Luck was certainly not on Hawke's side, but then, no amount of luck could probably stop what had happened to him from happening at all. He mused over this as he stopped his frantic running down the street near a post office, looking around him for any sign of safety. As soon as his attacker had turned his back, he'd bolted nearly half a mile down the street, ignoring the pain from his old stab wound he'd gotten only a few weeks before.

As it turned out, the guy who had pick-pocketed and then stabbed him had friends and connections. Friends and connections who just so happened to be good enemies of Hawke, who were looking for any reason to come after him, and indeed they had. At least they hadn't gone after Lira; what they did to him had been horrible enough. Three days he'd spent trapped in that musty apartment, which felt like it was going to completely smother him at any moment. Three days he'd spent tied to a bed, wondering if, or rather, when he was going to die.

Even though he'd managed to break free, Hawke had no idea what he was going to do now. Feeling like all of his energy and strength had been drained, he slumped against the wall of the post office, sliding down to rest on the pavement. He didn't know what to do. He should go to the hospital, but he couldn't risk more people knowing about him, and he didn't have the time to put together a disguise. His clothes were already torn, parts in the legs exposing his thighs and knees, and in his shirt around his stomach, thankfully not his chest.

For the first time in a long time, Hawke just couldn't do anything.

Stefano was walking along the street, head down, thoughts of cash on his mind as he looked into his nearly empty wallet. His poverty was not apparent to anyone who looked at him, as he still wore the fine black suit he had purchased back after his first score. But Stefano, not used to that kind of money, quickly squandering it. It didn't bother him overmuch, a lesson learned, and knowledge was far more valuable than money. Next time, he thought, he'd be much, much more careful. Even so, he was clean shaven and well groomed, a black wide-brimmed fedora perched on his head and the bulge of a shoulder-holstered firearm in his jacket.

He didn't notice the man slumped in front of the post office until Stefano had already tripped over the man's legs. Stefano barely managed to catch himself, saving himself from a rather unceremonious fall. He wheeled around and faced the man, taking him for some sort of beggar or bum. Stefano reared back his leg to kick the man before stopping himself, upon closer inspection he noticed the man was not a bum at all. The man's clothes looked relatively new, and recently torn. Stefano also noticed the man was quite disheveled but not to the level a street dweller would be.

Stefano cleared his throat, mustering up the concentration to speak. Despite his size and fitness, Stefano's voice came across was raspy and frail, he pulled at his tie to loosen a bit, revealing a scar across his throat where it had been slit years before.

"Hey, Compagno, you ok?"

The morning had proven to be fruitful and eventful. Katharina had flown in the night before to meet with associates on business matters only to spend the night drinking and watching the men around her to see just how they behaved while under the influence. So many details to clock into her mind, so much information to gather about them when ordering the next round. The way they interacted with the girls, how their speech progressed with the amount of booze they consumed, and how they treated the men they had under them. She took in everything she could to tell her if she wanted a stake here or not.

Which brought her to this morning's meetings, the ones with the suppliers for her day job. Greenhouses and gardeners. In every major city, there were societies proud of their blooms and this city was not one to be any different. With her connections in California, her way was paved into the Garden society by the mere mention of her last name and she was able to gain a meeting into the most lucrative greenhouses here. However, that meant the hour had been early and she'd already seen two potential providers for her florist shoppe. Her offers were still on the table and negotiations would continue the next day over lunch.

As Katharina sat in her car in the back seat alone, her main man Jaques sitting up front beside the driver, she held envelops containing letters needing to be sent out. She had told the driver to find the nearest postal office and they were just pulling up to the curb now. Her observant eyes looked to the front at this early hour, wanting to see if they were open or not as the hours certainly should be posted on the door or on a sign beside it. There were two men crouched at a wall on the sidewalk and instantly Jaques reaches for his piece.

"Check it out and see if they need our help."

