Baldr turned to look at the building that was now to serve as the official headquarters of Helheim, a rather nondescript building just down the street from the new Fox cinema, but perfect for what he needed. He gripped the doorknob in his hand, savoring the moment, before releasing it and turning to Vali and Rooer.

Right. Let’s go. There’s more important matters at hand before we get to work here. IL_Duce, get in the back, I think we’ll need you here as well.

Baldr motioned to Vali, who opened the passenger side of his car for him, before making a very rude gesture for him to get in. He’d get payback for that later, more important things needed to be taken care of first. He sat down and got buckled in while checking his ammunition and wiping off his gun, before returning it to the holster at his side. He looked over as Vali settled into the driver’s seat, making a complaining noise that he was subjected to such menial work, as Rooer and Il_Duce settled in the back.

Vali, you know I need my most trusted as the driver here. We couldn’t trust one of the drivers for the agency. Not to mention that damned led foot of yours, what if we need a quick getaway, are you going to trust a hired driver?

Vali nodded in reluctant agreement, in obvious discomfort that he actually agreed with his elder brother on something, and he took off towards the more downtown section of Pasadena, as night was falling the lights were getting brighter, and the busiest place of all appeared to be the building they were approaching, a building painted black with bright green neon lights, the sign above the entrance flashing “HEL”. Baldr pointed to the two large bouncers standing at either side of the door, going heavy may not be the best option. Vali parked a bit back, and looked over to him.

Alright, needless to say she has more protection than we anticipated. This changes nothing though. We’re going to take back what is ours, and we’re not going to let a bit of muscle stop us. Vali, do you remember that maintenance entrance Dad installed on the second level in the back? I doubt Hel was smart enough to patch that up. Take Rooer and Duce, and go in that way. I’ll take the front.

Vali nodded in agreement and remembrance, as Baldr looked ahead to the club, it had been far too long. It was a solid five years ago, Vali and Baldr were in a corner surrounded by beautiful women, partaking in a bit too much blow when Hel had attacked. Their father was in the office, doing a quick countdown of the night’s take so far, setting aside a tidy bonus for their Don, when she kicked open the office door and blew a hole directly in the back of his head. Rooer had dragged himself and Vali out of there before they could attack in their anger, telling them how the time wasn’t right. But damnit, the time was right now. Vengeance had waited long enough.

Let’s go boys.

They nodded to him in agreement, as Baldr gave Vali a forceful hug and grasped his shoulder perhaps a bit too roughly.

That final shot is ours. Got it?

He didn’t wait for a response before making his way to the bouncers at the entrance. They eyed him up and down, as he noticed they were very poorly dressed. Baldr put two and two together, and gathered; these guys were not well paid in the slightest. He reached in his back pocket and pulled out a thick wallet, his other hand slightly in the air, to show no ill intent.

Guys, listen, why don’t you work for me? Go get yourselves some nice suits. Stop dressing in this filth.

He opened his wallet and stuffed their breast pockets with a couple bundles of hundreds, which they pulled out and started counting, eyes open wide. They must have not given it more than a seconds’ thought, as they hungrily stuffed the cash into their pockets and wandered off. Baldr wondered if they’d actually come back to work for him or if he had simply paid for them to leave for the evening. Alas, it mattered not, and his way forward was clear.

Baldr glanced upwards and suppressed a grin as he noticed the giant bush of red hair that was Vali, along with Duce and Rooer, had made it through the maintenance entrance and were making their way to the main level. Straight ahead, in a large dimly lit booth, surrounded by what he assumed were friends, he noticed Hel. She was dressed in all black, a hideously ugly head-dress perched atop her head. She was excitedly in conversation though, and hadn’t noticed his entrance. Suited him just fine.

He made his way through the crowded floor, directly through the middle, meeting up with Vali, Duce, and Rooer who were approaching from the left. It all happened in a blur, but seemingly the next thing he knew, everyone around Hel was on the floor, and he and Vali were standing over her in a puddle of blood. She was blubbering, he thought begging for mercy, as he turned to Vali and pulled his gun from his pocket, placing it squarely in the middle of her forehead.

