Entry to Marietta's Tale of two cities...or three...or four! Competition

Jono walks into the HQ, the new guys following him he explains

So then, that's the ins and outs of where and how we conduct business in New York. Any questions, just come find one of us.

He turns around to see Scipita storming towards him, the look of anger gleaming from her eyes.

What's up, Scipita? Something wrong? Here, Take a bite out of this Big Apple.

THERE IS A BLOODY BODY IN MY BATHTUB! GODFATHER THOMASROURKE IS DUE HERE THIS EVENING! This is not funny! I'm NOT in the mood for this. I don't even know who the guy is! What were you doing yesterday? Why is your door locked?! READ THIS!

Jono opens the note to find it is from the maid. She's quit. Suprised, Jono begins to tell Don Scipita about his day yesterday.

Well, It started like any other. I woke up in the morning, showered and ate breakfast. Began my usually daily work of shifting through the HQ's mail. Sorting it and replying to any wannabe members about the right way to obtain an invite. When I got a call from Salatik, he was having a bit of trouble with a couple of good for nothing thugs down at the local pool hall. He was a damned good player, and he new it. Hustling himself up to thousands of dollars a day sometimes. Sounds like some idiot thugs didn't like losing their money and had kicked off. I made my way to the pool hall and entered cautiously. There was huge commotion. I entered the pool table area to find one of the thugs on his knees as Salatik smashed a pool cue across his face. As I got closer I heard him whisper into the thugs ear...

"You're lucky I follow my family rules. You good for nothing low life."

I patted Salatik on the back and smiled. "Good work lad, sometimes all these idiot thugs deserve is a good kicking!"

We exited the Pool hall together.

I had nothing much else to do that day. I had the majority of my RHM duties completed the day before, the mail was answered and the streets were quiet. So I decided to hang out with Salatik and help him with his daily routine. Mostly just leaning heavy on the local stores, making sure they're paying their protection tax. After a few easy pick ups we went for a drink. Salatik suggested playing pool again, but I was not falling for that.

We met up with Paul Vidi and The Hammer as they left Vidi's Finest Suits for a bite to eat at the HQ bar and got into some heated discussions about the owner of the convieniance store across the street. Apparently he has been refusing to pay and threatening to smash peoples faces in with a baseball bat. I didn't like this, I didn't like this at all. Skimping out on money for the family is not something a store owner wants to do. Especially one right across the street from our HQ. After a nice lunch and a catch up with my fellow tigers I took Salatik across the road to have a little conversation with this certain store owner.

He had shifty eyes and was obviously cluthing something from below his counter. I lit a cigarette and leaned over the counter to invade his personal space. I said to him...

"Listen mate, You need to pay protection in our current climate. You never know what idiots are running around these days, stealing from your tills and your shelves! With out protection we can make sure that this doesn't happen see? We can make sure you keep every penny of your hard earned cash. After what you give us as tax, ofcourse."

The store owner was getting irritated and started shouting...

"I can protect myself thanks! Now sod off!"

After this outburst, I gave a quick hand signal to Paul Vidi and The Hammer. With this signal they ran across the street, smashing up everything owned by the shop on the outside. The windows were gone, the newspaper stands and the door. All smashed to ruins. While all this time Salatik and I glared at the store owner. I spoke again...

"Well would you look at that? What a coincidence. See, if you where paying our proposed protection. You would not have to suffer through any of that. Get what I am saying?"

The store owner become completely enraged and within the blink of an eye, he swung a baseball bat at me. Fortunately for my sake. Salatik had reflexes like a cat. He grabbed the bat, stopping it before it reached my skull. I popped the store owner one in the jaw, slammed his head onto the counter while Salatik had withdrawn his pistol and placed it against his head.

"Now then, Mr Store Owner. I don't appreciate being threatened with a baseball bat, nor does my associate Salatik here. So, I'm giving you one last chance. Pay the fucking tax"

He squirmed and wriggled for a short while after eventually laying still he muttered...

"No fucking way you thugs. I'm not giving you lot a penny"

I'd had enough. I couldn't take this constant stream of dis-respect anymore. I left the store and kept a look out. Luckily for us it was dinner time. The authorities had taken their survailance camera van off for a late lunch. I nodded to Salatik and he ushered the store owner over to the HQ. We threw him down the stairs and into the basement. Tying him to a chair I called for Jayne_Cobb. A master of torture techniques. Turns out he was extremely busy though, wonder what the hell he was doing? So we left the store owner down in the basement and went back to the bar. One thing I did know about torcher is that solitary confinement can be a decent technique.

Sitting in the HQ bar, we waited for Jayne to finish his daily business. We all knew he liked a pint or ten when he got back from a long hard days work. By this point, we were all pretty darn drunk anyway. We told him what was going on and he smirked...

"Oooh, I'd love to teach this good for nothing tool a lesson. I'll be right down."

On returning to the basement. My heart stopped. The chair was there, although a little broken, the rope was there but the store owner was not.

"Where the fuck did he go!? Have EVERYONE watch out for him. Disable him on sight!"

Beowulf and Pip, over hearing the shouting rushed to help. After explaining to them what had happened they had some information. Beowulf tells me...

"ooh, so that's who that man was with the bloodied face? I thought he was the mail man who'd got into a little trouble. I saw him heading up towards Don Scipita's room."

"Great" I said, let's go get him! I'm sure I sent Visali up that way.

"We've got to be sure he doesn't get anywhere. This guy needs to be taught a lesson"

Jono took a seat and looked up to Scipita That ma'am, was my day yesterday. I'm just waiting on the reports from our associates now.

Jono you won my competition! I loved this story and i really hope there is more to come.

Aiden Hands Jono $1,000,000 Monoply Dollars and a get out of jail free card. They shake hands and smile for the photographs.

Its such an amazing story

A fantastic tale Mr Jono, I would love to hear more from you.

You have a way with words, which I respect and think is an art which is seemingly more and more lost in these streets.

V bows to the man, and wanders off into the distance..

that was a very good story. kept my attention throughout. whens the next one comin?

Great story Jono!  I really enjoyed this because it kept me interested unlike so many other stories.