Tammy felt comfortable again. Though the event currently sweeping Las Vegas by Godmother Lillith had made her feel almost liberated from her daily grind, she was happy to be in her comfortable attire once more. The pencil, off shoulder dress lay in a crumpled heap in the corner of the tavern and she now floated around in a lacy white blouse and he favorite skirt. Dresses were too formal, she felt like she had been making a statement above her worth. Her hair was still perfectly permed, the chaotic curls bouncing off her shoulders and she pranced around. 

With a heave she brought two buckets of sediment through the double doors and out onto the sidewalk, where there appeared to be a discussion taking place. She listened for a moment, until one of the figures shrugged his shoulders and looked impassively through the others.

"It's just business" He muttered, drawing on a cigarette.

"What is?"

She soon realised she had questioned the private conversation which a group of important looking mafioso had been having between themselves. Her brow raised and she smiled stupidly. They observed her for a few moments, most likely unsure how to react.

"Our business?" 

She finally quipped, taking note to praise her quick thinking at a later date.

"What exactly is our business? We move product from city to city, grow old and talk shite in the streets, but what is the purpose of it all?"

She considered her words for a moment, either building confidence in her approach to the men, or giving a good impression of it. She stood next to them and leaned back on a nearby street light. She rolled her neck back so her head met the metal and rested, still looking up at the men.

"That's probably not what I mean. What I mean is, what is our business, what brings in the most profit? What is our most valuable commodity? Where do we achieve the most?

"What do we kill for, what are we protectin'?"

She watches them, her eyes flickering between each one. Her brow raises once more.

"I have me' own opinions, however I'd like ta' hear your own, first."

Business scandals?

"Dear Tammy, it's always a pleasure to find you here on the Streets, and I think it's a poignant question that you ask. A question that I fear too many may have the wrong answer to, I must admit, but whether they wish to believe that or not I have little time for. Our most valued commodity, beyond time itself of course, is knowledge."

"Knowledge is power, information is liberating and education is the premise of progress, in every society and every Family."

Smiling broadly, Tammy approaches Punk and greets him with a nod. 

"Ah, Punk, it's good ta' see you out here again. You're becomin' one of the voices I'm keen to hear these days. Your opinions are never veiled or false.

"In a way, your answer is in the same vein as my own idea of what our business is, what we primarily work to achieve. Knowledge is key to reachin' tha' top of this life and stayin' there. Experience is a valued asset. Though it's not what I would immediately lean toward when I speak of our 'business'."

She looks around the streets, in hopes of finding some other fresh opinions on the topic. There were new faces in many of the operations these days, and it would be an ideal opportunity for them to get involved in a small time discussion such as this.

"Let's see who else we can tempt out, hey?"

Pollution was passing through the Street when he noticed the young TabithaGato in her usual stance - questioning the masses. He stood and listened. Often, he found himself too busy to stop and share his opinions, which was a shame. So today, he made sure he found time. 

He made his way toward TabithaGato, embracing and greeting her before speaking,

"Good to see you out here, Tammy! I always enjoy hearing what you have to say. What is my valuable commodity, you ask? Why do I kill, why do I protect? Well, that's easy - I do it for my lineage!"

Pollution takes a moment, flicking his cigarette to the drain before continuing,

"My forefathers worked very hard for the respect they have today - the same respect I have inevitably had passed on to me. There was a time when they had no respect - there was even a time when they were looked badly upon! It took a lot to come back from that. They spent countless hours earning the respect my lineage has today and that is exactly what I find myself not only protecting, but building upon everyday. That's why I wake up every morning, put on my best suit and work hard. That, in my opinion, is the most valuable commodity any one of us can have in this world of ours."

Pollution smiles. Although his speech was brief, he was happy and content with what he'd shared.

Deviate never really walked the streets with ears open. ​​​​He preferred to keep to himself on most occasions but there was a familiar voice ringing in the back of his mind. Where was it coming from, and how did he know that voice?

Then he remembered a night in his funeral parlor and the voice became clear as day. Finding the woman, he decided to partake in the conversation.

"I apologize if I am speaking out of place, but when people speak of these things it seems so linear. Everyone brings up power, respect, and honor. But, over the years I have questioned those answers for many reasons. Saving you all an earful, I will add my two cents as short and sweet as possible..."

Taking a long drag off of a Lucky Strike, Deviate sighed...

"I am a simple man, and I always have been. But this little thing of ours isn't just a business so to speak, It is but simply all we know."

"For many people, their business isn't something they can name. It isn't to achieve great power or even to be respected, but it simply all they know. They try to relive the memories and experiences they have had in the past, or in their mind, the memories and experiences they have always wanted to create."

"Many bloodlines have been on these shores for generations, and they just wish to fill a void that is left in them when they depart them."

Sounding like a rambling fool, Deviate put out his cigarette and sat down on a nearby bench.

"For me it's all about keeping myself above water, I put my time in where I can to help run errands around the cities, I talk to strangers, try and make a quick deal, I'll pop down the town to see if anyone is about to make a quick buck, yeah sometimes it's nasty work and people get hurt but we gotta make ends meet and it's a dog eat dog world out here, and im famished."

Donnie shrugs

Marijuana had been sitting on a curb. He glared out into the busy streets, watching the people go past him. Until they started to form a group. Being real nosey, he made his way over to them.

"I gotta' say, this is a good question your asking here Tabitha. I see our business as another type of industrial of other nine to five jobs. We almost do the civs a favor by only killing those that deserve it and are a part of this thing of ours. Any others, are just another liability and case we just don't need. On top of that, we do differ a lot from our counter-parts in the old country. 

