To settle old business

Luc sat at his kitchen table reading his morning paper.   He spent the night before with his business partner discussing a situation that they had different viewpoints on.  His partner was a woman of wealth and could be deadly when she wanted to be but Luc was Sicilian and they were quick to deal harshly when someone fucks up when the reason could be handled properly to avoid problems.  He sipped on his cup of coffee as he read the sports section.   He thought about his partner she had valid points that some business was better than no business.  He smiled as he thought about her eyes and yet he shook his head as she was a bit demanding.  

Leaning back in his chair as he continued to read the paper and thinking about the subject at hand.  The shipments continued to come up late and short product when promises were made on both sides.  Yet Luc and his female counterpart keep getting the short-in of the stick.  It was an unfortunate thing yet he understood what needed to be done and how it needed to go down.   Finishing his coffee he looked at the ceiling and it all came to him.  He stood and walked into his bedroom to finishing getting showered and dressed.   He knew that she had already made arrangements for him to get to Miami and he was connected to some powerful people.  He didn't know what she wanted from him other then her last words which was to ensure that they can at least get their money back.     

Luc was no fool and would not interpret that to mean anything more than a friend wanting to him too converse before killing.  He had once tried to persuade her to come along if she didn’t trust him.  She shook her head and rolled her eyes at him calling him stupid.  He laughed as she took it one way and he meant it another.  She was starting to grow on him yet he was who he was and he was business before pleasure.  Looking in his mirror as he dressed he recalled his father and uncles at a family friend’s home.  They talked family business sending him out to play with the other children which he hated doing.  He hated being sent out when all he wanted to do was be a member of the honored society.  He tried to have a  conversation with his father and uncles and grandfather but they rejected his request.  It was his mother’s side of the family that was willing to hear and welcome him into the life.  They gave him their wisdom and helped him develop his skills.   

Luc was heading to the train station along with his pals and guard Apples, his cousins Junior and Vincent.  They had their tickets and boarded in two private sleeping cars.  Luc thoughts was on getting supplies for his east coast operations.  He owned stock in a few successful ventures and he owned a few night clubs in New York, Chicago and Detroit.  He started a business in Seattle with full support from the port authorities and local law officials and enforcement.  If he gets Miami inline everything they have set up can earn serious cash to keep Siciliy and Seattle happy.  The clickety clackety sound of the train caused them all to fall asleep, no matter how hard they fought to stay awake.       

Luc dreamed about his partner and how they were put together.  It wasn’t a chance meeting for the two of them to be linked by business and in the same family.  Luc woke up as the train conductor was knocking on the door to his car.  He opened it and handed him his ticket.  Luc plan was to settle all her disputes one way or another and death was a tool to be used sparingly but effectively as possible. He arrived in Miami which was a days ride from Chicago.  His partner met him down in Miami as they talked once more about what was to take place.   She was a bit concerned that Luc was a hothead that wanted it done his way.  

Now she was standing on the deck of a yacht, looking over at the docks on the Miami shoreline.  Luc was standing on the doc with Apples and his cousins Vincent and Junior.  Junior was 13 now and looked exactly like his father Victor.   They were with a man named Willie London talking.  

Rain was wearing a white sequence dress and it shimmered as the moonlight hit it just right.   She raised her glass as luc looked at her.  Immediately Luc looked at Apples and Willie fell to his knees from a gut punch.  Willie security Valentine was standing dead still as Vincent pressed his revolver against Valentine's back.  Luc stood in front of him and knelt down grabbing willies chin lifting it to ensure that willie was looking him in the eyes as he spoke to him.  

"Willie we're not here to talk about another shipment, we’re here because the last four were light and each time you said you would make it up and you didn't.  You took our money and my partner paid for full loads and you didn't return the cash for the missing amounts and you didn't ship us the missing product.  My partner gave you three chances when I wanted to handle this off of the second screw up.  That woman allowed you to fuck up three times and said you struck out and on the next delivery that you were short I could deal with the problem my way."   

"So I decided that it’s time we negotiated with new management.  Going forward we will never be short again, the next load will make up for that. We will never pay in advance only on product delivered.  You will start shipping everything we order up to New York and Chicago.  To ensure that you want our business Mr. Valentine Jones you will be running this operation and because we decided to promote you is because you will ensure that there will be no retaliation or acts of revenge for removing your boss Mr. Willie London here."

Luc was still kneeling down then looked up at Valentine's face as Valentine showed a little relief in hearing that he would live Valentine nodded his head yes then Luc gave his second and third demand.  

Now You will deliver this next order for free to New York and last but not least you will dispose of this man's body when we're done.  

Valentine nodded again as apples poured gasoline on willie who was pleading for mercy.  Luc looked at Vincent and Junior who was horrified by what was about to happen.   Luc was standing  a good three feet away as Willie was being soaked in gas.  His cries were getting louder as Luc looked out at Rain again.  She again raised her glass and poured out the contents within.  Luc turned as Apples lit the match and tossed it at Willie.  Willies screams could be heard in the club house over the music coming from the radio.  The two groups of men stood facing each other one with pistols in each hand the other with their hands raised high.  

The bright yellowish orange light lit dispelled the darknest for a few feet as if it was a small sun on earth.  The flames moved in a starge dance and the body curled into a ball the man within screaming.  Vincent placed his revolver in Juniors hand as Luc walked past them.  Vincent whispered.

"No man should suffer a death like that Junior.  Do the right thing."

Junior was shaking no paying attention that he held a pistol in his hand but at the cruelty of the event that unfolded in front of him.  Luc who had his back to Junior turned and ask what would Victor do.  Junior eyes flickered then his face started to shine with a new expression as he turned back to look at Willies burning body and he slowly raised the pistol and fired five shots into the flame as the screams ended after the second shot.  Vincent removed the revolver from Juniors hand as he told him he did a good thing putting that creep out of his misery.  Luc then told him his father would have been proud of him stepping up at such a young age.    Rain didn't see the right of passage that Junior just went through and Vincent and Luc vowed never to tell anyone.