Six sleek black cars arrived just outside the New Orleans docks, silhouettes of men and women alike on the inside shifted towards the doors as their respective vehicle came to a stop.  The New Orleans docks, the area was littered with crates and machinery. The creaking of old ships being muscled by the water and a crew of men could be heard as they unloaded cargo. Lastik relaxed against the leather.

 "Showtime." 

He'd chuckle to himself before flicking his fingers, "Listen up, everything stays according to the plan.." Lastik nodded as he looked to Lea, "You're responsible for the northern part of the docks; let them know we own the place and will be sending them a collector at the end of the month, if they give you any trouble..ensure they become.. understanding..." He'd nip at his bottom lip before offering a playful wink. "Now, Cato.. You take the other crew and tax their incoming shipment by fifty percent take nothing less. Also, same goes for you, if they give you any lip..set 'em straight." Lastik smacked his lips some, "Use any means necessary to get the job done. Godfather Death-Knight is expecting word in two hours, let's go."  

Fingertips wagged in each of their doors, commanding they open them. As the doors open, mafiosos and their associates would join them, stepping out from the other cars. Familiar faces littered the crowd, associates and members of families situated in New Orleans all attended. "All right! Everyone, we know what we're here to do, lets get going." With that he'd tilt his head back, gazing up into the starry night. Lastik mumbled a few words before turning away from the crowd, leading the march into the docks.

It wasn't long before Lastik was made contact with a shift worker, a burly, meat head looking fellow. Lastik stopped, taking the moment to size the fellow up. The man was clearly a brute, a worker, not the man he was looking for. Lastik slipped a hand into his jacket, his fingers now wrapped tightly around the grip of a club. In a matter of a split second he'd pull the club from his jacket and bring it swinging across the brutish looking mans face. 

"Get the fuck out of my way.." Lastik growled as he glanced down to the moaning man as he collapsed over a crate, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he walked past him. He glanced through the alleyways made by stacked crates, looking for the lead man of operations here. Surely he'd have to be around here somewhere! Lastik swore under his breath as he faced a myriad of routes. "Hmm..." His grip tightened upon the  club and he was off, running towards where the ships had docked. The sounds of men grumbling and cussing grew closer and closer as did the stacking of crates and bags of supplies. 

His running soon came to a walk as he watched the lines of men hauling cargo from the ship and onto the platform. A smile curled at the corners of his lips as he watched, making his targets.

"Found you.." He'd chuckle softly to himself as he spotted the bastard, a few men who he'd have to shake and stomp sense into. A scrawny looking man, barking out orders to the men and cussing more than any of them; the others brute looking men, dumb as hell. His gaze trailed over the area, planning his route, eyelids fell to half-mast as he pondered only another moment before making his  way around the crates and towards his targets.

Lastik paused as yells and the clash of crates rang out from the other directions, clearly operation was well underway..

I could see this as a scene in a movie!

Lea heads north at a brisk pace, trench coat flapping around her legs as she ignores the eyes of the dockworkers who are clearly confused as to why a woman is present. She sees some staggered crates and climbs up.

"Listen up, boys," she calls out. "This town belongs to DeathKnight. We've come here as DeathKnight's representatives, and we're here to make sure we all...understand each other."

One of the dockworkers smirks. "Fucking dame. I don't listen to no dames!" he barks as his friends around him begin to chuckle.

Lea hops off the crate stack and makes a beeline for the man. "Is that right? Perhaps I haven't made myself clear. I am here," she says, taking the mans hand, "as a representative of DeathKnight. I want to...." at this moment, she twists his wrist backwards by the fingertips, breaking two of them, "...make sure we understand each other."

As the dock worker falls to his knees, cradling his wrist and moaning, Lea looks up at the others. "Proper compensation will be made monthly. Questions?" she asks as she scans the eyes of those around her.

The_Messiah walks briskly down the dock, not bothering to look at any of the bewildered workers unloading.

"Hey you!! I said do you have a name?" Called the man in the suit.

Still no reply... not worth the breathe.

"Do you speak? Are you deaf man?"

Hiding his motive, but maintaining his speed, his face remains completely unfathomable.

 As he closes in on the man in the half decent suit, looking smug and shocked at the same time, he firmly clasps his hand around his neck and sqeezes lightly while pushing him behind a bunch of crates. Theres little noise as the knuckle duster smashes its course through the mans face, several times. The_Messiah looks around at the blood splattered crates and wipes his knuckle duster, grimacing.

"I hope I didn't hit you too hard... Death-Knight wanted you to read this when you woke."

He pinned a small note on the mans top.

