Zapata, his giant sombrero bopping along like a flying tortilla, hurriedly entered the large room with several sets of files and folders grasped in his hands, loose papers floating behind him like a vapour trail. There was serious business to attend to today and he would accept no delays. Curious faces gazed up at him from the seated crowd, anxiously waiting for him to begin the proceeding. His boss, Grin-07, scowled menacingly from his seat in the front row. Kirsty, the eager schmuck-based reporter, leaned over her notepad attentively. Zapata collapsed into his own throne of judgment, sighed loudly, and leaned forward to make his address.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today to find the truth. Two days ago, Philadelphia was leveled by a united front of mafia families representing the rest of our business, coast to coast, working together towards a common goal. In the wake of these events, newspaper publisher SamAdams released a special edition of his Star-Examiner to bring this breaking news to the people. In this newspaper was the following passage:

A highly-ranking source in The Grin Gang, who agreed to give us information in exchange for a sum of money, further tells us that Chicago would have been the first target. The plan was leaked to VoxNeruda, LHM of The Grin Gang, by Lust's own RHM, who was given the promise of safety by Grin-07 for this information.

A high-ranking source within our organization - The Grin Gang - was alleged to have sold insider information to Mr. Adams for an undetermined sum of money. How much? There is very little doubt, my friends, that to entice any member of the gang to participate in such treacherous behaviour, it must have been a fortune. It must have been more than he knew what to do with. So much money you could dive into it, bathe in it, toss it into the air like confetti. This person must have been cumming money. 

But the real question is, who? If we follow the evidence, we are greeted by two important clues:

1) This person is a "highly-ranking source in The Grin Gang".

2) The person with this information was VoxNeruda.

Despite Mr. Adams' admirable attempt to conceal the true identity of his source, as any professional journalist is obliged to do, I quickly enlisted my private detective Goldust to sniff out who was behind this leak, given his own experience as a renowned investigative journalist. As I watched him heave his fat skeleton towards me this morning, smirking like a horny goblin, I knew he had cracked the case. 

That is why you stand before us today, VoxNeruda, explain yourself! How much money did Mr. Adams offer you?! How much did it take to win our family secrets?!"

The goddam guy comes around waving money in my face looking for information for his newspaper, what would you have me do? Not make money for myself???

And seriously SamAdams what the hell? Thanks for throwing me under the bus. Maybe I should switch over to Goldust’s rag if I’m to be outed for giving you information for money

Furthermore, do you guys even have any proof I gave SamAdams any information?  This is ridiculous 

"What annoys me, is that you chose to ignore Chicago's own Newspaper, in deference to SamAdams, despite The Rusty Star-Examiner being the first to break the story of the War! This allowed that snivelling wretch, to completely throw me off the scent of the single biggest event in the last 7 days by assuring me that no war was in fact taking place. I mean, come on man, I threw you a few dollars here and there, i sent people along to your Cardboard City so you could fleece them for their Welfare Cheques. For Shame VoxNeruda, for shame. I don't you can sleep on the streets at night, or does the quality paper used in the printing of the Star-Examiner help keep you warm?"

Goldust shook his head sadly, he had believed in VoxNeruda, had almost looked up to him if he hadn't spent most of his life sitting outside stores panhandling. This was almost as bad as that time BennyNoodles, the Canadian Mobster, had gotten a girlfriend and turned his back on all his Mafia buddies and told them it was time for them to grow up and get a life.

"Zapata, it's clear to me that this may, nay this worm, has betrayed the very ideals this organisation holds dear, and if I knew what those ideals were I would now list them to reinforce my point. What proof do we have Vox? What proof? The Truth is the Proof, and the Bird is the Word. I suppose you'll be wanting the truth now as well? Well no dice Voxie boy, the truth is mine, and you can't handle the Truth!"

Zapata - how much would you pay for rock solid information about exactly WHO supplied the information, and HOW much was paid?

Although it is against policy and newspaper etiquette, I will elaborate for the good of inter-city relations and whatnot. As Mr. Neruda has confirmed that it was he who gave me the info, I think this is acceptable. 

I swear to you that I offered Mr. Neruda $20,000. I paid $10,000 upfront, and the rest with an additional tip of $5,000 after he had given me the information.

$20,000?? Mind if I ask how you came by this hefty sum in the first place? 

Perhaps you will have noticed that I have received several million dollars in tips for my publications, Mr. Wick?

"Order! Order in the court!"

Zapata swung his hefty gavel down twice on the solid counter.

