Hiram's face was grim, and even as Tsukina asked, he was already walking toward Jethro... A swift kick in the man's ribs left him gasping for air, doubled over. Hiram, blinded by rage at the roughing of his dear Tsukina, raised his foot again to bring it down on Jethro's face. Jethro, not as disabled as he appeared, reached up and grabbed Hiram's foot, flipping them and bringing Hiram to the ground. However, to his own disadvantage, Hiram's elbow landed squarely on the back of Jethro's head and jammed his forehead against the concrete beneath him, knocking him out cold.

Christian clapped as he approached. "Subtle." Hiram looked up from the ground as Christian spoke, then lowered his head slightly. Everyone knew it wasn't a smooth snatch. Turning to Tsukina, Christian leaned in and whispered in her ear. "I'm going to need to stay here and smooth things over with the police. They should be arriving soon."

He looked at Hiram as the car pulled up. "Get him loaded and tell Sam to take you to the cabin. I'll meet you out there afterward." He crouched and grabbed the revolver... "And make sure he stays alive for me, Hiram. Oh, and bring me his trigger finger before you leave."

Turning back to Tsukina, he nodded. "Go with them. I'll handle things here." Pocketing the gun Christian made his way to the gate.

Hiram drug Jethro's body over to the vehicle and opened the trunk. Rope... Why was their -never- any rope? Removing his belt, Hiram bound Jethro's ankles together. Slipping his arms under Jethro's, he lifted and threw the man into the trunk. Ankles bound. One hand shot. Other shoulder shot. Unconscious. Hiram decided now was the best time to remove the man's finger. He reached down into his boot and pulled out a decent sized blade, then produced a Zippo from his pocket. With a strike, he began heating the knife.

After a few minutes of flame to steel, the blade had started to turn black, then glow a soft red. That was hot enough. Taking Jethro's hand, he stretched the man's finger out, and held his others in a fist. One swift motion severed the finger from his hand, bone and all. Quickly, Hiram pressed the heated blade to the nub of a finger to cauterize and stop the bleeding. Of course, the pain jolted Jethro back to consciousness; screaming and flopping in shock and pain. Annoyed with the noise and not wanting it to alert an officer before they got to their destination, Hiram kicked off a boot, removed a sock, then used his pocket handkerchief to tie it tight between Jethro's lips...

Stuffing a sockless foot back into his boot, Hiram slammed the car's trunk and yelled. "BE QUIET!"

Slamming a fist on the trunk just made the yelling worse, but at least it was so muffled you couldn't hear it over the waves of the bay and the sounds of the city... Looking to Tsukina, Hiram moved around to the back passenger door and opened it. "C'mon, Christian will handle the police and politics." He smiled at Tsukina before sliding into the back seat and leaning forward to Sam. "Remember where you became part of this family? That's where we need to take him. We're leaving Christian for now. He'll meet us up there, but stop by him really quickly. I need to hand him this little souvenir." He waved the finger where Sam could see it in the rear mirror.

Christian stood at the front gate and waited, hands tucked behind his back. He stepped to the curb as Sam brought the car near, Hiram reaching out of the back. Handkerchief at the ready, Christian held it out to catch the finger Hiram dropped, then wrapped it and neatly tucked it into his breast pocket. With a tap on the roof, the car drove away, leaving him to deal with the police fallout.

Turning, Christian headed to the foreman's office to sit at the man's desk. He needed time to think...

Everything suddenly moved so quickly, one moment they were at a motel, hot on Jethro's trail and now they got their man in the rear trunk of their car heading to a secluded place in the woods where Sam is very familiar with.

As Sam drove, the scenery of the city started to disappear and they now find themselves on a isolated road outside the city, Sam exited the main road where he was supposed to onto an unpaved road through the woods. The road seemed different a bit in the day but Sam could still remember the way. The last time he was here it was pitch black and you couldn't see anything.

The thoughts of earlier events played over and over in Sam's head, especially the moment where Jethro was pointing a gun at him and if it weren't for Tsukina's quick action and flawless aim, he might not be here right now. 

Sam stopped the car just a few feet away from a familiar shed. The structure seemed older and more fragile now that he is seeing it in the daylight. He killed the engine and walked towards the rear of the car, popping open the trunk, Jethro tried to lunge for Sam but due to Jethro's injuries, Sam easily had the upper hand.

"You just don't give up do you?" Sam growled at his attacker. As Sam called for Hiram's assistance, Jethro was constantly screaming and shouting through the sock in his mouth. "Be quiet, no one can hear you this far deep into the woods," Sam said as he thrusted the sock deeper into Jethro's mouth and tighten the belt on Jethro's ankles.

