Canonized guest addition
by Ed Becerra
oOo
It didn't take long. It didn't surprise him at all, given the stories Dad had told, and the bad examples he'd said Danny shouldn't follow. Sneaking up on his "Uncle" Tony was a lot like trying to sneak up on Eidolon. Extremely difficult to do, and likely to end painfully. So he simply made a reservation at the restaurant for that evening, and when he arrived, he was immediately escorted to the penthouse.
The elevator was impressive - there was probably more tinkertech-based scanning devices in it than anyplace outside of a villains lair. Come to think of it...
Ah, well. He had nothing to hide and not much to worry about. If there was anything he and Antonio agreed upon whole-heartedly, it was the sanctity of family.
The guard waiting for him at the penthouse was surprisingly urbane and polite. Or perhaps not so surprising. Dad had always stressed the high value the family placed on good manners. They might be planning on killing you, but unless you'd really screwed up, they'd never be rude about it.
He took a deep breath and stepped through the door Luigi had just opened.
"Hello, Uncle Tony, Aunt Serafina."
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The rooftop garden boggled the mind.
"Plum tomatoes, really?"
Antonio shrugged. "Everyone needs a hobby that's in no way connected to their work. Mine is the creation of the perfect pasta sauce." He grinned at the flat "whut" expression on young Danny's face.
"I thought it might be more... I don't know. Dealing with difficult people, I suppose. Dangling unco-operative types from rooftops."
"A hobby is supposed to take you away from the frustrations of your daily grind, Danny, not add to them," he laughed. "What, did you imagine me in some opulent chair, stroking a Persian cat and telling someone that they've failed me for the last time?"
"Ummm..."
"That's what I have minions for," laughed the old man. "Oddly, Annette commented on that too. Ironic, considering..."
"You knew?" asked Danny carefully.
"Her parents knew, so her grandparents knew. That meant we knew. We simply kept quiet about it, respecting the rules. We do understand omerta, Danny." Antonio laughed. "Besides, I think we both know that if the idiots in the PRT hadn't birdcaged that maniac first, Annette likely would have eventually saved them the trouble. She always did have her eyes on the prize."
"I can see that, actually. She always was the more scheming of the two of us. And the more unforgiving. God, if she'd known what that hellhole of a school was going to try to do to Taylor, she'd have been there with a jerrycan of gas and a lighter. I might even have joined her."
"Danny, Danny, Danny, five gallons of gasoline and a zippo? I'm slightly disappointed in Charles, he should have taught you better."
"Better?" bristled Danny.
"Of course! You don't bring a mere five gallons, you bring ten gallons and a tire apiece, for everyone who needs ... chastising. Though that's mostly to get their attention. If you've done things right from the start, they'll understand their errors and correct things. Of course, if they refuse, you go ahead and use them."
Antonio chuckled at the dumbfounded expression on Danny's face. "I've grown old, not weak. Yet. But sit, sit, we're here to talk of peace between us and the making of amends, the both of us. Myself more than you, I admit. I've made more mistakes than you have, if only because I've lived longer than you. And Jesus knows I have amends to make. Your grandfather took me in off the streets of that pesthole in Sicily, taught me everything I know, and all he asked of me besides loyalty was that when he was gone, I would watch over Charles and his family. Something I've done poorly, I admit. And I can only beg your forgiveness for that."
"Some of that - a lot of that - is my own fault. I certainly didn't make it any easier for you."
"Blame enough to go around, Danny. Be that as it may. I do have some important things to tell you. Important for you, for Taylor, and for the Union."
"This isn't something I might have to testify to in court someday, is it?"
"Perhaps. We won't hold it against you, though." Antonio leaned over to prune a tomato vine, then looked back at Danny. "We're changing our operations in Brockton Bay. Beginning now, gun running, hard drugs, and working girls will not be tolerated in Brockton Bay, not by any of the Families. Smuggling untaxed goods, running numbers, anything soft is in. And if people need encouragement, they'll be taken and encouraged somewhere far away from the Docks. Little Taylor's already gotten enough garbage thrown at her, she doesn't need her grand-uncle Tony or any of his 'friends' contributing to that."
Danny tried to surreptitiously bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. "She's not all that little any more, Uncle Tony."
The older man sighed and wiped a mock tear from one cheek. "They grow up so fast, these days."
"Faster than any father can imagine," grinned Danny at his own inside joke. "But thank you. I know how much you and the other families are sacrificing here."
"Not as much as one would think. We haven't lasted this long by being stupid, and only the terminally stupid would do anything to annoy you, the Union, or the Family."
