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Cuneo

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Fish and Meat Company

🦈

1349 Adelaide St

Detroit, MI 48207

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It had been a few weeks since Pietro and his sister made it to America and just like back home he was already off to a quick start in the drug trade, thanks to his old contacts he still had left from running with the Sicilian Mafia back in the old country. Unlike his old trade though, the market for Heroin was much higher here in the states than opposed to Cocaine back home which was beginning to net him quite a hefty amount of money and power in his newfound home of Detroit. Opening this place as a front to launder his dirty money through, it doubled in the back as the head shipping area from which his heroin flowed out of Detroit in the dead carcass' of Pigs and Fish.

The compound was mostly off limits to visitors aside from the very front of the place where a small office and storefront was located where you could buy various cuts of pig and fish and take home for dinner, just expect horrible customer service as Pietro like to hire cheap workers for the register.

Pork Cuts:

Baby Back Ribs $.99 per lb

Bacon $.89 per lb

Brats $.69 per lb

Country Style Ribs $.99 per lb

Cutlets $.49 per lb

Ground Pork $.59 per lb

Ground Pork Patties $.69 per lb

Ham $.99 per lb

Ham Steaks $1.19 per lb

Italian Sausage $.69 per lb

Pork Butt $.29 per lb

Pork Chops $1.59 per lb

Pork Loin $.89 per lb

Pork Steak $1.89 per lb

Sausage $.89 per lb

Spare Ribs $.99 per lb

Fish:

Perch $.49 per fish

Rock Bass $.59 per fish

Cod $.29 per fish

Trout $.89 per fish

Salmon $.99 per fish

Carp $.61 per fish

The smell... it was fowl, it was rancid. There wasn't a spot in the place that smelled halfway normal. Hell if you were 25 feet within the building you would still smell it, that is how pungent this place was. Why he thought this was a good idea, was beyond her. Even the idea behind it was a bit confusing to her, she could understand the whole pork angle but fish? Granted he decided it was a good idea to push the whole fresh water variety but we all knew the best seafood came from the coast and well we weren't going to be getting that fresh. Perhaps could get it frozen but who wants to eat frozen fish? 

Regardless, the whole idea behind it was odd. Neither of them had any experience in running a market such like this, really it made very little sense to her. Granted she knew the underlying reason for it, even if Pietro hadn't actually come out and told her. Being dumb wasn't one of her qualities, in fact she's a rather bright woman. Though most wouldn't know just for the shear fact that she wasn't very vocal about things in the open.

Living in the old county has a tendency to do that with women, especially women that are related or involved with men in the underground. Just like she was, though she wasn't sheltered from it as much as others. It was something that you could blame her brother of but she didn't mind. In fact she quite enjoyed the logistics behind it all. There was just something about it all that piqued her interest, the whole distribution chain was just something that easily came to her.

So she kind of understood what was going on here in the fish and meat company, she knew the reason behind it. Even if nothing had yet been said to her, still though... she didn't understand why he decided to go with this as a front. The smell... was just too much for her liking. She was only able to spend a few minutes in the place before feeling sick to her stomach. It was just gross... and the staff he had thrown together... just awful.

Reaching into her bag, Tina pulled out a bottle of caron bellodgia perfume. Spritzing it into the air a few times, it only helped momentarily. That's how strong the odor from the dead animals was. This was going to be a problem, if he half expected her to be involved in this in any way. Which she wasn't completely sure of just yet but had a feeling this is what he was talking about when they first arrived.

"Pietro!" She yelled from the back, making sure to echo her voice loud enough for anyone in the place to hear. "Pietro!!!" She yelled once more, since he took too long to respond the first time.

Still no answer... she knew he heard her, hell the store on the corner probably heard her. With a huff, she inhaled that wonderful flavor that was in the air and yes it tasted even worse than it smelled. The hint of rotten flesh, may have caused her to gag just a tad... Fed up with it all, Tina decided it was best to go out back and have a smoke. It was the only thing that was going to calm her nerves at the moment.

Grabbing her bag that is exactly what she did, went out back found a spot up wind from the market. Propped herself up on some empty crates, pulled out and lit a cigarette. At this point she wasn't going to track him down, if he wanted to see her, it was on him to find her.

