The Hotel Dupree - Philadelphia

"Didn't expect you here father, it's been quite the week as you know. I've just got here and I'm here to find out what you're going to do about these fuckers taking your daughter, my sister and holding her for ransom. I don't care what kind of deal you get, I will hunt them down and put their heads on pikes if needs be! None of them will see the light of day again, they wanna fuck with me and my family!? Then I'll bring the fight but only if you understand what I'm going to do, I ain't the green boy you may have heard of in passing."

Charlie could see it, almost like he was looking in a mirror, besides the white hair and stormy-green eyes. his son had gotten most of his features. The babyface included, now he was wondering how much he took from his side of the family. That anger was something he only saw in Antonio Peterson when the bastard decided to have his fun and abuse his own family but then again, Charlie was never going to become that man, he made sure of it. Maybe he drank a little too much alcohol but right, his stance had changed with ease.

"I've actually never heard squat beside you sitting in LA and becoming one of the advisors to one of my former associates, how was that? The feeling of being one of us, being in Our Thing, what was that feeling that went through you?"

Michael chuckled bitterly, leave it to his father to try and bond right now with the threat of their own family member being killed over some bullshit money that he could have got together with ease due to his contacts. He was making a couple hundred grand a day, this would have been easy money but Michael knew that they had to do this because ti's how the Upstate Commission wanted it.

"Not surprising, considering you ran and hid besides that, we all know that a lot of your time was spent in Seattle. How was that by the way? That feeling of having an engaged woman who saved you from the pits of prison? Which then allowed you to fall into the pits of my mother-"

That was as far as he got before Charlie launched forward and clearly, Mikey had touched a nerve speaking of his mother in such a fashion, there it was, the glint in his eyes. He was protective of his mother's reputation and word, the bond the two shared was still there, Mael would have allowed a spark of happiness to flow through him before he once more chuckled bitterly under his breath without another word.

"You will talk only in a respectful tone of your mother, nothing more and nothing less. I swear to god if I hear another word, me and you will have a boxing fight and we can take all that family love aggression out on one another, is that good, son of mine?"

Michael allowed his features to cloud himself for a second before he leaned forward, clearly not okay with this in the slightest. He looked a bit pissed and that was not the best for a Pavanno but he soon settled with an easy-going smile that did nothing to smooth things over with his father.

"I understand, father of mine, you are one of the more greater people in this life. I heard nothing but respect from so many people. Then I compare him to you and I don't see the same man, I see someone who was scared and did not care for a bastard. Oh, woe is me, I still managed to crawl up from the pits of your fucking shadow, I became Mael The Kid. Not Michael Pavanno, a name I despise with every bone in my fucking body! You were not my father, no one was but here you are now because Cassandra is kidnapped, huh!?"

Charlie knew where this was going and he knew that he had no defense for it, he let it go on, his son had some aggression within him, he could not fight it and he would never fight it, what could he do? He was in the right here, nothing was ever going to be right, nothing truly was going to be alright. This family was as scarred as ever but they were bonded in some dark fucked up way, they would come together for that one person and that was Cassandra.

"Where were you when I was shot, not once, not twice, but three fucking times! I was pushed into a fucking portal by some mad scientist by the name of Rick, I then died in a war, and now I survive an attempt against my life in Mexico because of the people you fucked over! I have lived for the name that you hold, I have bled for this family, all I wanted was someone to call family. I have that now, Cassandra is my family. What you are to me, I don't even think I will never find the words."

There it was and Charlie could not defend himself against such words, all he could do now was get his daughter of those bastards claws who decided to play offense and take on the growing outfit that he was building here. Maybe sometime in the future, he could have something here with his, that he never knew but it was time to talk business.

"What do we know of the Garranzino or the Upstate Commission operations in Philly? They couldn't have gotten far and this move, it means they have to be lowkey. Not every person in their organization can be loyal, there is always a rat somewhere, one that is ambitious and wishes to rise above his current standing."

Michael knew his father was right but it didn't mean he was right to outright tell his father that he was a good man for figuring that out, saving them some time, no now they needed to come up with a plan to save their beloved family member.

"So what's your call here? You know the city better than I do, I mean I worked with Isabella Luciano one time but I am sure the city has changed since then, right now we gotta have some planned moves for the future of this thing. We have to get something that pushes back on them but doesn't land on you specifically."

Charlie's eyebrow rose towards his son who looked back and it seemed they were on the same page as they knew what they needed to do now in order to get the rat and play along with the demands of the Upstate Commission/Garranzino Family.

"You have a squad here, some people that know not to miss?"

Michael chuckled, already knowing who he was going to call, some people did owe him favors but right now was a matter of war and was about time that he called in Luca. The man was a certified killer and knew what he was doing with his boys, it was time to strike back against these fuckers, they were going to get their family reunited

It hurts someone would say, some people would look at him with nothing but hatred as he tried to justify to himself what he had done. Leaving was something that no one could ever justify, his son had been through something and he was not there to give him the support he needed and now he was left with a son that hated him, while one of his other children decided to side with their brother. It was the current woes of his life and he knew that it could have been worse but he didn't know how much worse it could get.

