Luciel J. Lavandou ft. John Wolf
John sat in the passenger side of the cab occasionally glancing over at Maxxy while he cleaned his pistols.
Brrrrrr - - - - Brrrrrrr - - - - Brrr - BeepThe wolf hitman felt his phone vibrate and placed Cujo and Old Yeller on his lap before retrieving it from his coat pocket. John frowned at the name of the caller but answered nonetheless.
âJohn...Youâre needed.â He glanced over to Maxxy and then to the outside world.
âWell currently Iâm out and wont be able to.âAre you refusing?
âNo not at all. Iâll send someone else in my pla-ââYou know the rules abo-â John leaned forward in his seat as his voice gained a steely tone.
âIâm sending someone in my place and i suggest you rethink yours for talking to me as such.âThe voice apologized before a brief silence.
âHow well do you trust this person?â The almost needed yet cliche question ever to leave the lips of the lowlives in New Earlton.
â I left something special for them. Youâll know where to find them.â A smug smirk worked its way onto Johnâs face as he hung up and pressed 1, redirecting him to The Holeâs landline. John had only one person he could trust there besides Sacha and that was Kait. John first met Kait when he stumbled into the place after a rather
dirty job and was met with a new waitress. John, the womanizer he was quickly began to talk to her and after a few stops at the hole and talking to the new waitress Kait, had casually asked John if he was interested in a cooperative job that was paying big. Of course John was not opposed and by the end of it all, the two had done enough jobs together and had gained enough experience combined to have an idea of what the other was planning or thinking, at least on the job.
The phone rang and Johnâs earlier smug smile faded to a frown with each passing ring.
Luciel stared off into haze that drifted through the bar, an eye twitching as he teetered on the edge of a sneeze. The patron whoâd come for a refill eyed him, curiously before opening his mouth to speak at which point, he coiled, belting out a loud sneeze as he almost bashed his head on the counter. Still, it was enough to almost throw him from his feet as well as miss the first ring of the phone. âWell...now about that drink?â the person asked, lifting an eyebrow from the inconvenience. Then came the second ring, Luciel leaning to check the number with a sniff.
What am I doing, I donât know these numbers...and gawd day shift is boring. The phone was often the high point of the day, considering how seldom it rang. However, whoever it was that on the other end usually had a good reason to call.
I like the calls where a frantic voice can barely get a word out before gunshots cut the call short. With this mindset, letting the phone ring was my policy in the hopes that the caller could sort themselves out...or be sorted out without requiring me to talk to them.âYehâŠâ Luciel slowly mused, letting the phone ring until around the fourth time when the caller ID kicked in and âwoofâ read. Ears perking, he picked up the phone with a bottle of whiskey with the other hand. âGood afternoon, you have reached zee Holeâ he answered, fixing the glass for the patron whom Luciel was reluctant to drop character around.
âKaite, its John.â He said after the greeting was given. He glanced up to see the sign above the road reading [New Earlton Border 5 Miles Warning: Gas masks are advised.]
Returning the manâs drink, Luciel almost spilled it as John introduced himself over the phone. âEhn vaht iz zee occasion, gettink a call from zeh big bad wolf?â they chirped, taking a sip of coffee.
âBig bad wolf huh? Heheh. Well...Iâm in a slight predicament as I need to be somewhere right now but currently, Iâm busy. So - â He cleared his throat.
âI said that I had someone who could be there in my place. I left a manilla envelope underneath the counter for this instance and inside you will find everything you need. However, I ask that you wear something a bit more formal as you will be my liason of sorts. They will be there to pick you up in a half hour or so so be ready please?â If Kait could see his face he adorned a big smirk and with a slight childish tone.
The line went quiet as Luciel peeked under the counter, finding the folder in the space between the fridge and the ledge. Johnâs request didnât sit well since he wasnât the best with new people, but they assumed that it wasnât his job to talk in the wolfâs stead but merely relay information back. Although, this wasnât close to his actual issue which was figuring out the means to-
Dress formal!?
I looked around the bar and then down to myself. I mean, what I had on wasnât bad...certainly not the three-piece suit kind of vibe that John has. Business meetings? The only thing close that I could imagine would come close to formal isâŠLucielâs eyes drifted down to his case and the change of clothes heâd brought to switch into Ansel for convenience. While itâd be difficult to explain to John if anyone said anything, the suit and tie was certainly as close as he was going to get. âVill...dooâ they acknowledge, flipping the sign on the counter to note that the âwaitressâ was leaving, grabbing the case and stepping into the back room with the cordless phone.