One swift punch to the side of the head knocked Jethro out again, "that was for my lip earlier you bastard." Sam smiled a bit as he seemed to enjoy that moment a little too much. He took off his own belt and tied Jethro's hand together.

They carried Jethro into the shed and Sam volunteered to watch over Jethro while they wait for Christian to arrive. "I'll watch over him while we wait for Christian," Sam said to Hiram as he threw his brother a devilish grin. "I hope this fucker gives me another reason to bash his head around a bit." Sam pulled out a cigarette and lights it and as he blows a cloud of smoke over his head, he looks down to the floor at Jethro and uttered to his unconscious prisoner, "you're seriously fucked now." Sam takes another drag from his cigarette as he keeps a close eye on Jethro.

New York 5:40 PM Same Day: Mastrosimone Residence

Christian stepped out of the cab in front of the home that was now Fort Mastrosimone... Police had come to the docks and palms had been greased; enough money to allow early retirement for those that struck certain things from their reports. Now, it was time to deliver Billy's present and pick up Salvatore...

Almost impressed by the amount of goombas he saw walking the perimeter he approached the gate slowly, stating his name and reason for returning...

"Christian Black for Billy_Mastrosimone ... I've a gift for him pertaining to the errand I was asked to handle. Also, I'd like to retrieve my brother from the premises."

The guard nodded, opening the gate and allowing Christian to pass through. A second guard moved to frisk him, but Christian opened his jacket. "Two pistols, one on each side. Shoulder harness. Take them if you need, check me for more. Believe me I understand the need for vigilance."

Shaking his head, the guard waved Christian on, "You can leave them at the door." He walked beside Christian and even knocked on the door for him.

"A Mr. Black for Mr. Mastrosimone," the guard called through the door, waiting for it to open before turning and heading back to his post. As the new guard stepped out, he held out his hand. "Weapons."

Christian pulled the pistols, one by one, and handed them over before getting waved in and led to the table where they'd first met earlier that morning. "Mr. Mastrosimone will be down shortly." Nodding, Christian took a seat and leaned into it comfortably, crossing his legs and waiting.

Billy had heard the call and had put a bookmark in what he was doing. He made his way downstairs with a bit of a relieved sigh as he saw Mister Black sitting and waiting for him.

"Mister Black. Back quickly! I hope that is good news? From our phone call earlier, it would seem as if you were close to your goal."

He made his way to the liquor cabinet and opened it, pulling out a pair of glasses and pouring a couple of drinks.

"Is this a cigar moment as well? Or more of a, just drinks moment?"

Christian stood as Billy entered the room, and chuckled as the man poured drinks.

"I'll let you decide that for yourself..." He fished the handkerchief from his breast pocket and sat it on the table, opening it and revealing the bloody finger inside of it.

"A gift for you and your son. The finger that will have indefinitely marked his life forever. One that can never shoot anyone or anything again."

Standing tall, his icy gaze moved from the finger to Billy. "So it's your decision if that merits a cigar or not." His hands clasped behind his back as he stood, smiling, and watching for Billy's reaction.

"Jethro lives... For now. I've had my brother, Sam, and Tsukina drive him to a location important to our family. I'm going there from here to finish our business and close Mr. Springer's accounts. I was hoping to have Salvatore drive me if you have no need for him here any longer."

Billy watched as Christian took out the handkerchief, and then made to take out box of cigars.

"Jethro lives..."

Billy opened the box instead and took out half a dozen cigars.

"At least you have him, and he's secure. Here, these are for you." He handed the cigars over with a smile and then raised his glass. "And that's not the only thanks you'll get from me, I promise you that."

He took a swig of his drink and then gestured toward the back of the house. "Sal has been a hell of a help you know. He's got a good eye for watching over the kids and making sure they're not getting into too much shit. They're in the back now, he should be there too. Need me to take you to him?"

Christian smiled at the offer of cigars. Fine ones at that. Slipping them into the coat pocket where the finger had been, he nodded graciously and reached for the drink that had been poured. "I'd appreciate it, or just send one of your men to retrieve him. Either is fine. I did want to ask, though... Any particulars you have in mind for our friend before his account is terminated?"

Taking a drink, his eyes stared from over the rim of the glass.

"Because I can assure any treatment and special messages you ask for, will be delivered."

Billy shook his head.

"The only thing I care about is that the account is terminated mister Black."

He waved for one of his men to go and fetch Salvatore.

"So tell me, was he a weasel trying to get away? Or was he a man and a professional who was just moving on to his next job, whatever that was?"