The body guard exited carefully and stepped forward onto the pavement with his hand into the depths of his tailored long coat. Dressed like a man of their lifestyle, connected and definitely a man who walked with a slow, calm yet cautious confidence. He was a big man but not in the sense that he ate the pot of potatoes all by himself, Jaques eyed the two men by looking from side to side. Katharina stared out the window and sees the back of a suit that has seen some time but was well made. Shoes that have been shined recently but should be replaced. What she could see of the other man, there was some dirt and torn clothing. She frowned and shook her head gently. Her body guard looked back at her then towards the two men before he addressed them now.

"Good morning, you boys might want to get off the streets before this place opens and people start coming by. Maybe my lady can offer you a ride somewhere? Careful... its a one time offer."

Stefano tensed as he heard a vehicle pull up behind him and the sound of footsteps approaching him. He slowly stood up, straightening out his suit with a quick tug and placing the fedora back atop his head. He turned around and saw a man reaching into his coat for a firearm. Stefano kept his hand against his chest, ready to reach into his own jacket for his Colt .45. He heard a woman call out to him. He listened to her words, his eyes darting between the bodyguard, the woman in the car, then back to the prone man.

 

Stefano shrugged, nudging the wounded man in the torn clothes with his foot again to try and garner a response. He turned to face the woman in the car and moved to speak, only to have his throat clench up, causing a coughing fit. He quickly brought a handkerchief up to his mouth in a quick and practiced motion, muffling his cough out of common courtesy. His throat thus cleared Stefano was able to speak a bit louder than he usually could.

 

"I think we'd all be remiss if we let an injured Paisan lay on the sidewalk, eh, Signora?"

 

Stefano's face held a stern and serious expression, however as he kept the woman's bodyguard in the corner of his eye. After a moment he spoke again.

 

"While I would be honored to accept, and I'm sure this injured man would, as well. I feel I should ask your name first. Comu ti Chiami?"

 

His voice faltered, slipping down to a barely audible whisper. Stefano massaged his throat along the scar, where his obliterated larynx still attempted to function. All the same, He felt slightly relieved at not having to take full responsibility for the injured man. Not to mention a little hopeful at meeting a potential employer.

"Hey, Compagno, you ok?"

At the man's voice, and at noticing that he was coming his way, Hawke, terrified, tried to get up and run, but found himself sprawled out on the ground before long. He was just too weak and tired; he hadn't eaten the whole time he was there, and had only had alcohol to drink. He was buzzed, dizzy, and totally unable to run, at the mercy of whoever this man was. However, once he approached, and Hawke could see him clearly, he realized that the man was not a threat. At least, not right now. His breath coming in heavy, deep gasps, he managed to croak out;

"I -- I'm -- " He couldn't finish, finding his throat closing around his words before he could say them. It felt dry and scratchy. He barely felt like he could breathe when he talked, though it looked like the man speaking to him wasn't doing much better. "Just--get me out of here."

Before the two of them could even leave, a car pulled up. Terrified that it was his captor coming back for him, Hawke tried to force himself up again, but ended up on the ground a second time, groaning softly as his world blurred. Once he managed to calm down, though, he noticed that the car was slightly different from that of his assailant, and the person striding towards them with his hand in his jacket was not the same person who'd abducted them. Hawke let his muscles relax, pulling himself up into a sitting position again, despite the angry protests of his churning stomach.

"Good morning, you boys might want to get off the streets before this place opens and people start coming by. Maybe my lady can offer you a ride somewhere? Careful... its a one time offer."

"Yes." The words were out quickly, before Hawke could really think about it. "Please, get me out of here."

Jaques quickly takes in the situation and sees this man is in dire straights. He not only is hurt but in no shape to walk on his own. The bodyguard gives a dip of his head to Stefano_Buzzanco before pulling his hand out of his coat pocket to walk forward and help the prone man, Hawke, up. Its not that the man was overly large but its obvious it was going to take the two of them to guide him to the car.

Katharina sees Jaques bending forward to help the one man up and realizes this isn't just a drunk man in need of a quiet rest but perhaps something far more serious. A job gone wrong? Did he piss off the wrong people? She also comes to the thought that she might be risking her neck by aiding this man. She reaches for the door handle to open it and prop it wide before scooting fully to the other side of the back seat. Kat looks all around them through the windows, quickly sweeping the area for potential eyes that might be watching.

