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Unpacking The Family Bible. Started by: mahihkan on Aug 01, '20 18:33

Mahihkan had finished moving everything into her new house. Her hands palms down loosely sat on her hips as she scanned her new place. It wasn't a bad place, much larger than her last place. She dropped her arms and strolled towards one of the small windows pushing the curtains aside she smiled as the sun shone through the filthy window. She would have to clean the windows, but she thought she would do it after unpacking the moving boxes. Grabbing herself a glass of water she sat among a stack of boxes set her glass on top of the one nearest here, as she had no furniture yet.  She then ripped the tape off that held the box closed, and started unpacking he box. 

Mahihkan grabbed a rectangular paper wrapped item and unfurled the newsprint  wrapped around from it. She recognized it as the family bible that her father had given her before he his  unsolved murder. It wasn't even in the papers, he wasn't of importance but an entire district  was taken out and not word as to why. The others n the city didn't even lift a finger to defend their fellow brethren when they fell. It was quite the mystery.  When she tried to seek  shelter and employment from the city that her father had served loyally , she  was treated like she wasn't even there.  So much for rewarding a families loyalty by keeping the families of the dead employed. So she left the city that her father had faithfully served, and found herself like her ancestors starting over fresh without any connections.  This was the old way of doing things when those your family served suddenly turn you out with no explanation.  

She really didn't feel like dealing with the new house cleaning and the unpacking she was emotionally spent after her father's funeral. She didn't want to admit it because they didn't have  the best of relationships, but she missed the ol' bugger. Her thoughts drifted as she held the family bible against her chest, to memories of her father. A slight depression came over her as tears welled into her eyes. She scrubbed them from her eyes and grabbed her glass of water.  Taking a few steps she found a large solid box set against the wall and sat on it . She gingerly ran her fingers across the embedded image of her families crest shaped like a bird in flight embedded in the cover.  Then opened the book she lifted her glass to her lips and took a drink as she started reading the entry written on the cover. 

Apparently her family had many generations that worked for "the Family" as many of the entries  referring to syndicate were written as. She guessed to help keep true identities  hidden in case the family bible fell in the hands of the Feds.  She pulled herself from her thoughts and read the written inscription on the inside cover of the book. 

It was simply titled,  The Four Codes of Omerta. She pulled the glass slowly to her lips and took a sip of the cool fresh water as she continued to read. Her father had always had  her recite the codes of Omerta, he would also stop her when she mad a mistake with the wording saying in his baritone voice. Mahi you must remember this exactly as it is written, it is the laws of the old world. Many of these new families only practice the first code, negating the law  of Omerta all together. Honor the code my dear daughter memorize it and , practice it in its entirety.  She wiped a stray tear from her round cheek  as the memory flooded her mind. Pushing her thoughts aside Mahihkan continued  to read the inside cover of the family bible. As she did  an odd sense of  peaceful nostalgia washed over as she realized what was written was exactly what her father had her memorize. 

Omerta (Code of Silence)

1. Total obedience to the Boss of the Family.

2. Assistance to any befriended Family (City Factions), no questions asked.

3. Avenge any and all attacks on Family (City Factions), because an attack on one is an attack on all. 

4. Avoid any and all contact with the authorities.

 As she read the third rule  depression swelled over her once more as her  shoulders slumped and silent tears streamed down her face. Too many times in this thing of ours has a family member fallen and their death  not be avenged or even spoken of. As if not speaking about it will make it go away, instead of fester like an infected splinter deep under the skin. The rest of the conversation  with her father  about the law of Omerta came to her thoughts as  she closed the cover of the family bible wiping the fresh batch of tears from her face.She had asked her father what would happen if these laws were were ignored or forgotten. His baritone voice resonated in her mind calming her somewhat. As she laid on the carpeted floor drifting off to sleep, curled up cuddling the family bible as if it were a doll. Mahihkan if any of these were neglected than a "man of honor" was no true man of honor, and he did not deserve his position within "this thing of ours". No matter what happens Mari you must uphold these four laws. 

