After enjoying a fine evening at the Lakefront, Africanus hailed down a cab. A shabby yellow Stallion rolled up to the curve. Africanus opened up the backdoor and parked his butt on the suede interior.

"Please bring me to Louis Armstrong International." He requested.

"Sure thing!" The taxi-cab driver barked and they were off!

He peered out the windows, staring at the N'Orleans skyline as the cab brought him to the airport. When the modest cab arrived at his destination, he generous tipped the lad and proceeded to the tarmac. On the tarmac, several of his henchmen met him there with crates and suitcases worth of "the goods". Also waiting for their respective flight were other individuals he could recognize, some worked whom for his own employers, while others hailed from other cities.

He bellowed out the query:

"Why are you here?"

Naturally it drew attention, they remained silent for the sake of omerta and privacy, but that wasn't Africanus intention, he knew they were waiting for their flights and sequential drug broking.

"I meant, this life - why are you here on this cold tarmac, when you could be making an honest living?"

Africanus knew immediately that some would say, for the money or it was the only life they knew. He pondered his own history, having travelled from Rome to give his cousin his last rites. He found himself working for Gaius in Detriot. Oh Hell that a million years ago. He brandished his favorite pipe and took a few poufs while patiently waited for his colleagues answers.

Desmond pondered the question "Why AM I here?" as he double-checked the illegal contents of his briefcase.

Well, the money's certainly not a deterrent, that's for sure. I guess I'd say I'm here for the excitement of the life. Sure, I could make an honest living knowing full well the the next day will be similar to the last, but such security leads to complacency, and eventually you become civillian #32414. The knowledge that a small slip-up could be the end of me and that I might not be here tomorrow for whatever reason keeps things interesting for me, keeps me sharp. Sure, I coulda been a cop for the same reasons, but this life gives me a greater sense of freedom than being on that side would. 

Desmond looks over his shoulder, counts the number of badges, and finds the three best possible exit strategies.

Africanus approaches the boys and blue and offers them a holiday bonus. As they walk off he continues the conversation.

You are certainly right, if being wealthy is a curse - let us be stricken down with it. Of course the excitement is there, you piss off the wrong person, or your simply in the wrong place at the wrong time - it could all be over.