The sun started to shift away from the crates she was seated upon, it was why she choose to sit where she was. The warmth had felt great beating upon her face but now it was nothing but cold as the winds began to kick up, creating a bit of whirlwind in the box like shaped alley. Finishing her now fifth cigarette, Tina flicked the butt in the same direction she had flicked the rest. Towards what looked like an empty beer bottle but it could have been just a old pizza box. It was hard to tell from her angle...

With a bit of a huff, Tina jumped down from the crates. "I can't believe he hasn't come looking for me yet." She muttered to herself. Really she was a bit confused that he hadn't searched her out. Was he really that busy? She shook her head to the thought of that, there was no way he was busy... what was there to be busy of? How much dead fish were in stock? How much dead pig was rotten and not fit for sale. The thought of it made her chuckle, a chuckle that was quickly replaced with a gag, as she remembered the putrid smell that was semi contained in the building. Well contained to the... block...

Even being outside she was still able to smell the place, it was quite the testament of how bad the place really smelled. Well either that or how poorly the place was insulated, which could have been the case as well. It wasn't the nicest of places but really what can you expect with a place such as that.

With a shake of her head, Tina found the sun once again. There were no crates in that section of the alley and there was no way that she was going to sit on the floor. Propping herself up against the wall was the only reasonable thing to do, which she did as she reconnected with the sun. The warmth it provided felt amazing, as for a moment she forgot what she was actually doing out there.

A moment that was quickly diminished as the sounds of screaming emanated from the business. Well it wasn't actually screaming but more so yelling, from a very familiar voice. Her brother was lashing out at someone in there, it was actually kind of funny. He didn't often lose his temper like that around her, so it was always quite comical to her when she overheard his rants. Even if she couldn't understand a word that he was saying. 

Enjoying the sounds and the sun, Tina pulled out another cigarette. Lighting it, she took a few puffs before placing it down to her side. Catching a glimpse from the corner of eyes, she quickly looked in that direction. Fixating her gaze on a pair of rats fighting over what looked like to be something meaty. Pushing herself off the wall, taking a step forward to get a look, from a different angle. That was when she noticed it... the innards of something, her immediate presumption was something of the pork variety.

A disgusted looked immediately formed, this was terrible... 

"PIETRO!!!!" She yelled once more, dropping the cigarette where she stood and stomped towards the back door.

Reaching for the door, hand not quite on the handle, the door forcefully opened towards her. The force behind it was something that she wasn't expecting, sending her flying but able to stay on her feet.

"What the shit!" She spoke out loud, waiting for the person to show their face, so she could give whoever it was a piece of her mind.  

It was still early in the morning as Pietro sat in his office, cigarette in hand the smoke plumed from his fingers slowly as it escaped from the end and into the air, his eyes were fixated on the paper held in his other hand, going from left to right as he read it over. It wasn't of much importance, just your usual letters from here or there that he had been getting since opening this new place. It was quite the amount of work compared to back home, I mean, his warehouse there was mostly just the crates they sent out the product in with trucks, Italy was MUCH easier to transport drugs.. just pay a policeman here and there and the shipment would always make it through.

Placing the paper down now on the stack as he finished reading, he took another drag, hearing the sizzle of the cigarette as it burned off into ash and pulling it away to exhale as his eyes shifted upwards to watch the smoke under the light. It was something that always brought a sense of calm to him, ever since finding cigarettes at a young age.

"What fucking time is it..."

Pietro muttered under his breath as he placed the cigarette in his ash tray and pushed the sleeve back back on his right arm to read the time on his golden rolex. His eyes widened a bit as he read the time, it was already nearing the morning and he hadn't slept..

"Ah shit another sleepless night..."

Letting off a deep sigh he picked up the cigarette once more and took another long drag before stubbing it out, he definitely needed to head home for some sleep. Standing up from the desk, the chair behind him screeched as the legs shifted over the wooden floor, being alone in a big warehouse always was a bit eerie, especially when the sounds inside and around it were always extra loud with the echo of the empty bit of the place, it still needed it's final touches but he was proud of how far he had gotten here in America already.

Picking his suit coat up off the rack in the corner, Pietro heard a noise come from the side of the building, it was loud enough to startle him and he wondered who or what could be outside at a time like this? And trespassing on his property?? Walking over to the back window now, he opened it and stuck his head out and caught a glimpse of a shadow in the morning sun as it turned the corner, someone was definitely here!