Fast asleep her unpacking and dirty windows forgotten Mahihkan had dreams  of the many times her father had her recite verbatim the Law of Omerta.

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It had been several week since she moved into her new place. It was a quaint little   place, she had  finally  finished acquiring a few pieces of furniture nothing spectacular. Her favorite new acquisition was  a table made of mahogany with inlaid abalone in the center, she loved the deep red color of the wood. As she entered her sitting room the calming aroma of lavender and chamomile on the air had soothed her just enough to take a deep relaxing sigh.She took a moment to gather her rambling thoughts before she sat in the over stuffed high back chair behind her desk. 

HustlinHoe had sent out a memo to all the members of the State of Emergency. It seemed the LHM had recently received some notice he was needed back in the old country. With due diligence he responded to this call of action. This left HustlinHoe with a  high ranking and important position to fill within her ranks.  She messaged the family letting everyone know she was opening up an application for the position. 

Mahihkan had no intention of going through  the process at first. Really she knew that talent and drive were not enough for a such position within a family.  They were important factors yes, but who you know carried more weight than these two factors. Then the evening before the application deadline she received a telegram from the LHM who was leaving for the old country. Encouraging her to apply telling she had great potential. Mahi attempted to point out that she had no ties to bring to the table, all she could offer was herself, and knew this was  important to many in this way of life.  She  was told simply sometimes that was the best thing that could be offered.   

So here she  was in her  small office sitting at her favorite piece of newly acquired furniture.  She grabbed some blank paper and a pen, chewing on the end of the pen and staring at the application questions in contemplative thought for what seemed like eternity. Finally she set to work on filling out this application. 

Mahikan wasn't sure this was going to be good enough. Her father would want her to do this, he had taught her from a young age the ways of this "thing of ours". It was the family way of life to work for the "syndicate". They had always worked for the "syndicate" never with them this was going to be large step  for her and her bloodline.

So she sat with her pen tapping the edge of the table top as she thought of what to write. Writing and erasing and writing and erasing again till she felt it was just right. The worst that would happen is she would be able to   put in the family bible  that she tried. She then recopied what she had written onto a clean piece of parchment.

1. How you could benefit the Family as LHM

I have  20 years  experience both in storytelling and general writing.  I enjoy story telling for the sheer enjoyment of the creativity. My bloodline has a track record of being storytellers, one of my ancestors won a storytelling  contest back in the day when the Boss of Bosses (game wide contest)  use to hold these.  It may have even been  one of the last ones that he held.   I have some small  trivia questions t to help gangsters find excellent lock picks to break people out of jail, or stashes of gold coins.  All we have is the now so the now should be productive and fun as well.  I am sure as learn more about the position I will find more ways to benefit the family.

 

2. Why you

I am a supportive person who is family orientated.  I also understand that  there is much more that I have yet to learn, if I do obtain this position it would be a good opportunity to expand my education and knowledge in this area. I have no ties, all I can offer is myself, but I have been told that sometimes this is the best thing someone can offer. 

 

Mahi laid the pen down on top of the mahogany wood table and picked up the paper she had just written on. She stood from behind her table and walked out of her small apartment and down the street to the headquarters, Her palms were sweaty and her forehead felt clammy as the wind brushed through her hair.She walked through the headquarters and stood in front of HustlinHoes office door letting the nervousness settle before she knocked don the door. After getting the call in from her Boss she entered the room and handed her the paper. 

Thank for the opportunity to even attempt to apply for such a position. Mahi's multi colored  eyes maintained a respectful but solid  eye contact with her boss as she handed her the parchment. 

 

HustlinHoe thanked her for the application and told they would contact her for a second interview if she made it  past the of the application process.  Mahihkan was both nervous and excited as she left her bosses office wondering how her father would feel about this. Hopefully proud of her that she even attempted such a huge leap in her criminal career. 

