Congregation of the Damned

By: Beccatdemon13

©2017

Synopsis: It was a dangerous world, one that she had been born into. Tess Rinaldi was the one person, who you wanted to know in Hell's Kitchen, the one person you wanted on your side, and the worst person to make an enemy out of. One night was all it took for her life to turn upside down.

Author's Note: This story is definitely AU. For one thing Joe isn't dead. It really didn't seem possible to me that Nick Hume could ever (unless he's extremely lucky) get one over on someone who knew how to fight and fight dirty compared to someone who never had to defend himself in that way before. At least that's what I think, that being said, Nick Hume was a thorn in Billy's side after Joe's initiation but the first time he 'killed' Nick he actually died. The entire Hume family died which was part of the reason why the Darley gang left Boston. Leading to the next point. Firstly, the movie is technically set in South Carolina or something, haven't been there so I've had all my stories be in Boston, which I haven't been to either. So, I figured that this story might be better if I write about what I know and I know New York City. Also, I researched a lot about Mobs and Mafia families. So hopefully things are believable.

Chapter One: Explosion of Catastrophe

Somewhere in the near future (Circa 2017)

The room was completely silent, except for the rustling of papers and the jingle of the metal of the handcuffs against the cool metal table. The Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women had seen some of the most dangerous inmates in America. It was the only maximum-security prison for women in New York State. It had all the makings of prison, including isolation for those who feared for their lives for any reason.

The young woman currently in handcuffs looked far older than she actually was but stress did that to a person. She had dark bags under her dark silver eyes and she twitched anxiously in her seat. She wore the typical prison blues, given to every woman in the Bedford facility and seemed to be compulsively rolling and unrolling the sleeves.

The ATF agent sitting across from her was the picture of serenity in her black pantsuit. She had a legal pad out on the table and a tape recorder in the center. Special Agent Lorraine Dawson had seen a lot of cases in her day but this was the most bizarre. The young girl, barely in her early thirties seemed out of place in a maximum-security prison, but there she was. Rosalie 'Lia' Grimaldi had been a participant of a world few saw, which made her a very important protective witness. She offered insight into the Rinaldi crime family, the ATF agents would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. Not that they hadn't tried. Lia was many things but cooperative wasn't exactly one of them.

The Rinaldi crime family was one of the five mob families in New York City. The Rinaldi's territory was nearly all of Hells Kitchen, from Thirty-fourth Street and Fifty-ninth Street, and then stretching from Eighth Avenue to the Hudson. The Rinaldi's were a different sort all together. They had all the makings of a typical mafia with the extortion, money laundering, grand theft, gun running, intimidation and anything else that they could make money off of, but there was something that set the apart from the rest. Almost all of the ranking members up to the Don himself were related. Luca Rinaldi was the oldest son of Giuseppe Rinaldi, and had taken over when his father passed away. He had been raised in the mob, knew it inside and out, which made them organized and successful, sneaky. Luca's brothers and sons fleshed out the roles of underbosses and capos, captains, and even street soldiers. That way Luca could do whatever he needed to do, but trust that his business was in good hands.

Lia Grimaldi had at one time been Luca's daughter's best friend. Who had once kept on the outskirts of things, when his daughter decided to own a bar, as a business front, and a way to spend her time when she wasn't in school, Lia had been by her side. Slowly but surely Lia had been exposed to more and more things. She had seen what the family did first hand, had been sworn to secrecy, which she had kept until recently.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me," Lia snarled irately. "You do realize that the information I already gave you is the very reason I got a fucking contract out on my head?"

"You had that contract out on you the second you stepped foot in Bedford, sweetheart. If you don't start telling me what I want to know I will throw you back in general population, you understand me?" Agent Dawson growled. "I'm gonna bet that would be something you want to avoid."

Lia's eyes widened in shock before narrowing in anger as she accessed whether or not the special agent was completely serious. After all not everyone was as stupid as she was to testify against one of the major mob families of New York City. Hell, the only reason why Lia had in the first place was to get a reduced sentence. Just the thought of jail made her skin crawl, doing a twenty-year bid was out of the question. So, she asked for a deal.