"Quickly! But careful... Aaron, be ready to drive off as soon as they are inside. We will be taking him to the liquor warehouse."

Graciously, Hawke leaned on Katharina 's bodyguard, limping along with him to the car. A part of him was still terrified, but another part of him told him that this was his only real way out. He didn't have any other options, at the moment, so he had to take what he could get. Falling into the back seat, Hawke managed to straighten himself up a bit before leaning back, biting his lip. He was still in a good deal of pain.

"Who -- who are you?" He asked, looking over at the woman who was sitting next to him. He crossed his legs to try to hide the injuries and tears, but it was really no help. They were still quite visible -- he'd been roughed up pretty bad. "Do you -- work for anyone?" His eyes darted around nervously, as if he was afraid that his attacker could hear him somehow through the walls of the car.

Stefano wordlessly walked up to the automobile, opening a door and finding an appropriate seat in the suddenly crowded vehicle. He took off his hat for some extra headroom, slicking his black hair back with a free hand. He began to question the wisdom of entering the vehicle and getting even more involved in this situation. He shrugged to himself, figuring it didn't matter in the end. He nodded to the woman, quickly recognizing her as the boss of the two men in the front seat, and not just some well-to-do housewife that gets chauffeured around.

A small sigh escaped his lips as he looked out of the window, from shadow to shadow. He turned to the woman.

"We should probably get moving, and keep an eye out for a tail."

The moment the door closes, Aaron (the driver) pulls away from the curb and out into the street. At the corner, he takes a left towards the industrial district of this city. Katharina takes a rather quick scan of Stefano and is glad he is fully aware of their situation. She keeps a close awareness of where his hands are at all times. However, she takes a good long look at Hawke. It isn't a stare but more observation to access the extent of his injuries and perhaps glean more of the situation without having to ask too many questions at this time.

"My name is Katharina. Who I am, is of little importance right now. Aaron... I want you to take a different route this time, just to be safe."

Katharina reaches under the bottom edge of her corset on the left side. Two fingers dip beneath the velvet edge to tug forth a folded handkerchief. It was freshly starched and pressed and she hands it towards this Hawke gentleman. She glances towards Stefano_Buzzancoand then back to the other man again and smiles quietly.

"We will get you cleaned up in a quiet place."

Hawke forced himself to breathe deeply, in and out, reminding himself that he was safe now. If these people wanted to hurt him, they would've already done it, right? And if they worked for his abductor, they certainly wouldn't be treating him like this. When Katharina gave him the handkerchief, he takes it, murmuring "thank you" before wiping the grit and tear stains from his face. He knew that he looked terrible, but he felt even worse, so he figured it a fair trade.

"Thank you -- do you want -- want anything for the trouble?" He didn't have much on him right now, but he knew that he owed them. "I -- I don't have much, but if you give me time I can go back to -- my place."

Stefano sat looking out the window, not really paying much attention as to what was happening inside the vehicle. However he was keenly aware of what was happening on the outside. He checked the mirrors, kept looking over his shoulder, and kept a close eye on the driver. After a few moments of this he heard some conversation, looking over to where the wounded man sat. After a few moments Stefano pulled out a silver cigarette case, opened it, and held it out. They weren't any special brand of cigarette, just the usual Camel Unfiltered. Stefano cleared his throat, when he spoke it constantly sounded like someone who had lost their voice.

"Maybe this'l help you relax, kid."

He then turned his attention to Katharina, looking her over carefully with a hard yet appraising gaze.

"So, where are you taking us? Furthermore, what ah... Do I owe ya something for the lift?"

Although Hawke didn't usually smoke, he wouldn't pass up this opportunity. With a shaky hand, he took one of the cigarettes, then pulled a lighter out of his jacket, flicking it on and lighting the cigarette. He managed to take a few drags, before motioning for the window to be rolled down. Tossing it out, he gave a few heavy coughs, then leaned against the seat, wrapping his arms against his stomach. He didn't know how much more of this he could take.

"Thank you," he said to Stefano_Buzzanco , rubbing at his face again with the handkerchief.

