She had known his father, they had been friends since they were children. In fact, when she opened her headquarters, she had sent word to his father, requesting he come and be her right hand.  He was an honorable man though, and had already committed himself Miss JoJo Stilletto. She understood, that was one of the things she had loved about him, was his loyalty. Sadly, his loyalty had gotten him killed. If he hadn't stayed, but had come to her instead, he would still be alive. God, how she missed him. His quirky little grin. The way his eyes twinkled with mischief. A tear fell down her face, even after all of this time, she missed her friend. They had always stayed close.. they weren't ever romantically involved, they were more like brother and sister.

Their fathers had raised them in this life, and this was all they knew. They were snatching purses as small children, and running bank rackets as teens.  She had been raised in NY and after her father and mother passed, she had moved to Las Vegas to find something of her own.  She hooked up with a group running things in Summerlin, and had been handed the keys to her own HQ as a secondary crew.  As soon as she got those keys, she sent him a telegraph... but she knew, in her heart of hearts, he wouldn't come. He loved JoJo. She was family to him too, and when he got his button, he had sworn his loyalty to her. She honestly hadn't expected anything less. 

A few weeks went by, and she had gotten word about his death. She had been beside herself with grief, but, she knew he had a son. So, she went Rocco to pick him up immediately.  She had never known what happened with the boy's mother.  He never ever spoke of it, and she respected and loved him enough not to ask. 

Spiels was young when he arrived, around 19 and still figuring things out. His father had shielded him from much of this life, so, he honestly didn't have a clue as to how to do things. As time went on, and he worked with their crew, he became a superstar in this world. He was a natural, and he reminded her so much of his father. same mischievous twinkle, same dimpled chin, same shitty coffee. Finally after he had been there for a while, she knew it was time, and she asked him to become her Right Hand. He was her most trusted, just as his father had been before him. She knew in her heart of hearts, that Spiels shared the same loyalty for her, that his father had for JoJo, and for that, she would always be grateful. She wanted to protect him, this man-child. But she knew that he was all grown up now, and would take on the job of protecting her. 

Spiels had been around the HQ long enough.  He figured it was finally time to show Miss_Niki the note that he had been carrying around in his pocket since the day he buried his father.  How he missed that man.  The stories he told were etched into his brain. Spiels was a chip off the old block.  Built from the same mold as his old man.  Same strengths, same weaknesses, same vices.  He loved his women, loved his whiskey, and loved his dice.  All 3 had given him great pleasure and great pain.  

Spiels made his way to Miss_Niki's office.  He gave a courtesy knock and then walked right in.  She knew his knock and knew his routine.  Every morning like clockwork...…he had to give her some shitty coffee with a splash of whiskey in it.  She hated it but choked it down.  And he knew why.  It was a daily reminder for her of his old man.  He had a feeling she missed the guy as much as he did.

Today was a little different.  Spiels placed the coffee on the desk and then sat down in the big chair across from her desk.  Normally he would sit on the corner of her desk till she gave him THAT look, and he would then just stand in the corner and wait on his instructions for the day.

After he sat there for what seemed an eternity Miss_Niki looked up from her paper work and  stared at him.  

Spit it out.....you obviously have something to say.  She always had such patience with him.

Well, not really say.....i have something to show you.  I'd like it back after you are done please.

Spiels placed a tattered letter on her desk and then quickly walked out the door so she could read it for herself in private.  

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Dearest son,

     I've tried to shelter you from the life I've lived the best I could, but I know that you were born to be the same man that I've always been.  I am a loyal man and I have pledged my allegiance to Don JoJo.  I hope that one day you will do the same and when you are ready we will work side by side.  However, if you are reading this, it means that I won't be part of that equation.  You will need to find another home.  

Son, there may appear to be many choices but that is just not the case.  You will have one choice.  I know I don't have to tell you what that choice is.  You know how important Miss_Niki has always been to me.  She's been there for me every step of my life in this world.  She had asked me to go with her and help her with her new crew, but I had already pledged my loyalty.  It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make.  But it will be different for you.  Don't think twice.  She will protect you and teach you anything that I have forgotten.  Take her knowledge and her love.  She overflows with both.  Let her protect you until the day comes that you will return that protection.

