brothers standing nearby.  Sean put out a hand to stop her from entering the office just as the arguing was slowly filtering out into the hallway.

"What the fuck did you do Danny?!?!  Those guys were fucking CAPOS!  This is hurtin' the business."

Silence fell quickly.  Myrah glanced to Shane then Sammy to gauge their reactions, but the arguing resumed once more.

"Who the fuck authorized the hits?  You're outta your mind Danny.  Vito Toscano will have your head for these attacks.  You're sentencing us all to death over your ego for fuck sake.  You're losin' it big time.  Takin' out our own guys now, too?  The fuck is that?  Desmond, Clancy, Liam? Because why?  You got everyone fuckin' scared to speak up against you now.  That ain't no way to run an organization."

He exclaimed, still in an angry tone. Seeing that Danny wasn't paying him the least bit of mind, Patrick McCarthy turned and flung the door open, glared at the room's occupants before walking away.  Sean then trailed after Patrick, their voices fell softer as they moved away, but she swore she caught the words 'betrayal' and 'crazy'.  She didn't see much of those two men over the next three weeks until Patrick came to Danny's office for impromptu "urgent" meeting elsewhere.  Myrah stood up from her place on the sofa where she had been lounging, but Sean held up a hand stopping her movements.  Patrick turned to speak to Myrah as Danny was exiting the office.

"Sorry kid.  This is business.  You can't come."

Myrah felt the heat flood her face as the three men left the office.  Business?  Wasn't she a part of her uncle's business?!  She made it to the doorway in time to see Shane and Sammy Flanagan heading off from their posts outside the office to accompany her uncle.  Myrah saw Declan coming down the stairs, stopped to listen to Danny then left with them.  She didn't see Shamus around anywhere, and at the time didn't think much about it.

Two days later, Myrah paced around her uncle's office in a worried state.  No news.  Nothing.  For two days.  Her uncle had never went a single day without speaking to her, or seeing her in person.  Something was wrong, she just knew it.  Myrah called everyone she could think of, or get hold of to discover any news.  No one would tell her anything.  She hadn't heard nor seen Declan, Shamus, Shane or Sammy either.  Myrah was getting an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.  The not knowing was the worst, but finding out any information was proving impossible beyond words.  Not hearing from her uncle was one thing, but nothing from all of them was very odd.

When day three rolled around, Myrah let out an audible sigh of relief when Shamus walked into the front door, spotted Myrah in the office, then gave her a slight nod as she glanced up seeing him.  The serious expression on his face had Myrah stopping the pacing she had just been doing.  He got to the office door then closed it behind him as he spoke in a low, serious tone.

"Myrah.  Sit down."

"No.  Where is Uncail Danny?  Where the hell have you guys been?"

"Sit down!  Listen for fuck sake will ya?"

Shamus grabbed Myrah by the shoulders to make her listen.

"Danny's gone.  You gotta go home to your Ma.  It.... it'll be safer for you there."

Myrah stilled any movements as the blood drained from her face.  Never one to give into whims of sudden tears, she stood there emotionless as her lips parted in a soft gasp, the words strangled in her throat.

"But...this has to be wrong!"

Shamus shook his head.

"No lass.  Danny's dead.  You need to leave.  Now.  Word is already goin' round."

Myrah started to speak again, but Shamus told her once more to go home to her mother to be safe.  Safe?  Safe.  What was safe anymore? Her whole world was crashing down within minutes.  Nowhere would be safe.  For anyone.  Shamus didn't stay long, again his actions weren't clicking to being odd due to the fact Myrah was now preoccupied.  She glanced around the office after Shamus had taken his leave, and had wondered if there was anything she should take with her, but the numbness feeling was overtaking Myrah.  She looked around still sensing his presence, could hear Danny's voice telling her to get on with it and go talk to her Ma.  Almost on autopilot, Myrah opens the door, walks down the hallway to the front door, closing it behind her.  Closing the door on all the pain she didn't wanna face yet.

Still feeling as if she was on autopilot, going through the motions in an attempt to make sense of the news she had been waiting for, yet dreading at the same time, Myrah headed off to the Cafe Reggio to see if anyone was about that she knew.  At a first glance she saw no one that she recognized from the organization, so she took a seat at a table nearby where her uncle would always sit.  The waitress came over within a couple minutes bringing a cup of coffee, but Myrah waved off the offer of food.  The waitress sauntered off to refill cups on her way back to the kitchen, the low murmurs of voices about the cafe she didn't pay much attention to, at first.  Myrah was taking a sip of the unwanted coffee, but  when she heard her uncle's name mentioned she almost choked as the hot liquid got sucked down the wrong pipe.  Once she got her self composed from the coughing, Myrah placed the cup down on the table then pretended to read over the menu while she listened to the two men a couple tables over discussing recent events.

"Yeah man.  Still can't believe he went out like that.  Man ya can't trust anyone these days."

"His own men though?  Naw."

The bulkier man of the two nodded as he stabbed a fork into the food on his plate.  Shoving the bite of food into his mouth, the man began speaking again, barely audible.

"Yep.  I heard the rumors that ol' Patty boy and Shamus really did him in with that set up.  Ain't gonna find the body neither."

This was so horrible she didn't wanna keep listening, yet she had to know.  Myrah gulped softly as she listened as the other guy piped up again.

"Was there anything left of the bodies?"

"Riddled 'em all with bullets 'til you could see through them."

The one still chewing nodded, swallowed his food then smirked.

"All of 'em walked into an ambush.  Riddled with hundreds of bullets combined.  Shit way to go for 'em, but ya know how that Danny went haywire at the end.  Killin' off his own folks.  Can't work with someone unreasonable like that though."

"Yep.  Good ol' Danny Red."

"Patty and Shamus were right to get help takin' him down before more guys came up missin'.  Rumors got to his Ma about how Danny died in a vat of acid with empty liquor bottles tied to his corpse.  The old lady couldn't handle it then killed herself.  She was found yesterday mornin' in her home."

"Acid?  Damn those Castellis are brutal.  Why the bottles though?"

"Eh an insult to the man I take it because that's how his pa was rumored to have died, too."

Myrah didn't hear much else after that.  She felt like she was gonna be sick.  Her hands gripped the edge of the table as she battled the wave of nausea warring with the growing rage coarsing through her body.  Danny was betrayed by someone he trusted.  The anger she now felt as Myrah realized how much of a fool Shamus took her for, pretending to care about her safety sending Myrah off to her mother's. Go home?  The only place she considered home was with her uncle, and now that's gone.  Myrah wondered why her mother hadn't even told her of her grandmother's death.  Was Elena Rinaldi still that scornful about Myrah that she would withhold such important news?  Myrah sighed as she shook her head in disbelief that her own mother still held it against Myrah for leaving home to work with her uncle.  Her attention was then caught by the waitress asking if she wanted a refill when Myrah noticed the two men were gone.  Her eyes traveled around the cafe searching, but didn't find them about. 

A few pairs of eyes were fixated on her, making Myrah slightly unnerved.  Thoughts of her safety began flooding into her mind unwillingly, and she declined the waitress for anymore coffee or food then stood from her seat.  Leaving the cafe, Myrah stood outside on the sidewalk for a moment wondering where to head to next.  She probably wouldn't have the best attitude to face her mother at the present time, so best to leave that alone for now.  It didn't take long before Myrah stood within the privacy of her own apartment, not registering much around her as she collapsed on the sofa, finally allowing the reality to sink in.  Danny Red was dead.