 

Several days  had passed  and Mahi received another telegram. She opened it  with slow  nervous excitement and within was a message from HustlinHoe. Apparently several of of the family  had placed an application for this position, and it was a close decision. So HustlinHoe set up a scenario question to help her make this decision of who would take this newly opened position within the family.

To: mahihkan
From: HustlinHoe
Subject: Application scenario

i'm sending this to each of you, please explain what you would do in this situation:

You are LHM, both your CL and your RHM are offline...one of the Family Wise Guys has pickpocketed a CL of a different city...the CL is now threatening to shoot our member...our Wise Guy reaches out to you for help...Scousepole is online but has gone afk...what do you do?

 

 Mahihkan went back into her small office and sat her prized desk and began scrawling out the paper her response to this scenario. She wasn't quite sure she was answering this one correctly, so she took a moment and read through the Family Bible to see some entry from one of her ancestors might help her. She discovered several entries on this very topic. She laid the family bible back on the left hand corner of her desk and laid her pen to paper. 

Mahikan contemplated this one for a minute. It was written  in her Family Bible that a wiseguy should not Pickpocket a CL of any city. Not only was it disrespectful to pickpocket such a high standing member in this thing of ours, only the lowest of criminals pick-pocketed and anyone that was aspiring to be a part of the "syndicate'' surely did not stoop so low as to pickpocket a fellow criminal member let alone  someone who had earned a position of power.  Mahi put her  pen to paper and answered the question in the telegram and then had it delivered. 

I would apologize on behalf of the crew to the CL as the wiseguy "possibly" made a mistake or simply did not know. Then go to the wiseguy have them repay the amount taken if anything was and  have them send an apology to the offended  CL. If the wiseguy don't then discipline should be enacted, I would be forced to put a bullet in  the head of the offending wiseguy (can't demote him/her yet as he /she is not officially in the family) or extend the courtesy to the offended Cl.

 

She nervously set the pen down and  had the  scenario delivered to HustlinHoe.  The next day it was announced  who had acquired the position. 

Mr.Carlo_Gambino. 

Mahihkan's hand went to her head as she realized who had she had been competing with, none other than the father of the Gambino family, the founder of the first families of New York. This actually brought a slight smile to her lips, she would be able to write in the Family Bible that it took a great man from great family to beat her a lowly no name in this thing of ours.  

This gave her some hope for her future ascension within  the family. It may just be possible, and boy if she did it would make her father proud. He only made it to being a Made Man if she could surpass her father in this area, she knew he would be proud of her. 

HustlinHoe had even taken the time to send her a short telegram telling her it was  a very close decision, this gave  her  a spark of hope as   a little more light shined on her future opportunities. She quickly scrawled out a short response and had it delivered to her Boss. 

To: HustlinHoe

From: Mahihkan

Subject: Thank you

Well now if I had known I was going up against Mr. Gambino I would have never tried. One can't compete with the father of the first families of New York.

Thank you though for the opportunity.

Mahikan had the telegram delivered, satisfied she had done the best to her ability and in the knowledge that her father was smiling down on her from heaven or maybe it was up at from her hell.  She then pulled her Family Bible to her opened it to  a clean fresh page and began to scrawl out this experience as so many of her ancestors did before her. 

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Mahihkan relaxed in her home she enjoyed being here alone she didn't have put on the facade that she was a bright and happy person. She didn't have to worry about leaving people in better spirits than she found them. The curse of being a heyoka was sensing other peoples emotions, walking through the streets was very tiring at times.

With people arguing here and others yelling there about bad street leaders, and conspiracy. Of course there was conspiracy in this  thing of ours, that was  why we had the law of omerta. Which unfortunately is not being completely followed . This made her wonder if this half following of the Law of Omerta was the issue, and everything else  was the consequence. Well  decided she would take this time to relax and went  to sit down and read from the Family Bible it always had a way of grounding and centering her.

