First word: Rot. Last word: Terrible. If this is the last post then the last word is: Rot.

"Rot." GlennCullen said his face almost as devoid of emotion as the corpse he was peering at "fucking stinks too" he added, rather needlessly in Lucius' opinion, as they were less than a foot apart and inhaling the same bile-inducing stench.

"Rotten actually, Glenn, but yes....stinks...as you say" Lucius spat, distastefully. It didn't do to have a simpleton for a second in command but despite his best efforts he had never been able to find someone with the umbrella-carrying skills of Mr Cullen so they were seemingly stuck together for the foreseeable future.

"Who do you reckon it was?" Glenn asked, no longer interested in the corpse and instead deciding this to be an opportune moment to noisily rummage around the apartment for things worth stealing. 

"Well if I knew that, Glenn, would you and I have come all the way out here?" Lucius said, quickly becoming exasperated. In fairness, it was as much to do with the situation as it was to do with the ineptitude of his number 2. Here he was, Don of Summerlin, one of the most powerful men in the Las Vegas, and undoubtedly the most handsome, stuck on the third floor of the Sweet Towers building, examining the decomposing cadaver of Scipio.  

"Was only asking" Glenn said, a little huffily leafing through the stack of Woman's Weekly magazines Scipio kept on his dressing table before popping one into his jacket pocket.

"Yes, well...never mind that now." said Lucius, nudging Scipio's bloated belly with his foot "clearly he's been dead for awhile, but who would have the bollocks to clip one of our guys, in my building?"

"Tough one, boss. Reckon he'd mind if I took a couple of his suits with us? He had a fetching pinstripe one that would look lovely on me."

Lucius sighed and rubbed at his temples "finnnnne. Take whatever you like, but be fucking quick about it. I want to be at Disappointment Burger to see Camp in an hour"

"You fucking what?" Glenn shouted, throwing the salmon suit trousers he was eyeing up onto the floor "I don't want to go to that shithole!" 

"I know you don't. I don't. Nobody fucking does!" Lucius hissed, his patience finally giving out "But we don't have a choice. That's where Camp will be. Which means that's where Fitz will be. WHICH MEANS THAT IS WHERE WE NEED TO BE! GET IT?!"

Glenn picked up the trousers, slung them over his shoulder and retrieved Lucius' umbrella from the where it rested against the door frame "well, obviously." he said, opening the door.

Breathe, Lucius told himself. Just breathe. "Thank you." He snarled through clenched teeth.

The pair left Scipio's apartment without any further conversation; Lucius hating everyone and everything and Glenn delighted with his haul. Their driver was waiting for them and the car sped across town. The roads were quiet at this time of night and Lucius slowly felt the tension that was clutching his spine slowly start to dissipate. Someone had pulled the trigger on Scipio, which, granted, was a sad turn of events, but was also borderline euthanasia at this point, so maybe it was just a random thug trying their luck. Scipio was into all sorts of nutty shit too, so it could easily have been a spurned lover from his line dancing class.

"We're here, boss" the driver said, snapping Lucius out of his reverie. Glenn had opened his door and was standing there waiting for him, umbrella unfurled. At least he was good for something, Lucius thought as he made his way out. 

"See!" Lucius said triumphantly, pointing towards the illuminated Disappointment Burger "the lights are on, they are already here!"

"Fine. You were righ-" Glenn started to say, but his calm tone quickly evaporated and he dropped Lucius' umbrella. "FIRE!!!!!!!!" he screamed, breaking in to a run.

Lucius felt the icy grip of terror envelop him. It wasn't the glow of electricity he had seen from the street, someone had set Disappointment Burger on alight.

"GLENN! WAIT!" Lucius yelled, but his right hand man was nearly at the door. He half turned, realising too late what Lucius knew. This wasn't a chance blaze. This was a bombing.

The world cracked.

Lucius was on the ground. He couldn't hear anything over the riot in his head. He tried to stand, but his legs weren't listening to him. All he could feel was smoke; it burned his eyes, his ears, his throat, choking him. He thought he could hear someone calling him, but he couldn't make sense of the words. He wondered who was inside. Camp? Fitz? Diorder? He didn't know. Maybe he was the last member of The Farseers left. 

As he lay on the sidewalks, halfway between death and a Disappointment Burger, he swore he would find whoever was responsible. And his revenge would be terrible.

First word: Terrible. Last word: Unaccountable. If this is the last post then the last word is: Rot.

"Terrible. This whole idea of traveling around the streets looking for something to do seems terrible now that I think about it."  Shantelle was muttering to herself as she wandered the streets looking for a place to eat. She was a little but away from Disappointment Burger when she heard the explosion and soon saw the evidence of a bombing.