âOh and Kait-â Johnâs light hearted voice ceased and he became much,
much more serious.
âBe careful and watch what you say if you say anything at all. The pay will be 10,000 when you complete it. I trust you.â He said before hanging up, knowing that he didnât want to hold her up any longer.
Luciel tossed the phone into a pile of rags as he checked a pocket mirror, parting fur to slip two studs into his left eyebrow as well as a ring into either side of his bottom lip. Concluding with the chain-linked studs in an ear, he sighed, hoping this wasnât the kind of meeting that could end with the accessories being torn out. It didnât take long to strip and dress in a suit and tie, a nice tie with diagonal black and pink stripes, the kind of pink that looks almost white.
Formal but held with personality. I would only hope it would suffice, finishing up by slipping on a pair of fake glasses after wiping off Kaitâs makeup and replacing it with a few black speckles on my ears and cheeks. I cleared my throat, getting shoes on and stashing the other getup in a slim box kept behind the shelves.Taking a deep breath, let out as a sigh as a few whispers of, âRoit, ehn thâsong nâdahnce stahts all overâ trying to ease himself into âAnselâs english accent before leaving and rounding the corner with his attache case and folder which he pulled the card from and slipped into his breast pocket to openly show the edge of the design for anyone who was looking for it. âO-oh! Ansel! I didnât see you come inâ the waitress that had relieved Kait commented from behind the counter, being met with an apathetic turn of the eyes to meet herâs. âHeh, âello. Ahâv been âere fahâŠâ Luciel started, drawing the pocketwatch from before and lifting an eyebrow with a âhmâ. âFâlong enough. If yâsee that kraut, Kait, have âer find me. She keeps ducking me nâ oi wonât âav it. Thanks, love~â he cockily smarmed before dropping a tip in the jar with a snap of their fingers into finger-gun accented with a wink and taking Johnâs untouched drink with the umbrella still hanging to a side.
âAh, A-Ansel, that is-â the waitress began, a blush from the attention before being cut off by Luciel, âJohnâs. I know...I canât imagine eâd moindâ taking a sip which checking the watch again, his spooky ride supposedly destined to show up any minute.
It wasnât much longer until a Timber wolf walked in with a grey suit and sunglasses, a holstered pistol easily visible. In his mouth a lit cigarette as he scanned the room, looking for his target so to speak. He wasnât informed on what the person looked like or sounded like so he was more or less at a loss until he caught sight of a figure who stood out slightly by their apparel. With a final long drag he dropped the smoke and put it out with his shoe. He leaned his head to the side and made eye contact with the figure.
Setting the drink down after the first sip, Luciel looked up as the door opened and the wolf walked in. As much as he wanted to give a skeptical eyebrow as they had the nerve to put their cig out on the freshly cleaned floor, the jack instead lifted his free hand to push the glasses up his nose. In the same motion, he made the gesture to readjust their attire but instead lifted the card up another inch while making eye contact, gaining a simple nod in return. If the person wanted to check the card, themselves, they could do it outside.
For now, Luciel approached them, sweating internally as he was unsure if offering a hand to shake or simply walking past them to exit would be a better idea. Concluding that either the person identified him as Johnâs associate or that waiting outside would be better, they simply walked past them and made to leave, offering a soft, âGâd afternoonâ before stepping outside and out of the way of the door to wait.
The wolf let him walk ahead and simply remained silent. Parked out front was a black limo,, completely blacked out all the way around with another two wolves outside of it, one held an old school Tommy and the other a more modern M4A1. They simply scanned the area until the Jackalope came forward. The wolf with the tommy snickered and nudged his buddy.
âTake a load at this one.â His friend looked over and adjusted his M4.
âYou gotta be fucking kidding.â The wolf mumbled as they stepped aside, allowing the Jackalope to enter the limo. Once inside, the other three entered and sat down, closing the door behind them. The inside of the limo was quite spacious and comfortable with its soft leather seats, wooden finishes and ambient lighting. With a slight jolt, the car began rolling.
âForward approachâ wasnât entirely Lucielâs style, and the armed entourage put him off, though he imagined it was all standard procedure. The comments, however, tested his patience and were replied to with a disapproving sniff and a flick of an ear, making the chain jingle. He could have probably done without the piercings, but it was just Anselâs style. John could deal with the backlash, but for now, the thugs had to deal with the jackalope.
Luciel stepped into the limo, taking the middle of the seat as the rest of the guards piled in around him. Keeping the case on his lap he daringly opened the locks to slide the folder out, closing and locking it when he was through as to not give the goons the impression that he was doing anything more than retrieving the files. The contents of the case would likely set security off and give the wrong impression, as âSandcastleâ was still loaded and a safety switch away from heralding a bad-day-buffet.