Once her initial assessment of Hawke is complete, Katharina appears to simply enjoy the ride. The good Samaritan to join them asks them where they are headed and her only reply is a smile before Jaques rolls his window down before turning around in his seat with his Colt 1911 in hand pointed at @Stefano_Buzzanco's head. The bodyguard keeps his eye on the man while the driver merely continues to make the turns necessary along the quiet streets of North Chicago. Katharina looks right back at Stefano with the calm smile still intact.

"I would keep your hands near your knees. We are almost there."

They pass over railroad tracks and at the next corner, Aaron turns left down a street with large industrial buildings and warehouses. There were trucks moving along in the traffic. A few blocks down, the driver rolls the car up to a chain link fenced gate and tips his hat to a man standing guard with a Browning Auto-5 shotgun resting lightly on his arm. Tipping his hat, the driver motions for the gate to be rolled open. Once he gets recognized, he pulls the vehicle into the warehouse yard and honks the horn once. Katharina makes eye contact with the man standing guard and gives him but a quick nod.

Upon passing the gate, there are two other men visible and both holding a Browning BAR. One had the barrel sawed off mid-way. They watch the car pull up to the warehouse building where a rolling door is being pulled open just high enough to allow the car to pass through. Katharina looks forward through the windshield for Richard, her warehouse manager. The light from the morning disappears to a much darker atmosphere. The place only has windows up along the upper edge near the steel roof. The building is large enough to easily fit a couple Douglas Amphibions if the place was empty. Right now, there were a few offices on the left while near the back are three delivery trucks. Each seem to have received a brand spanking new paint job within the past 24 hours. There are 3 sets of rolling doors on the back wall of the warehouse.

"You... help get him into my office and then we can have a conversation. Hello, Richard!"

Katharina flashes a wide smile to her warehouse manager as he opens the door as soon as the tires stop. Jaques doesn't take his train off of Stefano, motioning for him to help Hawke out. Katharina tilts her knees towards the door and ducks down to exit the car. Rising up, she begins talking to Richard as they start to walk to the side so she can observe the transfer. There are three other men inside, one closing the door behind them and the other two making rounds in the warehouse. All are armed similiarly to those outside, only these weren't hiding side holsters for pistols and/or revolvers of their choice.

"He's in bad shape. Let's do what we can for him, then I'll... talk to him. While you attend him, I will deal with the wit... the other gentleman."

Stefano grimaces as a pistol is pulled on him, he holds still, staying tense and silent, like a coiled spring. He goes back to looking out the window as the vehicle pulls up to an industrial compound. The expression on his face exuded a silent rage, but he kept his cool and simply nodded. He looked back towards Jacques, dead in the eye.

"I wouldn't recommend pulling a weapon on me again, it could end badly for all involved."

A short a simple statement, but even Stefano knew there was little in the way of teeth behind it as he glanced the numerous armed men guarding points through the compound as the car approached a warehouse. Stefano turned his head slightly to better hear Katharina as she spoke to him. He simply nodded with a grunt and waited for the car to stop before exiting slowly. He reached out, grabbing Hawke perhaps a bit roughly under the armpits to haul him out of the vehicle. As Stefano drags Hawke to his feet, Stefano makes sure to help support Hawke if he should need it. Stefano takes a few steps before looking around for the office, before heading towards a small group of men. He deposits Hawke with a few of Katharina's men before making his way back to her. His shoes click on the concrete floor rather harshly.

With a flick of his arm, a hand grenade rolls out of his sleeve. He hands it over to Katharina, not armed, of course, with a lopsided grin on his face.

"Your guy should check your passengers a bit more thoroughly. When he drew that weapon on me, hell, if I thought I was done for I planned on pulling the pin and letting this thing slip to the floor and taking all of ya with me."

Stefano simply smiled, relinquishing the grenade to Katharina. Before taking another glance around with a low whistle.

"Quite the setup ya got here, Signora. So, what did ya wish to speak to me about?"

When the gun came out, Hawke tensed, his throat clenched as he prepared to scream, though he didn't know what for. Even if he did scream, no one would be able to help him, so he stopped, doing nothing but keeping his wide eyes on the weapon. Once it got pointed towards Stefano, he relaxed, but only a little bit. He still didn't want someone getting shot right next to him, and Stefano had been kind, for the most part. Still, he forced himself to even out his breathing, to keep his eyes ahead. He didn't look at anyone else as the car went down the road.

