5 Advance Team On The Road

Kevin had not been looking forward to this drive across country. Thank God it was almost over and they weren't far from Seattle. And he could not have predicted how bad it would get. He was OK with Scott and Steve. It was the Monkey that had them all on edge. This was his first time with his little cousin on a team. He suspected that Bob's sister, Bigsby's mother, had insisted that the Monkey get some experience even though they all knew he wasn't suited for the family business. He wasn't the first member of the family to be judged unsuited. Usually, such family members were separated from them usually far away and they were allowed to find, and they usually did, some other career or business to take up. The general family consensus was that he wasn't suited for any other business either. Bob took Kevin aside and had explained that there was to be no shooting on this advance mission, and he was absolutely clear about that, and to make the bitter little Monkey pill easier he said it could be a good way to ease the kid into some safer aspect of the business. Kevin had his doubts and for sure Bob hadn't mentioned what safer aspect of the family business he had in mind. The kid had seen and taken to heart one or twenty gangster movies too many. That wasn't what they did. They had nothing to do with gambling, or prostitution, or God Forbid, drugs. No. They occupied a very specialized niche among the various families, most of whom did compete in those activities more or less. Kevin liked to think that they provided a service to people who needed solutions the traditional justice system failed to accommodate. He saw a cluster of restaurant signs signaling a rest stop up ahead. He said, "I see a Waffle Haus coming up. Who's up for lunch?"

Bigsby, roused from one of his too few quiet times, said, "Jesus Christ, man, why did we have to drive all the fuck the whole way?" He looked like he'd been napping. "Why couldn't we fly?"

Steve put down his 'People' magazine. "Look's good to me. Never been in one of those."

Scott pulled the van onto the exit ramp.

"Like why drive, man?"

"We went over this 20 times over the last three days."

"Yeah, well, I still don't get it."

The Waffle Haus was busy and they had to wait all of two minutes to get a booth. Efficient.

They were seated and on one side in the next booth was a family with small kids and on the other a teen couple. Across the divide were two men, probably truckers. Neither looked their way. He looked around checking out the people visible from where he sat. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

He wasn't to tell Bigsby, but Bob wanted him, when this was all done, to give his assessment of Bigsby's prospects in the family business. He was just glad that this was an observe only job. That was for sure why the boss sent him out. That and the fact Bob's sister, the kid's mother insisted he be 'given a chance to prove himself.' He was not looking forward to that conversation. He had no idea what the kid would be good for. He was just glad it wasn't his problem to find that out. And if Bob shunted him aside or into something that didn't involve front line servicing right after this assignment, well, Bibsby's dear mom, his own dear aunt, would give him the evil eye, which in this family could be very bad.

Kevin turned his attention to the menu. He couldn't see what was so good about this stuff that would attract the other side. It was odd that the Hesburghs would even enter such a place. Steve he could see was looking things over, too. Parking surrounded the place. Big windows. That would make it easy, assuming the one in downtown Seattle was the same, to watch their subjects' comings and goings. The few pictures he had seen looked like this one.

The waitress came. She forced a smile. They ordered. Steve pulled out his latest magazine. Scott pulled out his Bible - King James Version no less - and picked up reading on some chapter in the Old Testament. Bigsby was bothered by the Bible and was frowning at Scott. No doubt, he hadn't seen that in any of the movies. Scott was absorbed in the text. He wouldn't look up until the orders came. Right on time Steve found some new gossip about a celebrity that needed to be shared. Kevin had no idea who most of them were, but Steve knew them all.

The food was OK. Nothing pretentious about the place in the least. Quick in, order, and easy out. Kevin figured within about two hours they would be at the old safe house still available from last year. Then he would have to get the other two set up. He figured that would be the hardest part making sure they got the main place set up for Bob's arrival. His instructions were explicit to set up the other two before they initiated any observational contact with their targets.

Bigsby insisted on dessert, pie, apple it looked to be, with ice cream. Steve pulled out his unfinished 'People' magazine while Scott left to clean up in the restroom.

Scott returned and while Kevin collected the check Bigsby took his own turn. Kevin left a generous tip at the table. He waited to pay, in cash, at the register. Steve and Scott joined him there. He heard Bigsby shouting just around the corner and out of sight. Everybody's head in the restaurant turned in the direction of the commotion. Steve eased around the counter looking towards the restroom. He and Scott stayed put. They heard more shouting. Kevin sighed and walked up behind Steve. Bigsby was standing and looking down on the some guy sitting in his booth with his girl.

"If you're looking for trouble, you found it, asshole."

The man, easily had 50 or 60 lbs on the Monkey, raised his hands in surrender. "Dude, I'm not looking for trouble." The guy was trying hard to hide a smirk. So far the guy was still finding this amusing. Probably the fact the guy wasn't quaking in his seat was further torquing the Monkey.

"Good, because I can kick your ass."

Kevin motioned to Steve. Steve projecting a relaxed low profile walked over and putting his back to the couple inserted an arm and part of his body in between the couple and the Monkey firmly push pulling Bigsby away and towards the door.

They got outside into the van and on the freeway. Steve pulled some new magazine from his bag. Scott didn't say anything. And the Monkey talked about what he would've done to that guy for the next 10 miles. They all knew he wound down sooner if left alone. At the safe house base he was going to put the Monkey as far away from his room as possible. Kevin's own mother was right. You can't pick family.