Luciel decided against asking questions, since it wasnât his job to âknowâ, only âdoâ...no matter how badly he wanted to gawk at the well furnished interior of the vehicle. Instead, he distracted himself with quickly scanning through the contents through the open folder rather than pulling anything out.
The one wolf, the timber wolf, who had been quiet for a portion of the ride eventually decided to speak up as he cleaned his pistol.
âNameâs Kalmar. Yours?â He glanced up from behind his sunglasses, the littlest bit of brown eyes pierced his own with the same intensity that John had in his own.
âAnselâŠâ Luciel simply replied, closing the folder and using the pin to hold it shut, resting it on top of the case before continuing, â...pardon the inconvenience. John is a busy man, I suppose.â
He chuckled lightly, though it came off a bit forced as if he was a bit displeased with the turn of events, but composed enough to take it seriously.
The wolf simply stared back at him unamused by the comment, probably mistaking it for something else. He stopped for a second before continuing his cleaning.
âThat crazy bastard is always fucking busy. There hasnât been a day where I havenât seen him without a phone in hand or not talking to someone about some business venture. Fucker doesnât have a life. So how did you happen to cross paths with John and liveâ The brush in the barrel stopped moving for a second as Kalmar pulled out a small bottle of oil and put a few drops into the chamber before working it in with the brush.
The tiniest hint of a smirk danced across Lucielâs expression after the question, thinking of the world of stories he could spin as to mess with John. Staying vague and being âcareful what he saidâ were his orders, though, and the last thing he wanted to do was get on the wolfâs bad side. âMet âim in The Hole. âE takes time off...in a senseâ the jack explained, the inside joke at the rat from earlierâs expense tickling the dark humor. âNâyeh, the goy needsâa hobby besides beinâ spookyâ Luciel continued, giving the impression of warming up to the timber wolf by sharing a common subject in spite of how contrary it was to their actual feelings.
Luciel prefered the creature he knew as âJohnâ to stay as morally ambiguous as ever. It gave a shadow of danger to the man which he found alluring in his own twisted way.
The wolf, Kalmar, let out an audible chuckle.
âTime off? Thatâs surprising. Never thought he would. Once invited him to The Ant-Elopeâs main club PRIDEland. Shitâs hard as fuck to get in unless you know someone. So we get there with John and a buddy of mine and as we make our way to the door, the
fucking door, his phone rings and low and behold he fucking answers it. Iâm like âJohn seriously? We havenât even been here for an hour let alone inside and youâre gonna take on a job?â And heheheh, he goes with this almost childlike voice. âBut, but, itâs a woman.â My buddy goes âSo youâre gonna go do a job for this bitch? You ain't gonna get any when youâre done I can guarantee that.â John looks at him with a straight face and without skipping a beat goes âWell at least I have a better chance than you do. The closest youâll get to pussy is high heels on a stage. Look but donât touch.â Now weâre both hurt but for two different reasons. My buddyâs dignity was hit and my side was hurting because I was laughing so damn hard.â
It seemed that the one who held the Tommy gun glared at Kalmar while the other snickered.
âHeh, yeh. Iâll give him that, though. Eâs a fokinâ sucker for ladiesâ Luciel chirped before sighing, âEn a smooth talker...classic John.â Shaking his head at the notion of John leaving people out in the rain in favor of work. Still, Luciel was in tact enough not to go about gushing over the attention he wished he could get from the wolf. It was all small talk, and the guy wasnât around to say otherwise or give the jackalope one of his trademark âshut upâ death-glares. In all honesty, if it was Lucielâs job, heâd try to know a bit more about the crew in the limo, though his rule when standing in for people was to refrain from crossing strings. He was certain thereâd be enough hassle with explaining exactly who Ansel was and why he went in stead of Kait.
The wolf nodded in agreement. âThatâs a fact. He has his way with woman thatâs for sure. Once John seeâs something he likes heâs on it like that.â A snap of the fingers to emphasize. The smile on the wolfâs face slowly faded as he went back to cleaning his gun.
âDone any jobs with him.â The tone in the wolf shifted slightly to uneasiness.