Their rules are more stricter and brutal then ours. One thing I think we did good with is the drug world. Movin' product across country is by far the most money making thing we got going for us. While the Sicilians don't touch this aspect. 

So, I guess you can say we are more in it for the money. Which is exactly what we are protecting. Our money operations. We have the same American dream as the civs do, we just achieve it in another way. "

Tenley had been lingering around to listen to the conversation that was taking place. She was always interested in hearing what other people had to say. As she brushed the red strands of hair that had fallen into her face, she thought things through for herself.

"Honestly, I think this is a wonderful topic for discussion. Personally I feel, like Punk, that knowledge is one of the best valued commodities. However, I would like to go so far as to suggest that perhaps loyalty is even more powerful of a commodity. You could have all the knowledge in the world, but if you don't have individuals that are loyal to you, then what really could you pull off?

I believe loyalty and Knowledge would go hand in hand as the most valuable commodities."

Beaming with pride and appreciated, Tammy listened to the discussions taking place. The comments and opinions painted a wonderful picture of the passion people had for open debate and the topic drew differing views from across the country. She nodded in agreement to the words being spoken, then opted to reintroduce herself to the discussion.

"Respect, loyalty, integrity... All valid and acceptable beliefs as ta' what we mean by 'Strictly Business', and if I might add another consideration to any who may not have already done so... this is a phrase which ninety ninety perfect of tha' time is used when we justify murder."

She steps back once more, opening the floor again.

"Any thoughts on that?"

Rarely is murder just 'strictly business'. There's always something else involved and more often than not, that something else is ego. It's easy to pull the trigger after all and it's a lot harder to reach rational understanding. Yet, in this world we live in, we assign more status to the one that pulls the trigger. We assign more strength to the one with the brawn. To one that can throw their weight around. To those that can silence their critics with a sign of power and not necessarily intellect.

For this reason, murder will more often than not, be tied to ego. How many conflicts in our world could be resolved by talking and by understanding someone else's grievances, but aren't? Did my father need to die, because of the ilosated actions of those above him? Was that just 'business' or a show of power? And how often have we seen such a response?

Labeling murder as 'strictly business' is an easy way out and it's often an excuse.

James was handling his business and stopped to listen for a moment to hear what Tabitha had to say. It was a very interesting topic that was brought up and James gave it some thought before voicing his opinion. 

"What is our business?" he repeated to himself as he thought about it.

"Well as was previously stated before, and I have to say I agree with it. The greatest commodity anyone can bring is knowledge. It is everything. I would venture to say that everyones idea of what our business is, varies from person to person. Every family has a "legit" business that we would hope keeps the cops not on our payroll looking the other direction."

James pauses for a moment and then continues

"Murder, drug dealing, and prostitution rings, robbing banks and such, and theft are all things that make us money on the side and allow us to flex our muscles when someone rubs us the wrong way. With that said, I believe murder should be a last resort. All other options should be exhausted before we bring out the street howitzers and six shooters. Murder is bad for business, but alas, sometimes a necessary part of it."

James lights up a smoke...

"Loyalty, Honor, integrity, personal courage, duty and respect: Those are the essential personality traits that makes or breaks a family. Each person always brings something unique to their respective families and each thing that a member brings, be it hitting, earning or both, boils down to one or all of those traits I have named. Those traits are the foundation of a successful family. Sometimes you find that rare individual with all those traits and others possess only a couple. But the differences in what each member brings to the table is what makes each family unique."

"Punk, I thought my words might get misunderstood. I mean the phase, 'It's strictly business', is used primarily ta' justify a murder, or take down. Not that every murder or take down are related to tha' business efforts.

"Mista James, it's good to see ya'. I like your perspective on the question, the fundamentals of our world are indeed a valuable commodity, and like the answer initially submitted by Punk, yours is very much close to what I see as our 'business'."

Tammy smiles and waits for any further comments, before approaching James and taking the smoke from his fingers. She draws on the cigarette and inhales deeply, allowing the following release to hit her like liquor in a sailors belly. She blows a column of smoke away from them and hands it back, nodding a grateful thanks.

"The way I see it, our business is people. Be it people with tha' right knowledge, abilities, attitude, as you both have alluded to, or tha' new, keen and confused individuals who are unloaded onto our shores on a daily basis. People who build devastatin' skill with a firearm or bring millions into the operation. People who are experienced and knowledgeable, who know the role of a protection shooter, are cut from the cloth our upper structures are made of or know the approach to deploy when recrutin'.

"Bodies on tha' ground are our most important asset, and these are not limited to our earners, our hit men, our pro-shooters an' button men. People are what keep our world turnin', so we all have a responsibility ta' protect that business. That's what makes tha' long runnin' regimes we see with the likes of age old Godmothers and fathers so important, since they provide stability.

"Stability in which we can develop our people, introduce 'dem into a time of peace and calm so that they can learn the way of the world. In my eyes, that's a bonafide justification for actin' ta' protect the biggest and most influential regimes, to maintain stability. Durin' that time, people grow, learn, develop. Our community swells and we flourish. One day, it'll all come tumblin' down and those people will be able ta' come back with a strong foundation in which ta' build on.

She wanders in a small circle through the group of people, eventually ending up back where she started, idly kicking at the garbage lining the street.

"So when we see cities fall by tha' hand of the bigger power and the victims kin bleat cries of oppression an' disorder, you'll know what the aggressor means when they say it's 'Strictly Business.'"