Pharaoh was exilerated when he woke, and for good reason. He had just received the button from his CL, showing that the family for which he would lay down his very life, had in fact acknowledged this. Every action he now made would reflect even more on the family, and his CL, who had put that much faith and trust in him.

Pharaoh decided he should buy a new suit, partly as a sign of his new position in the family, and partly from the need to look his best since he was no thug anymore. With that in mind, Pharaoh headed down to a well known tailor he knew not far away. He would definitly have to find a new place to live now. His apartment was much too small.

As Pharaoh turned the corner onto the tailor's street, he noticed a flower shop and decided to pick up a bouquet of roses for Pilar. As he exited the small flower shop, and turned to take the last few steps on the way to the tailor shop, he paused a moment.

Pharaoh could swear he heard raised voices coming from the butcher shop across the street. He had known Terry Gilato, the owner, for as long as he could remember. He remembered sweeping the floors and taking out the garbage for him when he was younger for spare change and meat packages to bring home to his mother before she left him.

Pharaoh quickly made his way across the street, checking the area quickly for any witnesses. Seeing none, Pharaoh came to the open door, carefully peering around the edge of the door to see what was going on. He couldn't believe his eyes. Two young punks were shaking down poor Mr. Gilato. The one closest to Pharoah brandished only a small knife, but the one doing the shouting held an old looking 22 caliber. It barely looked in shooting condition, but to be on the safe side he would have to make this quick.

After quickly surveying the situation, Pharaoh realized immediatly what he needed to do, and instantly put the plan into action. "Sorry Pilar, I'll have to get you more flowers later." (Pharaoh thought to himself)

In one swift move Pharaoh threw the large bouquet of flowers behind and to the right of the gunman while quickly moving directly behind the closer of the two punks. He quickly grasped the back of the knife weilding thugs hair and slammed his head with a sickening sound into the hard marbletop counter. The gunman had been distracted by the sound of the bouquet hitting the floor slightly behind him and turned aiming the old 22 into thin air.

With that Pharaoh made his final move kicking the gun from the unsuspecting hand and spinning the moron till his back was to the counter. With one hand he held his thumb over the punks windpip with his fingers behind his neck, applying enough pressure to debilitate him. As the kid gasped for air, Pharaoh sent the barrel of his Smith and Wesson down his throut, as he looked slightly left to see the body of the first idiot slipping off the counter, leaving a trail of blood from his bashed in nose.

With the situation now in hand,(barely seconds had passed) Pharaoh looked to see if the bewildered Mr. Gilato was ok.

Are you ok Sir?

Yes, Pharaoh, I'll be fine now. Thank god you were close by.

Pharaoh turned back to look into the eyes of this waste of flesh before him, sputtering and choking on the barrel of his .38.

As of this minute you are done pulling amature shit like this. For the next month, you and your friend here will come back every day to sweep Mr. Gilato's floors, and take out his garbage. If just once he tells me you missed a day, or gave him trouble, I will kill you both. Hear me? When the month is over, I will ask him if he thinks you learned your lessons. If he gives me a good report, I may give you a chance to turn your lives around. Its ultimatly your choice, but hopefully you can see reason here. Now pick up your friend and get the fuck out of here. Clean his ass up and get back here tomorrow morning early to help Mr. Gilato.

Pharaoh let the kid go although keeping an eye on him closely until he woke his friend and they had both exited the shop. Pharaoh nodded to Mr. Gilato, turned and retreived the barely touched roses, and went on his way.

Fitted in a newly tailored Italian suit, Pharoah approaches a group of mafioso/mafiosa, clearing his throut to get their attention.

Excuse me, Brothers and Sisters. I will try not to take up much of your precious time. I just wanted to quickly acknowledge and thank my Crew Leader in public for bestowing this great honor and responsibility upon me. I will die before I let any harm come to my new family. I also want to say that mostly everyone I have met in "this thing of ours" has been warm, accepting and helpful. I hope to repay every kindness I have recieved in time. The friendships I have and will develop over these upcoming years, I will cherish for a lifetime. Also, I can not forget dear Pilar, I bought you some roses. I just hope they didn't get too mangled on the way over here. There was an "incident". Everythings fine though, or will be. I won't take up too much of your time. Thank you all for listening.

Pharaoh pulls a cigar out of a case in his suit pocket, and rolling it gently between his fingers to "loosen" some of the flavor, bites off the end and lights it slowly, savouring every pull.