So, Charlie took to the drinking and poured himself a hefty glass of Bourbon, drinking cautiously while sitting in the silence and not even trying to get any work done. Things were just tense enough without adding some work onto his plate, right now his son was preparing the squad that would take the fight to the Garranzino family while Samuel and his Fifth Street crew worked on the bank, how long it would take and how much of the take they would be giving to the Garranzino crew. This was something that they needed to work out, otherwise, Cassandra would be dead.

"I'd thought I would find you in here. What a surprise to find you in a bottle of bourbon and no, I am not looking to fight Father, I just want a drink, something that you are doing right now."

Charlie eyed his boy for a second, he was not drunk enough to know that his drinking had to be something new and in this body, there had to be some kind of law, right? Then again, his mother was short, seems he inherited that from her as well, clearly looking like a child in his frame and yet a man in his voice and the way he was addressed.

"You don't even look tall enough to go on the rides at the Chicago fair, like what the heck do you think you're doing drinking? I thought you didn't like this stuff..."

"Well, I took after you and mom in that aspect, seems she was a drinker too and not a good one."

Charlie chuckled before reaching under his desk and placing a glass on the side where his son was sitting. Soon pouring him a glass and both of them raised their glasses in cheers before taking sips, clearly at the moment getting lost and just enjoying the company of one another.

"Could you tell me about her? My mother I mean."

Charlie looked at his son in surprise and for once he had seen those green eyes not filled with hate but a curiosity to know something he never got the chance to know, once more, Charlie cursed himself as he knew that this was something out of his hands, it was another thing he had not mentioned to his son while they were dealing with the Garranzino punks.

"She was.....amazing, even though what we had was something special at the moment, we just felt a connection and we don't feel bad for having you at that moment and nor do I feel bad for having you as a son now. You were, at the time, a miracle. I believed myself unprepared and I see now that I really was but she wanted me to protect you, and I failed. Your mother died Michael, she died while we were robbing a truck, a job went wrong and she died in my arms. I couldn't do what she wanted because I was a coward, she entrusted me to teach you what it meant to be our son and I left you there alone."

Michael looked in his eyes and found those eyes, his father's, were not looking at him with longing but for the first time, his eyes held sorrow and Michael allowed a tear to drip down his cheek. Releasing a deep breath, he growled and unknowingly his hair had moved a little, causing Charlie to take notice with a small smile, one of his lover's gift. As he knew now but still, he was going to be unprepared for what it would bring and he would have to somehow teach him, only his son said something that shook him to his core.

"What if Mom wasn't dead?"

Charlie stood in the war room as his eyes looked over the blueprints for the Fifth Street Savings Bank. This place marked the end of a two-week-long scraping together of men, weaponry, and information. This was not the easiest things in the world but right now, it was all they had and if they were going to pull off two moves without a hitch, then they would all the help and blessings that even the almighty God could give them.

"Are we sure about this? These moves have to happen on the same day, if we delayed the warehouse move or even the other planned moves, it could give us a small breather as I personally would not have the men. They wouldn't know about Michael, he's the one they would count on to rush into this without a single problem. We have to play this smart, they've played a good game so far. We took out the DiBan Outfit and we moved in, they knew we would be on the defense and organizing ourselves before thinking about the future threats to our crew."

Charlie spoke the truth but they all had thought about this long and hard, consequences be damned. Their own family wanted to war with them and their father was dead, their mother dead, they had no authority figures besides Joseph. Who was in no longer associated with the family due to a political campaign back home that he was surprisingly doing well in despite his more questionable family.

"Charlie, we've done this all before, we have calculated the risk and we know what we have to do this now or we are not going to be getting another chance. Hitting these two on the same day makes perfect sense, it makes it seem like another side has entered the fray of this little Pavanno Civil War. I say we go with it and finally make the stance known, there are other threats their reign than just the Pavanno's."

Once again, his advisor was right and he had no reason in which way to defend his stance in taking a more laidback approach. Ge would have said something else but there was something in his advisor's eyes that told him his plan of action would have been ill-advised.

"I understand, so who's going with which crews and when will we get the updates on the situations?"

His son went into an explanation and throughout this speech, Charlie did even spare a single glance at his son, his words from the night before still ringing in his head as he had refused to answer. Leaving the room with a hurt look and his heart aching for answers but he was not going to do that, he needed to be ready for this and right now, it was not the time for the Pavanno family drama that seemed to be lurking around every corner.

"That's that, we will contact the Dupree, while the Fifth Street Crew continues with their dealings and we will all gather at the safe house if this blows back on us. We have everything ready, gentlemen, I wish you good luck and I will see you soon."

His son left the room quickly, either wanting to get prepared or leave his presence, he did not know. Right now Charlie was welcoming such a breath of space before he drank some water, noticing the lingering stare of his advisor and close friend, Sam. He did not even give him a glance, continuing to look down at the blueprints before finally hearing the leaving footsteps of his friend and he allowed a deep sigh to escape him.

"And so let us hope that our son does well my love."