 

She went and sat in her overstuffed reading chair  in her small office and picked up the Family Bible as she did a piece of yellow aged parchment fluttered from the pages and fell to the ground. Leaning done she picked it up and opened the  slightly moldy smelling folded paper. It was a letter from her father written years ago from the aged look of the paper.  She sat reading this message from the ghost of her father. 

My dearest Mahi,

I have not been the best father to you, but I hope I was great teacher. I know I have been emotionally distant with you.  I knew when you were  born with those eyes that you had been marked by the Wakinya. I knew this meant you had a hard path ahead of you, so I closed my self off emotionally from you to protect you. As I knew I would have  to be a diligent teacher  and would not be able to carry out this task if I allowed you to become to close to me.  I know this has caused  you to grow to hate me as a father, but I hope it has gained your respect as well my dear daughter. 

 I want to leave you with one last lesson to carry with you. I leave this lesson to in this private letter as it is not something I can teach, but only tell you and you must comprehend   it  how you see fit dear.  To be a decent  leader you must know all people are fallible, especially yourself.  You must put your people needs and aspirations above yours, as a good leader is not counted among good leader s for the power they hold or the time they leader. No, my dear a daughter a leader great leader is counted among the great by the people he builds up into greatness. This is his greatest goal to build those up around him, to encourage the people  he leads. My daughter the ultimate goal of great leader is  to create the next  great leader that will take his place. 

A leader won't demoralize those around them, with loudness. Remember quite often the loudest voice in the streets seldom belongs to the most intelligent. A leader will not be boastful of their accomplishments, but will  boast and shout from the tops of the high risers the accomplishments of those he leads and guides. 

 

Mahihkan was sitting in her small office reading her letter that fell from the  Family Bible when a knock  on her door grabbed her attention. She hastily folder the letter from her father that she had not finished reading and tucked into her Family Bible. 

Mahi went to see who it was peeking out the front window to see who it was before approaching the door. One could never be too cautious in the line of work she had chosen.  She was surprised to  see her boss, HustlinHoe outside her door.  This was not natural she rushed to the door with a knot of butterflies in her stomach, and racing thoughts. What had she done for the Boss to make a personal visit to her?  She wasn't any one special in this thing, to garner a personal visit. Unless she had misstep somewhere maybe she misspoke to some one or forgot to carry out  a requested job. She opened the door with nervousness filling her core and a smile on her face and greeted her Boss.

"Hello Boss, What a pleasant honor you have given me with this visit." she greeted her Boss respectfully as she invited her inside with a slight movement of her hand. Mahihkan  closed the door behind her as she entered. 

  HustlinHoe as usual was straight to the point, something Mahi appreciated in her Boss. "You have worked diligently bringing  in the collections. For this effort of yours I would like you to become a family sponsor. This is a great opportunity and  responsibility. It is very important also, as we need to be diligent in who we bring in to represent the family. So I will have one of the older members  of the  family guide you through this next  step in your career with me."  

Mahihkan was taken aback for a moment all previous thought of possible failure were gone from her mind. Her words temporarily  stuck in her throat,  as her new position finally sunk into her comprehension.  "Thank you for giving me the trust to be a sponsor. I only hope I don't disappoint in this next opportunity you have given me." 

With her business concluded HustlinHoe made no waste of time as she  left Mahihkan's small home, to tend to more important matters.  

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It was a nice sunny day so Mahihkan decided a walk in the city park would be a good idea. Grabbing her leather jacket from the coat hook near the door as she left. She pulled the jacket on just as she closed and locked her front door behind her. It was bright day and the birds chirping as a pleasant breeze stirred the leaves in the trees. Minding her own business lost in thoughts of her deceased father   she was startled  by a familiar voice. 

It was  the LHM of the family she worked for approaching her.  She smiled as was her customary reaction when she greeted people. Offered him a cigar that she had pulled from inside her coat pocket.  

"Hello again", he smiled and took the cigar and thank her then asked her a question she would have not thought she would hear.

