"Good work, Roman." Nikolai Petrov's silver Coquette sped out of the Triangle Club's parking lot, spraying water on the pedestrians nearby. "you are becoming more useful every day."

"thanks. I better be useful to you people, with what you put me through back there." Roman had been going through rough times. His taxi service failed and his girlfriend left him and ran off with the same Albanian loan shark that had been chasing him around for months. This was not the American dream he had in mind.

Nikolai's Coquette gained speed, flying through the steam pluming through the manholes in the street. "Faustin will be very pleased with your work tonight, Roman. We certainly won't be getting screwed over by those dealers anymore, all thanks to you." Faustin was having problems with dealers not giving Faustin his cut, and tonight was Roman's turn to rough up some dealers. as the car turned a corner, a pedestrian ran past the car, barely missing the front bumper.

"Fucking crackheads! we almost hit that idiot. There are so many of these asses screwing around down here, its really pissing me off." Roman was noticeably shaken. Petrov laughed when he saw the look on Roman's face.

"Roman, Roman...calm down! you know, we wouldn't be making any money if not for these assholes. They can run around all they want for all i care, more money for us, i say." Nikolai laughed and slammed his foot on the accelerator, sending the car screaming through a red light. "If you wish to blame anyone, it is your cousin. He has really tied things together with our business and the dealers." Roman shrugged and looked out at the subway tracks flying by overhead.

"Niko really has done some great work since arriving here." Roman chuckled and remembered the day Niko arrived, discovering that life wasn't going to be as easy as anticipated. "He was so mad back then, but look at him now! He really is living the dream now."

"he's still barely more than a hired gun, Roman." The coquette came to a stop outside the apartment.

"Look at this place. It's a real shit hole." Roman groaned as he stumbled out of the car. "are you going to come up?"

"as long as you don't try anything weird on me." They both laughed as they ascended the stairs to Roman's apartment.