Chapter 8
Rat
Chris drove once again, eagerly to Salvatore's Mansion. He stepped up to the front door, and knocked lightly. He was surprised to see who opened the door. It was Maria. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail, and she was wearing a sports bra and low-rise workout shorts. Chris couldn't believe she answered the door dressed like this. Does she ever wear the mafia princess stuff? a dress, with hair done up,a necklace and jewelry everywhere. Chris guessed she was just different.
"Hey, snap out of it! Do you wanna see Salvatore?" Maria snapped her fingers under Chris's nose. He had drifted off. Chris almost blushed.
"Uh, yeah is he around?" Chris asked.
"He's around back, talking with Tony Cipriani." Maria motioned to the back yard. Chris walked forward, and headed back out into the beautiful terrace, overlooking Liberty Beach.
" Tony, you and Chris have met, haven't you?" Sal motioned between the two.
"Yeah, yeah, how ya doin' kid?" Tony said, wiping his nose.
"Never been better."
"Well, Chris. You've earned my respect. I heard nothing but good news from Maria about you. Now, sonny, a new Colombian Cartel Operative is pushing SPANK, the new high on the street. They're interfering with our, ahem, operations. They seem to know everything we're doing before we do it. We got us a rat. Now, one my men is working the bar at Luigi's club. He's paying a lot more than he's making. He ain't pimpin', he ain't pushin', he must be talkin'. Follow Ronnie Valenti from Luigi's Club. See where he goes. If he squeals, get rid of him and report back here tomorrow as to where he led you. Good luck kid."
Chris left quickly. He was down to Luigi's, a half mile away, in about a minute. He pulled up outside, right behind a cab. A small, greasy looking man walked cautiosly out of the front door. His nametag read in a neon pink coloring: Ronnie. Chris tightened the grip on his wheel. Chris followed Ronnie in the cab for almost twenty minutes. The cab was heading to the harbor. Chris parked his car near a delivery loading dock. He got out as Ronnie did, and as the cab drove away, Ronnie walked to a harbor near a huge cargo ship. Two people were waiting for him. A tall...dark...ugly Hispanic man and..... Catalina. There she was. She's the Cartel Operative! That or the ugly guy, but he didn't look to bright. Chris heard every word they said.
"Here comes our little friend." the Hispanic man said.
"Were you followed? What goes on here is our secret, you know that, right?" Catalina brushed aside her bangs.
"No, I don't think so. I know it's our secret though. Where is it?" Ronnie asked.
"Here's five hundred, in 10's. Now talk." said Catalina, laying down a briefcase.
"Alright, the Leones are fighting two wars. The Triads and the Forellis. Joey Leone stirred up some bad blood with the Forellis. The Forellis are weak though. The main threat is the Triads. They have an operation against the Asians every week or so. Neither side is showing any signs of giving up. Everyday they're losing men and influence in the city. Salvatore is getting dangerous and paranoid. He suspects everybody. Also, some of the guys at the club are saying some young hotshot named Chris is doin' Salvatore's girl Maria. Salvatore hasn't gotten wind of it yet, but when he does, it's bad for the both of them."
Chris saw no change on Catalina's face at the mention of his name. He withdrew his head from looking and tried to conceal himself better. But what the hell, Chris hadn't touched Maria! If Salvatore finds out I'm a dead man, Chris panicked. Chris peered around the wall to see Catalina and ugly-all-day hop into an SUV and drive off. Chris, brimming with rage, jumped into his Kuruma. He wheeled it around the corner. Ronnie swerved around. A look of pure horror was in his eyes, as his vision filled with headlights. At least it'll be quick he thought. The car hit with such force the Ronnie's body was broken in half, and only ligaments held the rest of it together. Chris came to a sudden stop, and the body went flying. It was split in half as it rolled along. Chris got out, and kicked it into the ocean.
Rat
Chris drove once again, eagerly to Salvatore's Mansion. He stepped up to the front door, and knocked lightly. He was surprised to see who opened the door. It was Maria. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail, and she was wearing a sports bra and low-rise workout shorts. Chris couldn't believe she answered the door dressed like this. Does she ever wear the mafia princess stuff? a dress, with hair done up,a necklace and jewelry everywhere. Chris guessed she was just different.
"Hey, snap out of it! Do you wanna see Salvatore?" Maria snapped her fingers under Chris's nose. He had drifted off. Chris almost blushed.
"Uh, yeah is he around?" Chris asked.
"He's around back, talking with Tony Cipriani." Maria motioned to the back yard. Chris walked forward, and headed back out into the beautiful terrace, overlooking Liberty Beach.
" Tony, you and Chris have met, haven't you?" Sal motioned between the two.
"Yeah, yeah, how ya doin' kid?" Tony said, wiping his nose.
"Never been better."
"Well, Chris. You've earned my respect. I heard nothing but good news from Maria about you. Now, sonny, a new Colombian Cartel Operative is pushing SPANK, the new high on the street. They're interfering with our, ahem, operations. They seem to know everything we're doing before we do it. We got us a rat. Now, one my men is working the bar at Luigi's club. He's paying a lot more than he's making. He ain't pimpin', he ain't pushin', he must be talkin'. Follow Ronnie Valenti from Luigi's Club. See where he goes. If he squeals, get rid of him and report back here tomorrow as to where he led you. Good luck kid."
Chris left quickly. He was down to Luigi's, a half mile away, in about a minute. He pulled up outside, right behind a cab. A small, greasy looking man walked cautiosly out of the front door. His nametag read in a neon pink coloring: Ronnie. Chris tightened the grip on his wheel. Chris followed Ronnie in the cab for almost twenty minutes. The cab was heading to the harbor. Chris parked his car near a delivery loading dock. He got out as Ronnie did, and as the cab drove away, Ronnie walked to a harbor near a huge cargo ship. Two people were waiting for him. A tall...dark...ugly Hispanic man and..... Catalina. There she was. She's the Cartel Operative! That or the ugly guy, but he didn't look to bright. Chris heard every word they said.
"Here comes our little friend." the Hispanic man said.
"Were you followed? What goes on here is our secret, you know that, right?" Catalina brushed aside her bangs.
"No, I don't think so. I know it's our secret though. Where is it?" Ronnie asked.
"Here's five hundred, in 10's. Now talk." said Catalina, laying down a briefcase.
"Alright, the Leones are fighting two wars. The Triads and the Forellis. Joey Leone stirred up some bad blood with the Forellis. The Forellis are weak though. The main threat is the Triads. They have an operation against the Asians every week or so. Neither side is showing any signs of giving up. Everyday they're losing men and influence in the city. Salvatore is getting dangerous and paranoid. He suspects everybody. Also, some of the guys at the club are saying some young hotshot named Chris is doin' Salvatore's girl Maria. Salvatore hasn't gotten wind of it yet, but when he does, it's bad for the both of them."
Chris saw no change on Catalina's face at the mention of his name. He withdrew his head from looking and tried to conceal himself better. But what the hell, Chris hadn't touched Maria! If Salvatore finds out I'm a dead man, Chris panicked. Chris peered around the wall to see Catalina and ugly-all-day hop into an SUV and drive off. Chris, brimming with rage, jumped into his Kuruma. He wheeled it around the corner. Ronnie swerved around. A look of pure horror was in his eyes, as his vision filled with headlights. At least it'll be quick he thought. The car hit with such force the Ronnie's body was broken in half, and only ligaments held the rest of it together. Chris came to a sudden stop, and the body went flying. It was split in half as it rolled along. Chris got out, and kicked it into the ocean.