-OUT OF BUSINESS-

Cato had the feeling - the excitement, the nerves, the thrill - building up inside him as the car pulled to a stop in the corner of the filthy, rugged dockyard. After discussing the plan with Lastik, he turned to the group of men assigned to him - associates mainly, fresh from the boats, with a few more experienced Mafiosi thrown in - and began to give his orders.

Nodding silently in agreement, the gang disappeared into the shadows, heading west through the dock to their assigned boat, filtering between cargo stacks and containers. Cato checked for the cold press of the butt of his revolver in his right hand and the smooth, destructive force of the knuckleduster in his left. Flickers of light and the laughter and shouts of crewmen up above told him that they were nearing their destination, and he stepped out from behind a ramshackle shed to confront the dockworkers.

"Good evening, gentlemen."

The nearest worker spun round, suspicious, and barked an insult. Cato chuckled coldly to himself before continuing.

"I represent the man who runs this town, Death-Knight, and serve at the Left Hand of one of his Captains, The_Messiah. I'm here to bring you Redemption. And you're here to hand me 50% of your tradable cargo and assets coming in from whatever shithole you sailed from to get here."

Seeing Cato apparently alone, the same dockworker bellowed with laughter, and strolled closer to the tall but toned frame of the Mafioso

"How about I rip your fuckin' throat out, and use it as bait tomorrow" he growled, closing in.

Quick as a flash, and before the docker had time to complete the smile that was creeping across his scarred face, Cato had withdrawn his left hand from its pocket and driven his fist hard into the man's cheekbone. As the worker hit the floor, his other hand dispatched three rounds from his .45, two to the man's chest and one to his head. As the other workers realized what was going on and began to reach for the closest thing they could use as weapons, Cato's associates stepped out from the dark, weapons raised. The workers fell back, mumbling prayers to themselves.

"Hopefully you understand the consequences of your failure to comply with my polite request, gentlemen. We will return every third Friday of the month for our dues."

Cato directed two of his men to tie the body to an old crate and dump it into the water, splashing as it landed in the cold, lifeless water. A waste, Cato thought to himself, but they'll learn. This whole fuckin town will...

Tommy,who was standing behind Cato,pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Before he took a drag he noticed one of the dockworkers charging Cato with some sort of hook. "Cato." Tommy said as he gently shoved him aside and fired four rounds into the attacker. he took a drag from his cig and threw it on the dead mans' body.

He then reloaded his firearm,but before he had the chance he had to fire another two rounds into one of the other men,who charged Cato. "Damn." he said to himself as he turned around to follow Cato. "Oh,your welcome for that." Tommy joked. Cato just looked at him. As Tommy turned a dockworker tackled him to the ground. he had a gun.

The two squirmed around on the ground for a few minutes until three shots were fired. Tommy stood up to realize he'd only fired two shots. he looked to his knee. "Damnitt." He said.

Further north up the docks, several of the workers rush Lea, knocking her backwards and into the ground. As of one them leans over to grab her, she reaches behind her and pulls out her weapon, firing skyward, up through the chin of the dockworker. The explosion renders everything silent for a moment, but then the sound of rain can be heard pattering down around them. As some of it smacks her in the face, Lea realizes that it isn't rain, but the blood and brain matter of the man she just killed, whose body was now slumped beside her. She closes her eyes briefly and regains her breath while the remaining men scatter like leaves in the wind. After a moment, she opens her eyes and sees Lastik standing above her. "That went well," she says, smiling up at her crew leader.

Tommy,who heard the shot,decided to see if his family member was alright instead of staying with his group. He ran,hopping over crates,over dead workers,until he saw Lea and Lastik.

"Everything okay?" He asked. "Tommy,shouldn't you be with Cato?" Lastik demanded. "I came to see if everyone was alright." Tommy tried to save himself. "Okay. Whatever,anyways,there's another group of dockworkers up a little more East, I think you'd better go regroup with Cato and tell him the news." Lastik said.

Tommy rushed off back to where he'd come from. "Where'd you go?" lastik asked. "You didn't hear those gunshots?" Before Cato could reply Tommy spoke again. "Theres a  group a little to the East." Tommy said. The two rushed off to what what Tommy suspected was East...

As The_Messiah strolls briskly through the maze of crates he bumps into Tommy. Seconds later Cato comes tearing round the corner.

"Shit man watch that thing," As Tommy swings his gun up, aimed at The_Messiah's head.

"I heard there is one more main stop- east."