"Kirsty, I was trying to answer your question above this rabble, eager to pay whatever it took to bring the smoking gun forward, steadfast in my belief that VoxNeruda had hidden hundreds of thousands, even millions, for his part in breaking such a scandalous story. I wondered to myself, 'Why is he here and not already traveling to the Bahamas, gold-leaf sails billowing with the winds of fortune? Why is he not already living a life of luxury on some beach in paradise?"

That is, until Mr. Adams himself decided to speak up. SamAdams, I must ask you to clarify however, as I believe you misspoke. I think you mean 200,000 dollars? Or perhaps 2 million dollars? Please be serious now. I know you have raked in several million dollars in tips. You're a rich and powerful newspaper publisher. What did it really take to acquire this information?"

SamAdams - would you mind giving me an exact figure for tips received for all of your publications?  I'll need this in preparation for the interview I'm doing with you.

Seeing a lot of commotion Clarkson whips the beast sideways nearly killing everyone as it didn't quite go to plan, not Clarksons fault of course the tyres were worn, however once he came to a stop he stepped out of his beloved V8 and approached VoxNeruda.

"VoxNeruda sounds like you need some decent council, of course as everyone knows my magnificentness is magnificent I could represent you for a new set of tyres, catch my drift?" of course no one ever catches Clarksons drift but that's besides the point he'd offer his genius services anyway, an upstanding ape of the community he was always on hand to help those lesser unfortunante souls.

"Here's my card, just make sure you don't buy them cheap shitty tyres Hypno god bless his soul used too" with that Clarkson heads over to the local coffe shop for some much needed refreshments.

I didn't confirm anything SamAdams, I said there was no proof.  And for the love of Gosh have you ever heard of the term Omerta?  Why are you out here blabbing to anyone listening that I gave you information?  I asked Zapata for proof, and so far none has been presented, other than you coming out here and 'swearing' that I gave you information.  This is proof??  We're not talking about your damn word, Jerry<font color="#99CC99">.</font>

Mr. Zapata, that is correct. $20,000. Twenty thousand. One 2 and four 0s.

Ms. Kirsty, you can find that out for yourself by looking at the articles.

TWENTY-THOUSAND DOLLARS?!?! THAT'S IT??

Can you offer any proof, SamAdams? A transcript of the negotiations?

You know, VoxNeruda once offered me an organ just to lick the pulp out of a glass of orange juice I'd finished. 'Dealer's choice', he said. He was smiling and licking his lips, prodding his finger into his various parts of his belly while staring at me suggestively. The stitching on his bulging pocket broke a moment later and about 12 shucked clams came sliding out of the leg of his pants. Grin-07 made him the Left-Hand of the family the next day. I pretended to be happy about it. But I was very sad. Very, very sad. 

Sir, need I really produce bank records? Do you not put any stock in the word of a man of my rank?

The telegrams discussing the exchange of money could be of interest. It's hard to trust you when you've admitted to offering money for family secrets. How do I know you're not taking us for a ride and throwing VoxNeruda, a homeless nobody, under the bus to protect your real source? It's a tale as old as time; rich business magnate finds bum to take the fall. Nobody's gonna miss him. Nobody's going to bat an eye about it. I know the fat cat playbook, Adams, you're going to have to show some real evidence here. 

These are my records:

70 grand? In two installments? AntoOC, have you considered unionizing? 

These records do clearly show a payment of 25,000 dollars for some kind of information, though it doesn't specify what. For all I know, he could have been recommending the latest brand of wet cat food he'd been eating. He likes that. It makes his breath smell better. It's a start but it doesn't push this case beyond a reasonable doubt. 

VoxNeruda, what do you have to say in your defense? 

Clarkson hears the sum of 20 fuckin grand, now that would buy an awful lot of tyres, Clarkson looks over at SamAdams and taps him on the shoulder "So you are telling me if I give you some spill about someone you'll give me 20 big ones?" Clarkson pauses for thought who does he have juicy info on? he thought to himself, "Hey don't judge I need new tyres" he said to the masses who started to look at him with suspicious eyes, pulling out his poorly upkept or written for that matter diary Clarkson realised he had fuck all in the way of gossip, I could always make something up he thought to himself, yes yes another genius plan after all what could possibly go wrong?

JWick sits among the crowd gathered at VoxNeruda's trial. Listening to the spectator, Clarkson speak, Wick couldn't help but burst out laughing. The man could have referenced the amount 20,000 dollars in any type of way but he chose to go with "20 big ones." Wick looks around hoping nobody saw him laugh but as it turns out the entire crowd was whispering and chuckling at Clarkson's ridiculous comment. 

Buy a lot of tyres 20 big ones JWick