Michael walked in slowly, looking at his old friend and mentor, Theodore Helmsley. Theodore was a charitable man, bad with money, but good with decisions, and even more importantly, discreet towards the law.

     Theodore smiled at Michael, grinning warmly. "Hello, Dr. Desatio, my old friend, how have you been? I hear you've foudn work with people more enterprising than myself as of late."

     Michael nodded. "Yes, and work has been good. In fact, one protion of it has been quite exceptional. And that is the morphine market." 

     Theodore nodded. "I'm aware. Recreational morphine has been undercutting my own supply for surgeries. That includes removign bulelts from the body gaurds of your employers, you know," he said dryly.

     Michael just smiled, a thin grin beneath his bandaged face. "Yes, but I can give you access to a large supply of equipemnt to synthesize your own. I have that kind of money," he said with a solid smile, the kind of wide, harmless smile you'd happily bank with.

     Thedore stifled a laugh. "You have 225 grand worth of medical equipment? Why'd you come here in a cheap car?" He shook his head. "I suppose next your'e goign to tell me the governor can get the permits for free."

     Michael pulled out a briefcase. "Count it yourself. And of course I rode here in a lousy car, it's a pretty bad part of town, and I don't want to get my car robbed while i had the money in hand."

     Theodor opened the suit case, and then proceeded to let his jaw hit the floor. "You're serious? Why? Why on earth would you give me enough money to make a small clinic? You...you need a front, don't you?" he said, looking at the man in bandages with a cool, calm demeanor. "You intent to use your old friend as a fence for Morphine?"

     Michael shook his head slowly. "Fence? No. I'd only need you to donate about 20 lbs worth of refined Morphine regularly and give it to Mr. Leng. He will distribute from there." Theodore blinked as Michael continued. "I'll make sure no one looks too closely at this, I have a contact within the narcotics bureau here. your job is to handle any major upsets, understood?"

     Theodore sighed. "Why me? You msut know a few hudnred crooked doctors who would be less reluctant than me. I'm clean and I'm"

     "And you wouldn't screw me over. I only work with people I trust, Teddy. You and Leng are about it on that list, aside from family. And there are no otehr doctors in my family that I'm aware of. Hell, to be honest, I don't even know the entire family. I spend so much time in Vegas I'm lucky I remember who's who over here." 

      Theodore nodded. "So you wnat me to do what you can't while I'm in LA and you're not, which is push enough Dope to make this profitable. Through Leng. Leng, the craziest pusher in Chinatown, with a sharp tongue and worse attitude."

     Michael nodded. "Leng was one of us back in the day. All the rich kids in med school went to Cassie's and played cards, while you, me and Leng went to that little pizzeria and studied medicine and talked about women and wine for months on end." He then smirked. "When I got into the family, I decided that Leng would come with me. He couldn't go to school with us, even though he was as bright as any of the med students. So then, I figured I coudl let him into this business. I coudl make him one of Vegas' best men, and now he'll be L.A.'s best Morphine runner."

      Theodore nodded. "I'm in. We're naming the clinic after my duaghter, Hope."

      Michael nodded. "Agreed. Hope Helmsley Memorial Hospice. make the plaque in her name as big as you want it," he said as he got up and pulled his hat on. "I'll see you in a few days, Teddy."

Interesting ... Hope to read more!

Or am I misunderstanding? Story?RP? Story?RP?