Fulmineo startled awake at the sound of his house phone ringing. He was starting to regret buying that damn thing. Fulmineo rolled out of bed and reached into his nightstand and grabbed his pistol. After checking the clip, loading his weapon, and and cocking it, he placed it in the holster and strapped it on. Then he finally got up and answered the phone. Whoever was calling him must have had a reason because they still hadn't hung up.

" Hello?" Fulmineo said into the phone. The voice that responded on the other end of the line made his blood run cold.

" Took you long enough boy." The voice on the phone said. "Listen, I was hoping we could meet. Its very important and if your going to turn me down, I'd prefer you do it in person."

"How the hell did you get this number? Only a select few people have this number." Fulmineo replied. " Besides, we parted ways a long time ago. We have nothing to talk about."

" Oh come now boy. Surely you can't still be that upset. What happened all those years ago had nothing to do with me. And I'm afraid your mistaken John. We do have a lot to talk about. A lot. I'm at the cozy little diner down the block from your apartment. I'll be waiting for you." Without another word, the man on the other end hung up.

" Fuck!" Fulmineo cried out into the phone. He hurried around his room, jumping into the shower for a few minutes, brushing his teeth at the same time. If this asshole is calling me, then shit is really about to hit the fan. How'd the prick even get my number? Or find out where I live? Fulmineo thought. Fulmineo hurriedly threw some clothes on and rushed out of the door. He then turned back, forgetting that he had forgotten to grab his extra gun. After grabbing his extra piece and making sure that he'd left nothing behind, Fulmineo made his way down the stairs and out the frond door of his building. As he began walking down his block, he noticed a hooded figure following him. Not very inconspicuous was he? Probably one of that asshole's goons, making sure I'm not bringing some unwanted guests along. As Fulmineo rounded the corner, he noticed that the sign on the diner said that it was closed.

" Ignore the sign. Just go in. He's waiting for you." A voice said from behind. Fulmineo turned around and sure enough, it was the hood man. How the hell did he get so close to me without me noticing? He was better than I thought. Fulmineo turned around and opened the door to the diner and headed towards the only table that was filled. He sat directly across the elderly gentleman who was waiting for him.

"Would you like a slice of cheesecake?" The old man asked. "Its to die for."

"I'm fine. What happened to Sergei? I was under the impression you didn't hire young thugs to be your bodyguard." The old man frowned at the mention of Sergei.

"Sergei is, unfortunately, part of the reason I called you here today. He and I had a....falling out of sorts. He tried to kill me, I tried to have him killed in return, you know how these things go."

"What? Why would Sergei want you dead?"

"Sergei has decided to go into business for himself. I found out he was badmouthing to my clients and trying to steal them from me. When i confronted him,he tried to murder me, so I tried to have him killed. Anyway, he's escaped and is trying to raise some money up for his new enterprise."

"What does this have to do with me? Your relationship with Sergei doesn't concern me." Fulmineo replied.

"After our falling out, I looked into some of his activities. And it seems he had a hand in what happened to your fiance in Paris." The Old Man explained.

"I don't understand. What did Sergei have against Nikki? Why would he want her dead?" Fulmineo asked with venom creeping into his voice. "He was my friend. Why would he betray me?"

"It seems one of his earliest jobs was for some mafia group in the Land of your father. Nikki was the daughter of a mafia chieftain and in order to make sure a certain message was received by her Father. The message being, give us the money or your daughter dies. Sergei had her kidnapped. I believe she may still be alive, but her father has her under such heavy protection, you'll never get anywhere near her."

"Why are you telling me all this? What do you want from me?!" Fulmineo exclaimed.

"First I want you to relax. Second, I want you to do one final job for me. Find Sergei and kill him. And John? One more thing. The Jackal is working with him. So be careful."

"Two conditions. Number one: Do not call me John. I go by Fulmineo now. And second, I'm going to need one of your employees to assist me."

Done and Done. The old man said. He motioned to one of the waiters to come over. The waiter immediately stopped pretending to wipe the tables down.

"What's this one's name?" Fulmineo asked.

"This here is Mikey. Take him on whatever mission you're planning. He's one of the best."

Fulmineo got up from the table and walked out of the diner. The kid took off his apron and rushed out of the diner.

"Hey man wait up!" Mike said, trying to cath his breath. "Where are we going?"

"We are not going anywhere. You are going to go to one of our local bars and try to find news of Sergei and his activities. He's probably involved with the Durdens if I know him. I will be getting us Equipment. Meet with me in an hour at my apartment. I assume you know where that is?"