"Hey! You are on private fucking property you need to clear out!"

Unsure if the person heard him, Pietro quickly shut the window and walked back over to his desk, ignoring the coat on the rack for now, he picked up his pistol and popped it open with his finger to check the revolver for ammo, he always carried a .38 for protection and it was his favorite gun, but not having ammo in the chamber would not be good.. confident in his safety with a gun in his hand, he quickly made his way down stairs and over to the back door of the place, it really wasn't that far from where his office stood and as he got closer, he could tell someone was fiddling with the door, as if trying to get it open.. a fucking thief?? They would regret the fucking day they tried to steal from him..

Watching the shadow from underneath the door, Pietro waited until the thief had come back to the door a second time to try to check if it was open, as if it would just magically unlock or something.. this was his his chance to catch them off guard. Barreling through, it flung outwards as his body moved through it and his eyes immediately being blinded by the light as he held the pistol out in front of him, the sun was extra bright this morning and he couldn't exactly see who had just been hit by the door, that was until he heard the voice and recognized it...

"What the shit...."

Pietro raised his hand into his eyes now quickly to get rid of the sun, that was when he recognized who he thought as the thief being none other than his kid sister... SantinaCuneo ...

"Tina.. what the fuck are you doing down here? You gave me a absolute fucking scare, I thought you were a thief!" 

He spoke to her in Italian, something he did often as he never did like English over his native tongue. Lowering the gun now and placing it in his waist, he took a step forward to see if she was okay, the door hit her pretty hard...

“A thief? Are you serious? Why the hell would someone try to steal from this place of all places.” Tina matching his native tongue while rubbing her shoulder. Which was throbbing from the steel door that just smashed into her. “That really fucking hurt you know.” 

Reaching towards her, Pietro placed his hand onto her shoulder, where her hand was. It was a rather nice gesture, one that really wasn’t uncommon coming from him. If there was one thing about him, he actually did care about her. Almost to the point that her feelings trumped his, which was a complete 360 from who he normally was. 

Generally he was a man not to be messed with, a man not many at all wanted to cross. Santina though had a soft spot in his heart, as odd as it was, it was the truth. 

“You good? You gonna be ok?”

Looking over in his direction, she gave her a smile. 

“I’m sorry but you can’t be doing things like that” 

“Like what? Trying to open the back door to a building that has my last name on it. Remember it is my last name too…. A place that you said is just as much mine as it is yours? I’m sorry I didn’t walk all the way around to the front and try to get in that way. My apologies, master Pietro…”

”Master Pietro, now that’s a first but think I could get used to it.” He said before giving her a wink. 

It was hard to stay mad at him, he always had a way to loosen up her mood and once again he had succeeded. 

“You’re dumb.” She said while chuckling. “Don’t expect me to start calling you that, cause it’s just weird.” She could still feel the subtle pain in the shoulder, which she kept massaging during the conversation. 

She could see his eyes scouring the alleyway, almost as if he was taking in every aspect of it. Kind of felt like he was looking it over for the first time, half expecting someone to pop out out of nowhere and take them by storm. 

“What are you even doing out here?” 

Tina turned her head about, giving the alley a look over. The alley that she had just spent the better part of the last hour in. She glanced towards the crates she had sat upon. The beer bottle that she used as target practice for her discarded cigarette butts and then towards the spot she had noticed the rats fighting over rotten flesh. A spot which was now void of all remnants, well everything but a few wet spots where the rotten meat once sat. 

Directing her attention back onto her brother, she gave him a shrug. There were many things she wanted to say, wanted to ask but was it really her place? Probably not. 

“Can we just go inside? Preferably to wherever doesn’t smell like the last spot in that building you had me wait?”

Giving the long alleyway one last glance he chuckled and left off a slight nod. Wasn't exactly the greatest smelling place to be having a conversation now was it? Santina quickly walked inside, much to his surprise as she had not a clue where she was going.. but it was still quite eerie back here, something about the air.. or the stench.. Pietro didn't like it. Shoving his gun into his waist band now, he turned and followed his sister inside the door and turned to latch it shut once more. The metal bar clanked as it shifted downwards into place, why it was such a heavy reinforced door was beyond him but it came that way.. maybe the owners here before had something valuable?