Lia sucked her teeth before she tapped the table with her index finger, "There's two reasons why the Rinaldi family is as successful as they are. The first was the fact that all members were willing to do whatever they had to. Murder, extortion, torture, you name it they had done it, and they did it with ease. The second was the Don's daughter, Theresa."

"Theresa Rinaldi," Agent Dawson sighed. "ATF knows all about her. She's the gateway."

She never use to be," Lia sighed. "She was my best friend and she trusted me."

"I think now is a little late to be feeling remorse," Agent Dawson scoffed. "Your best friend's the one who authorized the hit on you. She's the reason why you aren't safe in general population."

"She's not a bad person," Lia growled.

"Don't give me that," Agent Dawson muttered. She tossed three plain folders onto the table. "For a person who isn't bad she certainly had one hell of a rap sheet. She killed four people."

"You can't prove that," Lia replied. "No one can."

"Except for the four aces tattooed on her wrist," Dawson said. "The first of which is the ace of spades, the death card. Theresa knew exactly what that meant."

"I never said she was stupid," Lia shrugged. "I just said that she wasn't a bad person. None of them are."

"Okay, now you think I'm stupid," Dawson sneered.

"Agent Dawson, bruisin' a little easy there, don't you think?" Lia smiled widely. "We're from different neighborhoods. Bad doesn't mean bad. At least not where family is concerned. In Hells Kitchen, you did whatever the hell you had to do to protect the ones you love."

"How about you tell me about your best friend," Dawson suggested.

"The first thing is she hates when people call her Theresa, it's Tess," Lia explained. "And I don't know what to tell you about her. She was one of the most confusing people I had ever meant. She had one hell of a temper and she was always prepared. She knew how to shoot any gun that was handed to her, she always had at least one knife on her, and just in case either a gun or a knife didn't work, she had a killer right hook."

"So, she's dangerous…"

"Are you telling the story, or am I?" Lia grumbled. "Anyway, Tess was the youngest, the most protected. But, she learned things quickly. She could hack into government firewalls, could pick locks, and she knew how to get the information she needed."

"She hacked into the firewall?" Dawson whispered.

"Multiple times," Lia smirked. "That's how whenever you raided the Four Roses, you came up empty every single time. That's why Tess was the gateway. No one got to the Rinaldi's without her say so. She was an excellent judge of character. She knew who could be trusted and those who couldn't. That's where I got this." Lia gestured to the angry red and puckered scar running down her neck. "Tess doesn't like to be proven wrong."

"What about Dominic Rinaldi?" Dawson replied.

"Dom," Lia sighed. "Dom was a Capo, a captain, he was the leader of the common street soldiers. The men under his command were ruthless, and were some of the best earners in the Rinaldi family. People often thought he had something to prove since the Don was his dad and all. But, Dom earned his own way. He was fiercely protective of all his siblings. He was always there for them no matter what. Tried to keep them out of trouble, not that it worked to well. He always got them out of whatever trouble they got into, though. He's not someone you want to cross, ever. He'd kill you with no hesitation, no remorse. That was why Luca was grooming him to take over because Dom had the leadership the family needed."

"And what about Charles Rinaldi?"

"He was something else," Lia began. "Charlie was like Dom in a lot of ways, protective of his family, loyal almost to a fault. But, he was more patient, it took a lot to piss him off, once you did, it might be the biggest mistake you've ever made. He was Dom's second in command, something he used to his advantage. Charlie, like his siblings wasn't afraid to kill people but he seemed to regret it more than the others."

"And he was always with Gavin?"

"The Rinaldi boys were always together," Lia stated. "Gavin was the youngest boy and one of the best foot soldiers in the crime family. He was the one people called on when you had to get something done quickly. He was down for anything grand theft, extortion, assault, intimidation, Gavin was there. Gav could be a dick, though. He and Tess argued all the time, but when the cards were down you knew they had each other's back."

"You make them sound like a normal family," Dawson sneered.

"They were," Lia retorted. "You messed with one you got all four, trust me that wasn't something you wanted. It wasn't their fault that they were born into the family they were born into. You think you could turn down the mafia, Agent Dawson?"

"What they're doing is illegal," Dawson stated. "It isn't right."

"It's all they know."

