"Maurice," Michael said politely as the older man walked into his office and sat down. Maurice was an expert attorney, one of the finest the family could offer. He was a champion of rum-runners everywhere, and he sat down with a smile on his face.

"Good evening, Mr. Desatio. I suppose you called me here for a reason," Maurice said with a smirk. He was an old hand, shrewd as a cat, and capable of gettign thigns done. Heck, the old man played golf with senators.

"As you know, people in Vegas have been leaning on senators to look the other way on grain alcohol for a while. Prohibition be damned, it's making life hard for us. What if I told you I had an idea for you to put before state legislatures?"

Maurice raised an eyebrow. "Fighting prohibition? Leave that to lawyers, son." 

Desatio shook his head. "I'm not interested in fighting prohibition. Just using the allowances. There's an exmeption in the prohibition code's execution law in this state in relation to barbers and surgeons. Alcohol for medicinal applications is entirely legal."

Maurice nodded. "Your point?" 

Desatio smiled. "It's hard to defend a man selling hooch for recreational purposes, but medicinal purposes? Can a jury be convinced it's a sin to practise medicine? Can you arrest a man for medicine?"

Maurice glared at him. "Medicinal-grade alcohol is inconsumable. It's too strong."

Desatio nodded. "Yeah, until you mix it. And as you know, I'm quite good at pharmaceuticals. Although I was a good surgeon, I still had a knack for chemistry."

Maurice nodded. "So you want me to tell Gaius to buy a bunch of pharmacies?"

Michael just shook his head, "Not at all. I want you to start making our alcohol runners get licenses for medicinal transport. Make our shipping company look medicinal. I can forge our necessary receipts for prescriptions, and we'll make plenty of high-grade chemicals get through here fast. As for makign the alcohol palatble, well, suffice it say that Las Vegas's current hospital head of staff is willing to lend us specialized equipment for further refining raw alchol into usable medicinal quantities," he then grinned. "Gaius gets a Vegas-Los Angeles line, the boys upstairs get more alcohol to distribute, and I can aske for a little more rent money to get a better office. Deos anyone not win?"

Maurice nodded. "And how does this benefit me? If anything, Gaius will need me less," he siad with a scowl, his age showing as he glared at Desatio.

Desatio raised a large, bandaged, hand. "Actually, once you propose this to Gaius, you might need some extra staff. Licensing, planning, route maintainance--I'm only working the distribution part of this. as far as I'm concerned, you get the shipping company, and the responsibility of making sure the drivers deliver their cuts to you. You get a fleet of trucks and I get the title of....shipping distributor."

Maurice smirked. "And why should I give you credit, or take? As far as anyone knows, this is my idea."

Desatio didn't even seemed phased by the old man's threat. "Well, for starters, we can talk about that tiem you slept with--what was that cop's wife's name again--Monica, wasn't it? Or maybe about the fact that you embezzled almost a hundred-grand from the bank before we pulled that heist in L.A. But I think you're reasonable. You know that letting me have my a little due credit and money is fine. Heck, I don't need the credit. I jsut want the office, a nice warehosue to work out of, and soemone to handle the paperwork. And you're the prefect someone to handle the shipping end. I'll jsut stikc with receiving for now."

Maurice nodded. "I see. You're not stupid. Good."

Desatio just grinned. "Maurice, if I were stupid, I would have just shot you when you threatened me. But I'm a man of reason. And reason dictates letting a good man liek you run our rail routes. Stick to being a good man, Maurice. It'll make things easier. Now, what we will need if for you to convince our friends in California  that distribution of controlled medical supplies is a legitimate business to permit in L.A. And convince Gaius that this is a brilliant plan."

Maurice stood up, shaking Desatio's hand with vigor and smiling. "You leave that to me. You just find yourself a decent location in this town, and be careful. Other families might not liek you working this territory."

"If we can provide materials cheaply enough for them to buy from us instead of working at it themselves, they won't have soemthing to complain about. They cna still sell it at a profit to local buyers, and everyone is happy."