Chapter 1


Philip sat at a corner table in Tuscany flanked by his two bodyguards, Niko and an ex-wrestler named Diesel. Philip was going over a few details with Lucas over the phone, when his driver appeared with Jason Masters.

Jason hadn't changed much over the years. He was still the same cocky son of a bitch he always had been. His image would need cleaning up, Philip noted. Jason was dressed in the latest of what the hip hop crowd was wearing. Baggy jeans, basketball jersey, Timberlands, and lots of jewelry. Philip snickered at his image.


Jason walked into Tuscany with the expectation that one of his old high school friends wanted to chat. When he saw Philip, the first thing Jason thought of was that he belonged on the cover of Mobsters R Us. Philip was dressed in a charcoal silk suit with his hair slicked back, and a toothpick hanging from his mouth. In the seat across from Philip, Jason sloppily sat down, doing so just to piss him off.


Philip ended his call and lit a cigar while studying Jason. Philip believed that after some fine tuning, Jason would have a lucrative career within the family. Philip offered Jason a cigar, and he took one lighting it with his own zippo.

Jason clicked it shut. "So, what's with all the bullshit Phil? What am I here for?"

Philip smiled, always count on Jason to get to the point. "I want you to join my crew, Jase."

Jason arched an eyebrow, "Your crew? What the hell are you talking about?"

Philip leaned across the table with a menacing look, "Don't play stupid with me, Masters. You know what I'm talking about. I suggest you think about it, because I won't be asking you again. Face it, you have no more options. No one in their right mind would ever ask you into their hockey league again. You blew it. I'm your only option."


Jason glared at his childhood friend. "Listen here Kiriakis, you better be glad that I consider you my friend cause I've put guys into coma's for less than that."

Philip straightened in his seat, taking a puff from his cigar. "Welcome aboard, Jase."

Philip shook Jason's hand and motioned for Niko.

Niko bent down beside his boss. "Yes, sir?"

"I want you to take Mr. Masters and get him set up. Get him the apartment in the penthouse, whichever car in the garage he wants, and for the love of God get him some decent clothes."

Niko nodded and escorted Jason to the waiting car.

*******


Jason studied himself in the mirror. Hot damn, he looked good! Jason smirked at himself in the mirror and gave himself a chin-up.

His golden hair was spiked up, he had on a black Armani suit, crisp white shirt and a bright yellow silk tie. Jason looked at himself one last time before leaving his new penthouse apartment.

He made his way down the elevator and to the parking garage, turning off the alarm to his new black Audi.

Jason slid behind the wheel and marveled at his new life. Granted his new life of crime, but who was he kidding? He'd never been accused of being a saint.


Jason steered his car out of the garage and onto the busy downtown street. He cut over to the lane he needed for his exit, while the truck behind him laid on the horn. Jason looked in his rearview and flipped the guy the bird. "Ah, fuck off."

After his hockey career fizzled, Jason had been stuck. None of the other teams wanted him and he had no where to go. He had been working at the steel factory and living in a crappy apartment when Philip had found him. Jason really didn't know what he was supposed to do, but Phil told him to hang around him and Lucas for a while to get the picture, and then he would being doing stuff on his own.

******