Take a bullet for her son.   She will be the most important woman you will ever know in this life.  She's family.

Make me proud,

Pops

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"Ugh, that boy, he always interrupts at the worst times," Niki thought to herself, slightly irritated at the intrusion. She finished up her bookkeeping (you know, one real book, and one for the auditors.)  She reached over and picked up the mug of shitty coffee. The only reason she was able to get it down, is because of the liberal splash of whiskey he always put in it.  As she set her mug down, her eyes landed on the tattered paper Spiels had laid on her desk.  She saw the  handwriting, and knew.. it had been from him.  She took a deep breath, and picked up the letter, as she read the contents, tears streamed down her face.  God she missed him.... every single day, she missed him. She felt like part of her was missing. And it was..  Spiels was now another part of her.. and no matter what it took, she would do everything in her power to make him a success, and to shield him from death.

His father was right, they were family, not the kind that comes from blood, but, the kind of family that comes from a much deeper connection. The kind of family that you choose.  She laid the letter down on her credenza, to shield it from her tears. This was the only piece he had left of his father, and he loved her enough, to share that piece with her. 

After what probably seemed like hours, she stood, and she straightened her dress, she washed her face to eradicate the tracks from the tears. She opened her office door and yelled "SPIELS.. GET YOUR ASS IN HERE" She secretly smiled, as she watched him jump up off the recliner and almost fall at the sound of her voice.   

Spiels wasn't sure what reaction boss lady would have.  He always knew that he was kinda special to her.  He never took his father's words lightly.  But she was pretty tough on him.  She's tough on everyone, but with him it seemed different. 

He walked out of her office and into the common area of the HQ.  He was still feeling the effects of last night's whiskey, and this morning's whiskey in the coffee wasn't quite kicking in yet.  He slouched in the recliner and began to doze off and try to remember the happenings of last night with that blonde lady from acro……..

SPIELS....GET YOUR ASS IN HERE

He knew that voice and that tone.  He was on his feet and halfway in her office before he fully came to.  He did look over his shoulder and get his sights on Savannah.  He wasn't turning his back on her again......

Spiels went thru the door and tried to snap out of the haze of his snooze as he stood in front of the big chair he was previously sitting in. 

Hey Nik...erm boss lady...erm Miss_Niki.  What did I do now?

His mind drifted back to that bag of burning shit that he thought he had put in front of her door once.....did she ever find that?.....this can't be about that...….shit, she looks mad...….

Like some more coffee ma'am?

Niki smiled as she watched Spiels bumbling around. She honestly, could never be mad at him.  Pretty much no matter what he did, he held a special place. She wouldn't tell him that... She didn't want him to get cocky and lose his edge. 

"Like some more coffee ma'am? " he stuttered.

"Hell no!! that swill??" she grimaced. "We'll save that for the mornings."

She quietly turned from him then, and reached for the letter on her credenza. She turned and handed it back to him, and with tears in her eyes, she thanked him. She thanked him for sharing his father's love with her.  

"Spiels, I have something for you as well..." She said. "I've been holding on to this since you were only a few weeks old, I don't know what it says, as I've never ever opened it. It was a letter to be given to you when I felt the time was right.. I feel that day has come."

My precious boy, 

I am in awe, your tiny little fingers, your tiny little toes. I can't believe that you are MY SON... My gift from God. I'm not sure what I did to deserve such an amazing gift, but I promise you, I will treasure you until the day that I die. I have to tell you about your mother, I swore that I would never speak of her again, but, you do deserve to know the truth about her and where she went. Even Niki doesn't knw what happened, and being the woman she is, she would never ask. She would wait for me to tell you. 

Her name was Eleanor, she was a fiery woman, with a temper . She was from Great Britain. She came into the bar when I was sitting there drinking a few.. ok.. a few dozen. I took her to a hotel with me, and we had a night together, I dropped her off in her hotel and had never planned on seeing her again... however, a couple of months later, she came back into the bar, and I could see that she was with child. I'll admit it, I was shocked, and angry.  But then, I decided, I would do everything in my power to make sure that my child had everything they needed. So, I asked Eleanor to marry me.. right then, right there. 