"I would like to know what your thoughts on becoming my LHM in the up coming future?"

She knew it didn't mean she would become his LHM, but  just being approached and ask the question was a great honor, and indication of trust in this way of life.

"Well It would be an honor to be the LHM of the one of the of the founders of  the five families of New York,  Mr. Gambino. Unless, you have someone who  you would rather have. " She answered in a tone and an exuberance that she hoped expressed her feelings properly. 

They had parted ways after the brief encounter Mahihkan's stomach all in a knot of nervousness, not a bad nervousness, but the exciting  nervousness of uncertainty and possible growth.

Mahihkan was enjoying a MaiTai while reading another passage from her favorite book, The Art of War. When the sound of the buzzing of her doorbell caught her attention. She set  the book on the table near her chair careful not to knock her drink over and went to the door.  She answered  it to see a telegram delivery boy. He handed her the telegram and  held his hand out palm up waiting for his tip.  She reached into her  pants pocket and pulled out two bits she slapped into the kids hands." Nice hustle kid." She said dryly as she  closed the door.  she opened the envelope the telegram was set in and read the letter.  It was from the LHM of State of Emergency. 

To: mahihkan
From: CarloGambino
Subject: Opportunity

As a LHM what do you feel your duties would be to uphold?

As well what do you feel you can bring to the table?

 She grabbed her Mai Tai from the table near the chair had been previously and walked sipping her drink and contemplating the questions put forth to her. This was not unlike the tests that had been set before on several previous occasions from this family.  She entered her small office sat her desk and grabbed a pen and piece of paper then began to scribe out her thoughts on these two questions. 

To: CarloGambino
From: mahihkan
Subject: Opportunity

A LHM should tribute anywhere from 15 to 20 percent of what he collects from his associates or other money making ventures. This person should keep an eye on the associates and other members of the family and report and misstep to the RHM who should then follow the hierarchy of responsibility and power and report it to the Boss. so then the  Boss can issue orders to the RHM who then hands it down to the LHM to carry out.  The LHM should take care of regular paper  work that may be assigned to them as a duty. As the RHM and The Boss are usually busy with the politics of this thing of ours it is important that the LHM man be able to help watch for any threat  that  may disrupt business as usual. This entails helping to keep the hitmen,  soldiers and associates  in line with the family goals.  It also encompasses helping to recruit new blood to this  thing of ours so that we can continue to grow and carry on with business as usual. 

 

Quite simply  put I have only one  thing I can bring to table. Loyalty, As I  have no other connections in  this thing of ours except those from the family. I have no friends only family.  This means I have no desire, compulsion or avenue to be loyal to anyone but myself and the person who I have agreed to work for. I am willing to do what needs to be done for the family no questions asked. 

  Mahihkan set the parchment into a sealed envelop. She left her office with her envelop in hand and opened her front door to which guttersnipe may have been running through the alley way. She whistled curtly and caught the attention of a dark haired boy about 10 years old. She handed a couple bills and told him to deliver the envelop to the LHM of State of Emergency. The child ran off with his  new found booty and the envelop in hand. 

Several days later Mahikan got the news from Mr. Gambino that she had been chosen to be his LHM when he was officially authorized. She also received a  personal note of congratulations from HustlinHoe.  She had a smile on her face and an exuberance in her step as she set out  on this new opportunity to learn more about this thing of ours.  

The next day a car pulled up next to her as the tinted window rolled down she recognized one Carlo-Gambino's personal guards. "Get in" was all he said . She was nervous had she done something to upset the family she thought with the last correspondence that she was doing a great job.  She was taken to undisclosed location in a neighbor she recognized and herded quietly in an uneasy  manner up the stairs.  It was a secret meeting. She fought back tears of happiness as she slowly realized what this was. Her official induction into this thing of ours. 

After the meeting she sucked the small knick on her index finger as the blood slowly stopped seeping to the surface. A satisfied smile in her multi colored eyes  as she realized she had accomplished what her father never had. 

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