On a very average misty morning in September a young boy steps out of the train at the Chicago South Side station. As his shoes touch the platform he mutters something to himself.

"What a dump."

The boy looks around his new home town with a completely uncalled-for attitude. As if he was Don Roco himself, walking around one of his speakeasies. 

"Hello there little fellow!"

A weird chap, a bit on the thin side, is speeding towards the platform. As the chap runs or rather does something in between running and walking, which looked rather dumb, he is extensively studied by the new arrival.

"My name is PaddyPitruzzello, I am here to pick you up and get you to Don Roco as soon as possible. Plea-"

"Weirdo"

The kid just stares at the guy for a second. Paddy looks a bit fazed but quickly continues where he left off.

"Please follow me to the GOAT-mobile. Oh and say hello to Keith when we walk past him, he gets weird when people forget that"

This time it was the kid's turn to look dumbfounded. Paddy pointed to the roof of a tall building on the right hand side. The boy's gaze followed the direction Paddy was pointing at and was surprised to see an unatractive, or more accurate; nauseating, looking goat standing on the rooftop.

 "I am not going to say hi to that..."

But before the boy could complete his sentence Paddy already started his weird walk-run motion towards the exit of the train station. The boy picked up his coffer and followed Paddy.

As they walk past Keith the boy looks up at the goat. For a few seconds it is as if the boy and the goat are on their own plane of existence. An epic staring contest ensues and after what feels like hours the boy diverts his gaze and spits on the ground. 

If the boy would have looked up again he would have seen that goat pulling a weird face, a grin perhaps? Anyway, this is where the rivalry between Keith and the boy started.

The boy and the man called Paddy make their way to the station exit when they are approached by a big, slow moving man.

“Hey boss, I will protect you from here. One of my colleagues arrives tomorrow but for now I’m all you got.”

Paddy looks up but to his surprise the big man is talking to the boy walking behind him. He watches as the man and the boy have a brief conversation. When the conversation is finished the man falls in line behind them and Paddy realizes that there is more to this kid than he would have guessed at first sight.

They take the stairs that exits on the main street and right in the middle of it a very loud noise erupts from behind Paddy.

“Pweeeeeengggg”

As he turns around a very peculiar situation unfolds.

“Duck boss, someone is shooting at you!”

The big bodyguard tries to grab the boy but the kid expertly dodges the man’s grip.

“Bennie, stop you idiot. I’m fine, everything is ok. Here; go put my coffer in the trunk of the car."

Slowly the urgency leaves the big man and he turns back to the task at hand. Paddy clearly sees smoke leaving the barrel of the boy’s pistol and is confused why the bodyguard does not notice it. 

As the coffers are being packed he leans over and asks the boy:

“Did you just shoot at your own bodyguard?”

The boy looks up at Paddy with a smirk.

“And… missed?”

The smirk leaves the boy's face instantly.

“I’m training my shooting skill Paddy. I did the math and this is the cheapest way of doing it, please spare me the ethical lecture“

Paddy just stares at the boy for a few seconds and then casually shrugs his shoulders and walks over to help Bennie with the coffers. Briefly after they start their journey to Roco’s headquarters.

About 30 minutes later.

“…and here we are! Home sweet home.”

The GOAT-mobile screeched around the corner of the long road winding through the industrial zone. In front of them stands a tall gate part of a 20’ perimeter wall. The GOAT-mobile approaches the gate and the guards and their dogs jump up and walk towards the front of the vehicle. 

“I am bringing in little Waka to meet Roco guys. Can you open her up for us?”

Paddy seems to be brimming with pride as he explains to the gate guards what mission he received from Roco. The boy watches the conversation from the back of the car and after a few moments Paddy and the guards seem to come to an understanding. While Paddy walks back to the GOAT-mobile the guards start to open the gate.

As they pick up speed Paddy starts hanging out of the passenger window, really hanging; almost past his waist. At the moment they drive through the gate Paddy lets out loud howl:

“Let’s go booooois!”

The next moment they turn onto a wide lane that leads to the headquarters of the Chicago GOATS. In the distance you can already see the contours of a big mansion through the mist, and in front of it a circular fountain that sits in the middle of a square at the end of the lane. When the GOAT-mobile is about halfway to the mansion a figure pops up from behind one of the big trees that stand on both side of the road.

“Llew you SLUT! Let’s have a dice game once I have talked to Roco!”

The figure smiles at the sight of Paddy hanging out of the car. He looks unconcerned with the fact that Paddy just called him a slut and responds with:

“Paddy! Sure thing! I wish you were my daughter!”

At this the boy raises his left eyebrow and mumbles something.

“This crew is completely nuts...”