Shifting his body around again, he was met by his sister just a few feet away from him, the look on her face not so pleased...

"God, the smell is horrendous in here.. what the fuck Pietro?"

"Don't you mean Conrad, Anita?" he said back with a tease, catching a glare from his sister which caused him to chuckle some more.

"Relax, you will get used to the smell. I mean, I can't even tell? Besides, your name is on the building remember?? Gotta own up to it! The stench is good for you!"

Pietro couldn't help but laugh at his own teasing as he walked past his sister now, her finger holding her nose in an attempt to mask the smell or something. He honestly couldn't smell it, or well, it just smelled like money to him.. every rotting dead carcass was either chopped up into meat for the front, which made him money, or filled with heroin for him to smuggle out of Detroit and across the rest of the country, yes, it was all very smelly blood money and it made him happy. 

Smirking as he got to the stairs which lead up to his office, he stopped and turned to his sister before pointing towards the back room which was just below his office.

"If you go in there, the smell get's even better! Me and the boys packed up some real old dead ones in there earlier. They will be gone sometime this morning.. whenever that fucking truck gets back."

Reaching his hand over and onto the wooden rail, he slowly climbed up the stairs as he looked around and admired the warehouse. It wasn't much, but it was his, and anything his was something he always marveled over, even if it was simple thimble or a fucking button, if it was his, it was the best god dam thing in the world, and let no idiot disrespect him or his property otherwise... Finally reaching the top of the stairs he quickly walked over to his office and opened the door, gesturing for his sister to enter as she was slow to make it up the stairs.. too busy pinching her nose..

"Come on sis hurry up, you're slower then grandma back in the old country and we both know how old that lady is..."

With her fingers pinching her nose and hand cupping over her mouth, trying to expel some of that pungent smell. Her other hand grasping the wooden rail, holding onto it as tight as she could without sending a wave of pain through her shoulder. Sure the pain had subsided quite a bit but it was still there and it still hurt. The amount of force he used to open that door was unlike anything she had experienced towards her. How the hell he did it was well was quite puzzling to her, that door weighed a ton. She knew cause she had felt it on the impact.

"Come on sis hurry up, you're slower than grandma back in the old country and we both know how old that lady is.." Pietro spoke, while looking down over the railing at her. Awaiting for her to reach his office.

Tina continued to slowly make her way up the stairs. Really she was just taking in the sights of the warehouse, while trying to cover the smell and make it up the stairs without busting her ass and falling down them. The stairs weren't your normal set of stairs, they were small, steep and made of metal. They definitely weren't the safest of things, she couldn't imagine walking up or down them with wet shoes. Was just an accident waiting to happen... something that she took note of, banking it into her memory for the later colder months when the snow showed it's face.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." She spoke in her best mumbled voice.

She made sure to take her time up the stairs, even if it required annoying her brother just a tad. When it was just the two of them, with no one else in sight, she made sure to give him a hard time. Was just something that she did to amuse herself, it was a change of pace throughout their everyday life. In the public scene she would never, at least anymore talk back to him or give him a hard time. Lets just call it a respect thing... a way of life that she had become custom to in their world. Be seen but not heard mentality.

It took her just a few more moments to make it to the top of the stairs and within a few steps was standing next to her brother who was holding the door to his office opened. She went to step in but was stopped by his reach, extending his arm, grasping the door jamb on the other side. Creating a barrier so she couldn't enter. Though if she really wanted to, all she had to do was duck down and go underneath it but she didn't.

Turning her head towards him, her eyes said it all, without having to say a single word.

"Before you enter you have to do one thing."

With a subtle eye roll, Tina muttered a simple "What?"

"Remove your hand from your face."

She shook her head, hand still covering her nose and mouth.

"Santina Marie Cuneo!" He spoke in a deep tone. It was his serious tone and coupled with the use of her full name, this wasn't a request but more of a demand.

Reluctantly, she pulled her hand down off her face. Which was instantly met with the same if not worse pungent smell of rotten flesh. Being up this high in the warehouse and without any ventilation, it all just sat in the rafters. It was not pleasant... the initial smell made her gag, causing her to lurch forward ever so slightly.