Charlie whispered to himself as he pulled out a photo of himself and Secra in Seattle, one of the peaceful moments they shared before he put it away with a real smile. Soon leaving the room and allowing the former memories to leave him, memories that would do well to be forgotten right now.

"He'll be fine Charlie, these guys know what their doing, hitting this warehouse will be good for all of us. Everyone wanted some action and now they got it, Our Thing always revolves with blood, money, and the occasional drama. If it wasn't for this right now, I would have gone into the Casino game and opened up a new restaurant in New York, I was bored and we all need something to get us out of that funk."

"It's not that Vincent, I've heard his stories and I know what he can do for the family. No, it's what he told me in private and I need you to verify something because what he says can't be true."

Charlie sat down in a burgundy leather chair with a cigarette burning away between his fingertips before he took another puff, filling the room with the cancerous smoke. Strangely enough, he never seemed to be affected all that much must be because he gave it up for a while in Sicily and only started smoking it just as he was thinking about coming back to the states and operating his business once more. Little did he know that he would have a torn family with many people out for their heads.

"Tell me, what is it?"

"He said there's a possibility that Secra might be alive and I know that's some next-level bullshit. She died, I saw her die, for fuck's sake she died in my arms! I know I didn't keep up to date on some shit but the matter of fact is, I saw her die and I never once looked back. I haven't been the same since brother and right now, this move, this coming to where it all began is not doing good for my mental state. Maybe I should have stayed gone."

Charlie whispered to himself as the thoughts soon started to overwhelm him, these type of moments were not the best in certain ways. He would remember what he did, tearing a couple apart and yet he could not stop himself, there was passion in that and the moments shared may have been fleeting but there were secrets that he even wanted to keep away from the public eye. She was a bright light and the son they shared was indeed a miracle and a sign that she would always be with him, maybe not in the way he wanted.

Vincent watched Charlie for a moment and found this to be a bit different from how he remembered his boss back in the day. There were still shades of the man that once was but here he was, ready to be a family man and doing what it took to secure his position and power within the social and violent hierarchy that was the Philly mob scene.

"There were whispers that she joined back in Seattle, that she was lost and didn't know of Mael, at the time, most of us were laying low. We didn't want anybody coming to us about the shit between you two. Now there was a Cop, a Jake Peralta I believe. He wanted to question Michael but considering he was not available,  he decided to hunt down Secra, that search came up a bit different and he never found her."

And just like that, Charlie breathed a sigh, if there were rumors, should he fly out there and see what the deal was? People would not recognize him. He did not really associate back in those times, keeping to himself and Philadelphia most of all. Shit was all over and now here he was, contemplating on going back as his son worked on building his own legacy once more.

Charlie never thought he would have to come to this day right now, the day where he had to trust someone else with the lives of his family. Now he was sitting at the safe house with a few armed guards, all of this was in preparation for the war to come, the Irish had all but abandoned their own side of territory and started rushing into the territories that Charlie controlled, taking up warehouses and setting up shop out of them.

As for the Haitians, they were more subdued and cautious in how they approached the former Don of South Philly, once a man of power sat before them and they could see that he still radiated that power like he was meant too or like it never left him at all. It was quite the sight but they knew it was a matter of time before something else would shock him. This was one of the moments, now that his own business had been threatened, many of them began to shore up defenses, hiring more vans and armed guards to patrol their territories, making sure that no threat was seen leaving or even entering without them knowing.

Charlie did appreciate the effort but knew that they were protecting their own sasses, the Haitians did not like him and were only doing business because it made them money. Not out of genuine loyalty like Devlin O'Leary who offered himself to Charlie without another word, wanting to get on his good side and be the best of them all. Wishing to become one of the few Irishman to never forget who gave him the chance to be this man in the first place, for all his faults, Joseph did a good job in gaining loyalty from those around him. Never had he seen Devlin so fiercely protective of anyone other than Joey.

Now here it was that they would get the news they had been waiting for, it had been a couple of hours and all the news had been reaching, people even contacted some spies as they received nothing. It was radio silence, that was a good and bad thing, it could be mean two things but Charlie was inclined to believe that it was a good thing, his son was no amateur and knew what he was doing. This was serious business and suddenly, the phone rang breaking the tension that all of the gathered powers felt at the moment.

"Charlie, it's Michael, he's got news on the Warehouse takedown and the Fifth Street Savings bank heist."

Charlie stood from his chair and walked over, placing the chilling phone to his ear before he heard the voice of his son with great happiness flowing through him.

"Father, we've got the rat and we've secured a ton of cocaine, as well as some Guns. The fifth street savings bank heist proved to be even more lucrative, there were three trucks, each filled with one million dollars in cash. The boys are at the Bella Vista safe house, we're at the Warehouse and we'll meet up with you in a couple of days, we did it Pop! We fucking won!"

And so Charlie chuckled, releasing a roar of approval to his son that was echoed by the many others in the safe house with him. They had won and they knew this was just the beginning, many of them started popping bottles, starting the party a little early as a win for their small little outfit that had their first major victory against these fuckers but it did not bring back Cassandra which was the main goal.