The kid nodded and Fulmineo kept moving. The kid stopped in his tracks looking lost. " Try Making this left. There should be a bar somewhere near there."
----------------------------------------------------------------
*Later That night*

"Alright so thanks to your exploits in the bar, we now know that sergei is flying in tonight to meet with some Durden goons. When he gets here, you and I are going to kill a lot of people. Are you ready?" Fulmineo asked Mickey.

The two men cocked their weapons and pulled on the security guard hats they stole to complete their fake uniform. They walked into the Airport terminal and posted up guard in front of the gate Sergei was coming out of. After about an hour, a plane landed on the runway, and a feeling of apprehension filled Fulmineo. Soon the passengers started leaving the plane and entering the airport. Then a familiar face appeared. It was that of Jackals. They eyes connected and recognition animated their faces. The Jackal motioned to one of his companions and they both reached for their weapons. Mickey noticed what was happening and proceeded to do the same. Fulmineo had already pulled his gun.

Three shots rang out in quick succession. Neiher of the combatant had fired. It was the hooded man who had followed Fulmineo earlier. He managed to kill the Jackals companion, but the man himself had found cover. Fulmineo ran behind a column and braced himself for a firefight. He was starting to regret not involving anyone from his Family.

Sanction removes his hood and fires 3 more shots towards Jackal and his companions. This was just cover fire so he could run to cover next to Fulmineo. Whilst running one of Jackals men let of a round of shots, most barely missing Sanction. Getting behind the same column and crouching down Sanction looks at Fulmineo.

"Think I don't hear everything? I know whats people in these streets are doing before they even fucking do it! I followed you without telling you because I didn't want to intervene, I guess I didn't know it was going to get this messy. You shouldn't have got yourself into this mess in the first place! But I guess since we are knee deep in this mess we might as well clean it up."

Sanction reloads and gets himself in a position to fire. 

"Right, give me cover fire whilst I line up this shot on that prick that nearly hit me earlier."

Fulmineo leans around the post and starts letting of shot after shot. BANG BANG BANG. Sanction carefully lines up his shot at the man who is trying to take cover behind a similar column. BANG. 

"Right between the eyes! You know what the last thing that went through his mind was Fulmineo? My fucking bullet."

"Next ones on you, take him out. I'll cover fire."

Fulmineo was stunned to see Sanction show up. He couldn't believe that one of his Family members was now involved with this blast from his past. Now he had to worry about not getting Sanction killed and putting a bullet in Sergei and the Jackal. As Sanction laid down cover fire, he took aim at one of the three remaining gunmen. Luckily for him, they were still trying to pull it together and he was able to take him down. He looked at Sanction trying to convey a message: try to go around back and cath them from behind. He pointed to Mike and indicated that they would handle things from the Front. Sanction nodded his understanding and Fulmineo reloaded his weapon and laid down cover fire long enough for sanction to move. Then he and Mike started advancing on the targets shooting as they moved.

After the resounding sounds of the gunshots faded, The Jackals men were all dead. And the Jackal was hit. Fulmineo walked up to him and knelt in front of him. He stuck the smoking hot barrel of the gun into his wound and began questioning him.

"Where is he? And don't bother with that 'I don't know' shit because you're his right hand. And trust me, I'm highly motivated to get his location from you."

The Jackal coughed and blood came flying out of his mouth."John old friend! Good to see you again. Or is itFulmineo now?" Jackal rasped. "Why should I tell you anything? You're going to kill me whether or not I tell you."

Fulmineo pushed the gun deeper into Jackal and spoke through his teeth. "There are two ways to die. Quick and easy. And slow and hard. Its really your choice."

The Jackal coughed up blood in an effort to speak. The pain from the barrel of Fulmineo's gun was becoming unbearable.

" Okay Fine, Johnny. I'll tell you everything you want to know about Sergei. But remember, don't blame me if you don't like what you find there." The Jackal said with a smirk on his face.

Fulmineo removes the barrel of the gun from inside the Jackal and backhands TJ with the pistol. He then shoves the weapon back in with a lot of violent force. The Jackal grimaces in pain and begans to speak.

" Sergei is in town already. He knew The Old Man would find him eventually, and when he did, he knew that you'd be the one to come knocking. So he hired me to distract you for a little bit. If you want to find Sergei, find The Old Man. Sergei will be there standing over his dead body."