She said that they were almost there, and Hawke narrowed his eyes as they approached what looked to be warehouses and industrial buildings. What were they doing here? Against his will, he started to shake nervously, his eyes never leaving the weapons that the guards held on their arms. They were definitely a crime family, that was for sure. Who they were with was still a mystery, but none of that was really important, at the moment.

When the car was stopped, and Hawke was hoisted to his feet, he let out a muffled cry, before stopping. His arms and chest had been bruised pretty badly, so when Stefano grabbed him it irritated the wounds. Wincing, Hawke trailed after the others when they went inside, holding his arms slightly away from his body so as not to make the wounds ache any more. A few curious men glanced at him as he walked by, but Hawke couldn't find it in him to tell them to quit staring. He felt drained and tired.

“Where are we going...?” He asked weakly.

As Stefano aids Hawke out of the car and towards the offices, both Richard and Katharina notice the lack of care in the man's motions. Kat realizes he's a bit perturbed and it bemuses her on some level. She watches as the injured man is given to some of the other men and Stefano_Buzzanco heads back her way. Jaques had moved out of the car as both had as well and followed along with his gun at his side. He tells one of the men to take Hawke to Kat's office to set the man up for Richard before turning back towards his employer. The bodyguard watches the movement of the arm and something roll into Stefano's hand and instantly guns get pointed at the man's head, including his pistol. 

Katharina arches a brow, that former bemusement beginning to shine through with the curving of her lips as she reaches forward to accept the grenade. Richard inhales slowly as he takes a look at it beside her and then at the man who formerly possessed it. The man gives her the specs on it. Even the man holding up Hawke has paused in the doorway of her office to watch from afar. As Kat lifts it up for her inspection, everyone waits for her response. 

"Indeed I do. It appears you have taken my hospitality a bit wrong. Were I to consider you a real threat, you would never have entered my car." 

Katharina looks Stefano directly in the eye as she palms the grenade like an apple she looks ready to bite with her toothy smile. Her other hand motions to her associate.

"This is Dr. Richard McAllister. He is the reason we are here. A field medic in the first war from Ireland. Did you think I had ill intentions? Hm? Why don't I show you the trucks and we can talk about you and how it is you came about such a lovely speciman... and your connection with my other guest."

That smile widens to a grin as she dismisses Richard to take care of the poor man waiting over yonder. The doctor gives her a nod and eyes Stefano with a serious look of warning about Katharina before moving to walk and attend to Hawke.

Hawke limped heavily against his escort as they walked into the office, feeling like he could only just barely hold himself up. He was grateful when they reached the office, and when he was given a place to sit down. Even so, he couldn't find himself to feel relieved, as his nightmare had only really just begun. Staring at his feet against the carpet, Hawke wondered what was going to happen to him now. No doubt that the doctor was going to want to examine him, and he didn't know how he was going to handle that, how he was going to explain anything.

Wrapping his arms around his stomach, Hawke hunched over in his seat as the door opened, flinching and moving to hold his hands up. Once he realized it was just the doctor, he lowered his arms, and returned them to being wrapped around his stomach. He had to keep forcing himself to breathe deeply, forcing himself to stay calm -- or, at least, as calm as possible. He reminded himself that if Katharina had wanted to do any harm to him, she would have ordered it done already.

"Who are you?" Hawke asked the doctor cautiously as he came in.

Stefano shrugged, looking at Katharina. He had a calm smile on his face, however, showing he was rather quite relaxed.

"My apologies, Signora, but when you got a gun pressed against your head it's kind of hard to see someone's hospitality, eh?"

Stefano nods to the good doctor, tipping the brim of his hat as he does so. Before he turns calmly and smartly on his heel, following Katharina as she talks to him. He briefly looks behind him towards the door Hawke disappeared into, before shrugging lightly.

