First Days

Chapter One

Sitting on the boat amongst the hundreds of other people who are trying to escape Italy and make a new life for themselves. I started to look around at everyone, there was a family, crying and sobbing. But the father was stood with his arms around his family, stone faced without a scent of emotion, he knew what had to happen happened. And now, now he has to move on like everyone else here. The boats horn sounded and I looked up to see the bright lights and activity of Seattle. It was amazing for someone like me, I came from the streets never owning a single place that I rested my head, it was either on the streets or in a rented room. But this is America, the land of opportunity, and for me life was about to be different.

As the boat began docking I stood up, placing my last cigarette into my mouth and lighting it, I start walking towards the dock and as soon as the boat is tied down everyone starts pouring out, some meeting friends and relatives, others walking alone. I take afew puffs from my cigarette and headed into the bustling city streets. After waking for a little while I come across a map of the city, looking for a street sign I find where I am on the map and start heading towards the bank, the only thing on my mind right now. Is finding money. 

Walking around the corner to the bank and seeing people filter in and out, I rest against a wall across the bank to find my target, then like a message from the heavens, a man, he appears wealthy wearing a suit and polished shoes he walks away from the bank clutching a brown envelope spewing dollar bills. Without hesitation I walk up behind the man slowly gaining on him until I get shoulder to shoulder with him, barging him and gripping onto the envelope I snatch it and sprint into a nearby alleyway, my shoes rapidly tapping against the street as I weave in and out of alleyways, after realising I have finally lost the man, I head into a coffee store, taking a seat with a grin across my face. “Fucking easy, these Americans are so foolish.” I say as a waitress walks towards me asking for my order. “I’ll take a sandwich and a coffee please. Black of course.” She jots it down in a pad and walks towards the kitchen. 

Kenny was leaning against a light pole on the other side of the road of a bank. He and his boys had kidnapped the daughter of a wealthy man and was holding her for ransom. He was waiting for the father of the girl to withdraw the cash from the bank to give him the address of the warehouse where they were holding her. After a few minutes Kenny looked at the man returning to him with the envelope in hands and he spotted a man walking slowly behind him, when the man was close enough he snatched the envelope and ran quickly away from the guy to a nearby alley. The guy ran after the thief and Kenny not ready to lose his money ran after them too. The thief was quick and Kenny was a heavy smoker so he couldn't keep up with him.

"You better find him if you want your girl back. Or get more money from the bank." Kenny said to the guy. He argued that he couldn't withdraw any more money so Kenny and the man went looking for the thief. After a few minutes Kenny spotted the man seated at a coffee store.

"I'll get the money, you get the girl. We're keeping her in this warehouse." Kenny reaches for his pocket and gives the man a piece of paper containing the address. "We already have the money so don't do anything stupid, alright? Just get your girl and get out." The man nods nervously and runs away back to the bank where he parked his car. Kenny grabbed his revolver from his waist and held it behind his back, hiding it. He entered the coffee shop and slowly approached the thief who was eating a sandwich. He sat at the chair in front of him and showed him the revolver.

"I'll have that envelope back now, please."

I look down at the revolver placed in front of me and take one last bite from my sandwich, “so this is your money then? I recall taking it from the gentleman you sent off. But your the man with the gun.” I say as I push the envelope across the table,  I then Lean back and searching my pockets I pull my cigarette box from my coat and begin to look disgruntled, “fuck, shoulda brought myself smokes before I gave you the money back heh.” 

I take another bite from my sandwich and a sip from my coffee. Then gentleman before me places the revolver under the table and takes the envelope, I know not to fuck around. My bet is he has that revolver pointed straight at my only possession. “Let me introduce myself, I’m Savino, fresh off the boat from Italy. You ever been there sir? It’s a fucking mess, I had to leave as...” I say, leaning slightly forward and lowering my tone. “I’m wanted in the old country, I get a feeling your a man just like me, hungry and wanting all that food, the kind that sits in a vault. Well I did a job over in a small town, it went south and afew bullets shot. I got my shit together, and disappeared.” I say to the gentleman, leaning back and sipping my coffee. 

“Sir, I don’t suppose a man like you would have any work for me? We could make a whole lot of money if you point me in the right direction”

"I've been in Italy." Kenny says placing the envelope on his coat and putting the revolver back in his waist. "My family runs a part of Palermo in Sicily. I've been there doing business with them a few times. If you're from Italy I bet you already heard the war of the Russo's against the Clementes." Kenny reaches for his pocket and grabs a pack of cigarettes and slides it to Savino. He knows how it is to run out of smokes and he doesn't wish that to his worst enemy. He signals the waitress and orders a coffee to himself, the waitress knows who Kenny is so she serves him fast, after a few minutes of listening to Savino tell his story the waitress brought Kenny his coffee. He listens to Savino ask for opportunity while he takes a sip from his coffee.

"Work, you say?" Kenny rubs his chin and looks around, thinking of something. He spots a jewelry store across the street from the coffee shop. A good opportunity for someone like Savino. Kenny likes to help his "countrymen" (he's not actually Italian, he was born in South Philly but holds dear all Italians he meets because he grew up around them. Except the Clementes, he hates 'em.)

"All right, listen closely." Kenny leans forward and takes a piece of paper from his coat and slides to Savino. "You want a job, you'll get a job. Nothing major but something that could get you behind bars. If you succeed, I'll find you better work. If you don't, you'll be arrested and probably will be shipped back to Italy and that will NOT be my problem."

Kenny pulls a loose cigarette out of his pocket and lights it, he takes a long drag out of it and looks at Savino.

"See that jewelry store? They put some fine jewelry for show behind a fragile window. Wait til night, find a bag, smash the window and grab as much as you can. If someone shows up you get the fuck outta there. You're fast as a horse so I bet you'll get away. The cops in Seattle are all fat and slow."

Kenny gets up and points at the piece of paper he gave it to Savino.

"That's the address to the head quarters for the crew I work for. Ask for Kenny Russo and they'll let you in."

Kenny leaves the coffee shop and walks back to the bank where he parked his car nearby.