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"I gotta plan that can solve our Ladd problems." Cass informed happily, and Ash raised an eyebrow.
"How so?" Cass smirked at her, leaning comfortably on the wall. Ash and Ry sighed in unison, knowing that smirk meant he was going to be a smart ass and brag about his plan. The problem was, all his plans were usually good ones, so they would have to listen.
Cookie and Berga both cocked their heads to the side, waiting to hear the plan.
"Y'see, a whiles back I was traveling through Chicago." Cass informed with his deep voice bellowing out the story.
Ash rolled her eyes, knowing that Cass just loved an audience. She figured that he should have gone to California and tried his hand at the moving picture business.
"And I flirted with this dame, and one thing led ta the next, and I was in some hot water with a little family known as the Russo family."
"Ya met with the Russo's before!?" Berga questioned in shock. Cass held a hand up signaling that he wasn't done talking. If Berga wasn't so interested in Cass' plan, he probably would have punched the younger man hard enough to kill him.
"So there I was with the boss, surrounded by men with guns…"
"Dammit! Did you know who you were flirting with you damn bastard!?" a man screamed while Cass stood there calmly with two rough men on either side of him. Cass was surprised they hadn't shot him yet.
"I believe it was a beautiful woman. But I didn't have much time with her since these two guys took me away. Such a shame. She was gorgeous."
"She's my wife!" the man shouted.
"Well, no wonder she was so intrigued by me if she has ta look at you all day." Cass smirked, but the man glared at him.
"You want to keep running your mouth? Do you even know who I am?"
Cass shrugged and eyed some paperwork on the man's desk.
"Placido Russo." Cass' eyes then widened. "The Placido Russo?"
The older gentleman seemed pleased that just his name could evoke such terror.
"Yes. Leader of the Russo Family, as you are well aware of." He boasted.
Cass honestly had no clue who the man was. He never heard of a Placido Russo. He never heard of the Russo Crime family, and this troubled him slightly because Cass prided himself in knowing a lot. He thought he knew about every crime family in Chicago. Apparently not.
At the same time, not knowing who the man was made Cass more confident and comfortable. He would hear awful stories of men who were killed by various crime families. If he heard nothing about the Russos, they must have done nothing of much importance. At least, not yet.
Cass understood the seriousness of the situation, however he hated to worry himself. So in his head, he didn't take the situation seriously at all. And that was the key to keeping his cool.
"If only I had known I was flirting with the wife of the Placido Russo." He groaned, burying his head in his hands. "It makes me never want ta flirt with a woman I don't know again." Cass let out a long heavy sigh.
"That's probably gonna happen though, right? I mean, you're gonna kill me for doing something so horrible. D'you think I could call my mom? She'll probably want to know where I am when I don't come home." Cass explained. Placido Russo sighed, and shook his head.
"You're just a stupid damned kid who made a mistake." He stated. "I'm not going to kill you for that. But so help me, if I find you flirting with my wife or any other members of my family again, I'm going to make it that you wished I killed you. Understand?"
"Y-yes sir." Cass stuttered as he nodded his head quickly. "I'm so scared, I'll never look at a doll again." He muttered.
Cass was escorted out and left out on the sidewalk.
He jabbed his thumbs into his pocket as he made his way into a restaurant. His eyes laid on a girl with bright blond hair and green eyes.
"Can I buy you something, doll face?" he questioned with a smile.
"Well… that was a good story but I don't understand how we're supposed ta get a plan from that." Cookie stated.
"I'm with her on this one. So ya survived a meetin' with the head of the family. So what?" Berga questioned, irritation apparent in his voice.
"Ash, you know what I'm getting' at, right?"
"Not at all." Ash stated. "So get to it. we don't need your dramatic pauses for effect or anythin'."
"I'm sad that you forgot one of my best talents." Cass pouted. Ash's face lit up as she figured out what he was talking about.
"Wait. You still remember his voice and how he talks?" Ash questioned.
"'Course I do. His favorite word is damn. He uses it all the time. his Chicago accent is a bit more heavy and he yells constantly."
"What the hell are the two of ya talkin' about?" Berga barked.
"What the hell are the two of ya talkin' about?" Cass imitated, his voice almost identical to Berga's.
"Sweet mother of god!" Berga exclaimed in shock and Cookie looked at Cass equally stunned.
"How'd ya do that?"
"I'm good with my mouth." Cass shrugged as he smirked at her.
"You're disgustin'." Ry grunted.
"Hey, it's true." Cass shrugged. "Anyway, all I need is the address of where Ladd's stayin' and a horn. I'll act all pissed and demand he comes home and that's that." Cass grinned, proud of himself.
"I hate ta be the half glass empty guy…" Ry sighed, but was cut off by Cass.
"No you don't." Ry shot him a glare, then continued.
"But we have no clue what his phone number is." Cass smirked as he wrapped an arm around Ry.
"That's when you…"
"No way in hell am I going anywhere near that loon." Ry growled.
"I'll go." Ash nodded.
"Me too." Cookie stated.
"Aren't the two of ya forgettin' that Ladd is lookin' for ya?" Cass questioned.
"If it will protect the Gandors, I'll do it." Cookie informed, her voice firm.
"And I just hate sittin' around. If Ladd sees us I'll stab him." Ash informed as she twirled around a knife.
The two girls stood and headed towards the door.
"Aren't ya gonna stop them?" Cass questioned, looking over at Berga.
"I wouldn't try ta stop them. Not ta mention, Cookie can handle herself. Strong woman right there." Berga nodded with some pride.
"All this for a phone number." Ry grunted. He shifted his feet a bit, but then ran out of the house.
"Where is he goin'?" Berga questioned, and Cass smirked.
"He's gonna protect his sister. The guy isn't completely heartless." Cass made his way to the table near the table.
"While we wait, wanna play some cards?" Berga looked at him, confused.
"Ya don't seem too worried about them." He informed as he took a seat on the couch. Cass just chuckled.
"Course not."