Was an act that caused her brother to chuckle. "Oh it isn't that bad, you drama queen." He spoke before chuckling once again.

Her eyes darted in his direction, she wanted to say something but couldn't muster the words. Well she could but she didn't want to open her mouth and risk tasting that smell anymore than she already did.

"Come on, take in a nice deep breath, like this." He proceeded to take in a massive breath, one that she could actually hear. Holding it in for a moment he then exhaled in her direction, send that hot nasty air right into her face. Not being able to take it anymore, Tina ducked under his extended arm and helped herself into his office. Gagging the whole way in, to the point she was going to be sick.

It was something that Pietro took note of, as she could here him speaking from behind her.

"You best not puke on my floor..."

There was a bit of a shuffling sound from behind her, along with the slamming of the office door. Before she knew it, a small tin trash bin was forced in front of her. Grasping it with both hand, she tried to hold back but the more she thought about it the worse it got. Until she couldn't contain it anymore.

"God, you are a fucking drama queen." He spoke as she finished, extending the garbage can back towards him. Was a request that he didn't take. "Oh no, that is yours now." Using her sleeve to wipe off her mouth before looking over at him, catching glimpse of him standing there just shaking his head. "You're something else... are you done now?"

All she could do was shrug her shoulders.

"I'll take that as a yes, so you can go put that over there and then come have a seat. Ok?"

With a nod, she did what was requested. Placing the bin over in the corner, as far away from his desk as possible and had a seat in the chair across from his.  

Alcestis had never run so fast in her life.

Mere blocks away from Cuneo Fish and Meat Company was the local public cemetary. No security and poorly maintained, she'd thought her gravedigging antics would go unnoticed.

She was wrong. Groundskeeper Willie had caught her shoulder deep in a fresh grave, carelessly flinging loose dirt in every direction as she burrowed down six feet with his shovel. She'd just extracted the first item from the four-inch gap she'd created under the lid- a lovely freshwater pearl necklace with a white gold lobster claw clasp- when Wiilie's shadow fell upon her. 

He was wielding hedgetrimmers, so he meant business. As the expletives flew out of his mouth, Alcestis scrabbled out of the grave and began to run. She had no idea where she was going, she just needed to outrun the guy chasing her. Skidding to a stop in front of Cuneo's, she yanked the door open and went inside. 

"I- need- oh oh." Winded, Alcestis ran past the counter employee and pushed through the only door behind him just as Willie came through the front door. 

The smell that hit her in the face like an olfactory sonic boom was... mind-bending. Alcestis couldn't even think around a smell like that. She tried to run faster, but the floor was slick with multiple layers of God only knew what, and she slipped face first, sliding unceremoniously under a bone saw table into a pile of guts. Stunned, she lay there against the wall, and when Willie entered, the sight and smell was enough to make him immediately discontinue looking for her. He left, still cursing, and Alcestis wanted to breath a sigh of relief, but she turned her head and puked instead.

"Fuck," she whimpered, pulling herself up by the edge of the cutting table. Breathing through her mouth and limping a little, she made her way to the front of the shop again. Only the sour-looking employee met her, his beefy forearms crossed. Alcestis pulled the freshwater pearls from her pocket and tossed them in his general direction, but they landed on a pile of carp. 

"I made a mess. Bigger than what was already going on back there," she said. "Tell your boss I'm sorry and give him those please." Alcestis couldn't wait around to see if he'd comply with her request, the smell coming off her now was singeing her nostrils. "I- I- God." Lurching through the front door, she threw up again on the side of the building and vowed to never eat seafood again.

His sister was still quite sick from the smell, I mean, it really wasn't that bad to him but I guess to each their own, he knew that smell was making him money by the literal truck load. Leaning back in his chair, it squeaked as it slowly shifted into place, his eyes still fixated on his sister who looked a little more pale now then when she had entered, courtesy of the delicious soup she had made in the garbage can still between her legs.. luckily, he couldn't smell it, as he hated the smell of puke probably more than anything..

Watching as she shrugged her shoulders now and placing the bin away from her, he leaned forward and placed his elbows on the desk as he spoke.

