Chicago had always been a city where opportunity belonged to those willing to take it. On the South Side, there was plenty to take.

The streets were still alive long after the respectable folk had drawn their curtains. Smoke hung beneath the streetlamps, music spilled from half hidden doorways and money changed hands in places where nobody thought to ask too many questions. Business was being done everywhere. But business without order had a habit of attracting the wrong kind of attention.

Solene had spent enough time watching Chicago move to know where the gaps were, which streets were being neglected, which businesses needed protection and which opportunities were sitting untouched, waiting for someone with enough ambition to claim them.

So when word came that Matty wanted to see her, she had a fair idea what the conversation would be about.

The newly appointed Godfather of Chicago sat behind his desk, a glass untouched beside him. CatChicken occupied his familiar place nearby, the same place he'd stood countless times as Matty's Left Hand.

Matty didn't waste time with ceremony. "South Side needs someone."

Solene raised an eyebrow. "Someone?"

"Someone who knows how to make something of it" replied Matty.

That earned the faintest grin from her.

The offer was simple enough. The South Side was hers to work from. What she built there and what became of it, would depend entirely upon her.

Solene leaned back in her chair for a moment before giving a small nod. "Alright. I'll take it."

Matty glanced towards CatChicken as there was another matter already settled between the two men.

CatChicken had served faithfully at Matty's left hand, earning his trust and his place within Chicago. Now he would be leaving that position behind to stand at Solene's right instead. It wasn't a decision made lightly, good people were difficult to find in their line of work.

CatChicken straightened his jacket "Suppose I'd better start packing."

Matty gave a dry laugh and replied "Suppose you had."

By evening, Solene and CatChicken were standing beneath a flickering streetlight somewhere in the South Side.

Before them sat a narrow brick building wedged between businesses that had seen better days. The windows were dusty, the sign above the entrance had long since been removed and inside waited little more than empty rooms, a few forgotten chairs and a bar that desperately needed introducing to a bottle of whisky.

It wasn't glamorous then again, neither was anything worth building at the beginning.

CatChicken pushed open the door, looked around and snorted "Matty really spared no expense huh."

"You were expecting chandeliers?" Solene retorted.

"At least a chair that doesn't wobble would have been nice.” ChickenCat replied staring at the rickety old thing.

Solene laughed quietly as she crossed the room, running a hand along the old wooden bar. Beyond the dirty windows, the South Side carried on around them, entirely unaware that anything had changed.

For now.

There would be people to meet. Businesses to visit. Hands to shake. A few doors would open willingly, while others might require a little persuasion. Most importantly, there was a reputation to build.

CatChicken found two glasses beneath the counter and inspected them with considerable suspicion before deciding they were probably survivable. He poured them each a drink from the bottle they'd brought with them.

He raised his glass and said "To new beginnings?"

Solene looked around the empty room once more.

Today it was nothing more than four walls and an address.

She lifted her glass against his and replied. "To making something of it." Then does the Azonto dance across the room. 

Outside, Chicago carried on as it always had.