Present Day (Circa 2014)

It was a normal occurrence at the Four Roses: arguments. It almost always involved the Rinaldi siblings in some way and tonight was no exception. As Tess Rinaldi moved around the bar, quickly setting up for the night, her normally delicate features were pinched into a scowl as she shot her eldest brother a dark glare.

"What the hell do you want from me, Dom, huh?" Tess Rinaldi growled. "I'm setting up for the night. Do we really gotta talk right now?"

"Tess, stop for a minute," Dom ordered, grabbing the younger girl's wrist with a huff. "Did you stab someone?"

"What are you talking about?" Tess sneered, shaking her wrist out of her brother's hold.

"Don't lie to me, Tess," Dominic snapped.

If there was something that Dominic hated more than anything in this world was a liar. People often found out the hard way that they should've told him the truth whenever he asked you a question. Chances were he already had heard the story, he just wanted to hear your point of view. It was his way of giving someone a chance to explain things from their side. That was something Tess knew very well, not that you'd know that from the way she froze to glare up at him.

"Yeah, Dom, I'm gonna lie to you," Tess rolled her eyes. "Think you're a cop or some shit?"

"I'm serious, Tessa," Dominic warned. "You can't just go around stabbing people."

"Says the person who probably came from putting someone in the hospital," Tess scoffed.

"We're not talking about me," Dominic censured. "Did you or did you not stab someone last night?"

"I did," Tess shrugged. "He got handsy so I got stab-y."

"Jesus Christ," Dominic hissed. "Theresa-"

"Dominic."

"Tess, you can't just go around stabbing people."

"I stabbed one person," Tess pointed out. "It's not like I went on a stabbing spree in which I stabbed every single person I came across in Hells Kitchen."

Dominic's hands were on his slim hips as he glared at his little sister angrily. Like it or not Tess was a Rinaldi through and through and Rinaldi's did whatever they felt they had to do. When Nicky, one of his officers told him that Tess had stabbed someone, he hadn't wanted to believe him.

People often made the mistake that people associated with the mob could do whatever they wanted, which they could, to a point. Of course stabbing someone wasn't normally done. Police involvement was something to be avoided at all times which was the reason why the guy Tess stabbed really should've been avoided. Tess' temper often made her react without thinking something that had led to her getting kicked out of almost every private school the city had to offer.

"Where the hell are Gavin and Charlie?" Dominic growled.

"Don't know that either," Tess replied. "Douche bags won't answer their phones."

The front door to the Four Roses burst in a small sprite of girl flying through the swinging doors, fire engine red hair flowing behind her.

"Where have you been, Lia?" Tess demanded.

"Got caught up," Lia mumbled. "It's not like we're opening yet."

"In fifteen minutes," Tess retorted.

"We'll be ready," Lia shrugged.

The Four Roses had never just been a bar, nope there were always plans for something more. When Luca Rinaldi bought out an entire building there were always questions. The bar was on the street level, and had everything one could ever want in a bar. All the alcohol necessities along with some extras. The basement held extra stock though if you hit certain sections of the wall it would reveal a whole new room filled with counterfeit bills and weapons. The upstairs was a refurbished four bedroom, two-bathroom apartment where all the Rinaldi siblings lived.

"You hear anything about that new gang?" Lia asked.

"No?" Tess responded, turning to look at her best friend. "What new gang?"

"The call themselves Death Dealers," Lia shrugged. "I figure you'd hear about them because they're claiming parts of Hells Kitchen as theirs."

"And they don't know this is mob territory or what?"

"What are you saying, Lia?" Dominic asked.

"I'm saying you guys have some competition," Lia replied, turning to refill a bottle of bourbon, missing the looks that Tess and Dom exchanged.

"That was the thing about territory," Lia mused. "Everyone was always infringing on every one else. Stepping on other people's toes. The boundary lines in New York City only separated the crime families from one another. Then there were all the various gangs. Nearly ever major one was represented in some way or another. Normally if the gang in question wasn't stepping on the Rinaldi's toes they were allowed to stay, as long as they kicked up a vig, a payment."

"You mean to tell me that the gang had to pay for protection too?" Dawson asked.

"Of course," Lia replied. "Everyone got paid. No exceptions."

"Death Dealers," Dawson mumbled. "Why do they sound familiar?"