Waka stares out of the moving car in the direction of the mansion.

“I like it”

He added softly. The car finally arrives at the mansion and Paddy quickly ushers Waka inside. 

“Stay here Bennie”

Commands Waka and the slow man, both physically and mentally, sits down on a bench in the anteroom.

Paddy and Waka move up a large central staircase and into one of the main rooms to the left. The room is big and dark, only a sliver of light fights its way past the curtains. As Waka follows Paddy to a set of doors on the other side of the room he looks around. In the right corner, behind a big typewriter, sits a very well dressed cowboy. The man seems to be very focused on his writings and completely ignores the group of people passing through the poorly lit room.

“Shhh, that is Morgan, he is our head of propaganda. What he is doing is complex work and he is French. Both are good reasons for not disturbing him.”

Paddy winks as he adds the last sentence. Waka googly-eyes the man typing away on the big machine and then follows Paddy through the set of doors on the other side.

The doors lead to a small hallway that leads to another door. In front of the door are two slick looking individuals.

“Howdy LuckyFreddy, morning Dutch_Van_Der_Linde. We are just passing through”

Both man nod and Waka and Paddy move through the big wooden door and enter a brightly lit office. The contrast with the propaganda chamber could not be bigger and Waka has to close his eyes halfway to cope with the brightness.

“Hello boss, I am back”

Behind a big hardwood desk sits a serious looking man. His face is hard to make out as the piles of paper are hiding most of it and he looks to be in the middle of an important phone call.

“Ah, yes.. Paddy. Wait a second.. I need to finish this.”

Don Roco puts the phone back to his ear.

“I’m back… No… No no no no Evan_Manus, Paddy told you to leave the goat and take the cannoli! What are you? A Jabroni?!?!”

Don Roco yeets the phone across the room. It barely misses Paddy as it smashes to pieces against the wall. When the dust settles Don Roco is already deep into his paperwork and Paddy seems unwilling to disturb Don Roco right away. For a moment the room is quiet and Waka takes a look around.

Besides the desk, a few stuffed goats, some live ones and a couple of posters there is not a lot of furniture in the room. What Waka did miss however was the other person in the room besides Paddy and Don Roco.

On the left hand side, leaning against the wall he spots a beautiful woman. Her arms are crossed across her chest as she watches the boy with a keen interest. As her eyes meet Waka’s she uses her left heel to push herself off the wall and slowly walks towards him.

As she closes the distance Waka is completely mesmerized but quickly snaps out of it when the lady bends forward and puts 10 gold florins in his hand.

“Uh, thank you miss”

Waka stammers and looks up at the mysterious lady.

“Be ready when I call for you little one”

The serenity of the lady’s voice catches Waka off guard. All he can do is nod in agreement.

“Hey! Are you still with us, boy?”

Paddy taps Waka on the head as he whispers louder than what should be allowed to pass on as a whisper.

“That dangerous creature is miss SaraMoore, future queen of Chicago some say. Stay out of her way and please do not owe her any favors”

Waka slowly looks down at the golden coins in his hand and swallows hard. As he looks up someone is loudly scarping their throat.

“Little Waka Geurra, welcome to my city. I hope Paddy took good care of you this morning?”

Waka nods.

“Good, good. You know why you are here right?”

“To join your crew Don Roco”

“Correct. Are you ready to sign the letter of marque?”

Waka nods again.

“Ok then. HARVEEEEEEY GET IN HERE!”

A typhoon of noise hits Waka’s eardrums all at once. Don Roco bellows again until a weird sound can be heard from the door on the right. As the sound comes closer the very distinct sound of…

“Hooves?”

Waka looks up at Paddy, but he seems distracted by the straw of grass between miss SaraMoore’s lips. Seconds later the door crashes open and the biggest goat Waka has ever seen enters the room.

“There you are Harvey, what took you so long?”

Don Roco walks over to the magnificent beast and grabs a cylinder hanging from its neck.

“A goat? Harvey is a goat?”

Waka is completely oblivious to the fact that he is thinking out loud. Luckily Paddy is looking out for him and leans over.

“Not a goat laddie. Harvey is a Mouflon. A sheep actually, but one of royal stock.”

The boy watches Don Roco pull a chunky piece of paper from the cylinder. He unrolls it and places it on the far side of his desk.

"Come here boy, I am not going to bite. Let's make this official"

Waka shuffles forward and looks at the piece of paper in front of him. The paper looks old and worn from use. It smells of sweat, blood and... goat shit. On the piece of paper are names and signatures, many of them he recognized from today's adventure. Don Roco holds out a cool looking quill and Waka takes a deep breath and signs the letter of marque.

* * *

 

Waka Geurra

marinated in talent

 

* * *