He takes a look up as two workers come charging from the shadows with weapons. The sound of blasting unsettles the night as Tommy lays six rounds of lead into each and their bodies flunk noisily to the floor amongst the brains and guts that are splilling out.

The_Messiah smiles. "Lets go."

Tommy follows behind The_Messiah when he was struck by a metal object and fell to the  floor. Everything was. Tommy heard shouts,gunshots,cries,then everything went black.

He woke up later on to more gunshots and screams. When he finally recovered and knew where he was and what was going on,everyone was behind crates,blindshooting. "What's going on?" Tommy shouted loud enough for The_Messiah to hear him over the gunshots."The dockworkers have some kind of automatic,most likely a tommy gun,were fuckin pinned down here. If we leave our cover we're fucked!" Cato shouted. "Fuck! How did they get a fuckin gun? All we want is a part of the shit they got comin in here,it wasn't meant to be violent!" Tommy took out his .357 snub nose revolver and fired three shots into one of the dockworkers.

"Okay. What the fuck will we do?" Tommy said as he reloaded his firearm and waited for a reply...

She had followed by the others at a distance, her arms burdened by the load she carried; however, now Kat was crouched as far down as she could manage.  She winced as bullets splintered the side of the crate to her left.  She could hear the others shouting directions and orders, but she continued to concentrate on her task.  She had several bottles neatly lined up before her, each stopped with a damp white rag.  The smell of gasoline seemed to permeate the air.  She struck a match and lit the first moltov cocktail.  Her hands didn't shake as she hurled the bottle towards the gun.

There was a smash of glass and shouts, but the gunfire continued.  It was heavier by the crates nearest to her, but she didn't get hit.

Kat waited until another gunfire exchange began before throwing the second cocktail.  She heard a scream the second time, but the gun shots continued.  

"That's right..." Kat muttered.  "Burn.  Either way it's swimming with the fishes for you, boys.."

She lit the third cocktail and released it towards the men on the dock.

The_Messiah couldn't help but seize his shooting as the dancing, red flames tore down from the black sky like an angel of death; onto the screaming workers below. The gunner whom he could just glimpse had managed to sustain his position through the burning and continued with his shooting.

"Tommy, see if you can sneak around the back with someone else while I cover you, if you can take out that gunner we can rush the bastards on the other side."

Not knowing whether Tommy heard him, he loaded his gun to full capacity and signalled to the four associates with him to do likewise. They waited silently to pour back their bullets in the blink of an eye.

"Got it!" Tommy dives from behind one crate to another,getting shot in the leg. "Fuck." He mutters to himself. He runs from crate to crate,dodging bullets. When he gets to a turn he goes left,he moves down to get behind the gunner when all of a sudden a 12 gauge wielding police officer rushed him.

"Put down your fucking gun!" He shouted at Tommy. "My partners are on their way! Get down!" He then said. "Piss off!" Tommy shoots him three times in the chest and picks up his weapon,he then goes back from where he came from.

"Boss,the police are here!" With that h turned to go back to his mission. He peeked behind a crate and was able to see the gunner firing at The_Messiah and the others. He needed his ammo for the police. This fucker can go down,combat style!

Tommy rushed,charging the gunner,but apearently one of The_Messiah's stray bullets came flying his way. He was hit in the chest. "Aghh!" Tommy shouted,the gunner looked behind to see Tommy squirming on the ground. While his back was turned from The_Messiah,the eager Boss didn't think twice about unloading a while clip into that fucker. When all of the firing stopped. Tommy managed to get up.

"Get shot boss. I think they get the point,what do you say we get the fuck out of here?"

Tommy barely finished his sentence as The_Messiah heard cars rolling up in the distance. The way the doors closed... the noisy banter... the loud footsteps.

Had to be the cops.

"OK lets move out."

Taking his gun he signalled for the other associates to fall back away from the gunfire. The squad raced around the corner, unsure of whether their allies were falling back too, when the police emerged on all sides with guns aimed high.

The associates reached for their arms but The_Messiah signalled for them to stop. The chief walked up. "Your alittle late, aren't you?"

"Yeah, we had some things to clear up for your boys- did you get the package?"

"Yes... now don't you think you had better get out before the big boys arrive- this shit is calling in more than the cops. For this shit your getting me into I want more pay."

 "Don't worry about that, a second package is on its way."

The Chief smiled smuggly, "I want more than our bargain when you get out of here!" He called, as the squad dissapeared through the maze of crates and out of site of the corrupt officers.

The_Messiah didn't need to give the order. They assembled into the cars and began driving round the block when the explosion happened. The_Messiah smiled,

"Well you certainly got more than you bargained for, cheif."