"They were originally from Boston, than relocated to New York City," Lia explained. "Billy Darley was their leader, he had a group of about twenty guys, maybe more. He and his little brother thought they'd run Hells Kitchen just like they had run Boston. Of course, they would think that with Bones Darley being their father."

"We know all about Billy Darley and his little gang of thugs," Dawson stated.

"Really?" Lia replied. "I doubt that. You see Billy had grown up in the slums of Boston with his abusive father. He had to look out for his little brother, protected him any way he could. Billy was violent, dangerous, and not the person you'd ever want to run into, even in broad daylight. Tess was use to those kind of men. She didn't even bat an eye the first time he came into the bar…"

It was right in the middle of a fairly busy night when the door to the Four Roses was thrown open. Tess' head shot up to look at the newcomer and then her eyes widened in shock. It wasn't often that new people just stumbled into the Four Roses, everyone knew who owned the bar, and only people who were on good terms with the Rinaldi family were truly welcome there. However, the man nearly filling the doorway with his broad shoulders and impossibly tall frame didn't seem to give a damn whether he was wanted or not.

His baldhead gleamed in the low lighting as he strode in with a swagger that Tess recognized. It was the same way that her brothers, uncles, and Father walked. It was a quiet confidence. A sense that every movement this person ever made was with a purpose.

"That's the Death Dealers leader, Tess," Lia whispered before moving down the bar to give someone their shots.

There were no need for introductions, however, the same man had been coming into the Four Roses for two weeks now. Only this time he looked different, more powerful. He looked like the Gang lord that people had been whispering about. He hadn't come into the bar alone, there were a handful of guys, and all had the same tribal tattoos and were wearing leather jackets. Tess raised one eyebrow as the leader strode forward, leaning over the bar to look at her.

"I'm told that you're the one to know in here," He whispered.

His voice was impossibly deep, like he had gargled with gravel. He had these stunning hazel blue eyes that seemed to freeze Tess where she stood. With the stranger this close it was apparent how tall he really was, even hunched over he towered over Tess' five feet frame.

"Who wants to know?" Tess replied evenly.

"Name's Billy Darley," He said. "And you're Tess Rinaldi."

If Tess was impressed by Billy's knowledge she didn't show it. Not that her name was all that hard to find, it was on the lease to the building and she was the so-called gatekeeper of the family. In order for someone to get in with her brothers or father they had to go through her. Everyone in Hells Kitchen knew who she was. So, the way Billy was smirking at her, like he had pulled something over on her was more than a little irritating.

"There a problem here?"

"Nice of you to make an appearance, Gavin," Tess muttered. "Dom's been looking for ya."

Gavin raised an eyebrow at his sister's tone before looking Billy up and down appraisingly.

"Hey, Tessa," Charlie greeted with a wave.

"Hi, Charlie," Tess smiled.

Gavin looked around the bar before reaching over the bar for a beer. He pulled out two, handing one to Charlie before he walked away. Charlie glanced around the room, sparing Billy an extra glance and gave his sister a measured look before he followed in Gavin's direction.

Tess rolled her eyes watching as Gavin and Charlie quickly found Dom and the three began talking. It was obvious that the conversation was heated as the three gestured angrily. Billy seemed to be watching the scene too before Tess offered him a shot. Billy turned around and grabbed it from the table and downed it easily.

"Brothers?" Billy asked.

"Unfortunately," Tess smirked. "That obvious?"

"Similar features."

That was true. All four Rinaldi siblings shared the same dark hair and fair skin. And both Charlie and Gavin had dark green eyes, just like their father. While Tess and Dom took after their mother. They had the same dark brown hair and their eyes were sparkling sapphires.

"Why would you need to know me?" Tess asked.

"I want more connections in this city," Billy replied. "Looking to expand."

"I'm just a bartender, baby," Tess purred. "I don't think I have the kind of connections you're after."

"And I think you're lyin' to me," Billy whispered, leaning closer to Tess. His deep voice becoming icier, lined with steel, a warning. "I think you have the connections anyone tied to the mob would."

"The mob?" Tess repeated. "You've been watching too many movies. This isn't the Sopranos."

"From everything I heard the Rinaldi family would be Tony Soprano's wet dream," Billy responded.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tess stated firmly.