Ready?

Vali hadn’t even waited for the queue before his gun was directly beside Baldr’s, an evil grin spread across his face. A few seconds later, two thunderous sounds rounded through the building, as Hel’s body crumbled to a heap in the floor.

Baldr took a seat where Hel had been seated just moments before, grabbing the bottle that somehow managed to remain untouched, and opening it, taking a giant drink from it, and setting it back on the table, free use to the others if they wished.

Easy enough. Rooer, can you contact a crew to clean this shit up? We’ve got some remodeling to do, I hate what she’s done to the place.

He looked over as Vali was rummaging through Hel’s coat pockets, pulling out twin pistols. Their fathers’. He placed one in his pants, while handing the other to Baldr. The family was back together.

Rooer sat at the back of the car. He was dressed in something more comfortable for this job, dressed in black with a pair of leather gloves. IL_Duce fidgeted next to him. The day had come, the day Baldr had been waiting for since the incident. Since Baldr found himself removed from his own home.

Rooer watched Vali let Baldr in, Smiling between their brotherly tussle before Vali slid inside himself. While Vali drove and Baldr explained the plan they'd been over many times before, Roper dipped into the brown paper bag he'd acquired earlier from one of his sources; Four revolvers, each with their serial numbers filed off. No paper trail. He passed one to each of them and kept the last for himself. They all pocketed their piece.

They all removed themselves from the car, Baldr going around the front and the rest going through a maintenance entrance. After they broke up, Rooer smiled at both Vali & IL_Duce. Vali looked like he could almost taste the sweet vengeance. This all had been a long time coming and the three of them made their way inside.

The maintenance entrance lead into the storage room on the backside, when they ran the place. Vali kept all outgoing goods here. Crates of booze and other substances are mixed to hide their true contents. They had come across a rather burly looking brute, he looked the type that you probably couldn't blag.

“Ey, What are you lot doin' back ere. No guests are allowed back ere'” The English accent surprised him. The burly man then cracked his knuckles. “Oh, We just got lost, My friend here had too many. We were just tryin..” Rooer blagged his way closer to the man before in a flash Rooer had headbutted him square in the nose, The man staggered from the blow. Stunned.

Vali from behind him didn't miss a moment in the opening and before Rooer could see Vali had also closed the gap, Rooer just noticed the glint of steel before it disappeared. Vali had the grunt up against the wall. Hand over his mouth, blade in his gut. “Shhh” Vali cooed before stabbing him a few more times. Rooer was thankful Vali was on his side, the man slumped down to the floor. A pool of Crimson appeared underneath him. Rooer motioned Vali to go, Vali wiped his blade against the man's jacket before pocketing it again.

The Trio made it into the room. It was busy, Smoke hung heavy in the air. The smell of booze and the sound of laughter. Rooer scanned the room. Took a note of what seemed to be Hel's men, She was surprisingly light today when it came to protection, whether that was from complacency or mismanagement. He couldn't know

Rooer noticed Baldr making his way up to Hel, Located centrally in the club. None of them had been noticed either, security was lacking Rooer though. Rooer grabbed a stool chair from the bar on his way over. She was flagged with a couple of heavies around her, shitting excuses for bodyguards though.

As they all stepped close, Rooer heard Vali speak behind him. He couldn't make him out of the music before he saw a body drop to the floor, there was a shout of surprise from Hel before Rooer swung his bar stool at the second heavy's head. It connected, the stool shattered from the force. The man swayed, dazed from the blow. Given Rooer a chance to pull his piece and pistol-whipped him, he then slumped down to the floor.

Rooer then took three shots at the bodyguards at the back of the room. Two hits and the third missed, both guards at the back fell. Vali commented on his shit aim as he heard another body hit the floor.