We were married the following week, and I tried to go the honest route, to get a job. Any job, anywhere, but, it was smack dab in the middle of a depression, there was no jobs. So, I fell back on what I knew, what I was born to do.. I called up some old contacts, and I was working the same day. Building a savings, a life for you, my child, my precious baby boy.  Things were going along wonderfully, except that Eleanor hated my line of work. She didn't mind the things we bought though, so I dismissed her grumbling. 

The day you were born, she and I were happier than we'd ever been together. As we took turns holding you, I fell in love with her.. the way she looked at you was amazing to me, like you were the single most important person or thing on the earth. And you were. We settled into a routine over the next few weeks, I would go do what I needed to do, and she would care for you. When I got home after a long day, she would have dinner waiting. Until the day she didn't. 

I had been picking up the vig over at Tommo O'doyles and they tried to stiff me, so, I did what I was trained to do, I roughed him up pretty bad. After that, I knew they wouldn't stiff me again. I had showed them. I went about my day, and headed home. When I walked in the door, you were screaming, at the top of your lungs. I shouted for Eleanor, but she didn't answer. It was strange, there were no smells of dinner wafting up. Something was wrong.. I pulled my gun out of the holster, not knowing what to expect.  I went straight to your room, and you stopped crying when you saw me. I put the gun down and picked you up.  I kissed your little head, and laid you back down on the bed. 

I checked my bedroom, and it was clear, that's when I headed for the kitchen.  I found your mother, laying on the floor, eyes wide open, glazed over. She was gone, and pinned to her chest was a note. The note told me that this was the repayment of the vig, and if I wanted to raise my son in peace, to leave town and start a new life. 

I called your grandfather, and I called Miss_Niki and I didn't tell them why, but, told them that I was moving from Manhattan to Brooklyn. 

My child, I am so sorry that my lifestyle took your mother from you. That is why I have shielded you from my business. I didn't want you to have to live this way. 

I love you, 

Pops

She watched as Spiels picked up the letter. He glanced in her direction, and said, "ma'am may I be excused? I'd like a little time to read this, if you don't mind. " 

"No, go ahead, we don't have anything planned till later on today, so take your time"  

Spiels left her office, and walked out the HQ. She knew he was headed to the park, on South Linden. He thought she didn't know where his private spot was, but she made it a point to keep track of him. She signaled for Rocco to follow, but to stay back where Spiels couldn't see him. She wanted to make sure he was ok, it hadn't been that long since his father had died, and now, he was finally about to find out what why his mother had been absent his whole life.

Miss_Niki had never asked, because she knew, whatever it was, had been a very traumatic experience. She was there for her friend, in the only way she knew how to be. She loved him dearly, and hated that this woman had somehow ripped his heart out and made him harder. She never saw him in the company of a woman again. She knew that he had various prostitutes, but he never allowed anyone to get close to him again.

Rocco came back to the HQ about 2 hours later, and reported that Spiels had spent a couple of hours in his spot at the park. That he had read, and reread the letter from his father. He had cried, he had cursed and when he was done, he stood up, folded the letter, put it in his wallet and left the park and headed to the bank on the strip. A short while later, Spiels was back. Spiels made his way to Miss_Niki's office.  He gave a courtesy knock and then walked right in. 

He threw a bag down on her desk, with a mirthful grin...."$35000 Miss_Niki!! I hope you don't mind, I kept some, I have some unfinished business of my father's to take care of. I'd like to take a couple of days off and go to the Big Apple. There's a man that I need to visit."  Miss_Niki wasn't sure what was going on, but, if this trip was going to give Spiels the closure he needed, then, she couldn't see what it would hurt.  "You can go, but, you must take Rocco with you. New York is a very dangerous city, and I want you to have someone with you that has your back."

"Thank you Nik , erm, Miss_Niki, this is just something that I gotta do.." 

Miss_Niki nodded and watched as Spiels walked out the door.  "Rocco do not lose sight of him, the whole way.. He is like a son to me... if something happens to him, you'd best not come back. " Rocco nodded and followed Spiels out of the office. 

Spiels wasn't a bit nervous.  He got on the first flight to New York.  He was as focused as he had ever been.  He barely noticed that Rocco was on the same flight, a few rows back.  He had grown accustomed to Rocco being his silent partner.  He knew that Miss_Niki trusted him to get things done without Rocco, but she also cared too much to let him go alone.