"When you get back, we have to talk about your mother and maybe the reasoning that your....statement was not untrue, goodbye son and be safe."

"I understand and I will father, always."

The mood had lifted and still Charlie found himself secluded in privacy, he did not wish to be a downer but still, he had some things that did not need celebrating. Not until they got his daughter back, these fuckers wanted to play a game and yet they were robbed. They didn't even know it and Charlie had some plans in store for these fuckers, if they wished to play cat and mouse, they would play as well.

"Heh Joe, you were always right about this life. There is nothing fun about having an apple pie life, 9-5 and then becoming another statistic in a gangland shooting. I hope you and the good doctor are living a good life brother, I have always said that she was good for you and now look at you, escaping and enjoying the country. It's a thought that would have been nice for me but not anymore, it's too tainted for me to even think about."

Soon his office phone rang and Charlie looked at it with a risen eyebrow before picking it up hesitantly, wondering if it could have been the Garranzino Family who found out that they had been robbed blind. It wouldn't have helped Charlie in the slightest if they did find out but he could deal with it.

"We never gave you enough credit Mister Pavanno, who would have thought that you hired your son to work with you. We should have known but we did warn Arcadius, you were always a slippery little bastard and it seems time has not changed you. Still the same old casino scheming bitch. Who would have thought that two different crews robbed those fucks blind but we'll give you some help of our own, consider it a favor for what you did with us."

Charlie knew this voice very well and was regretting even picking it up. Big Sal of The Omertas was one of the guys that nobody ever fucked with, here he was, one of the few hardliners that kept at it. Rumor has it that he sent Nero to deal with some Salvatore Wiesguys in Delaware but other than that, The Omertas had been silent. No one ever knew if they were planning shit until it was too late.

"Big Sal, what a pleasure to hear from you. How the fuck did you know I was back? I didn't expect you to get along well with Pavanno spawn, eh?"

"I don't but considering those two girls and their vicious streaks, no one was gonna say shit. They were the ones with the guns, money, and drugs. We had it all and then you came back, ruining it and they wanted to take you out. They sent all of us into a frenzy, you know how long it took for all of us to even bring them to the table!? Now you're back and it all went to shit!"

Charlie smiled a little that he was causing the Commission some good old issues, now here they were. It had fucked up his family but still in an odd way, it brought them closer than ever.

"What do you want to tell me, Big Sal? You never did this shit for free, I did you a favor, unknowingly and you contact me? Seems a bit fishy and with Nero out, you're the boss. For now, at least, we all know who he has backed him and his side of the crew."

Big Sal laughed himself, it was quite the raging laugh as well, clearly, Charlie was spouting shit that he knows nothing about but he was not going to ruin the surprise.

"Don't worry about me Charlie, it's Cassandra. She's going to die and no this isn't a threat, they know it was you and they're going to take you out. Invite you to a dinner and bada bing bada boom, you're fucked! I'm warning ya, stay with a piece, I'm the one that is supposed to kill ya!"

And just like Big Sal hung up, he wondered how he was doing in Vegas. The bastard had people all over the place, now informing of the imminent death of his daughter?

If that happened. Charlie was going to the mattresses, nothing was going to stop his rage then as he would be the one to gut his nieces and then make sure they were buried in the ground...if they so much as touched a single hair on his daughter's body...they would die, he promised to himself with sadistic glee.

Charlie sat in his office, drinking away with an angered expression marring his babyface features. The information given to him by Big Sal had caused him to reflect on some things, taking some private time and in this time, he had come back to something else with his crew. Men had decided to come back to the fold, wishing to ally themselves with the newest power in the form of the small-time Pavanno Outfit. Charlie would have accepted them without another word but he was no longer the same man anymore, these new associates who wished to join him were used as nothing more than cannon fodder guards of their low-level goods.

Big Sal of The Omertas had called him up and now he had decided to assist in this little battle between the Garranzino Family and himself, these men of honor, the people that wanted to take him on. They were nothing more than fools, they would be cut down and he knew that much but right now, he wanted them to be peaceful. If his child was at stake here, then he would be calm and be ready for whatever type of peace they wished to offer but he knew those twins. Being peaceful was never in their arsenal and he knew that he had to appeal to their sense of bloodlust, they would wish for something he had, people always did.

"Charlie, we got the call. They're willing to meet at Breads and Spreads, a small diner that was once-"

"I know the place, Sam, just call Michael and gather everyone. I want people armed and I want our men off the streets, any calls for another heist of some sort will be left unanswered. It's time to hunker down and we can no longer allow our people to be hurt on my watch, consequences are damned brother."

Sam nodded, heading out and leaving Charlie for that moment, knowing that his boss needed to be left alone. The mood had shifted rather quickly as Charlie was never one to keep quiet for long, it seemed that his hot-blood right now had reached a boiling point and it was quietly simmering. One would know not to anger the cat that could change into a Lion, that man, his leader was a scary person when he needed to be and the person he saw in that very room was not his leader,

"He still in there and being quiet I assume, trust me, I know Charlie and once this hits him real good. He'll be off his ass and ready to put these fuckers in the ground, if they believe that they can kill her and get away with it. That'll be the biggest mistakes of their careers in this life, we have to achieve much right now and we have to be ready for this to blowback because it's not over yet, not by a long shot."