"Skidmark," said Danny flatly.
"I did say the terminally stupid. Speaking of which, I realize a certain other Family likely has little need of our money, but the price on that fool's head was set with honest intent. Should he have an... accident... at their talons, the money is theirs for the asking. Would you pass that along for us?"
"Consider it mentioned."
"Thank you." Antonio relaxed. "Did I tell you we've all seen that video of little Taylor - okay, not so little any more! - giving that piece of Merchant scum a beatdown? She's so popular, some of the boys talked about recruiting her! I put a quick stop to that, but let me tell you, Danny, it was as funny as hell to listen to them giving a running critique about that takedown. Fonzi saw it over in Chicago, and he kept commenting 'Why didn't she break his knees? She should have gone for the knees!' Damn, it was hilarious. And everyone boo'ed when Panacea healed that idiot. Yeah, Miss Dallon's a hero and all, we get that, but really - that idiot is the sort that gives crime a bad name."
"And you can say that with a straight face," Danny said, rolling his eyes.
Antonio grinned back at him like the street urchin he'd once been. "I know, right?"
Serafina joined them on the terrace. Age had only honed her beauty. "Has he been smoking again, Danny? Tell me the truth. I keep telling him that if he keeps it up, I'll start treating his cigars."
Danny tried not to wince. Serafina held several degrees in organic chemistry and when younger had been a "person of interest" in several incidents of fatal food poisoning that happened to conveniently strike people who'd injured her family in some way.
No arrests and no convictions, of course.
Antonio immediately began to grovel in a suitably melodramatic fashion, insisting he hadn't smoked in front of Danny since the younger man had arrived.
"Oh, put a sock in it, you silly old man. We need to tell Danny what we've done to his reputation, humbly ask his pardon, and then beg him for a favor."
Now the older man was miming a shot to the heart, and staggered over to an armchair to dramatically collapse. Kaiju herself would have approved of the over-acting.
"Favor? Nothing–"
"No, nothing like that, Danny. We need some advice. We... have another white sheep in the Family."
Danny knew it would be rude. He knew that it would be insulting. That's why his only reaction was a small smile instead of a rolling belly laugh.
"How can I help?"
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Antonio explained at great length about the "Boss of the Docks" rumor that, while he hadn't started it, had certainly encouraged it when he'd found out about it, along with the report from the two delivery mooks that the "Union" was filled with stone-cold killers who openly bragged about how skillfully they were sniping people.
Danny facepalmed. "Seriously, Uncle Tony?"
"That last part wasn't my fault, Danny. Someone got Benny drunk and got the story of the delivery out of him. THAT "someone" has been dealt with. And Benny's been vigorously encouraged to stay sober from now on. I've been running damage control on the rest of the story. But I'm afraid that being 'the Boss of the Brockton Bay Docks' is something you're stuck with." Antonio shook his head. "Too many people are too proud that you're 'finally living up to his Nannu Marcel's legacy'."
Serafina reached over and gently dope-slapped her husband. "And you're one of them, old man."
Antonio pouted, a hilarious expression on someone of his age. "Ok, maybe just a little."
Danny sighed, a little worried. "But you are running damage control? I can't take care of Taylor if the PRT or the Protectorate stuff me in the Birdcage thinking I'm some sort of super-Godfather."
"That I am," nodded Antonio. "You're Family. Not quite as large as THE Family, but still..." He grinned and dodged another gentle slap from his wife.
"Be nice," she hissed.
"I've fallen into a Mob family situation comedy," Danny said with a straight face. "Any moment now, Timothy Van Patten's going to rush on stage, tell me I got the scene wrong, and that we need to reshoot it again."
That had all three of them laughing.
Danny took a deep breath. "So I'm not the only white sheep of the family any more, eh? What's happened, and how can I help?"
Serafina tugged on one ear in an old embarrassed tell. "Well, you see, Michaelangelo Donatello-"
"Wait, what? Really?"
Sera sighed. "We've forbidden his mother - my grandniece - from ever naming a baby again without one of us in the room holding a veto. But yes, Michaelangelo Donatello Castiglione, little Mikey Castle, is... a cape geek." She shrugged. "He has been since he was old enough to play with an action figure. He never wanted to take part in this Thing of Ours. He wasn't against us, it simply didn't interest him. But he did figure something out that let him take his passion and make use of it in a legal way that would also benefit the Families. As a success on the other side of the street, we'd like your professional opinion of his ... dream."
She set a small folder in front of him, along with a drink for the each of them. "We'll need them. Trust me."
It was a long and interesting read.
Danny had several drinks. Taylor was going to love this.
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