As he exited the plane he turned and went straight to Rocco and caught him a little off guard.  Spiels never let Rocco know that he knew he was around.  He wasn't taking any chances with this job.  Rocco needed to know that this was personal and he was not to get in the way.

You know what I'm doing here, Rocco?  Spiels asked as he faced the large man.

No sir.  Just had instructions to make sure you came back to Vegas in one piece.

Spiels paused for a moment.  Fair enough. Just stay out of my way.  I have to close a chapter on a book that is way overdue.

Spiels wasn't completely familiar with Manhattan.  He knew that it was where his father had made his bones, but Brooklyn was where he was truly raised.  After asking around a little he found out that Tommy O'Doyles was a local pub that used to be pretty active.  Now it was just a hangout for the neighborhood drunks and some old washed up wise guys.  Tommy didn't need the business anymore, but it was a quiet place that he could hang out in to get out of the house.  He had his own stool at the far end of the bar.  From there he could watch his patsy son in law Jose all day who tended bar.  Tommy didn't trust Jose and Jose hated Tommy.  

Spiels walked into the dimly lit, dingy hole in the wall of a dive and went directly to bar.  It was a horseshoe shape and he sat at one end, directly across from the man that he knew owned the joint.  He ordered a whiskey on the rocks from Jose and watched as Tommy read the paper.  There were only 3 other people in the place and they were about 15 drinks into their 16 drink day.  They wouldn't know it if a bomb went off behind them.  Spiels motioned Jose over to him with just a nod.

I'm going to ask you this question one time, Jose.  The bartender was a little taken aback that this stranger knew his name.  I've done my homework, Jose.  We have something in common.  We both despise that man across the bar.  He's never thought you were good enough for his little princess of a daughter.....Correct?

Jose became even more alarmed that Spiels knew this much about him.

What if I told you to go check the shipment in the back for 5 minutes and your pain in the ass father in law will never be a problem to you again?

Jose stuttered a little at first.....Wh..wh...what shipment?  Then he understood. Oh , that shipment.  I'll go check it out.  A nervous smile came over his face.  He had wanted Tommy gone since the first time he banged his daughter, but he never had the balls to do anything about it.  He put his rag over his shoulder and whistled as he walked by Tommy to get to the back.  Got a case of rum to unload in the back Tom.  Be back in a few.

Tommy grumbled a little over his paper, barely seeing Spiels sit down beside him with a .45 in his hand.

Old man, you don't know me.  Tommy didn't even look up.  He just muttered the name.....Eleanor?  I knew someone from that bitches family would show up at som......PEWPEWPEW

Three shots.  Two right threw the temple and a third in his back as he slumped over the bar.  

Let's call it even was all Spiels could say.

Rocco immediately grabbed Spiels by the arm and tugged.

Lets get back to Vegas kid.  You done good.

Spiels went straight to Miss_Niki's when he returned to the HQ.  He didn't even give her the courtesy knock.  He just went straight in and around her desk.  Without her even having time to get up he draped his arms around her neck and kissed the top of her head.

Thanks Nik......I'm good now.

Miss_Niki looked up from the book she had bought at Joyri 's book shop when Spiels barged into her office unannounced. He rushed across the room taking her by surprise as he hugged her and kissed her on the head. 

"I take it you took care of your father's business, Spiels? " she said after she came back to her senses from his totally out of character behavior.

He nodded, plopped down and picked up her book. " This is kind of a girly book... I would have taken you for a romantic novel lover.."

"I'm not a romantic book lover.. I bought it for the historical part of the story. " 

"Sure, Nik, Sure.. the history!!" 

"Spiels, get the hell out of my office before I have Rocco take you out back and teach you a lesson!!" she shouted, as he ducked the paperweight she threw at him. 

She watched him leave the office, wondering if he was going to be alright now, that he had done whatever he felt he needed to. She didn't pry, because she knew, that someday, when the wounds were healed, he would tell her what had him so adamant about going to NYC. She also didn't ask Rocco, and Rocco knew better than to tell her without her asking. The only thing Rocco said, was "Miss_Niki, you should be proud of that boy.. man. He done good. He done right by his father." Miss_Niki nodded and waved him out, eager to get back into her book.