After hearing this shocking bit of news, Fulmineo stands up in front of TJ and reloads his weapon. After cocking it he looks at The Jackal with cold, pitiless eyes.

" I said if you told me what I wanted to know, you'd get a quick death. I lied" Fulmineo raied his weapon and shot out both of TJ's knees and left him for dead.

As Fulmineo and Mike made their exit, Mike spoke.

" That was some dark shit man. I...I've neveer seen anything like it. What did Sergei do to you?"

"Kid...you're hear because I needed a little backup, and because The Old Man probably wanted you to learn something from me. But you are not here to ask questions so shut the hell up and lets get out of here before the Pigs show up." Fulmineo replied tiredly. "And in case you weren't paying attention, Sergei is trying to kill your boss so it'd best not to get arrested before we can save him."

The duo leave the airport and jumps into a taxi and Lo and behold, its Sanction again.

"Where to boss?" Sanction asks breezily "Seeing as you were going to leave me behind."

" I wasn't leaving you behind. I just had enough faith in your capabilities to believe that you would catch up." Fulmineo replied with as much cheeck. "Anyway, we're headed downtown to my apartment. I know where Sergei is."

Sanction had driven the trio to Fulmineo's place and outside of his apartment building, there was three large black cars with dark windows all around.

"Damn!" Fulmineo exclaimed. "Sergei is here already. He wants the Old Man dead so the first thing he'd do is hunt him down and then come after me. Unfortunately, those two things are basically one and the same. Last week my building was sold. I had some designs on it but some rich out of towner bought me out. Damn! I should have seen this shit coming. The Old Man is the new owner of my building and he is probably in the owner's apartment/suite right now. Damn!"

"Relax Ful." Sanction said in his sponsor voice. " You're not a psychic you can't predict the future."

"Your'e right, I can't. But I used to work for The Old Man back in the days so I know how he operates. Shit I came up with half the techniques he uses. Sergei came up with the other half."

"Hey guys, if you're too scared to go in there, I'll go by myself. He's my boss not yours."

"Shut the hell up Mike!" Sanction and Fulmineo say simultaneously. "If you want today to be your last, then you can definitely go in by yourself. It'd certainly serve as a nice little distraction for when I make my move." Fulmineo continued.

"It's your show kid" Sanction said. "I'm just along for the ride." Sanction sat back and waited for Fulmineo to come up with a plan.

After several minutes of cold silence, Fulmineo started speaking. "Mikey, you still in a rush to die?" Without waiting for a reply, Fulmineo continued on. "Look you two will hit them with a frontal assault. Usually I'd sneak in back but that's too basic. Sergei will see that coming. So I'm just going to have you guys attack them front the front while I call the police." Seeing the look on their faces, Fulmineo tried to explain. " Sergei is a wanted man in several countries...including America, especially here in Philly. I wont get into details but last time he was here, him and the mayor's daughter had a thing. That thing turned out to be a boy,savvy? Anyway just attack them and stall them till the police arrives to flush them out. When they exit the building, I'll have a nice little surprise for them."

The two men looked quite nervous. Fulmineo grinned at them and broke into near hysterical laughter. " You'd think the two of you never got into a firefight before. Trust me all you have to do is shoot them a little bit." Fulmineo said through the laughter. "Give me about 5 minutes to get my surprise ready and then...let the games begin."

Fulmineo exited the car and entered the alleyway across from his apartment building and entered the building that stood right across the street from him through a side door. After going up the stairs he walked down the long dark corridor with only a single bare light bulb to light his path. As he walked to the door of his second apartment, he took in the smell of Olive oil in the air. There was something important in that, but its meaning was escaping him at the moment.

Fulmineo shook his head to clear his thoughts. He didn't have the time to be pondering this. He had to ready his little surprise. Fulmineo entered his second apartment. He'd set up this apartment in case there was ever a time he'd need to hide out...who the hell would think to look for him across the street?

After closing the door behind him, he went to the his bed and removed a mid-sized case from under it. He opened it up to reveal a Arisaka Type 99 Bolt action rifle. Fulmineo set it up and got himself a chair so he'd be nice and comfy at the window. Outside on the street, Sanction and Mike had just gotten everything started. Guards were running around trying to grab some cover, but Sanction and Mike were showing no mercy. After a few more murdered body guards, Sergei and his heavy hitters started exiting the building. At this rate, Fulmineo didn't even need to call the police. They'd be here any second. As a matter of fact, he could hear the sirens in the distance. Sergei ran out of the building and made for cover. But Fulmineo was ready for him. He looked down his rifle's sight and shot Sergei. The echoing of the gun clap had damn near deafened Fulmineo.

