"La Famiglia"

Chapter 1 –'Setting up the Sting"

Author: Lorrie Ellis

Disclaimer: The following story is based on the characters of the TV Series "Good Luck, Charlie". The characters belong to Disney and the creators of the show, but the story is mine. ALL DISCLAIMERS APPLY. (No copyright infringement is intended.)

"Hey, Joey, have you talked with the boss yet?" Vincent Tartaglia asked his younger cousin, his thick Italian accent evident.

Joey nodded, placing his black book back into his jacket pocket. "Yeah, he says to speak with the man here and then get ourselves back home. He don't want us hanging around Denver too long, ya know?"

Vincent nodded. "Yeah, I know. I don't much like this place anyways, too much open space. Brooklyn will always be home."

Joey smiled and the two cousins shared a hearty laugh as they stepped into a nearby restaurant. Vincent's phone rang just as the two were being seated. "Yeah," he answered. "Okay, we'll be there."

Vincent tucked his phone back into his jacket pocket. "We meet with the man at midnight."

"Where at?" Joey asked.

"Warehouse 5, down near the airport." Vincent replied. "But, we've got plenty of time for a good meal." They placed their orders with the waitress and kept up a quiet conversation until their food arrived.

Across the street, Detective Nathan Martin and his partner, James Mack were staking out the restaurant and planning a sting operation, hoping to catch both Vincent and Joey as they met with, the man, which was their own Captain Jacobs. "Captain," Detective Martin radioed. "We're holding position. Suspects are still in the restaurant."

"Roger that, Martin. The meet is going down on schedule at ten." Captain Jacobs replied.

"We'll be there." Detective Martin answered.

"So what do you want to do until ten?" Detective Mack asked.

"We wait." Detective Martin replied.

An hour later, inside the restaurant, Vincent checked his watch. "We'd better get going." He motioned to the waitress to bring the check and he and Joey left.

"There they are." James said as he watched Vincent and Joey head towards their car. Nathan quietly cranked the car and discreetly followed the two suspects as they left. "Alright, it's going down." James radioed as they pulled into the warehouse district. "Team two, what's your position?"

"Team two is in position." The radio crackled.

"Team three?" James radioed.

"Team three is in position." The radio crackled again.

As Joey and Vincent exited their car, a shower of bullets sprayed across the warehouse parking lot.

"Cease fire! Cease fire!" Detective Martin yelled into the radio.

"Boss, it's not us and it's not team three." Team two replied.

"Then who the heck is here?" Detective Martin yelled while pulling his service weapon. "Keep close. I don't know what we're walking into, but the Captain is down there and we have to assume he's in trouble."

The two lead Detectives made their way to the end of the warehouse and as Martin peeked around the corner, he saw Joey drag Vincent into the car. "What happened, Joey?" Vincent asked with a ragged breath.

Joey shook his head. "I don't know, Vinney. You just . . . you hang on, you hear?"

A smiled came to Vincent's face. "I hear ya, Joey. You're such a good boy." Vincent's eyes started to close. "Such a good boy." He repeated quietly.

Joey jumped into the driver's seat and sped away before Martin and Mack could confront him. "They'll be at the hospital." Martin said. "Radio Headquarters to meet them there. They'll need to beef up security too. There's no telling what Joey might do, especially if Vinney doesn't make it.'

Captain Jacobs spotted his Detectives at the end of the building and cautiously made his way towards them. "What happened? Who fired? I didn't give the signal. What . . .?"

"Hold on, Captain. We don't know what happened either. We didn't fire and we don't know who did, or why." Martin explained.

"We have a third party shooter." Captain Jacobs stated.

Martin nodded. "Yes sir, it looks that way."

"Where are Joey and Vincent?" The Captain asked.

"Vincent was hit and Joey dragged him into the car. I'm guessing he's headed to the hospital. We've beefed up security and unless you need the two of us here . . ."

Captain Jacobs shook his head. "No, go ahead."