Sam turned his head and noticed Vincent, the man had a way with sneaking up when no one noticed him, even with his tall and bulky frame, he was a man that somehow managed to sneak up on a lot of people. He was scary and reminded Sam of someone that he could not place his fingers on at the time.

"Oh I know, Big Sal and The Omertas, they have an angle and with the Garranzino twins being a bit unhinged as always. This might turn into a full-scale war before we know it and then Charlie will have to call in the favors, let's try to keep his head straight but even I want blood. They'll pay Vincent and I'll be the one to make sure of it."

Vincent nodded, watching Sam head off as he began to think about the unusual move these twins were doing. These were scary but intriguing times.

And so the meeting of two local powers would be taking place, not that anybody. This meeting was kept a secret from many people, this was family business and nothing was going to keep back Charlie Pavanno. He had men stationed at every door in and out of the restaurant, armed to the teeth while he paid off a few off the patrol officers to take different walks, they would not be interrupted and some civilians had been warned due to the presence of the infamous men of honor. They were not going to be statistics in this gangland war.

People had heard the rumors, the Ultra-Luxe and Tops being occupied by the out of town mobsters had alerted them to the newest men in town. They knew that the Pavanno power was dwindling and they wondered if the now associate of the Patangeli Inc Company was going to call in one of his boss' soldiers for some assistance but nothing came, silence was Charlie's clear method and now he had something that the out of town commission needed, while they had something he wanted. This was no longer a one-sided negotiation, they both needed this, and they would do anything to get it.

Charlie had not dressed down for the event, he wanted to radiate his power that had been achieved throughout this tormenting week. The Garranzino Family wished to paint him like a puppet, they would be wrong in this matter. He still had his wit and gun at the ready, they would be the ones to bow their heads in respect to him and shudder in his mere presence.

He wore a dark-grey suit completed with a navy-blue tie and black-white oxfords polished to clearly show that he was taking this seriously. A gold-colored armband was wrapped around the left sleeve of the suit, whether it by design or otherwise was anybody's guess.

Behind him, his associates were dressed similar to him in style, showing their own support as Vincent and Sam took up their respective positions. Although new to the position of being the Underboss, Vincent had acted as if it was his role this entire time and it seemed like to everyone else, only watching in amazing as the man they had nothing but respect for, continue on as if nothing was wrong and he could continue being himself in this society. A new station maybe but a new man clearly was not what he wanted to be, much respect was now had for the former bodyguard of Charlie Pavanno.

"You know we're ready right and the men have been ordered to fire at the first sign of trouble, you will not be dying for these fuckers who believe themselves above the station that your family granted them. Then again, your family has lost its power but with you back at the helm, I am sure that it will rise like a phoenix and we will be right there with you, ready to throw our names in the ring."

Charlie sighed, the words that Samuel had stated echoed for all three of them to hear, the man's loyalty to his family was unquestionable and he appreciated that from such a man, in these times that was the only thing he could ask for. Charlie knew that with the development of his death and the kidnapping of his daughter that he had been less than worthy to carry the name of Boss, or even Boss of Bosses. Right now he was nothing more than an up-jumped thug who believed himself destined for something that had since passed him by.

"I understand Sammy, this thing, it's going to be hard but with you and the classic father figure by my side, I have the right mojo and where with all to get past this thing. Let's go meet these fuckers, eh?"

Chuckles met his words and the mood lifted from its somber tone from minutes ago, they all stepped out of the room, not knowing what this meeting held for them but they knew it would be anything but nice and cordial, the Garranzino Twins were never anything like that, being nice and respectful was to one man only and he had abandoned them oddly enough.

Across town in their own compound, the Garranzino Twins were skipping around with bright smiles on their faces as they prepared for their very own meeting their long lost Uncle, now technically he would have been their first cousin once removed but many people did not know that and so they simply referred to him as Uncle, they never met the man and now they were prepping for a meeting, as people might believe, they did, in fact, order the kidnapping of their dearly beloved cousin Cassandra.

She was necessary in getting the reaction their presence deserved, something much more dramatic and nothing screamed dramatic than a good old family war, a shiver of pleasure ran through the now twenty-year-olds who always had their own sadistic streak, worse than their uncles combined at times. Maybe their older cousin had a way for dealing with his own sadism, they had never met him and would have loved too but considering moments with Joseph had turned sour, the Pavanno half of their bloodline had been all but ignored. They no longer cared for him or whoever bore that name, it meant nothing and so they threw it in the trash.

"You know they will not be wanting to talk things out like a usual meeting dear sister? We will be under their gaze and they will believe us unhinged, maybe we should them just how unhinged we could be, we have Archiekins and with the simple wave of our hands, the bitch would be dead, I do hope Sal got the message to him in time. He knows what is at stake here, for the future of the Commission, we will need Charlie on edge for what is to come because we need him at our beck and call like the foolish man he is."