Then Billy stopped to think for a second.

"Actually, come to think of it I want whatever names he can provide. Someone was giving him work right? I want to know who. How much they were paying him. Where the money was coming from will help me figure out a few other things, and names? Well if I can pin certain folks, I can blackmail them. Others I've sent my wife and daughter to take care of already."

Nodding, he tilted his glass back and finished the drink. "Consider it done. I'll find what names I can. It helps being in the legal business. Not many people ask when I show up with notarized paperwork for seizure of assets." Christian smirked. "We'll have all of his banking account information, all the wired money transactions and associated accounts, including names on accounts."

Christian nodded to his brother as Salvatore came into the room.

"It's done then?"

"Not just yet, but I've sent them to the woods. You can drive Sam's vehicle out there for us. Go and get it started, I'll join you shortly."

Salvatore nodded and made his way for the door immediately, only stopping to bow his head to Billy. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Mastrosimone." Spinning, the younger Black exited the house.

Christian looked back to Billy.

"He was professional, at least it appeared as much. Unless he worked with Jim and that was an escape. However, with the evidence left behind, it felt more like the next job."

Turning toward the door, he paused. "You should get some rest... It's going to be a long few days."

Christian met Sal outside at Sam's car and slid into the passenger seat. "Not a bad little vehicle for our dear Sam, is it, Salvatore?" he chuckled as he placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "How are they? Do you think they will recover okay?"

Sal nodded, quiet and reflective on the moods and emotions that had flooded him all day. The Mastorsimone's were fighters, and strong ones at that. Christian could tell by the way Sal simply shifted Sam's car into drive and pulled away that he didn't really wish to talk about all the thoughts that had infiltrated his mind while he was there. He'd made sure to keep the children from worrying, which meant he'd taken it all on himself and locked it away. It was a tough job but Sal always had to do it. He was the -only- one that could do it. At least out of the four three brothers.

Looking away and focusing on the drive, Christian prepared himself for what he would arrive to. If Hiram was smart, he would have already started digging a hole for their friend. The shack was their "family cemetery" as they called it... More of a dumping ground with plenty of space to bury all of New York over and over again... So long as they didn't mind body stacking occasionally.

Tugging his cigarettes from his coat pocket, he placed one in his mouth and offered one to Sal who simply shook his head. "Cigar then?" Again Sal shook his head. "Very well." Christian snapped the case shut and stuffed it back into his pocket. A swift flick of a match against his nail and he lit his smoke before shaking the match and rolling the window down. Hopefully Sam wouldn't mind him smoking in his car. Then again, Christian really didn't care too much. If there was a problem, he'd just buy the car and gift Sam a new one...

The trees flew buy as the two brothers quietly sailed along the highway on their way out of the city... Soon enough, there would be no one around but close family, and the crying pleas of a dead man...

New York 6:40 PM Same Day: Black Family Hideaway

Hiram chuckled as SamStone took guard over Jethro... Knowing that Christian would want a hole dug, he grabbed the shovel with mud caked on it from Sam's own time here. "I'll be outside if you need me. Kina probably will be too." He removed his heavy jacket and tossed it over a chair, slipping his arms out of his suspenders and letting them fall to the side. Hiram winked at Jethro and blew a kiss before chuckling as he headed for the door, untucking his shirt on the way out...

"Hey beautiful," he called to Tsukina-Sakamoto as he came outside, leaning the shovel against the shack and pulling his shirt the rest of the way off. "There's a water pump around the back, and there should be a bucket by it. Think you can fill it and bring it over to me? I'm going to dig a hole for our friend. For as many years as I've known Christian, he'll want this dug before he gets here..." He chuckled and headed off to a marked off area behind the shack with the shovel.

*THUNK*

The blade of the shovel sunk into the earth with ease. Hiram pressed down on the back of it and heaved as he ripped the ground up. Dumping it to the side, he continued this until he had a decent sized hole going. Sweat dripped down Hiram's chiseled looks. Out of the three of them, he was certainly the most muscular. Christian was a bit skinnier, but nothing to scoff at... Salvatore? He was a little chunkier. Not overly so, but certainly softer along his midsection than the other two.

*THUNK*

Again the blade sunk into the earth, but this time Hiram left it there for a moment as he leaned against it. Anytime Tsukina wanted to bring that water he'd be happy to have it. Turning to look back it her, he chuckled and watched her. With a smile, he nodded as they made eye contact. He winked, then took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders before resuming his work with a...