"Someone told me that you wouldn't be too talkative at first," Billy mused.

Tess' sapphire eyes followed Billy's movement as he reached into the inside pocket of his brown leather jacket. Her hand rested on the nine millimeter she had holstered under the counter. The safety was off, so if he pulled a gun on her, she'd be able to react quickly. Instead of a gun or a similar weapon he tossed a manila folder onto the bar counter right in front of her.

"What's this?" Tess asked.

"Why don't you read it and find out?" Billy suggested.

With a raised eyebrow and a frown, she flipped the folder open. If Tess had been born into a different life she might've been shocked or scared. Instead she looked at Billy once more before she lifted the file off the table. Staring right at her was her own information. It had all the basic things:

Hair: Dark Brown

Eyes: Blue

Height: Five feet two inches.

Weight: one hundred twenty five pounds.

Tess scoffed as she glared at Billy, "I think I know all this already."

"Why don't you flip the page," Billy smirked.

A bang distracted Billy and Tess the latter of whom glanced past the former to look at her brothers'. They had been watching the scene carefully but didn't seem to know what to make of it. Tess held up one hand, a clear directive to wait. She was sure that Billy wasn't a narc but she had never seen him before, which was freaking her out. Tess did as Billy requested and turned the page. The information went slightly more in depth: Theresa Marie Rinaldi born September 13, 1984 to Luca Rinaldi, head of the Rinaldi crime family. It talked about her position as the gateway and things like that. The one thing that seemed to surprise her was the fact that whoever had complied the folder got a picture of the tattoo on her wrist. La Malavita, Italian for The Underworld.

"Where'd you get this?" Tess finally asked.

"I have sources of my own," Billy said.

Tess stared up at him, looking him over critically. She didn't know what she was feeling exactly. Just that for whatever reason she trusted Billy. Or at least she trusted that he wasn't a narc.

"Why don't you and your boys come back while we're closing up," Tess said. "My brothers will be ready to talk to you by then."

"When will you be closing up?"

"Around two or three in the morning."

"The interesting thing about Billy Darley and Tess Rinaldi was that they managed to be a part of the same world, just in two different hemispheres. Tess' family had money and a lot of it. They had respect and power and more enemies than I would ever think was possible. She was also loved, completely and utterly by the men in her family, Luca would do whatever she wanted and while her brother's seemed to be irritated that she got away with so much more than they did when they were younger, they were as wrapped around her fingers as their old man," Lia whispered. "Billy, on the other hand, had to fend for himself. He learned how to survive on the streets, he learned how to read people because he had to learn to interpret his father's emotions. Based on whatever mood Bones' was in was how Billy knew whether or not he'd be beaten. Unfortunately, Billy took after Bones' in a lot of ways, at least when it came to the gang. In Boston he was absolutely ruthless, killing anyone who got in his way. The only people he ever showed affection for was his brother, Joe and the people in the gang."

"I don't know what the hell you were thinking, Tessa," Gavin grumbled.

His back was rigid and tense as he sat on one of the bar stools drinking a beer. The majority of the crowd had cleared out about a half hour ago, leaving on Tess, Gavin, Charlie, Dom, Lia, and various other members of Dom's team.

"Why don't you shut the hell up, Gav?" Tess retorted.

"What was that, little girl?" Gavin sneered glaring at Tess who returned the look.

"Gav," Charlie warned. "Tess."

"You having hearing problems we don't know about?" Tess grinned.

Before Gavin could retort, Dom held his hand up instantly silencing his two youngest siblings. Dom sighed, sitting down next to Gavin and taking the beer that Tess had placed in front of him. The bar was quiet as people waited for Billy Darley and his gang to show.

"We don't know anything about this kid," Gavin hissed after a few minutes of silence. "I don't trust him."

"You didn't even talk to him," Tess retorted. "Have I ever steered you guys wrong before?"

"Why are you defending him?" Gavin demanded.

"I'm not, asshole, I'm defending myself," Tess snapped. "Look, I did a preliminary sweep of his records and that of his gang. They're legit."

"You should've seen the way he was fucking looking at you. Like he was seconds away from fucking you in front of everyone," Gavin grumbled.

"He has good fucking taste," Tess smirked.