Oh yes, the Garranzino Twins had orchestrated that call with The Omertas boss himself, Big Sal. They knew that Big Sal had a rather interesting relationship with the former owner of the Tops Casino. The Omertas were supposed to be in business with Charlie once upon a time, knowing how much his casino was pulling in, they wanted in and decided to take it to the Commission.

That story was for another time, either way, Big Sal had been pissed with Charlie because he got no money from it and this little Savings Bank Heist was supposed to tie things up for now until the Commission saw fit for Charlie to become their oath man once more. It would be a repeating cycle that would end soon enough, he would die by their hands soon enough.

"No, she has much value to us alive Lucille, she will be the one to bring Michael back to the light and with that, we may see an entirely different Pavanno take the reins once more. We just need to give him the correct push and we have it because it always comes back to famiglia dearest sister."

Lacy stared down at a picture of Charlie and Secra, clearly taken some time ago but the twins smiled devilishly, a plan brewing in their minds for their future and the Pavanno organization.

Charlie had arrived first, already knowing the former place that housed some of his greater rivalries. Alexander Knight was a man that had challenged him once, the man once being known as the one who pushed these streets more than he did and he wondered where the man's legacy had left off. Both dying many years ahead of their time, they had left on what Charlie would have believed a great state but now the man's dying legacy would live on, he was something else, something that Charlie had admired back then and here in this very place was where their infamous rivalry took place. It started here and it ended...overseas, this place was the final resting place of the greater Philly empire for him personally.

Charlie knew that these newer people would possibly never find the joint that had once housed him and Alexander Knight, barb after barb and seemingly nearly firing guns at one another, the two had grown in respect for each other. Admiring their skills and becoming appreciative of what they each did for the city they grew to care for and love as their own. Now Charlie would never forget the man he would become later on but Mister Knight had left a great legacy, maybe he was someone that would be raised in the image that he deserved and not the broken man he would become in later life.

Charlie sat down in a booth, ordering himself a platter of meatballs and bread, tomato sauce meatballs obviously. It was quite filling and the aroma called to him like a child who had seen a great deal of food on a table. It was all there for him but he had an image to maintain and soon enough, he would have to make sure that he looked all there. Right now though he was not worried about that, he currently had his own shit to worry about as two cars pulled up, the Garranzino family had arrived in three black cars, an escort and seemingly tinted windows.

"They're here boss, do you wish to tell the people to leave?"

"No, let them settle, the men guarding the door are to stay there and we have our guys down in other areas. No blood will be spilled here today unless they are the ones to fire the first shots and trust me, Sammy, they will fire. It's the hot blood in them, no matter how much they try to deny it."

And so the two females entered the diner and they immediately knew something was up. Lacy though, ever the calm sister and one of more refinery had schooled her features, allowing a brief flash of surprise in her eyes before sitting down her 'beloved' uncle who looked back at her with his eyebrow raised curiously.

Now her sister, Lucille was less than happy with the show of force on the part of her Uncle. He was making it clear that he did not trust, that bordered on full-blown paranoia. Considering that they were making it clear to him they kidnapped his daughter, she knew where he was coming from but this was different. He made it clear that she was much more important than them and would have no problem in killing them if needs must be met that way.

"Uncle, it's a pleasure to finally meet you after so long. We have heard so much about you, people still talk about the deeds you have done for La Cosa Nostra and all that you can still do. Us doing this to you, it was not what we wished to do but I know you understand, that it is just business and not personal."

As smooth as silk she spoke clearly, wanting to make her 'motives' clear and Charlie almost chuckled at how skilled she was. Joseph did not teach her everything, here she was, a master of intrigue and deception. He would have fallen for it, if not for his years in this life as well and the fact that her rabid dog of a sister was foaming at the mouth of his added security. Compared to theirs, he brought a small army with him.

"Lacy, I would say that this is a family matter, that we as Pavanno's and Garranzino's should not stoop so low to do this to family. Only you've done it now that isn't family, nor is it business. It's personal and I know your family history Lacy, your sister there is proof. You want something from me and it's not just money or love, it's something that I won't be willing to give. So tell me, who wants me dead on the commission? We can play the games all we want but we both know what this is and what it is, a setup."

And just like that, the tension soon fell over everyone, the family matters had become personal and Lucille was reaching for her Gun as was Lacy only to stop as they heard the multiple sounds of the safety being turned off....they would be dead before they even managed to get a shot off. They would have to play it smart for now, the Upstate Commission relied on them and killing them, well it would be in the best interest of Charlie but he wouldn't and couldn't...

"Big Sal sister, I always told you not to trust the weasel bastard. Now he's probably making preparations to take the Starry Hotel and Glamorous from us as well. He's a businessman and probably has his whore of a Left-Hand working on us right about now. It is his favored style of doing things, well Uncle, it seems like you are playing into the hand of the man himself. You don't want to do this, especially if we don't return to Arcadius, she will die and it will be your fault, just as your family is always at fault. You have a choice here, make the right one and all will be fine."

Charlie breathed in deeply before settling with a smirk that almost gave away his intentions, only to stop as the sudden sound of tires screeching caused all of them to turn their heads and suddenly...they were caught in drive-by, bullets had flown from guns and blood splattered the walls of the diner...it seems that war had reached Philadelphia once again.