*CRACK*

Hiram paused and looked where his shovel had landed, his head shifting to the side... "Bone? I've never dug here... Have I? Maybe?" He crouched and started brushing dirt away until he unearthed pieces of skeletal remains... "Huh... Maybe I have dug in this spot before." He shrugged and started to use his hand, brushing more and more away until he'd uncovered most of the upper half of an arm... Nothing but bone remained, but he was certain that exhuming the whole skeleton to leave in the grave with Jethro would actually make the psychological terror of it all that much more real... And Christian would love that.

"Hey Tsukina! Come here and look at this! Apparently I've buried someone here before!" Hiram chuckled in an odd, gleeful way as he continued to scrape the earth away. "This is going to be -great- to have in here with Jethro!"

Kina was stooped over the pump; dark curls dangling over one shoulder as she worked the hand press. It was old and slightly rusty... definitely in need of lubrication. So filling the bucket was slow going. As she worked it over, the familiar feeling of being watched stole over her with warm nostalgia. Glancing up, she smiled as Hiram winked; pausing to watch him for a few moments after he went back to work. He really was stunning... with a far better build than either of his brothers. Although, she'd never admit that out loud. 

Heafting the sloshing bucket, she picked her way slowly toward the soon-to-be grave; careful to spill as little of the hard-earned water as possible. But a loud 'crack' stopped her midstep. She knew that sound... or something very like it... from hard days at her grandmother's clinic. That was breaking bone. For a second, her heart skipped a beat as her eyes snapped up, her pace quickening a few steps before her mind had time to catch up with the knee jerk reaction. But, as her gaze devoured Hiram's gleeful expression, her worry quickly turned to caustic chagrin. 

Hiram was fine. Obviously it was his bone. And... whoever it was, he was not only completely unremorseful... he was actually excited about desecrating their grave for the shock value. 

Veritably glaring, Kina dropped the bucket at his feet with a heavy 'thunk'... a splash of water leaping up in response.  

"And you think that would make me... what? Happy? Excited? That I'd find it funny?" Given her tone, he'd gravely miscalculated if that were indeed the case. "I'm fine with our work. These things must be done. And I will cede that the emotional response from our target will be heightened given your obvious miscalculation. I will even agree that whomever that was probably deserves to be there in all rights and regards... and very well may have earned an eternity in hell when they were alive. But... Hiram..." she glanced at him in that sigular 'I'm not mad I'm just disappointed' kind of way, "You should know me well enough to know that this... this is just wrong. Death is sacred. To desecrate someone's grave is an unforgivable act of spiritual tyranny. You know better. This is how you create demons. Do what you have to do. But, please... try to do it with some modicum of respect. ... maybe even gratitude for the service the deceased is now providing." 

Stooping down, she pushed his hands away. Kicking her shoes to one side, she climbed into the hole and... paying no heed to the now-sullied hem of her dress... began to carefully clean the dirt and mud away from the bones. Mumbling soft utterances of apology, thanks, and prayers, she tenderly prepared them with a subtle kind of familiarity that told him she'd done this a thousand times... always with the same care and reverence. And, for a moment, she reminded him strikingly of their dear Sully. 

"Dig around us," she hissed softly over her shoulder, refusing to look up from her work. She didn't have to like it... but Christian would still want this done.

Sam eyed Jethro with a fierce gaze, not even turning to look to his brother when Hiram came in to grab a shovel from the shack. If it were up to him, Sam would want this to be done and over with immediately,  but he knew that wasn't his call to make. This prize was absolutely special, it had been a long time that Jethro Springer caused pain and sorrow for the Mastrosimone family and it will all come to an end today. If anyone were to make the call, it would be the head of the Mastrosimone himself whether he wants to finish this off personally or leave it to the Blacks, either way, it will end today.

Sam walks over to Jethro and stands over him, looking down at the helpless Jethro on the floor and observing his wounds. Jethro was drifting in and out of consciousness the whole time, the injuries that Jethro suffered is making him weaker by the minute. Busted shoulder, severed finger, gunshot wound to the hand and knee, it was surprising to Sam how Jethro could put up a fight back at the rear trunk of their vehicle earlier.

Sam's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Hiram digging at the back of the shack, Sam could also hear Tsukina's voice coming from there. He looked down again to Jethro and got down on one knee, lowering his head towards Jethro, he whispered,

"Do you hear that my friend? That's the sound of death calling. If it were up to me, you would already be in that hole by now but I believe that my brothers have a more special arrangement for you." 

Sam tightens the belts that were used to bind Jethro's hands and feet and as Sam jerked the belt, Jethro lets out a muffled scream through Hiram's sock in his mouth. Sam jerked the belt tighter to make sure it don't come loose and also for his own pleasure to see Jethro screaming in pain. Sam plants a hand on Jethro's face and pushes himself back up to his feet with a chuckle as he did so and as he walks back to his chair he purposely bumped into Jethro's injured knee causing Jethro to again let out an agonizing scream.