"I'm afraid my connection to that mas is less than my connection to you. I tripped over him in the street, bent down to see if the guy was still breathin' and before I knew it, you and the crew in your car pulled up and offered us a ride out of there. I accepeted 'cause I ain't too keen on being caught by some police standing over a body, you understand. However, my dear signora, you seem quite well off, and I do believe I have a skillset you might find valuable."

Stefano brings a handkerchief up to his mouth and turns his head away from Katharina. He hacks into it for a few moments before returning it to his pocket. He turns his head back to Katharina after he clears his throat a few times.

"Sorry about that, my throat ain't too good, some wiseguy tried to take my head off, you see?"

Stefano pulls down his collar, revealing a scar across his throat. He shrugs again.

"Anyway, I'm all ears, and if there is any way I can help someone gracious enough to save my ass from an inquiry at the police station, just let me know. I'll be happy to oblige you."

One of Kat's men flips the switch to turn the office lights on as he helps carry Hawke inside. They flicker once before growing brighter to display a well organized room that held two chairs, a small desk, file cabinet and a medium sized safe. The only odd thing is a Persian rug along the majority of the floor. There is nothing on the walls except a calendar. He sets Hawke down onto the chair and instantly looks the man over, first for weapons even in his state of being and secondly for any open wounds that might need immediate attention. Seeing neither, the man shifts the gun now shouldered a bit and goes to the doorway to give a whistle. The doc is already on his way, so the hired man steps outside.

Richard enters and quietly closes the door while looking at the seated man. He goes to kneel before him while giving a good one over. He reaches for the man's wrist to take his pulse, needing to figure out if he is going to need more than what is available on hand. He possesses a bit of his accent while he speaks.

"My name is Richard McAllister. I was a doctor in the war back in the homeland. Now, you're going to have to remove your clothes for me to get a good look at things. Broken ribs? Any stab wounds? What the hell happened to you?"

"Better a gun to your head than a knife in the heart... so the saying goes."

Katharina walks with Stefano_Buzzanco through the warehouse. Her heels echo along the smooth concrete in such a wide open space, marking her slow yet steady pace as she guides him towards the trucks. A few of the men working around them gives a glance their way but continue the final touches to the vehicles. She listens as he explains he possesses no connection with the man being patched up and gives a nod as her mind moves in thought.

When he begins to having a coughing fit of sorts, she pauses just past midway to the trucks to look at him and then the line along his neck as he reveals a bit more about himself to her. Her eyes widen only slightly as both eyebrows lift and her head tilts in a bit of an impressed expression. The man has clearly seen the threshold of death and come out triumphant. She has heard of some people capable, but she's never met one with a 'necktie' before. Kat doesn't stare after the glimpse and she continues to walk again hearing his offer to repay her 'kindness' for keeping him out of the clutches of the police.

"Hm, there is something coming up on the calendar. An event that requires special guests. Do you have access to more of these, shall we call them fruit? How many bushels? Do you know the going price for such?"

The palmed grenade is starting to warm up now that it has been held in her hand all this time. She holds it up between them so there can be no misunderstanding as to what she is asking. Katharina watches him closely and looks directly into the man's eyes. He offered his services to her and, while she could hold him to a favor at a later date, he has shown her the potential she needs in the planning process now. Kat hopes he doesn't disappoint.

Hawke felt his breath freeze in his throat as Katharina 's doctor asked for him to remove his clothes, and he found himself shaking his head. "It's -- a long story," he barely whispered, his grip tightening around his stomach. He felt like he was going to throw up, but he forced himself to swallow the feeling. Rubbing at his eyes, he looked cautiously over to McAllister. If he was going to get through this, he'd have to talk, and he'd have to keep his cool.

"A couple of weeks ago I got my wallet stolen by some small-time guy. I chased him down, but he had a knife on him, and I got roughed up pretty bad." He lifted his shirt a bit to show the scar on his stomach. "And -- it turned out he had friends. Four days ago I got -- picked up -- by them, and -- " His throat started to close around his words, but he forced himself to keep going. "They kept me tied to a bed in a warehouse and raped me for three nights." At the confession of what had happened to him, the weight of the situation finally fell on him like a ton of bricks, and a soft, choked sob left his throat.

"Doctor -- is there any way the examination can go without me having to -- to strip?"