"Charlie get the fuck down!"

Grabbing him from the booth, Sam ducked and made sure to put his body over his boss'. The man was not going to be dying today because of a flimsy attack on the part of these psychotic twins, shit was just getting real and suddenly, the tires screeching and bullets were flying. This was the best situation for them currently but this was where it landed them, they were the subjects of a hit, only Sam noticed something then as well. The twins had ducked down as well, this was not their hit that Big Sal had told Charlie they had planned...so who the fuck was trying to take them both out!?

Vincent had been the one to get shot and he fell to the ground, clutching his stomach that multiple bullet wounds seemed to tear through with effective ease as most bullets did. Some of his men watched with wide eyes, knowing how much this was going to affect the boss now. Vincent had been the one to keep Charlie center, he allowed Charlie to grieve and to place his anger with the enemy but never going as far to allow Charlie into a war that would cost them more than it earned them. With him Gone, this spelled a dark time for everyone that even dared to cross the Pavanno Outfit.

Sam noticed his dying friend and he would have used his many years of watching his other friends get killed but this was too much. Sam could have guessed who tried to get this hit done and he knew who would have benefited from them dying as easily, the Omertas was sending a message to anyone and everyone that they were the new bosses in town. Now they were here to prove it, Sam was not going to allow his boss to die here. He would rise up and fuck those Omerta bitches up!

Lacy and Lucy were a bit different in how they were looking at this situation, they knew that with this hit, they were no longer protected on the Upstate Commission, their money was not the best anymore. Big Sal made his play and no longer was they useful to Calo Mallardi who was the Capo Di Tutti Capi of the Upstate Commission, no one made a move without his say so and even the twins feared the man. They were scared of him, he embodied what it meant to be a true man of honor, never once being called into question as he kept to his word.

Now they were wondering just how much was offered to the Boss of Bosses, if Big Sal was doing this move with his express permission then they knew they were as good as dead and that this little beef with Charlie would have to be put on the backburner, only once again, they heard more cars pulling up and for once, the twins were scared at the sound. They knew that it was not the calvary from Charlie's men, no this was backup for the Omertas Hitmen and today was the day that they would be joining their father and mother they thought...

Freddie Kidd would have never believed that his boss was right in this matter but it was clear he was, all of his men had straightened up like boards once they heard the tell-tale signs of a hit about to take place, the tires screeching and then shots had come. The screams had filled the air, it would be a while before the cops would actually respond, Freddie knew it was the time to make sure his men would believe that he had earned this right. That this crew was not just handed to him because of his business with the Haitians, it was time to prove he was one of them that he was the boss of this little crew.

"All of you take up cover and fire at the cars, and the men...they have more that I do not doubt and their weapons will be far superior to ours. Let's do what we always do and fight for our boss, the man who gave us this start in the first place. For Charlie fuckin' Pavanno!"

And so the Kidd crew fired their guns to the offending Omertas who immediately took up their own cover, not suspecting Charlie to have crews on standby and even in the alleyway, it seems they had not counted for that, believing that Charlie would have waved off the concern if it came from Big Sal himself and now they were paying the price for their little mistake.

Many of the Omertas had not even perished yet, due to some make shift body armor they wore that did impact their movement but it made for saving their lives, allowing them to then fire at the offending crew who believed themselves ready to take them on. It was clear the Omertas were winning the battle, only to then suddenly lob a stick of dynamite in the alleyway!? That was some next crazy shit that one of the hitters took up on his own and it had the Kidd crew fleeing for their lives before a roaring BOOM! Shook the alleyway and the sound of screaming had all but died out due to the sound. The Omertas had possibly ended a crew under Charlie Pavanno right then and there.

And only then another car had pulled up to stop outside the diner, a man dressed in a black shirt and pants, topped with suspends and a fedora that was pushed downwards, concealing part of his had walked out of the car, standing in the middle of the street as the men stopped firing as he stepped out. He held power among them and it was clearly someone that was powerful enough to rival Big Sal as all the Omertas bowed their heads at his mere presence.

"Charlie Pavanno, you know who I am! My name is Nero and you are going to die here today but not only you, but the twins, Lacy and Lucy Garranzino have also outlived their usefulness to the Outfit. Our boss calls for their heads and yours but if you are willing to give us something in return, then you will be spared and free to flee back to Sicily. Where you can live a peaceful and happy life, do not accept and you will be slaughtered, your son will be killed, your daughter will be killed. I will make sure that they suffer due to the pride of one man."

Charlie did not answer the man, not that Nero expected much to be fair, he knew that the Pavanno's waited to hear everything before weighing in sometimes but now they were not in that position, they were caught and the one crew they had backing them were nothing more than pieces of meat due to the dynamite.

"Charlie, give us legitimate control of the Casino in Chicago and then you can go on your way. A long time, you wished to build one there and people allowed you to do so. Only it never happened but your name is still on that document, we want you to pass over the legal, stating that we bought you out and you allowed for us to retain the profits and all that mumble jumbo. Business is first, life is second. I wish for you to leave, I don't want you dead like many others. So Charlie, what is your answer!? Will you die here or do you wish to become a simple statistic for us?"