"I'm sorry, did that hurt? I wasn't looking. I'll try to be more careful." Sam took a seat again in his chair as he locks eyes with Jethro all the way until he was fully seated. The anger in Jethro's face as they stared at each other made Sam a bit pleased. He took out his cigarette case and pulled out a cigarette from it. He lighted it up and as he took a drag, he looked to Jethro and blew a kiss as he taunts him again before exhaling a cloud of smoke.

New York 8:27 PM That Night: Black Family Hideaway

Sam's car pulled up next to the Black vehicle that was parked outside of the shack, Salvatore and Christian exiting the vehicle. Christian made a beeline for the shack, but slowed down as he saw Tsukina's head pop up over the edge of a hole, Hiram's head peeking up behind her. Blinking, Christian chuckled at the two of them.

"I see you've been busy preparing for our friend, hmm?" He chuckled as Hiram waved him over. "We have! Um, but I hit bone."

Christian frowned as he looked Hiram. "Cover it. Dig a new one."

"Wait, wait!" Hiram called as Christian turned away, making him pause. "Tsukina is making it right, and thanking the departed for the part they might be able to play in putting Jethro in this hole. Maybe let him spend some time next to our dear friend, hmm? A bit of a scare tactic? Fuck with his head?"

Christian spun and approached, crouching down, Sal following behind him and lighting a cigarette.

"Actually, that's not a bad idea, Christian," he said as smoke billowed out of his mouth.

Nodding, Christian agreed with his brothers, but looked to Tsukina. Her eyes told him much. She wasn't okay with how it had happened, but she was at least in agreement that it would be good for psychological torture. A nod from her, and Christian was standing again. "Get it prepared, I'll be back with our friend soon enough. I get the feeling that he's not going to want to talk at first."

Christian finally made his way to the shack where Sam and Jethro were. As he stepped inside, he lit a cigarette and puffed on if a bit. "You left Mr. Springer on the floor Sam? I thought you better than that. There's a way to treat prisoners." Christian drug a chair over and placed it on the ground near Jethro, then lifted him into the seat... With surprising enough ease that even Jethro's face was slightly twisted in confusion. Looking at Sam, he winked letting his man know he was joking, just in case Sam couldn't tell. Taking a final puff from his cigarette, he placed it in Jethro's mouth. The man accepted in reluctantly, but he did accept it. Nodding, Christian turned and grabbed a chair of his own and sliding it over.

"So, Mr. Springer. I'm sure you know how all of this works. I want names. Now, I'm going to get them regardless, but you can make things a lot easier on yourself if you just tell me what I'm already going to find." Christian lit another cigarette for himself this time and inhaled slowly. "Who hired you, who paid you, are there more of you, and any names you want to throw under the bus for putting you on the wrong side of this street for fucking with the wrong God damned family?"

He stood as he finished his list of questions and gripped Jethro's face, pressing the lit cigarette against the man's cheek where the jaw attaches. The skin sizzled, but of course Jethro didn't scream. Inhaling quickly through his teeth with a hiss was about the most Christian got. Regardless, it wasn't meant to be much of anything aside from a nuisance. The real treat was outside...

Moving to his seat again, Christian sat. He needed names for Billy_Mastrosimone and he needed them quick... Or else Jethro wouldn't make it through the next few days...

Sam could hear a car pull up outside the shed, he quickly turned to Jethro who was intrigued by the sound of the vehicle. As Jethro lifted his head from the floor and shifted his attention towards the door, Sam grinned to himself and called out to Jethro,

"You've never met my two other brothers have you? Well you're gonna get well acquainted with the Blacks now my friend." Sam took another puff from his cigarette as Christian's voice can be heard outside the shack.

​​​​​​The door creaked open and Christian was standing at the entrance. Sam smirked at his brother's little banter as the head of the Blacks walks in. 

"Low life should be treated as such." Sam said with a grin. "Well he is all yours now." Sam stood from his chair and finished his cigarette before extinguishing it with the bottom of his shoe. As Sam headed towards the door, he spoke to Jethro over his shoulder,

"Don't let the nice suit and good looks fool you. You'll understand once you get acquainted with my brother here."

Sam opened the door and lets the door swing shut by itself and as the door closes, Sam called out excitedly to his brothers, "Salvatore! You missed all the fun, Hiram! need a hand? Where's Tsukina?" Sam's voice fades out as the door closes shut.