By the time Rooer turned around to face the rest of them. He had noticed that the guards at the other side of the room were down. Vali and Baldr were both bloody, He doubted it was their blood. Vali had a maniacal grin, He was in his element, enjoying the carnage. Lost in his gaze, He hadn't noticed the man running across the room at him. Blade in hand.

Rooer pushed Vali down and pointed his gun across him. Told him to cover his ears and made 2 shots. The first landed in the mark's chest and the second went through his eye which exploded like popped cherry. Vali leaned back up and slapped Rooer “Don't care if you saved me there, Fuck you, That was LOUD” Rooer couldn't help but laugh.

After the dust had settled. What remained was Hel in-between them. A bloody mess, Rooer noticed one of the guards bolting towards the door. Rooer spent his last bullet on him. Watched him crash over the bouncer, Making an inner remark about how the blood would somewhat ruin the wood.

Rooer's vision returned to notice that Vali had skipped the count and taken the first chance. The sound of two guns going off. Not too far from each other, He watched Hel slump down between them.

Rooer looked up at Baldr as he spoke to him. He nodded in acknowledgement “Leave your pieces on the bar counter, leave your clothes at my desk back at the office. I should be able to wash everything over in about a week”

Rooer raised his eyebrow at the pistols Baldr pulled off Hel's body. He recognised them as the Old Man's pistols. He smiled and said nothing before turning to walk away, reaching for the telephone near the bar.

Blood was splattered all over the club. The bar, bottles, stools, carpet... all caked in a bright red sea of blood. It almost appeared as if the building's sprinkler system malfunctioned and went off, showering every square inch of the club. Broken bottles littered the landscape, stools were thrown amuck, half a dozen corpses were spread out. This place needed a deep clean.

Vali sighed. His adrenaline finally started to wear off and he began feeling the gravity of what he had done. He kneeled down over Hel's lifeless body, blood still seeping out from under her head. Her skin had already started turning pale. Her face was no longer recognizable - the double trouble between Vali and Baldr made sure of that.

Vali reached into his pant pocket, pulling out a switchblade. It was a gift from his late father, given to him just weeks prior to his tragic passing. He flipped it open and jabbed it into Hel's throat before slicing viciously across from one side to the other. Under his breath, Vali murmured; "I wish you could feel that, so you'd know how my pa felt when you took him from me. Rot in piss."

Vali gathered as much saliva as he could and he spit it all out in one massive glob, landing on the remaining brain matter inside Hel's skull. He stood up and closed the switchblade, not even wiping the blood off beforehand. He wanted it to stain the blade, to honor his father and hold solace in knowing that he has been avenged.

He reached behind him and pulled out the pistol he took from Hel's corpse - his new prized possession. A single tear rolled down his cheek. So long, he's been chasing after this gun. So many times Hel managed to evade him. All this time, and he finally had it. He tucked the pistol back into his waistband and walked over to Baldr.

"Let's get out of here. Our job is done."

IL_Duce stands in the aftermath his Thompson trained on the entry way this reminded him of the great war and unlike most he loved it, to bathe in the blood reclaim that which was stolen from good men, honest men. He had just noticed his hyper ventilation when it became clear the others had too. 

“Hey…HEY!!” he heard sternly over his shoulder “Your home old man, this isn’t France, they wouldn’t dare come for us now.”

He knew the voice well and most importantly he knew Baldr was right few would dare to enter here lest they be greeted with a gruesome fate as IL_Duce shook the war from his bones he turned and reached for the bottle left on the table drinking gallantly he felt the calm wash over him and slung his gun onto his back

“This place will be beautiful in no time boss, I can see it now clear as crystal, Booze flowing girls dancing maybe a card game for us boys in the back there, If only your da could see it now I know he’d be proud of you boys. As are we all.” 

IL_Duce wipes the blood from several glasses and pours them to the brim with a swift raise of the arm he shouts

“For Honor, and for Helheim!”