Oh how wrong they were, this was not the only crew hidden away as Charlie had made sure that he had many crews waiting in the wings in case of an attack on his person, the final crew that would lead the defense was Gino and Georgie. With assistance from the Irish Mob who immediately fired off, killing many of the Omertas. who decided that this would not be the best for their ally to accept the deal, still knowing that he had no intention of doing so. Now the Omertas were caught, coming from behind them, the Irish and Bell Crew hit back, killing many of the fuckers.

Nero had entered his car immediately, ducking down and making sure to grab his Thompson Submachinegun from a compartment in the car. Immediately the Omertas Boss fired, killing many of the Irishmen who thought it would have been a good idea to join in an alliance against them, now it was time to show them the might of his crew. The family that had supported him through this whole beef. Nero knew that he might die here but many of his men seemed to be ready for it, only he was not ready for such a goodbye and if worse came to worse....he would be out of her like a bat out of hell, he was not going to be one of the notches on Charlie's belt.

"Nero! You talked a big game, let's settle this the old way! You versus Me! You wanted to talk about business, about me surviving. The only chance I see here is you dying or running back to Vegas once you realize that we outmatched both of you! Big Sal, Nero, all of you have shit all to do with this business! I earned my place and didn't crawl out of my mother like you and was immediately fed the silver spoon! I earned what is mine, I have earned the right to be called...Boss!"

Nero gritted his teeth, the bastard was making a challenge and even dared question his right to be a question, that would have been a death sentence for the little shit but he knew that these type of people only dealt in one thing and it would have to be something else entirely for him to even walk out there and duel against Charlie, the man may have lost a bit of his skill but he still had it there somewhere.

"Fuck you! This shit turn of luck is always what happens with you Pavanno's, you're going to die Charlie and I promise you, it will be me or Big Sal that does you in. This business can only give you so much, we'll be sure to say hello to Cassandra for you!"

Without another word, Nero's car had driven out of the warzone as many of his own men had perished due to the injuries they had sustained. It was a fucking massacre and many men of the honored society had died today, men that needed to not die if certain people had kept their fingers off the trigger and so a time of mourning would need to be had for these brave men. Even if they were the enemy.

Charlie watched Nero's car speed away like there was never going to be any sunshine again and now here he was, standing with two traitorous blood relatives and his own men dead on the floor of a diner that had once housed some good memories. All because they wished to kill him over some family feud. Now would have been the time to turn on them and give them their great end to the story but no. He needed a moment and his men were all coming together to make sure that these twins stayed in their sights if a single move was made, they would be dead before they could even voice another word.

"Boss, you know what this means right? Every man, woman, child, whatever, they have to be taken off the streets and into the Compound."

Charlie nodded, reaching into his pocket for a cigarette, this type of shit was something that he truly loved right now. The calming sensation that was a smoke and it was going to be great for him, he would not be beholden to the truth of the matter anymore and that was that he had lost his dearest confidant and advisor.

"I know Sam, get it prepared, get Michael on the horn and I want all his guys out of the Hotel Dupree, then on their way to the South Philly. Get us a headstart on these fuckers who think we will be this easy, get me in contact with Greco as well, I have a feeling that we may need his expertise as well. This type of shit is not what we all have to deal with but still for our family, we will make sure that we survive! Go,"

Sam nodded, leaving Charlie with his nieces and men before he left, he noticed darkness in Charlie. The way he addressed him, losing Vincent had done more than just change his boss, he knew this was going to be a battle that all of them wished to survive but now, he just hoped his boss would remain the same loving and funny boss that he always was. He had lost many other people but here he was, a man that had done so much in his career and losing his men still affected him this much. It was a weakness and a strength to be admired, finally, Sam walked away, knowing what was coming and what would be coming with it.

"My dearest nieces, I have you here with me. A lot of our family history is because of these men that you wished to kill. They may not have been here since the beginning but their hearts bleed for us one and the same, we have become something of a legacy to them and now you wished to end that for them, the one thing that gave them meaning because of what? Pride? A loss of family that I had nothing to do with? Tell me....why should I not kill you? Clearly Nero knows the location of my daughter and she is going to die...I know that much...you caused this and your deaths should make it right."

The twins said nothing, seemingly accepting their fate as Charlie spoke with nothing but a coldness towards them. He was right and there was nothing they could do or say to even fight against it, they wanted their Uncle and his family dead. Now here they were answering for their crimes at his feet...

"No words, huh? You have all but sanctioned my daughter to die a gruesome....you reap what you sow dear nieces. Maybe you will learn the meaning of family in the afterlife...goodbye."

And so with that, Charlie walked out, his mind was not in the right place and maybe he did not realise what he had just done to his nieces as he all but said to his men that they shoud be dead. He would never hear their pleas for forgiveness, nor would he hear the fact they were shouting for their Uncle Joseph...no he never heard any of it, all he saw was read....the Upstate Commission would crumble due to his plans. He willed it so and they would die. He always got his way.