âHmfâ Luciel half-heartedly laughed through closed lips in agreement with the statement, riding off of the coattails of the conversation, though hoping it would come to its resolution. Unfortunately, he got what he wanted as they asked if he did any jobs with the wolf. âIâm...more of a friend of a friend with a good recommendationâ they explained, simply as their demeanor softened, doing their best not to drift back into cold neutrality and come off as inviting as possible while remaining vague. âIâsounds loik youâd know âim better, though, eh?â Luciel joked, hoping to casually turn the question back on the man who apparently knew them well enough to invite the âbig bad wolfâ out...making the jackalope only a bit jealous.
âFriend of a friend?â He glanced up at the jackalope with suspicion before looking down, however, unable to continue cleaning the pistol. He took in a heavy breath and leaned back, closing his legs and looked at Ansel. His ears slightly lowered as he took off his glasses to look Ansel dead in his eyes, emphasizing what was to come.
âLemme give you some advice. Never fucking get on his bad side. Heâs a sick motherfucker and has no quorum killing anyone who double crosses him or threatens/kills someone he cares about. Did you ever hear the story about that drug lord family that was killed in the east side of downtown? Fucking bodies were un-fucking-recognizable. JohnâŠâ He seemed to stop for a moment as if remembering what happened, almost appearing sick in the stomach.
âJohn needed help that day with something but never told me what it was. He just said âCome with me. Payment will be available upon completion.â It was out of character for him. I known John for years and never saw him like that. So anyway we get there and here was the fucking Kingpin himself with his right hand man and sons, tied up and laying on these, whatâs the word? I donât know, fucking operating table things. He tells me to write down information when he gets it and after he says that he just went ham on them. Belt sanders, drills, car battery and wires, torches, pliers...A planer...A FUCKING planer. You know those things they use to cut pieces of wood down to size? Yeah..That across the fucking Kingpins face and shit. By the end of it all they looked nothing like what they were. Nothing more than meat at a butcherâs shop. He kept them alive with different meds and other hospital stuff but they suffered through all that and every ear piercing scream and bloody gurgle I still can hear.â The wolf visibly shuddered. Kalmar looked back up to Ansel with almost dead eyes.
âIt wasnât until then did I truly realize how dangerous and deadly he was. Do yourself a favor and donât piss him off. I get this vibe that you won't but better warn you now than never.â The driver knocked on the window twice, letting them know that they were coming up to their destination.
Luciel listened intently as the man detailed John's brutality, a stunned and slightly horrified expression claiming their expression as the rendition went on. It wasnât so much for what John did as it was the demon in the details. âSonsâ struck a chord and the jackalope was keen on asking a simple question.
âHow...how old were the manâs sons?â his voice softly came, having his own share of demons with cruelty even to this day. While it would take a car battery to force it out of him, the trials of his youth were great enough to shatter them into the creature he was, now.
He looked up see the expression Johnâs friend gave and simply waved him off to dismiss any cruel thought. âOld enough to run the drug and animal trafficking around East Market and 3rd street. Guess oldest was 35 and the youngest was 26. Nah, John would never do that to pups and cubs and what not. He had a kid of his own.
Had a kid, hence the reason why Kingpin ended up as minced meat.â
The answer softened Lucielâs horrified demeanor, understanding taking its place as he hardened back to his cold seriousness. Pushing the glasses back up his nose, the jackalope grumbled a dark, âGood riddanceâŠâ and looked up from the interior of the car to the shaded windows, assuming the location was likely some abandoned warehouse or something in the slums thatâd never be used again. âNo sense in blindfolding someone when the location wasnât importantâ was his rational.
The car slowed down and came to an easy stop as the other two wolves adjusted their guns and opened the door and made their leave only to stand on the side of the car, awaiting Kalmar and their passenger. Kalmar had put away the cleaning kit and eyed his work before nodding to Ansel and made his leave as well, his sunglasses back on their face. It was funny. Many crime lords and what not had places in locations that would not be easily accessible or in locations considered too dangerous for most but not for the crew that John knew. Outside was the busiest part of the city and located in central New Earlton along W Market and Cumberfield in a little deli shop simple known as âSmileâs Delicatessenâ. Kalmar motioned for Ansel to follow him inside.
Once inside, a large Malamute from behind the counter looked over at the crew coming in and nodded. This was Smiles though his name tag said Miles. It was more of a joke on Mileâs part thanks to the massive scar that crossed his mouth, making it appear that he was always smiling.
âHey who you got with you? That ain't my regular.â He said as he cleaned off the slicer.
One of the gunman spoke up. âThis little shit is Johnâs liaison, can ya believe it. Got his head so far in the clouds he needs someone else to let him know whatâs going on underneath of it all.â
Mileâs let out a âHmphâ in acknowledgement.