"Shit! Got him in the shoulder!" Fulmineo cried out. Sergei tried to crawl to safety, but Fulmineo was already reloading.


"Pull that trigger and it'll be the last thing you do." A feminine voice said from behind Fulmineo.

"Nikki....Why the fuck am I not surprised?" Fulmineo said sadly.

"Put down the rifle John. We need to talk." Nikki replied.

"Don't call me John. It's Fulmineo now."

Nikki ordered Fulmineo to sit on a steel backed chair and threw a pair of handcuffs at him.

"Put these on" Nikki ordered. Fulmineo grinned and caught the cuffs.

"Just like old times huh Nikki? Fulmineo replied cheekily. His voiced sounded light and cheery but if you looked into his eyes, you'd find nothing but a deep cold emptiness. A sea of darkness and at the bottom of that see was his boiling hot rage that he was barely managing to keep contained.

"Stop stalling for time John. Put the damn cuffs on and make sure they're secured to the chair properly." Nikki Ordered.

"Tell me Nikki, since when were you the gun toting type? When we were in Paris, I never saw any indication of this side of you. Did Sergei teach you how to lie like that? Or was that particular skill something you were just born with?" Fulmineo said in an effort to continue distracting Nikki.

"Listen you idiot! I know all your tricks, none of them will work. If you don't put those fucking cuffs on now, I'll shoot you where you sit." Nikki barked

"A bit touchy aren't we? Is someone a little nervous? I can tell you've never held someone captive before. See what you want to do is knock them out and then you-"

Bang!

"Damn itFulmineo! Don't make me kill you. Put the goddamned cuffs on now."

Fulmineo shrugged in apparent submission and raised the cuffs slowly. He made a show of opening the cuffs and when he could see she was watching the cuffs, he threw them at her. Just as he'd hoped, she was distracted by the sudden flight of the cuffs , and was completely unprepared for Fulmineo's next move. He'd advanced on her very quickly and drove his knee up and into her abdomen viciouscly. Nikki doubled over in pain and Fulmineo brought his arm down and hit her with a karate chop right behind her head. With Nikki out cold, Fulmineo went to the window to check on the Situation outside. Sanction was nowhere to be found and Mike laid dead on the floor. The police had arrived on the scene and they were already loading Sergei onto a stretcher and getting body bags prepared for all the dead bodies.

Then Fulmineo spotted what he was really looking for. The Old Man was there talking to a police detective, probably giving him some bullshit version of the events that had transpired. Behind him, Nikki was starting to stir. He grabbed her up, threw her onto the bed and cuffed her to the bedpost. He then pulled up a chair and waited for her to awaken.

Minutes later, Nikki had awakened from her involuntary slumber and was refusing to give Fulmineo the information he needed.

"Nikki. You claimed to know me and my tricks. So you and I both know that its not a question of "if you'll talk" but more "when you'll talk. Why not make things easier on yourself and tell me what I want to know."

Nikki makes no reply. Fulmineo shakes his head as if her silence was sincerly disappointing. "Fine Nikki...we'll play hardball. I heard somewhere your father is actually a Mafia chieftain back in Italy. I'm sure you know that my Uncle is a Man of Honour over there and he works with a very powerful crime syndicate. If you don't tell me what I want to know, I'll give my beloved uncle a ring and have him murder your entire family, no matter the cost. I will personaly hunt down anyone who's ever meant anything to you and murder them slowly and painfully. Apart from me of course. I have no intention on killing you Nikki. I want you to live with the guilt of your family's death. But Nikki! You can avoid all of this!" Fulmineo leaned in close, his lips nearly touching hers, just tell me what I want to know, and your nightmare wont go on any further."

"Damn it John! your'e a sick bastard!"

"I know." Fulmineo said, shaking his head sadly. "Now what's it going to be?"

" Fine I'll tell you everything. You were being used as a pawn from the beginning John. The Old Man recruited you, and trained you so you could replace Sergei and eventually him. But Sergei got wind of this and decided to do something about it. So he hired me to take you ut. When you said that my dad works with the Mafia in Italy, you were right. The only thing you didn't know is that I also work for them. As an Assasin. You were supposed to be one of my first kills, but The Old Man caught wind of Sergei's plans and made arrangements to have me removed from the Equation." Nikki explained.