"Tessa, enough," Dom reproached. "Both of you stop baiting each other."

"Boss, they're here," Theo, one of the enforcers of Dom's crew announced from his position by the door.

"Lia, Tess, go upstairs," Dominic ordered rising to his feet.

"Are you serious?" Tess demanded. "This is my fucking bar, Dom!"

"Tess," Charlie warned.

Lia quickly left the room as Dom stiffened turning back around. The look in his eyes was cold and stern as his eyes locked on Tess. It was the same glance that would normally send his men scrambling to do his biding. Unfortunately, Tess wasn't so easily cowed by a mean look, choosing instead to glare daggers at her eldest brother.

"You think I don't know that?" Dom asked after a moment. "Gavin doesn't trust this kid and you do. That leaves things at an impasse, which means until Gav, Charlie and I decide what this kid's intentions are, I don't want him near you."

"I'm not a child, Dom," Tess growled. "I don't need you making decisions for me."

"Tess, either go upstairs by on your own volition or Nicky is going to carry you up, understand?"

The air in the bar chilled drastically as Tess glowered at Dom before jumping over the bar and throwing the backdoor open, seconds later the front door to the upstairs apartment opened with a bang before closing with a slam.

"Brat," Gavin rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, Gavin," Dom ordered sharply. "You know she hates it when you treat her like that."

"You mean like a kid?" Gavin retorted.

Dom glared at Gavin as the front door swung open and six men stepped into the bar. They were the same men from earlier, with their similar tattoos and leather jackets. Billy was once again standing dead center as he walked through some of Dom's men to stop right in front of him.

"Where's Tess?" Billy asked looking around the room.

"You don't need to know that," Gavin growled.

Billy raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Gavin with a smirk. Gavin seemed to take that as the challenge it was and approached Billy. His spine was ramrod straight, his fists were clenched, and a fierce glare adorned his features.

"I'm Dominic Rinaldi," Dom introduced, stepping in front of Gavin.

"Billy Darley," Billy replied.

"What are you doing in New York City?" Dom asked. "I heard that you've been pretending to run my streets."

Billy sniffed loudly, wiping his nose as he looked at Dom. Anyone who knew Billy knew that he was slowly losing control of his emotions.

"Hells kitchen isn't your territory, Darley, it's mine," Dom continued firmly. "Now I know you're not from here so you didn't know, in light of that we'll let that disrespect pass."

"Disrespect?" Billy growled.

"That was something that Billy Darley didn't exactly factor into his decision," Lia laughed. "Billy was use to being one of the top dogs in South Boston and he obviously thought that it would be no different in New York City. Then again he truly rose to the top when he murdered his asshole of a father. Anyone would feel pretty invincible after that, ready to conquer a whole new world. Guess Billy didn't know that New York City's underworld was a little more complex. He also wasn't used to being called out on disrespectful behavior."

"Where are you staying?"

"Near the river," Billy finally said.

"How're your profits?" Dom asked.

Now to most people that would be a general question. Billy saw the test for what it was. If he wasn't making enough money then the Rinaldi's wouldn't be willing to lend out any of their territory. Luckily things like drugs would always have a place in the Underworld. The profits, now that Bones was out of the picture were very, very good.

"Decent," Billy shrugged. "Why?"

"How about you give us twenty percent and you keep your four blocks?" Dom offered.

"Ten percent," Billy negotiated.

Dominic raised one eyebrow, impressed by Billy's guts. It wasn't often that someone tried to negotiate with him. Tess did all the time, but she knew almost for certain that Dom would never hurt her. Billy on the other hand, Dom could and would kill without a second thought. The feral, slightly unhinged look in Dom's eyes attested to that fact but just as quickly as the look appeared it was gone and then he began to laugh. The soldiers that were guarding the bar flinched before staring at Dominic in shock.

"Fifteen," Dom said, with smile on his face. Though his eyes were stern.

"Deal," Billy agreed.

The two men shook hands and the tension that had been in the room since the second that Billy's gang entered the Four Roses was gone.

"If only we had known that it would be that very deal that would topple an entire empire," Lia sighed. "Billy Darley coming to New York City set a lot of things into motion, resulting in some of the bloodiest years New York had ever seen."