"Oh my god!" She stated to a civilian passing her by.

"We need to check that out."  She started to run towards it. She knew her Lucius was supposed to be meeting some people at the Disappointment Burger and all that chaos was coming from there. She started to run faster, slowing to take in the vehicle that was outside of the building. As it dawned on her  that it was the car her boss took to get around the city she began to shout out his name.

"Lucius! Where the hell are you?" She repeated this a few times. Glenn! He was supposed to be with him. Changing her tactic she began to shout for him. She was still gazing at the building and started to move around it looking for something. Anything that would help her find her boss. She was at the back of the building, as she turned the east corner of the restaurant. As she neared the front she saw a body laying there.

Shantelle closed her eyes for a moment and prayed that it wasn't a dead body that she was going to be approaching. Nervous, and shaking she approached the body. It was Lucius. Leaning forward she checked his pulse. Satisfied he was still alive she began to look around for help. There were some people standing nearby and she rushed over to them.

"Did you see what happened?" She asked. They just shook their heads at her. She wasn't sure if they were hurt but they seemed healthy enough to at the very least help her out.

"That man that is laying there, do you see him? Drag him further away from the building. Now. I need to look around for someone else."She waited long enough to ensure that they did as she asked before treading closer to the front of the building where she thought she had seen another victim closer to the doors.

Preparing herself for the heat she would feel from the fire she moved in closer. Cringing as she could feel the hairs on her skin burning from the heat. Spotting Glenn she could see the burns he had and quickly grabbed him. Adrenaline was pumping through her as she grabbed his arms and began to pull him back. It was a very slow process as she wasn't as strong as the men but she managed to drag him far enough back to get some help from the people standing and watching around the scene. She motioned for a nearby group to help pick him up and move him so he was next to Lucius.

Satisfied they were far enough back to wait for help she tried to find someone from the family to lend a hand while she muttered to herself, "This can't be left with whoever being unaccountable."

First word: Unaccountable. Last word: Tedious. If this is the last post then the last word is: Rot.

Unaccountable.  That's me thought Shaggy, doing up his fly.  At least he'd finished before that ridiculously loud bang.  Oh well, guess I'd better see what it's about.  It sounded like it came from that shithole burger place.  Hopefully they've forgotten they banned me after that incident.

Shaggy made his way through the streets, keeping a weather eye on the area behind him.  That's where it usually came from.

Whoa!  What's that smell?  Those goddam burgers are smelling worse than usual.  Far out!  Chicken?  Those morons usually only used rats.  Something strange is going on.  Shaggy picked up the pace a little.

Turning the corner he saw that those idiots had set their own grill on fire and was chuckling away when he noticed bodies.  Crap.  Pulling out his .45, he rushed over to see what was happening.

Shantelle was in a sorry state, weeping and sniffling, but she was cradling the boss's head in her lap.  She looked up, "He's breathing" she sniffed.  "Check on Glenn".  That tub of lard was looking well fried, but his chest was moving up and down.  I dragged him further out into the street by his ankles, careful not to damage anything precious.  Then I looked around for some water to put on him.  Hang on....no, not that.  Shaggy rushed into the nearby Italian delicatessen and came running back out with a bucket which he poured over Glenn.

At that moment, Shantelle called him back over, "yo, Shaggy - Glenn says to drop that shit and see if Fitz is inside".  Muttering under his breath, Shaggy pulled off Glenn's suit jacket, soaked it in what was left of the water and put it over his head.  He ran into the burning burger joint, the flames smaller now that the initial force of the explosion had dissipated, and checked.....no, a fat bastard with strange orange skin, cop, banker...no stand up guys here.  hang on - what are those feet? - ah just a lawyer.  He ran back out - "No, Boss.  No one important inside."  

"He says let Fitz and the guys know what's happened".  

Shaggy ran over to the phone booth and put a call into the small Mexican restaurant where the guys usually hung out.  They weren't into the food but liked its strong walls.  The phone was picked up and the place transformed from sleepy pueblo to a frenzied anthill.  The elite team of mobsters ran around, bumping into each other, dropping guns and swearing until they all managed to get outside and pile into the enormous Lagonda.  Or almost all in - a couple on the running boards and one hanging on to the trunk.  It went fishtailing down the street and squealed round the corner.  Or screeched, rather.  Gangsters don't squeal.

There was no answer from Fitz's, so Shaggy flew out of the box and disappeared up the street as though all the monsters of Spooky Swamp were after him.  He tucked his testicles comfortably under his y-fronts to help with the aerodynamics.   As he came within sight of Fitz's HQ, the front blew out in another explosion as he saw a black car with pink rims hightail it up the street.  Crap, thought Shaggy, puffing but definitely not out of condition, this is getting a little tedious.