"I see. So you got close to me in order to spy on me and eventually kill me for Sergei? Fulmineo questioned

"Yes. I was preparing to finish my assignment but The Old Man sent some of his goons to kill me, but Sergei's people got there first and rushed me to safety."

"Sergei intended to kill me from the Bginning then. So one last question." Fulmineo said and picked up the Pistol he'd taken from Nikki. He cocked the weapon. "Was any of it real? Or was it all just an act?"

Nikki paused and pondered for a few seconds. "It was real. All of it ws real."
Fulmineo raised his weapon and Fired. He dropped the gun and left the room to begin his hunt for Sergei and The Old Man. Things were going to get interesting.

After greasing the hands of several police officers and nurses for many days, Fulmineo finally discovered the location of the Hospital Sergei was recovering in. Apparantley, the sentimental fool had a a pretty young goomar stashed up in Philly. When he learned the address of the girl's apartment, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"This motherfucker stashed his mistress across the street from where he first recruited me to join The Organization." Fulmineo said through his laughter. The irony was too much for him. After fighting off the last fit of laughter, Fulmineo headed into the parking garage he'd found near his hideout and got into the nice little ford he'd stolen earlier. It wouldn't do for the police to find his actual vehicle at the scene of the crime. Fulmineo got into his car new car and started the engine. Then he noticed movement in the back seat. It was that of an armed gunman placing the barrel of his pistol to his skull. For the second time in two weeks, someone had gotten the drop on him. That didn't bode well for his continuing well being in the Life.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" The Gunman asked. Fulmineo just looed at him in the rear view and smiled. "Bud, if you were going to kill me I'd be dead right now. You obviously work for the Old Man. What the hell does he want with me?" Fulmineo inquired

"He wants you to allow him to take care of Sergei and for you to think about joining up with him again."

"And if I don't? What then?"

"My orders are to kill you if you do not comply." The Gunman said menacingly.

"Im shaking in my boots, I really am, you just can't see it in this darkness. But it doesn't matter because the only one dying here tonight is you." Fullmineo said it with that oddly sincere smile of his. The gunman laughed.

"YOu really are something else man. I'm holding a gun to your head and you think I'm the one dying?" The gunman asked shaking his head. This made Fulmineo smile even wider and he burst out laughing.

"You're right! You're fucking right man!" Fulmineo cried out in laughter. But then he stopped laughing abruptly, his face a mask of pure seriousness. "But let me tell you why you're going to die. Number one? I'm better than you. And number two? My guy behind you is about to put a bullet in your head." The gunman stares at Fulmineo. "You're bluffing." Fulmineo merely smiles in response. Finally the gunman can't take it anymore and he turns around quickly to look. Turns out Fulmineo was bluiffing, but the whole time he's speaking, he was also getting his hand in position. As soon as his assailant turned, he trigged the forearm sheath up his sleeve and and the blade came flying down into his hand. As the gunman turned back around, Fulmineo brought the blade down and buried it hilt deep into the poor man's eye socket. Fulmineo jerked the knife out of the man's skull and slit his throat from ear to ear, just to make sure. He didn't want any surprises while he was driving.

TAP TAP

Fulmineo turned to see Nikki, whom he'd spared standing with a revovler pointed right at him. He put up a hand in a futile attempt to defend himself and at that moment Nikki pulled the trigger. The muzzled flashed and the resounding gunshot's echoes bounced off the walls of the parking garage. Then everything went black.

3 WEEKS LATER

Fulmineo opens his eyes and the bright lights that were above him nearly made him pass out again. As his vision adjusted, he looked around to try and figure out where he was. On the pillow next to him was a note from Nikki.

"John-or Fulmineo as you like to be called now, I'm sorry things had to end this way. The Old Man gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. there are things you don't know about the whole situation...I tried to explain it to you but you wouldn't listen. Anyway, don't worry about Sergei. The Old Man has destroyed his network and has him on the run. He's not a threat to you and soon enough he will no longer be on the face of this earth. Just so you know John....I didn't lie when I said it was all real. Next time we meet, I'll be able to explain things fully.

With Love,
Nikki


Fulmineo finished reading the letter and tore it up. He closed his eyes and went back to sleep, with one tear making its way down his cheeck.


*END OF THIS PART OF THE STORY.....STAY TUNED I MIGHT REVEAL MORE OF FULMINEO'S PAST IN THE FUTURE :)*