A/N: Ok, let's start working on my first story here, I decided I wanted to pick this fandom to start judging by how much I like fiction about the mob and how nerdy I wam with documentaries about it and books and stuff. (If someone wants to recommend me any works regarding the Italian mob it is very welcome.)

warning: This story about organized crime HAS organized crime. I alway find this movie amusing because no violent or otherwise uncomfortable crimes happen in
the screenplay- and I like it that way. But that is not what I'm writing this fanfic for: I'm hoping to write a grittier depiction of the mafia in the story you see before you. Also note that as was mentioned in a study on the history of Mafia: Profanity will be present. But I have tried to tone down, in their vocabulary, the amount and context in which profanity is used.

Disclaimer: None of the copyrighted material is owned by the author of this story. You might stumble about themes from The Sopranos, Goodfellas, The Godfather, School of Rock (Believe it or not), Real life events from historical crimes committed in many places in the world, maybe even Ronin and other copyrighted material I may list as I go. What you will not find is references to the copyrighted material listed as no-go zones in 's terms and conditions, and of course any ongoing investigation or other delicate legal matters. Do well to remember that Shark Tale is a screenplay which has many pop-culture references in on itself and these, of course, are bound to be mentioned.

Premise: I was hoping to provide a Shark Tale sequel with a grittier setting and to take more risks than the movie was allowed to: Thus bringing to life a world in which the mafia acts more like the mafia we see in other media than the mafia we see in Shark Tale. It means, of course, that this story is not for everyone. Perhaps later on I may make something more light-toned and campier, but this isn't the time.

Prologue:

If Don Lino had know that all it took was for Lenny to do what he liked to do in peace and have his tastes left alone he'd have left him alone. Well maybe he still would have had this trepidation, sure, but he may have considered it. The situation was being handled smoothly though. His boys were seeing to that. Having the whale wash as part of the business now, a front for their distinguished operation provided many things for them. As long as Don Lino was personally involved with the whale wash appearances seemed far more reputable for them. It also meant other things were bound to happen.

Like Prago swimming at the joint trailing blood.

"Lenny!" Prago called his voice a panic, his fin badly mauled, blood floating everywhere. "Open the door!" No greeting, nothing remotely resembling etiquette- and worse, no discretion. 'The door' in question did not lead to the same joint the whales did their washing in, though. Mr. Sykes had learned very early on that sharks were a very touchy bunch, most of all these. They hanged apart of them, and though not unwilling to speak to Oscar, Angie or Sykes they seemed to be big on privacy when they'd drop by. Something about the Omertà that had their huge jaws tight as clams.

"Jesus Christ- Prago, don't stand on the fucking doorway like that!" Lino barked as Lenny grabbed a towel- what? "What are you doing? Help me pull im' inside!" Lenny dropped the towel to comply, placing his fin on the shark's side and hoisting his weight a little. Lenny knew what's what: having Prago bleeding all around the entrance without shutting that door. It wouldn't be a surprise if there was more priority to clean up after him than to clean him up.

"Sorry pop" It was a tense response, judging by this he could do with cutting the habit of apologizing quickly- but that was Frankie's thing, not his! He'd never been good at the tough guy! "Lenny close the door- Prago what's the matter with you?" He said, now he was not molly coddling this shmuck: If he wanted that he'd be in his momma's house, not here. "You drag this into the clean money, you out of your mind? How long did you move in the open?" Lenny could already see that there'd be a lecture involved. He was used to that part of their lives to not be surprised that harpoon injury or not Lino was always ready to strip you down. He added pain to injury then by shoving Prago over an old workbench, pushing the tools aside and scolding him again. "Alright, Prago let me take a look at it. What'd you bring me?" The stab was nasty.

And that was Lenny's cue, he swam up to where he'd left the towel and took it to press somewhere probably. "Oh gee, pop, is the angle grinder necessary?" he groaned when Luca started making use of it.

"Hold him Lenny" There were protests from Prago immediately, some threats were involved, most where ignored. The power tool's sawing through metal was accompanied by the muffled sounds of someone wanting to tell all of the South Reef they decided to make frankenstein monster in the garage of the Wash joint. The sounds grew weaker in intensity and it was disturbing how much the harpoon just wanted to stay there.

But as it turned out they had removed the intruding object from him and were now closing up the injury the old-fashion way. "The whole thing is serrated, Luca, take a look at that."

"Animali" The octopus said in disgust, as if there was a line to be drawn between a serrated harpoon and using the angle grinder and the flat-head to cut through it when it was in someone's body. He should be grateful that he could still hear Prago moaning his protest at the pressed towels and the sealing.

"Alright, Prago, Prago" Lino gestured, voice gentler now that the place seemed clean and that there just may be a solution to whatever bag of eels just fell on them, he prodded his face a few times, smacking him softly once for him to look at him. "Look at me. Start from the top." He said, then Prago started talking sense.

"Let me sit up a little" He answered gruffly settling back and talking. Talking was good; it kept him focused and with them. "Me and Adriano was making our ways up the Northern valley. We was stalkin' the area, waiting to receive the vig from Badaloccio. Badaloccio had us wait for him for a good time. For a moment there we thought that he'd been tipped off. We should've known he hadn't. We was about to call it a night and go home when Adriano saw him.

"'Bout time, here he comes" Adriano's gruff voice told him, turning his head from where they'd camped out, just far enough not to be visible from the man's house. They'd been tipped that Badaloccio would pick up a pack from the bakery. Not wanting to make a mess they had decided to wait on him here. This wasn't a job; a mess would be un-called for.