First word: Tedious. Last word: Square. If this is the last post then the last word is: Rot.

Tedious, that is what this job was as the Cyborg awoke from her silent state. She heard explosions all around definitely not what she had signed up for but a Cyborg had to do their job. As she gathered herself and ran out of her home to find out what was going on she saw Shaggy down the street and it seemed like he could use some help.

Cyborg ran as fast as she could down the block and almost ran into him as she was not able to stop herself in time. She looked at him and said "Shaggy, what the hell is going on, I heard weeping and explosions, is Fitz alright? Have we heard anything from him?" Shaggy looked at the Cyborg with a funny look on his face and said "Pink car." He was almost gasping for air at this point. She looked at him and said "A pink what?" "A pink car." He yelled. 

The Cyborg was faster than Shaggy and as she heard the squeal of tires coming around the corner she pushed Shaggy down and just barely moved out of the way as the car had tried to attempt to finish the job and take out the witnesses. It started again back down the street realizing it had failed to finish the job. The Cyborg looked back towards Shaggy and said "Find out what happened to Fitz, I will go after the car, they will not get away with this."

After that was said the Cyborg chased after the car running behind its tail for quite a few blocks, the best thing the Cyborg had right now is the fact that it was able to do things normal humans were not able to do. She grabbed onto the tail of the car and attempted to slow it down. It was working but not quite as well as she had hoped. She hung onto it with all of her power until she was able to get the car tires to squeal but it was not enough. She fell off of the back of the car and rolled around a couple times until she was able to regain her standing balance.

She huffed and continued the pursuit, but when she found the car again it was stopped in front of what looked like an abandoned warehouse. She looked around for signs of where she could possibly be and as she looked up there was a sign that said "Welcome to Venice Beach." She looked back and mumbled under her breath "Shit, she said." She understood it now, Venice Beach is where some of the Pink Possies were located, the car now makes complete sense but why attack Fitz's Headquarters? Surely there was more to this.

She did not know anything about this place but she knew she could not do this alone. She found a telephone a half mile away from where the warehouse was located. She called back to the Headquarters and said "We have a problem out here, we need backup, get word back to Fitz and Disorder that we are getting attacked by the Pink Possie. They will not get away with this, we will pound them until their heads turn square."

First word: Square. Last word: Tangy. If this is the last post then the last word is: Rot.

This evening, like many other evenings, I spent in a comfortable square shaped sofa. This sofa was often the scene of me halfsleeping my way through some horrible home made shit GlennCullen was handing out to everyone every chance he got. It was truly horrible but served its purpose well. It was during times like this the mind wandered and you could forget all the blood, sweat and tears that otherwise filled this old gangster’s days. Of innocent times if such ever existed.

I had always been a bit hyper active, it was one of the trades that made life both hard and easy. I would always get things done but could rarely focus on one thing at the time. It was also one of the trades that made me go into the life of crime at a very young age. The doctors quite early took an interest as these symptoms were an indication of a newly discovered mental disorder affecting the impulses of subjects. A British doctor called it a defect of moral control and treated it with amphetamines. The doctors who took care of me really wanted to try it out and sent loads my way. Me being the sucker for money started to sell it rather then use it, which spiraled into a world of violence.

It wasn’t until an old man called MonsterHair took me under his wing and brought me into the Farseers family that my almost deadly destructive behavior took a turn for the better. I got a hobby. Being of Swedish decent, famous people like Mr. Nobel had always intrigued me. Creating a tool for destruction then calling it a tool for peace was something I never understood. So I started experimenting with dynamite and which components who would make it better and give a bigger bang. One time when I accidently closed the door to harsh, a room of the HQ completely blew out and I got some nasty scars but that was nothing compared to the scolding the LuciusSweets gave me. I feared for my life but ended up just switching locations to an old storage outside of The Strip.

The phone started ringing loudly and I woke up with a bang spilling GlennCullens crappy liquor on the floor. It was Shaggy informing the HQ about the recent events.

“Lucius is down but breathing, Shantelle is weeping, GlennCullen pissed himself.” The young man mumbled hastily. “I’m going to Fitz to inform those lazy ass fuckers”.

I felt the pulse beating heavily and a heart that wanted to escape the ribcage. The anger came and I knew I had to fight it in order to be useful. I jumped into the newly bought Studebaker and was on my way to the scene, when a crazy thought hit me. If Gleen was alive so close to the blast it must have been some faulty explosives in use. What if it was my experimental dynamite? I raced to the storage facility and was surprised to see that it was up in flames. I found an old man sitting on a safe distance weeping and complaining to himself.