"Good cause we got some shit to go over.. Ms. My name is on the building but I don't do anything around here to help... That shit is gonna change you hear? This isn't Sicily anymore sis, you gotta start pulling your weight around here.."

"What are you rambling on about now?"

"The business! Don't you ever listen to me?? I swear.. It's like I'm talking to a brick wall sometimes."

Leaning slightly back in his chair, Pietro pulled the back of cigarettes from his front pocket and pulled the white stick filled with tobacco from the pack labled 'Lucky Strike' and stuck it between his lips before tossing it onto the desk towards his sister so she could take one if she wanted. His zippo flicked open in one abrupt motion before he raised it to the end of the cigarette and inhaled, the smoke filling his lungs and expanding his chest before flicking his lighter closed and pulling the cigarette from his mouth between his index and middle finger.

"Aside from the business, there is also that incident from a few weeks ago that we still need to discuss... you just always clam up when I try to bring it up, but now it's getting serious. The cops were here yesterday asking questions.. Someone must be ratting me out for them to find out I was even in the fucking building.." the smoke escaped from his mouth as he spoke

"Besides, I still don't know who this fucking Zoom guy is, haven't seen or heard about the guy since that morning.. maybe you have heard of something? I know you've been frequenting some of the bars and local spots lately... against my wishes..."

"You can't just keep me locked up like some animal you know!"

"I'm not trying to keep you locked up! I just want you safe..."

Taking another drag off his cigarette as he stared at his sister and her scar, his mind instantly went back to Palermo and the docks where all the shifty characters in town always hung out, the day that his over protectiveness from his sister really started. Everyone in town knew who the Cuneo's were, what he was about, who he worked for.. he was untouchable, but a made man's family was not, and it was on that particular day that he had learned that even though he was untouchable, his heart was not. Sighing now as he thought of that tragic day, he exhaled and placed the cigarette in the tray and leaned back as his sister spoke..

"You know, you still haven't told me anything about what happened all those years ago.. you know, to me, and my face and stuff. I don't remember anything but seeing you standing over me, and then being in the hospital..."

"Tina, do you always have to bring this up? I mean-"

"I didn't bring it up, you did. You brought it up by being this overprotecting, overbearing brother all these years. If you want to talk about business and things, why don't you tell me what happened!!"

Pietro paused, it was as if his sister knew he was thinking about it in that moment, wicked coincidence he thought, but in reality it wasn't. His sister was right, everything changed that day for him, for her, for the business he wanted to talk to her about, I mean, it was the reason they were even here in America, or one of the main reasons. Their safety was no longer guaranteed back home, and for now, America was the safest place to be. Standing up from his chair now, he walked over to the back window and gazed out it and watched as the sun was slowly rising over the Detroit River.. it was a subject that he knew needed to be discussed, but had been putting it off for so many years...

"I know you deserve to know what happened.. but, you knowing would just put you even far more greater danger, and that's what I fear the most.. losing the last family member I have left in this world. After mama died, you were all I had left... but, if you really want to know..."

He paused, his eyes still fixated on the sun as it rose above the water and casted it's light and shadow through the window and onto the desk now where his sister sat, waiting for her to reply..

She wasn't really sure why this topic was so taboo to him. Sure he was never really one to express a lot of his emotions, though she knew she had seen way more than anyone else ever has from him. He was just that type of person, with that type of mentality. It was an ego thing, almost as if it was a sign of weakness expressing anything other than brute strength and intimidation. So the fact that he was hesitant even in the slightest, meant more than words could even explain.

Really she wanted to know, it was a question that had been running through her head for quite some time now. A question that not a single person ever would answer. Almost as if people were scared to actually talk about. It was rather odd, the whole thing. Felt like a dream that had realistic consequences. 

Sitting there for a few moments, as a wave of silence engulfed the room. The only bits of sound that could be heard were the echos of voices coming from the warehouse, as the workers were doing whatever they were doing. Taking in a deep breath, forgetting about the smell in the air. Which caused her to cough ever so subtly, a cough that broke up the deafening silence in the room. Though her brother didn't move a muscle, just continued to look out the window. His body language from behind, spoke all that she needed to know.

It was something about him that she had learned over the years. Instead of verbally speaking on topics, she was able to pick up how he was doing just based on his posture.