Though Luciel hadn't often frequented the market, he was none the less surprised when he emerged from the dim cab to find a shop rather than some dump of a warehouse. He supposed it was better this way while also being far worse. Optimistically, this 'Smiles' person had a business to run outside of the shadows and the meeting could be kept short. Alternatively, it made the situation sensitive since the 'regular' that the hound was expecting hadn't shown, thus starting the ordeal off on a sour note.
Luciel straightened his tie as he was introduced as 'this little shit', taking no offense since he doubted they'd be doing business again anytime soon, much less as the same person. In that, the jackalope took a shred of joy in being a bit of a dark cloud on their day, as his mere presence was a greater insult than simple tactless insults. "G'd afternoon..." he offered after Mile's acknowledgement, readjusting his grip on the attaché case which he'd returned the folder to before leaving the limo.
Miles looked at Ansel for a moment giving him a simple nod a second later before placing some meat on the slicer, preparing a sandwich for the customer at the counter. Kalmar gave the Jackalope a sidelong glance. âFollow meâ He said quickly as he lead him behind the counter and into the back towards the freezer door which rested in the corner of the room. A White wolf stood guard and glanced at the Jackalope. With a simple glance he sized up Ansel. Kalmar waved off the wolf as the guard opened the freezer door with a low creek. The simple freezer door hid a staircase which lead down to what was a somewhat large room with a bar, pool table, cooking station and a fairly large table. It was a lot to take in for one who wasnât use to it but it wasnât the size of the place that was startling, but rather those in it.
There were about 5 other people, most likely crime lords and drug kingpins at the table with their respectable bodyguards, or hitman. In this world they were one in the same. They had all been conversing about random things. Shooting the shit was more like it. Nearest Ansel when he came into the room was a large but semi scrauny looking
cat. This was Hugo Alavache-Rodriguez, also known as El Gato. Major crime lord and head of the Los Gatos de Diablo in both New Earlton and the neighboring city Windslow. He sat forward and stared intently at the newcomer, giving him a rather disgusted look. Across from him was the owner of the Ant-Elope: Gentlemenâs club and procurer of paid intimacy himself,
Pits Hemmingway Next to Pits was
Robert Halloway, The new drug Kingpin of New Earlton and across from him was
Rutz, Owner of City Cab, Towncar and Rutzâs Rapid Transit, the three major cab companies in New Earlton. And finally, at the end of one side, sat a gray wolf, his suit jacket sat on the back of the chair and next to him a pack of smokes, a glass of what seemed to be whiskey and something else, and soon enough Kalmar at his side. The wolf looked up and smiled lightly gesturing for the jackalope to sit down. His voice weezed slightly when he talked, possibly due to aging and the raspiness thanks to smoking. âYou there. Come in come in. Take a seat.â It wasnât as much as a welcome as it was a command with a smooth warm voice.
Following Kalmar, Luciel tilted his head to the white wolf's expression before they were waved off by his escort. While he imagined the meeting to take place in a meat locker, the last thing he expected was for the freezer door to reveal a staircase.
Secret lairs hidden in shops was a huge step up from their expectations, but it was far too late to back out of the job, though the jackalope was quickly starting to wonder what John had gotten them into as they emerged into a well furnished room. A pool table, even a mock kitchen caught Lucielâs attention, mostly in how the space was easily twice the size of his apartment. Although, whispers of descriptions painted a picture that could be hung in a museum as the occupants around the meeting table were everything from shady businessmen to...well...even
shadier businessmen. While he didnât know all of their names, he knew enough to understand just how in over his head he was.
It wasnât until the gray wolf at the other end of the table gestured to an empty seat and invited him to sit that Luciel realized heâd frozen somewhere around the door. His heart raced while bodyguards eyed him and his case before he bowed his head, slightly, in acknowledgement and made to sit, offering a small âThank youâ. It broke from character a bit, but he felt now wasnât the time to be a cocky, uppity, two-bit hack of an alleyway doctor that Ansel was. The jackalope figured that the doctor persona could forgive him, given the situation...before wondering why he cared what a mask he made and wore thought of him. Odd and unsettling as the notion was, he excused the shivers running up his spine as the raw intimidation that the shadows around the table cast.
Itâs been so long, who knew how many of their toes Iâve stepped on without knowing. I mean, itâs not like they donât try each other's patience on occasion, but I could only imagine what a single word of angels would set off right-hand menLuciel found himself hesitating in his seat, resolving to release the case next to himself unless it was called for him to bring forth the information in the folder.
