Capo II

 I started in my seat as I felt a hand on each shoulder, pushing me gently but firmly back into my chair. The two men who searched me.

Capo chuckled at my discomfort. I could have bluffed if I hadn't broke character damn it damn it...

Frank was shattered, all around me, leaving Rachael exposed. I was alone. I was unarmed.

"You are wondering how I knew, I assume?"

I said nothing.




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Maurice talking to Rachael in the parking lot outside High School. It had been a bad day at play practice. Rachael had to ask for the script too many times. Had forgotten her lines one too many times. Maurice crouched down next to her, smiles and said: "Sometimes when you forget your lines...just go with the flow. Improvise. It'll work itself out."

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"Frank has not been seen anywhere for the last twelve years. When I did a little research, it was easy to see he had never existed. Not even as a dead man. The police would not try something like this. They know better than to whip up someone out of nothing. So it was something else. Someone else."

He smirked as he sipped at his wine. "You think I am a fool, you think I am some comic-book villian like the others? No, I am a Capo first, an Agent second and it is why in a city with men like Eternity I am allowed to live. I am an Earner. I feed this organization, I keep us armed. I keep the police off our backs and give us the cover that we need. I check everything. It took me a day to realize my old commrade was dead. Why would you kill him? Why would an inside kill him? Because they are a loose cannon acting alone."

I shifted. Not nervous, not yet. I had obviously underestimated this man. But if he kept talking, my opening would come. He was a monologuer. I'd let him go until he stopped.

"That left us with a few options, and left me to search for a modus operandi. Two dead people in my organization, slowly moving up the scale. Both killed by knives. The first operating near the Chelsea district. This lead me to investigate gangs, but of course the m13 and the Kings are busy with each other right now, the Italians are too underground to bother with us and those Eastern Europe fucks are too busy fighting the bloods over crack these days to give a fuck. No, this was someone who knew what we really were. Runners, then. But who would be enough of a monster to mutilate a man where it hurts? He had a family, by the way. A son. Just turned ten."

I wouldn't let him worm his way into me. I wouldn't-

"And so we narrowed our search. And found out about a rouge proxy who operated in that area, preferred our side of the bay, and had recently switched sides." Capo's shit eating grin stretched all across his face. "Really, Rachael. Tom Waits is rather overrated."

He leaned back in his chair. "So now, I am left to wonder about you. Why did no organization recruit you? Is it because of your insanity, or because of how useless you are? Or perhaps it is becaus eof what really happened that night twelve years ago, mmm?"

"Shut up you don't know about that."

"Ahh, but I read the reports myself. I have a man in the department. Interesting stuff. But I am not a cruel man. What do you have to say for yourself?"

The men slowly drew lethal looking pistols, their other hand still holding me into the chair. Keeping me there. Trapped.

I looked at Capo. Not as myself. As a femme fatale. Walking trouble. TheMobMollThe nine inch heels the cigarette holder leaking smoke. The cherry lips. "what a quaint little resturaunt. Are these windows bulletproof?"

Capo laughed. "What a bizzare question, my dear."

"Well, you see, darling, I've been driving around town shooting at all the M13 boys cars with the vehicle parked right out front. Mmm, and ah miiiiiiiiiiight have shot up the Latin Kings' crack den before coming here. Just to even things out."

The blood drained from Capo's face. Suddenly, he realized my plan. I hadn't planned on killing him myself. My plan was to drag his little empire into a war with the other gangs of Union City. What better way to fight the proxy organization than to crush it against people who were just as bad?

"Kill her, kill her now. We can't have them know she was here."

The gentlemen went for their guns as the first shots broke the glass.

I reached into my pants and from right up against my crotch I pulled out my switchblade- who feels up a man there, and who suspects the buldge to be anything else?

I sliced the arm of the first man in the panic, causing him to drop his gun. I dove for it as the bullets began to fill the room. I fired at the second and began to run for it. I got clipped twice, once in the side, grazing me, knocking me over. the other in the arm. Idropped Maurice's knife. It was left in the fight, but I made it out the back.



I tossed off the suitcoat. Let my arm breathe. breathe, breathe. shot the next man to come through the door and started to run. I stole one of their cars and drove.

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My home is on fire. it's not safe for me to be here now  i have nothing left

but hate and a desire to end this



I'm leaving the city I do not know where I am going




i still dont feel better