He checked his watch. The real boys would be down in a few minutes. Stop at the dock office to check they understood, or move out?

"It's up to you Bo-" Gunshots came flying at the car. "SHIT!" Tommy shouts as he reaches for the 12 Gauge he got off of the cop and aims it out the window. Bang! Bang! One of the cop cars crashed and flew into a nearby lake. "What the fuck?" The_Messiah shouts as he gets out his firearm.

"Kat! Have any more Molotovs?" Tommy asked. "Yeah!" She handed one to Tommy. Tommy lit up a match,used it to light his cigarette,then the Molotov. He tossed it out the window and sent the second car lighting up in flames. "What the fuck are we going to do?" Tommy asked,aiming his 12  gauge out the window,firing six more shots into the third car. When it went flying into a building,the group figured they were safe.

"I think that's it. Hey Kat,turn down that alleyway,shortcut." The_Messiah said. The group continued to drive for about another five minutes until the gunshots came flying out again. "Fuck! When will these guys give up?" Kat screamed as she made a sharp turn,sending Tommy flying through the open door that he was shooting out of. "Fuck! We gotta go get him!"

Kat slams on the brakes with another sharp turn of the wheel.  She knows her actions have thrown the people in the car around, but she knows there is only a short window of opportunity to take while their pursuers reload.  She hits the gas as hard as she can manage whizzing around several block and cutting corners without braking circling around as fast as she could manage.  She screech to a halt only momentss later, where Tommy had fallen out of the car. 

In a quick scan of the street she didn't see him.  "Shit!" Kat cursed under her breath. She saw a movement out of the corner of her eye.  Tommy had obviously rolled out and to safety behind the low brick wall that surrounded the terrace of a local restaurant. 

The cars were still in pursuit.  She could hear the screeching tires and the sound of another car crash.  She turned to one of the other associates in the back as she grabbed the bag of remaining Molotov cocktails.  "Drive!"

Kat managed to slide of the car and out of the way as the car sped away with the others inside.  She ran towards Tommy's cover nearly out of breath but her hand already on the lighter.  She hit the first car dead on as it sped past.  Tommy still had his 12 gauge and began firing  into the burning car despite his nasty tumble.  Kat didn't have time to ask him if he was okay...she continued lighting Molotovs. 

They hit the second cop car as well.  Both were burning steadily.  Kat could hear more sirens in the distance.  They needed to get moving...fast.  She turned to Tommy, "We've gotta get the hell out of here!  Fuck it...might as well steal a car. Can you run?  There's one we can take parked at the end of the block..."

"No!" The_Messiah called out as Kat leapt out, but she didn't hear him. The associate sped off as The_Messiah was about to take the wheel. There would be no point in turning back now- they would all die.

He turned back to see two police cars burst into flame and fly off the street, bullets whizzing from behind a wall that sank into the distance along with the commotion as the car tore down the highway.

"Now what the fuck do we do?"

"Yeah Kat,I can run.Let's go!" Tommy darted out from behind his cover and ran as fast as he could across the alleyway and dove behind a car,just dodging a bullet that he could feel whizzing past his ear. Once behind the car,Tommy got in,pressed on the gas,and jumped out.

"What the fuck!?" Kat shouted. But as the car sped through the alleyway to the enemies Tommy quickly grabbed on of he Molotovs and tossed it at the car,lighting up the alley. There were cries of pain and screwed up sirens. "There's another car over there." Tommy pointed to a Buick parked over in the dark. "Let's go."

Kat nodded and bolted for the other car.  She slid into the drivers side as Tommy got into the passengers side.  She had hit the gas and they were half down the street before he closed his door.  "I told the others to keep going, but we need to get back together with them so we can finish this--but there are damn police everywhere--"

Tommy nodded.  "There's a family safehouse not to far from here.  We check there for the others--first...then we take of the rest of our business."

When they arrived,Tommy told Kat,"Go into the safe house. I'm gonna get rid of the car There's a lake about a mile from here...I can walk back." He said. "Fuck that." Kat said and right then and there she took the car a block down from the safe house and Tommy heard a loud explosion. A few moments later,Kat returned.

"There we go. Let's get in the house." Kat said,leading the way.

When Tommy walked in,it was pitch black,the only light came from Tommy's lighter as he lit up a cigarette. "Kat. Is there a light switch anywh-" Flip. The lights turned on. "Okay. Kat. I'm think I have some glass and other Rubble in my leg and thigh. Think you can get it out?" Tommy asked. "Yeah." She said as she tossed Tommy a flask of whiskey. "Thanks. I'll need it."