“My life’s work gone. Whatever am I going to do now?”

“What happened?” I asked sturdily

The old man looked at me with a puzzled face. He seemed surprised and tried to figure out what to say or not so I showed him the piece I had in my right hand and he started talking right away.

“Some guys came around a few hours ago shooting up the place looking in some of the storage rooms. I got scared and hid in a closet. But they were searching for something. When they found it they raced out of here but making sure they set the place on fire before.” The man said whimpering

“Did you recognize any of them?”

“No, I have no idea who they were. Complete strangers. Though one of them had a scar covering big parts of the left side of his face.”

I said thank you, gave the poor man a few dollars, before speeding of to the crime scene. I found them all as Shaggy had said, Lucius in poor Shantelle’s lap and Glenn in his puddle of pee. I nodded to Shantelle to help me get the men into the car and turned the wheels towards the HQ. We half-carried them into  the office and sat them down. I told them everything I had found out during my trip to the outside of Las Vegas and heard the chuckling voice of Lucius.

“I knew you were going to be the end of us. It’s just fortunate you’re so bad at what you’re doing and that we’re still drawing breathe.”

The phone started ringing again. Everyone in the room jump a little in their seat but as Lucius answered they all stiffed up again. When Cyborg told the old Don what was happening the murder in his eyes were to take serious and as always the notion of killing always gave me that tangy sensation in the mouth.

First word: Tangy. Last word: Flowers. If this is the last post then the last word is: Rot.

"So I said 'tangy? That's one word for it. But shit is probably a more appropriate one!!" and the place erupted in laughter, boss. I swear. Scipio loved it most of all, he was banging the table with his meaty fists and everything!" Reginald finishes, leaning close to his injured Don. The blaze from Disappointment Burger had wreaked havoc on the Don's famous spiked haircut but otherwise he didn't seem to be in too bad condition, considering what he had been through.

"But Reginald, you said this was only yesterday?" 

"Yes boss, it was" Reginald answered quite confused by the Don's question.

"I saw Scipio's corpse, Reg. It couldn't have only been yesterday it was bloated and rotting!"

Reginald scrunched up his face puzzled, then couldn't help but smile.

"Er, when did you last see Scipio, boss? He's been pretty much a walking corpse for months now. Maybe he just looked worse than you remembered?"

Lucius didn't answer straight away but Reginald thought he had convinced him he was telling the truth. He was glad about that because it was a dangerous time right now and nobody wanted to be accused of bending the truth at a moment like this. Eventually, Lucius gave a weary nod and signalled for GlennCullen to come near to him. Luckily, Glenn had now changed his pants.

"So you're sure, Reg, that Camp really didn't take this well?" Lucius asked him, anger still in his tired eyes.

"Yes boss, he was the only one not laughing. He got that fake smile he does where he pretends to be happy, but I could tell he wasn't. I could tell he was pissed...but...you don't think?"

Reginald broke off part way through his sentence because he couldn't quite bring himself to think that what the Don was saying to him was true.

"But what about the pink car that Cyborg tailed? What about it heading to LA?"

"No, Reg. Camp drives a pink car, remember? He said he likes the way the boys wink at it. And Camp has a condo for his seamen friends out in Venice Beach doesn't he Glenn?"

Glenn's face was steel but he gave a tight nod, reaching the same conclusion as their Don.

"So you think Camp...Camp staged all this? Just to get back at Scipio for dissing on his burgers? Surely he wouldn't do that!!"

Lucius gave a big sigh and a few of his minders came close checking he was ok. He waved them off before continuing.

"I don't think you realise just how vain and petty Camp is, Reg. I've seen him kill for far, far less than insulting his burger babies!"

Reginald couldn't believe it. Camp had been like a brother to him, a really fat and precious brother, but a brother all the same. But he knew now what must be done.

"So we gotta get Camp now, right?"

Lucius nodded and was about to say something when Reginald interrupted him...

"Boss hold on, why would Camp blow up his own place if he loved it so much, that doesn't make any sense!"

anibas looked a little sheepish and began to explain to Reginald that Camp had probably been storing her stolen dynamite in Disappointment Burger and hadn't meant to blow it up at all. It was just a happy coincidence that his life's work had gone up in smoke along side hers. Reginald allowed himself a small smile.

"Maybe I'll buy him some flowers when this all over...for his grave" 

First word: Flowers. Last word: Science. If this is the last post then the last word is: Rot.