Pushing herself out of her chair, Tina walked over to where her brother was, still in that same spot looking out the window. Not saying a word, she stood next to him for a moment. Side stepping over a bit towards him, Tina rested her head onto him. It was a simple gesture but one that had a lot of meaning.

The sun pushing through the window, radiated upon her face. It was warming to the soul, there was a comfort about it that she hadn't felt in quite some time now.

"I know it is a delicate subject and I'm not going to push it. I trust you to the fullest, if it is something you don't think I should know then I will stop asking." She spoke in a soft tone. "Just know that you can trust me."

"It has nothing to do with that, not in the slightest." He turned his gaze away from the window and down onto her. "You are about the only person walking on this planet that I trust. There has never been a moment in my life where I haven't trusted you, so please... please don't ever think that."

Tina lifted her head off of him and turned herself completely facing him. Her gaze looking up to him.

"If you are wanting me to get involved, with this... with the life. You're going to have to entrust in me more than you ever have. Granted I've never been in the front of things, I know how this all works. I know what you do, I know more than you think. You just need to realize I'm not that kid anymore that you remember." She stopped for a moment, letting those words sink in before continuing. "I'm here... I'm not going anywhere but I won't do anything that you don't want me to be doing. Just know that I'm very capable of handling myself."

She turned back around, making sure to soak in the sun and once again rested her head onto him. She said all that she needed to say, it was now on him to process it and decide where or what the next step was going to be.

Turning his head back to the window to watch the sun rise over the river was all he could do for this moment, would she be upset with him if she knew the real truth? Likely not.. but he did drag her halfway across the world on other pretenses.. letting off a deep sigh he turned his body now and picked up the cigarette he left in the tray and took a long drag as he met eyes with his sister SantinaCuneo. There was no words exchanged, just the telepathic message he got from her which was more then enough.. he had to tell her.

The cigarette cracked and sizzled as the paper holding it together burned away and his lips left the end as he inhaled and sat down, tapping the end of it off with ash before setting it back down.

"You're right. Your not a kid anymore and I gotta stop treating you as that, my 'kid sister' .."

Pietro paused again, letting more of the smoke escape his mouth as it did when he spoke.

"Alright, well.. fuck where do I even begin.... Should I just start all the way from the beggining?"

"Whatever you feel like..."

Nodding, he let off another sigh, it was not the easiest subject for him to talk about, mainly because all these years it had been a touchy subject, it had caused the family more problems then he could have imagined ever coming forth after that day... Leaning backwards in his chair, but not before grabbing his cigarette once again like the fiend for it he was, he continued to speak now.. most of it in English but there was some words he had to use in his native tongue.. it wasn't like he was that fluent in English just yet.

"Well, you know what year that was.. how old we were.. I was just barely eighteen at the time and had been home for what? Eight months? Just before the big war happened.. fuck I was so happy I didn't have to go fight in that fucking shit, the Don's made sure of that I know you remember.. anyways, without rambling on too much, you liked to hang around the dockyards, where the worst of the worst hung out and you just never wanted to listen to me about how unsafe that was down there..."

"You sound like a broken record, I know all of this. What I don't remember was that day, I just remember... seeing you and then waking up in the hospital.."

"Yea well, it wasn't a safe place for you and that was because of me. You have always known that I was involved in the life of crime, I know you are not stupid.. even helped me cover some shit up plenty of times, well, you remember when I got out, first week.. at that bar? The guy I uh.. shot." 

Pietro clammed up a bit, it was very unlike him to discuss anything of this matter with his sister, let alone admitting to killing someone. She was always in the dark around these things, although I mean, she knew about this one.. she helped him cover it up... Santina giving him the longest glare finally spoke up, putting and end to his thoughts in an instant..

"I thought you told me not to talk about that ever again? Does that have something to do with me being attacked?"

"I always said you were the smart one between us.. yes.. it does. That guy I shot, was the brother of one of the Don's back home.. I had no idea, being fresh out and just getting my button.. I felt like I was fucking king of the world, untouchable you know? And that fucking prick thought he could disrespect me on my celebration night... well I sure as fuck showed him..."

Pausing to inhale his cigarette, it was all but burnt away as he stubbed it out and exhaled, his eyes lifting up to his sister..