Prago nodded and they turned from the corner as Badaloccio walked by, grabbing his fins and pulling him back into the corner. Badaloccio was a big guy- but that's why they'd been assigned for the job: Send numbers to deal with the blue up north. "Keep quiet." Prago demanded, shoving the creature once against the wall, its slender tail ceasing to trash when he knew he was outnumbered.

"What is it you want?" Came the slightly accented demand. Biscay bay? No, Celtic Sea more like. This one was young, no older than Andy, but Prago was sworn under more than ten rules and one or two oaths. He couldn't hesitate now. He should have known there was something wrong about how Badaloccio kept his cool.

"Relax, you're in no trouble, as long as you have your loan for us."

"I already told your lieutenant," He said, referring to what Prago rather called their 'Sgarrista'. "I have nothing for you".

"I'm not my lieutenant, Badaloccio I'm me." Adriano said, shoving him harder. "You answer to me now, and I'm not asking either."

"So it's about roughing me up? I ain't scared of you!" Prago would have warned him, but it was too late, Adriano was a temperamental big guy with an inferiority complex. When Adriano dragged Badaloccio to the alley dumpster Prago made nothing of it, not listened to Badaloccio's protests. Instead he watched dispassionately as the man was shoved repeatedly, regardless of the damage done. The dumpster must have given Badaloccio the advice needed because he swore soon enough he could get the money.

"See? That's why we have to communicate." Prago mocked with a smirk. "Ain't that right, Adriano?"

"Mhmm, way more cooperative." Adriano confirmed. "Now lead on, friend, we'll go pick up this money with you. The guy couldn't be stupid enough to think we'd let him swim off like that.

It wasn't long that the shark had started swimming deeper and deeper into the Celtic sea, Prago staying very close to their little paycheck and Adriano following carefully behind, providing protection. How could he have not known? Prago did most of the talking, since Adriano looked tired, or torn to him. He had the right idea; Prago reflected, looking around and making sure they were alone was the best bet. Or so he had thought then.

He stopped thinking like this when there was rustling behind them and he turned to face Adriano, harpoon drawn.

"I was out cold for most of it; they didn't think the harpoon was enough so they smacked my head with the back of the launcher a few times. But I could have sworn I heard Dolphins." Dolphins could only mean one thing: And it lingered in the air. Someone had connections, big ones: Not just anybody can buy the law.

"Seemed like a good kid." Lino complained, voice stern in anger. "Here we are, givin' him a family, home, job and look how he pays us." He tensed further, fins behind his back, a gesture nor he nor Lenny tended to notice they did when they meant business. Then he thought about it for a minute, Lenny waiting for what his pop would do about this.

Lino turned to Luca and started doing what he did: Administrating. "Luca, I want you to make a few phone calls: I want to know what's happening up there. The Fuzz should know 'bout those pigs. Call Everio up at the station, he's in our pocket. Use his cellphone, ask if he knows anything about the Celt station and what's what up there."

He noticed the type of silent stare Lenny was giving him and put that thought away for later. If there was pressure coming in from the north Lino would need him. Part of him wanted to react by keeping his boy away from this mess when it was unstable but he knew better than to think that Lenny would come out unscathed if this went south. This WASN'T going south. He'd worked too hard for Merina and Lenny to get whacked with him in some restaurant with some bathroom gun or something equally atrocious.

"Sure thing, Boss." Manny wondered how that idiot got to be consigliore. What many people didn't know was that when you wanted a consigliore you looked for an accountant, if you couldn't get your find on one, you looked for the next best thing: The freak with the neuron-filled tentacles that could only memorize patterns. Then you gave him an abacus and started giving instructions.

"Pop you don't think this is going to escalate, do you?" Lenny asked, while Luca made his way to the phone and instinctively dialed the number that came to mind. Seeing as he didn't want anything else, it was the right one. He was asking questions soon enough- that was obviously not his forte.

"I don't like not knowing, Lenny, and right now I don't know." He said tone far less authoritative when it came to his -now- only son. The thought of Frankie did what it always did; bring a stab of pain and make him quiet for a moment. "We should get back, all of us, punch out and talk to Sykes, we're going home." He said, pinning the towel on Prago on Lenny's stead and grabbing Lenny's belt where he kept his cleaning gear to clean up after the other shark.

Lenny opened the door carefully, fully aware that secrecy was of the utmost importance to them. He punched out, knowing Sykes wasn't going to protest Don Lino picking him up then turned to find many eyes on him. Oscar was the first thing he noticed. Not telling his best friend was going to be the hardest part, that and very hypocritical. He swallowed once and knew he couldn't look at Angie. "I'm gonna have to clock out early." He said, turning to swim his way to the office. He could sense Oscar follow him as the rest dispelled and spoke about it among them.

"You know, I could tell Sykes." He offered, voice concerned, especially given that Lenny's usually energetic demeanor wasn't there right now. But Lenny knew what it was; an invitation to talk about it. And he wanted to, truly he did, but the situation was just so delicate. Still he owed Oscar something and he knew the fish may be prone to lying and impulsive but he wasn't a bad friend. So he turned and took the offer.

"Thanks, I shouldn't take long in his office anyway; just tell him something came up, and pop needs me." He said, starting to swim away, stopping only when the conscience hit him. "Oscar, you know we're not the only thing out there, right?" He asked cryptically.

"Yeah I know." To Oscar it was pretty much Lenny telling him that there was a problem from outside. Outside being the Reef. Still what could possibly be a problem from the outside to them? They were huge! And they were so many! Best talk to Angie about this.