A waiter came over with a rather large tray and placed it in front of Ansel. On it was an array of weapons ranging from guns to knives. âExcuzzi. I ask that any and all weapons be relinquished before we start. It is imperative that this is done now so not to cause any disturbances in the near future. They will be returned to you at the end of this meeting.â The waiter smiled gently as Hugo didnât leave eye contact with the Jackalope for a moment before glancing back over at the white wolf. âWhose da Bendejo?â Hugo thumbed to Ansel.
âBetcha he Johnâs stand-in. Mutha fucka dun come to his own meetings. Fuckin pussy man.â Halloway chimed in.
âFeelas please have some respek for de man.â Pits said as he leaned back. Then the wolf looked over at the pitbull with a frown. âYou have no place to speak, you dropped in business by 20% thanks to your failure in obtaining Kitsner.â The pitbullâs ears slightly lowered before he snorted and glared at the wolf. âIf taht dumb rat didnât open his mout like I told em NOT too, heâd be here right now next to me.â
The back and forth went on for a little more before they settled down. Rutz glanced over at the jackalope and grunted from behind his cigar. âOi fahking hahnd over your damn weapon, I dun ave time for dis I gotta get back to work.â
A waiter with a tray made Luciel feel fancy, though he didnât have a taste for what was apparently on the menu. The mess of lead and steel as well as the request to turn over his weapons made an ear flick, causing the chain to jingle once more from the awkwardness. With a sigh, he pulled the case into his lap, holding his hands up enough to show the armed guards that he wasnât making any sudden movements before opening the box. He pulled out the envelope, setting it on the table in front of him before relinquishing âSandcastleâ which was fitted with the foregrip and silencer, already. Biting his lip, Luciel rolled his eyes in a comical fashion along with the tilt of his head and flicking his left wrist. With a click, the handle of his derringer sprang into his hand which he also set on the platter.
He was thankful that people seemed to be distracted with talking amongst themselves rather than pay attention as he unbuttoned enough of his suit coat to undo the belting of the throwing axes. The jackalope rolled them up in their leather bandolier before setting them on the platter as well as the knuckledusters which he drew from the armored vest he was openly wearing after undoing the coat. âEn thereâ he softly chirped, buttoning his coat back up and setting the case back on the floor.
Security was welcome to rifle through the rest of the contents of the case, though it now mostly contained his own notepad and a small assortment of makeup.
He wasnât inclined to speak unless actually spoken to, now more than ever, the theme of his presence being insulting apparently still sticking.
The waiter thanked Ansel and took the tray of weapons away and with the clap of his paws the white wolf started. âThank you all for coming on such short notice. Unfortunately we were unable to obtain the gun shipment but that is all well. Deeandra could use all she needs at this point considering her circumstances. I Have heard that, thanks to Rutz-â Who gave the wolf a nod. â- That John is on his way with a few members of the Hole to gather what he can of it. If I know Johnny well enough he has also brought some of our members to take what they can from both Sacha and Deeandra so I do expect something in return from this. At least a crate will do. Besides that we are down about 5% in revenue and this is unfortunate. Kitsner would have definitely helped with this shipment coming up. We-â
âEhyo boss, why we talking about this in front of-â The wolf shot another look at Halloway, this time, it held a heavy, guaranteed threat that immediately shut the dog up.
â-We are expecting to ship out close to 98 kilos total. About 1.3 million crowns worth. Hugo and Halloway have managed to payoff the checkpoints and DEA agents who would be on guard that day so it will be fairly easy to get out.â
Hugo adjusted himself in his chair. âSi. Shipment will be around dusk. I have some of my best men and Halloway has offered some of his to guard the shipment. Guaranteed full delivery in 3 days. Expecting to make double or triple what it cost us to make it so we are looking at around 3.9 max.â
Pits turned to the wolf and passed over his financial history for the past 4 months to which the Wolf looked them over with a pair of glasses and nodded here and there and frowned once or twice. âYou need to make sure that your VIPs stay longer. The numbers here are too low compared to the previous 4 months plus I have been given permission to setup a casino in one of the older hotels in the area. I have been given the deed to the property and I want you to handle everything else from the rooms, casino floor and every other aspect of the place. If you need help you just contact us. Anyway Ansel-â
The wolf turned his attention to Luciel with a unnerving smile. âI suppose John has given you an activity report?â He cocked a brow and awaited an answer.