"Silence!" Lucius shouted at the now crestfallen Camp, who's mammoth bulk was tied to the tiny chair, the flowers on his shirt even looking sad.. 

"But Lucius! You didn't hear what those bastards were saying about Disappointment Burger! It was fucking hideous!!"

JimThurber watched the exchange in awe. These were some of the biggest and baddest mobsters from across the city assembled in front of him and here he was, a little Wise Guy trying to make a name for himself getting to witness the whole damn thing. He tried to look tough and fit in with the great and the good gathered around him. He turned up the collar on his jacket and gently fingered the grip of his piece that was housed there.

"That's no excuse, Camp. No fucking excuse at all! You killed Scipio!!" 

Jim thought he saw something inside Camp break just then and his huge shoulders slumped forward and his pink handkerchief dangled limply from his pocket.

"He was almost dead already" Camp mumbled

"What did you say?!" 

Lucius was all poorly controlled rage and it looked to Jim like it was all he could do to keep himself from hitting Camp right there and then. GlennCullen looked just as angry, his hair and eyebrows mostly singed off from the flames.

Camp seemed to discover some of his own anger in the face of the Lucius' and snapped back.

"I said that Scipio was virtually dead already. Have you seen him lately? No. Me neither. That guy has been suckling at the teat for so long nobody even noticed that he was dying. I don't know from what. Cancer? Maybe? Laziness absofuckinglutely!!"

Jim was shocked at Camp's outburst and he didn't really know how to react. He just stood there dumbfounded as GlennCullen snarled something incomprehensible and charged towards the fallen RHM of Paradise, yelling BASTAAAAAAAAAAAARD!! at the top of his lungs. 

He was restrained before he could reach him but Camp had flinched back several feet and nearly toppled the chair over.

"No!" Lucius shouted "He isn't worth it Glenn. Don't hurt yourself and this waste of space. He's a traitor. And he'll definitely be hurting over the Disappointment Burger blowing up. Isn't that right, Camp? Did you know that your pride and joy was dust?"

Camp let out a wail of pure anguish and strained at his bonds, thrashing so much Jim thought he might break free so he stepped forward and landed a mighty blow with the handle of his gun right into Camp's forehead, sending him crashing back to reality.

Lucius looked at him a little surprised but then gave a tight smile. Glenn did the same.

"I think our man Jim here has the right idea, Glenn. What do you think?"

"Absolutely boss"

Camp looked from one to the other, blood streaming down his face from the wound that Jim Thurber had just created.

"No guys, wait! I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen! I didn't mean for any of this to happen! PLEASE!!!"

But there was no mercy in the eyes of anyone in the room, only anger. They all waited for Lucius to give the order and their Don gave the bastard in front of him one last piece of his mind as they all leveled their guns at the traitor in front of them.

"I loved you, Camp. But your burgers were shit. I hope you rot*".

Amen recognized the familiar calm silence as he grips his 1934 issued beretta. The deadening silence was all around. It provided a sense of calmness right before the calamity and chaos soon to partake. A combination of emotions began to emerge than evaporate. A combination he hadn't experienced much of since the last "great war". Amen had gotten clearance from one of his old battle buddies, Sal. Sal and Amen remained in touch, though now on opposite sides of the law. As a detective for the F.B.I. Sal had proven to be an invaluable asset to Amen's operations assisting him from time to time with information on local drug safe houses and prices. Sal hated to assist Amen, however being indebted internally to the multiple occasions on which Amen saved his life couldn't ignore his plea for assistance. Hey you old fucker! 

Amen greeted his former battle-buddy. Who in the last few years stomach had begun to protrude increasingly past his waistline. A feature keen to someone trained extensively in the art of attention to detail. Amen was meeting the cheery "red cheeked" official outside of a safe house known to be occupied by a rival family. The fat man chuckled. Amen it is time for business! I'm only here to show you the location from here on out you'll have to handle business yourself! Amen gives a nod of understanding. He exits his partners oldsmobile. And listens to the engine die off in the distance. When the coast his clear he motions to the four idle figures hiding in plain sight behind the dumpster. The figures consists of LuciusSweet, GlenCullen,Kinoko, and Kevin.  The five exchange glances as very few words are shared! Amen takes the lead into their destination. He kicks in the backdoor of the shabby dimly lit three story building. 

Amen is greeted by the startled eyes of some dullish grim looking fellow. He pistol whips the stool pidegeon into submission. putting him in a psuedo choke hold. Amen begins to progress further into the building. Shooting his way through room after room alongside his fellow mafioso. Utilizing the now bullet riddled fool as a meat shield. The group advances as far as the third floor before encountering a flower with a note.