"The guy that came and attacked you that day, he was there because of fucking me. I'm the reason you live with that scar.. me.. I couldn't be there to protect you in time, if it wasn't for Fat Al tipping me off that they sent someone to kill you, I wouldn't have even been there in time to save you... And all the while, all this shit over the last few years of us moving around from place to place in Italy, all because of this shit. We're marked for death and.. coming here was our only choice to be safe...."

Watching as his sister leaned back a little bit in her chair, he could tell it was a lot of information to process, the one thing that ran through his mind though was.. how was she going to react? What was she going to say? He had not the slightest idea...

Staring off into the distance, Vinh thought about the old country and how he missed his family. It had been months since he talked to his mother, even longer his father.. they never really got along since he was a kid and well, after being disowned, his mother was really the only one who kept in contact with him but from a distance. His life was not exactly the ideal one in their eyes, crime, drugs, violence, it was what got him disowned as a child but back then he was far unwise, if he knew what he did at his age now, thirty one, then he would have held his family a lot closer.

Instead, he got involved with the wrong kids, started picking fights at school, all up until he dropped out when he was fifteen years old.. all of that was really another story, but it still comes to his mind in times like this.. where he was.. idle...

"I'm off for the day, see you tomorrow boss."

Vinh recognized the voice, after staking out this place for many weeks, it was the voice of the last worker going home for the day, followed by the loud clank as the door locked behind him. Turning around, his eyes met the man as he turned, he got a pretty nasty glare but he paid it no mind, it wasn't the first the man had given him the last two weeks, and it was always met like clockwork. Lucky for him, he could play the part well, like he was just there on his smoke break and spoke little English, which wasn't entirely a lie, his English was quite terrible.

His lips tightened as he inhaled on the cigarette between his lips, watching as the man drifted out of sight before throwing it down now and stomping it out with his shoe and making his way over to the warehouse now as he pulled out the picture and scanned it over once more and put it in his pocket, he always liked to be sure of his target before pulling the trigger. Pulling it from his waistband now, he placed it on his backside and made his way to the back door where the girl liked to hang out, who she was not his concern, his boss said she wouldn't be here today and someone else would be taking care of her, just her brother...

Fidgeting with the back door now, just as the girl did, he quickly retreated behind the wall just out of sight and waited for the man to open it.. it was almost too easy as the door unlocked and he stepped out in the back alley, he had nothing in his left hand as he raised his right to block the sun.

"Santina is that you again? I told you not to be messing around back here..."

"Sorry, no Santina..."

Vinh stepped out slowly from behind the wall, his eyes locking with the man who was definitely not expecting him, his head turned a bit as he seemed to repeat what was said to him.

"Then what the fuck are you doing touching my door?? This place is off fucking limits you need to leave.."

"Sorry no good English..."

His reply angered the man even more causing him to being to come closer, it was the opportune moment for Vinh to quickly pull the pistol from the back of his waist as the man's eyes and his were not longer bet, his face looking at the floor and then back up to the barrel of the gun that Vinh held.. his eyes went a little wide and before he could even swat the gun away, it went off, just missing him and skinning the side of the mans face as it completely took of his ear, sending him back with a jolt as before another shot went off, this time into his upper chest, which caused him to fall back onto the pavement to look up at his killer...

"Wait.. please, whatever you do.. just leave my sister out of this.

Vinh watched as the man coughed up his own blood as his head tilted, his eyes meeting the dying man's again..

"Too late. I have message.. for.. you..." he paused as he tried to remembers the words, continuing when they came to him..

"The Don sends his regards."

Vinh pulled the trigger, and watched the mans blood and brains scatter all over the pavement. It wasn't his place to question why this man or his sister needed to die, it was just.. another job well done.

Ian needed to buy some groceries now that he was returning home. On his way, he found a butcher's shop so he decided to buy some steak for dinner. Without noticing the CLOSED sign outside, He pushed open the door and looked inside. No one.

He walked inside. The lights were still on. There must be someone, he thought. But as he walked further into the shop, the stench of rotten blood and flesh hit his nose. He wondered if the owners were on a holiday, leaving behind all the meat. 

Seeing that he would not be able to buy a steak in this shop, he decided to leave for another one. He also knew for sure something was wrong in the shop and he wouldn't want to mess with it.