Hoping that the promise of his possessions being returned at the conclusion of the meeting was true, Luciel got as comfortable as he could. Needless to say, is wasnât very, given the situation of having little to no clue what he was doing beyond an envelope containing information that may or may not answer questions he was posed. One of the dogs spoke up, questioning Lucielâs presence during the meeting before being shut down by the old wolf who appeared to be in charge. As far as the jackalope was concerned, he had nothing to prove to these people and may as well be John in the moment, for what it was worth. While everyone spoke, he took down notes and paged through the contents of the envelope, trying to connect dots on a few pages. It ended up being messy as three or so pages quickly filled with various annotations and notes of notes.
Luciel scribbled swiftly yet furiously until the name was called and he looked up to meet the wolfâs expression with a blink. âAh, eâdid...hereâ they said, flipping through pages before drawing the activity report, unsure if he should read it off or simply slide it over. He figured it wouldnât hurt to simply pass it forward, as everything was being brought to the table, so to speak.
The wolf nodded and took the report and glanced through it. âVery goodâ He smiled back at him and placed the paper in a folder. Its contents would eventually be learned and then discarded for security reasons. There was a few more topics brought up before the meeting started to come to a close. The majority of the group sat around and had a few drinks, returning to simple talk, minus two. The Wolf and the Cat. The cat more so, this time looking at Ansel as if trying to remember something.
âEy Ey. Ahnsel you said your name was?â Hugo said while tapping his nails on the table before turning to face him directly.
âYou have a seester?â He squinted his eyes slightly. This gained the wolfâs attention but he didnât draw attention to himself but instead simply talked to his bodyguard who occasionally glanced over to the jackalope. It was a moment or two before Hugo simply scoffed and turned away, deciding it was too much time wasted to hear an answer. However the Wolf decided to speak up instead.
âSo Ansel, you seem to know John well. â He said with a smile.
âEspecially considering he asked you to come here. Outsiders in these meetings goes against our...policy of sorts as those people tend to become a liability later on.â There was an underlying threat hidden in those words. Kalmar just looked on, watching for the jackalopes reaction.
âSo let me ask you a question. How should I know that you will keep what you heard here quiet and to yourself?â He cocked a brow and shifted slightly in his seat in order to lean forward.
Handing papers over, taking notes, filling a notebook. It was procedure enough and business concluded simply with getting everyone up to date on current events. This was until Hugo got Luciel's attention with the name and the question.
A bread knife, all it ended up taking was a proper serrated edge. The right questions came with answers that were sufficient enough for my soured taste. She was no better, what with her thirst for money and apathy to the stepping stones she had to cross to get it. He...on the other hand.
If he had lived, he'd make sure, for the rest of his days, to watch where he stepped.
Large boots tread on many toes."Not anymore..." Luciel nearly inaudibly whispered after Hugo turned away, his voice cut from ears as the wolf spoke up.
[color=bc8dbf]Everyone wanted to know about John. Simply or more complex, today had been
aaall aboouut John. 'Oh, I trust you Kait, can you attend a meeting while I go do interesting things?' It'll be fffiiiiine, just- oh! Waaaatch what you ssaaay'
The cartoonish rendition of John faded and the rest of the question played itself out. Liabilities and loose ends to tie up or yet left to fray in the wind. What kept my silence? I know John and how people saw him...what kept my silence?[/i]
"Loikly I'd end up ina wood chipper feet-first if oi did anything not to the lettah" Luciel darkly joked, offering no laugh to back up the dead-panned joke. His mind was somewhere else, and it had been expressed that people knew the kinds of dealings John partook in. "E'd be holdin' me by th'arms n'cuttin m'ears off...or I give 'im the notes an get paid n'go on forgetting this day ev'happened" he continued to explain in his outrageous accent. Then was about the time Luciel imagined heâd leave if he had the authority to, though, without it and without his treasures, he offered a lofting smirk and looked slightly up and past the wolf with a sigh. âEâs charming loik that, eâisâ with a chuckle before pushing the glasses back up his nose, feinting the expression of trying to tame a familiar smirk, expressing ever so questionably subtly an ulterior interestâŠ
that bit was arguably genuine.
âHmhmhm. As long as you donât kill someone he knows or loves I think youâll be fine.â
He nodded to everyone and they all stood and began to retrieve their weapons. The meeting was over and the wolf looked to Ansel with a light smile. âSorry this was an uneventful visit but this is what John does. He hates meetings and prefers to avoid them even if he does set them up. Kalmar here will bring you back to the Hole and you can go from there. Just go ahead and wait upstairs for him. Heâll be up shortly.â The wolf dismissed Luciel and waited for him to travel up the stairs and out before glancing up to Kalmar with a smile.
âKeep an eye on him. Hugo had a point and I need to see if I can confirm something.â Kalmar nodded and eventually made his way up to the deli main floor.
Being requested to stay long enough for the exchange, Luciel eyed the pile of weapons as the group took theirs back, making sure they kept their hands off of his tools. âOi appreciate thâ hospitalityâ he said with a nod of his head while arming himself and making for the door. It seemed to have been just so simple as an exchange of papers, though Luciel imagined the patrons would rather yuk it up with John about who knew what. Either way, it was a successful mission and he even got a limo ride back. He made the point to properly reset the spring-loaded slide in his sleeve with the derringer since surprise firepower was never a bad idea.
Kalmar made his way up the stairs to join Ansel.
âWatch himâ ran through his mind as he met the jackalope with a smile. âReady to go?â
âYeh, letsâ Luciel chirped, though his heart wasnât in it even though he returned the smile. The endeavor had worn him down and he just wished he could take his mind off of things and deflate by getting back to his ânormalâ job.
The limo made its way back to The Hole with what Kalmar felt as a comfortable silence. As he stepped out he leaned his head back into the car towards Ansel with a smile. âHey if you ever wanna go do something lemme know. Oh also, kinda feeling a bit hungry after that. Mind if I came in to grab something to eat?â He his smile becoming more of a grin before he brought his head out of the door and lit up a smoke from his pack.
The jackalope mostly stared off into the dim lighting, taking the time to enjoy the vehicle now that the tension of the job had been relieved. A hand thoughtfully ran along the finished wood, feeling at the grain as he wondered when it was that he has last been in a limo. Shaking the thought, he simply sat quietly while occasionally glancing at Kalmar, mostly to see if the man was looking at him...it certainly felt like he was. Then again, Luciel got that kind of feeling from everyone, and being out of his element wasnât helping his nerves.
Arriving back at The Hole, Luciel sighed, making sure he had everything on him even down to the card still in his pocket. He took it out and tossed it into the case; no sense in keeping it on him and attracting unwanted attention. It didnât entirely matter since he was keen on switching back into âKaitâ and having Ansel simply take the night off...or just take the night off in its entirety and get
real work done.
He was dragged out of the darkness by the head peeking in through the open door. âYeh, maybe sometoimâ Luciel agreed before exiting the car and being pestered with Kalamarâs question about getting something to eat. While the last thing the jackalope wanted to do was spend any time with anyone, it wasnât easy to say ânoâ to someone with such connections...jobber as they likely were. âHmmmm, ah! Woi not?â Luciel chuckled after feinting taking a moment to consider the suggestion and then continuing. âAhâm buyinâ, just got
paid yâknow~?â he chuckled, turning to go inside as his light hearted demeanor soured to a grim scowl the moment he had his back to Kalamar, though popping back as he stepped inside, holding the door open.
Kalmar nodded and made his way to the bar in the place before he got a call on his phone. Taking it out of his pocket he looked at the name and sighed. âMight have to put that on hold. Got somewhere to be now. Christ man, canât a guy catch a break,â He shook his head and nodded to Ansel before departing back to the limo. It only took a moment before the car started up and the sound of him driving away was faintly heard.
Luciel let go of the door, letting it swing itself shut as he strode back to the counter. The waitress from before was still on duty, looking to be a bit exhausted from running around as two new patrons appeared to choose The Hole of all places to have dinner.
The exchange disgusted me, a complicated dance of latent instinct and a series of grunts to play up intent. Savory food, a few stiff drinks and maybe a present or so to set the mood for the evening. Iâve seen better acts put on by verminous scoundrels trying to relay in code between factions that would otherwise murder eachother on the spot. The Hold had a tendency to be taken advantage in such ways, an embassy of souls...if there was a single one left to share in this mess of a city.
It was the poor performance and the nervous twitches of the inferior maleâs eyes that drew my curiosity. While the scantily-clad woman presided over the meeting, even watching and listening out of the corner of my perception, the exchange seemed almost genuine. So much so that a few words keyed me in on what I had been turning a blind eye to, as some boorish ox had the nerve to stage a fit in what was-Luciel looked around, wondering where Sacha or John were...or at least Sacha after remembering the business discussed in the meeting.
-my barâŠThough the jackalope found it odd that heâd default to John in lieu of an actual manager other than himself, but shook the feeling since now wasnât entirely the time. Regardless, keeping an eye on the figure was his job for the day, it seemed, since he certainly couldnât afford to take the time to change while troublemakers could be afoot. Looking at the clock, his shift wouldnât be ending anytime soon and there was nothing to do but stand around...and offer a few affirming words of thanks to the woman who took his place when he was indisposed.
