The Tragedy on Tenth Street

Despite already being September, the days were still hot. The mercury said ninety-seven degrees outside in the sun. It was hard to sit inside the sedan with the windows up so we cracked them open for some much-needed ventilation. The rumble of steel wheels on steel rails reverberated through the ground, the train yard was just on the other side of the union depot. I pulled out the photo Asa gave me and scanned the crowd, campaign hat pulled low over my ears and brow.

"You boys remember the plan, right?" I asked Rocky and Freckle. Rocky was driving, Freckle was in the back seat.

"Find your man and then trail you." Freckle replied.

"And don't get involved unless we have to." Rocky continued.

"Good." I said. "If all goes according to plan this should happen really quick."

"And if you get caught? Or worse?" Freckle asked.

"Then run and hide. Same rule as always boys, let me take care of myself and you two worry about staying out of trouble."

Just then a Chrysler roadster pulled up to the station steps. Though I did not recognize either of the men, their movement seemed suspicious enough to warrant my attention. Within a couple of minutes a familiar face appeared through the front doors of the union station. It was Palazzola.

Palazzola spotted Vito and his boss' brother at the bottom of the steps outside his own brother's car. Turning around, the cat motioned for his newest associate to follow along. Each cat carried a suitcase and a small, padded bag. At the bottom of the station steps Vito was there to greet his old friend and partner in crime.

"Al! How was Chicago?"

"Most productive, Vito." Al replied, shaking his bosses hand. "And John, you look well." He said to Vito's brother. "Just trying to stay alive, friend." John replied.

Remembering the associate who had trailed him out of the station, Al turned to introduce him. "And I brought help from Capone's outfit." The second cat stretched out his hand. "Capone said you gentlemen may need some extra hands."

"Good timing!" Vito explained. "Elio was killed earlier this week."

"Elio?" Al asked, confused. "I'm sorry to hear that, friend. That boy was—"

"Spoiled, undisciplined, and an all-around thug. No need to mince words, Al. But all the same, he was one of us and killing members of the family cannot be permitted."

"Sounds like I have an assignment then." The stranger said.

"Indeed. I'll fill you in on what we need done but may as well get out of this heat first."

"Capitol idea. I've got an operation I need to check on anyway. It's just over on Tenth Street."

"Boys, you see them?" I asked, pointing toward the parked Chrysler.

Rocky pulled out a pair of binoculars he found in an old root cellar back on the farm. Bringing the lenses into focus, I could see a smile spread across his face. "Aces! That's him!"

"Alright Rocky, do what you do best." I ordered.

"Play the violin? Blow up a barn? Set myself on fire?" Rocky replied, tilting his head.

"No silly, drive. Freckle, you help me keep an eye on that car. We can't follow too close but we also can't let them get out of sight."

Rocky started the car and put it into first as we rolled out of our parking spot. The Chrysler was easy enough to follow, in fact the challenge was keeping our distance. The car then took a left turn and headed north. When he did so a streetcar blocked my view and for a moment, I lost the car. "Damn, where'd they go?"

"Over there!" Freckle pointed past Rocky's face. Rocky followed Freckle's finger until he picked out the car. "I see them, hang on!"

Rocky zig-zagged around two street cars right before they met in the intersection. It was a rough ride but we managed to close the distance sufficiently to keep following. Looking back behind me, I could see Freckle gripping the seat with his claws. "Jeez, Rocky, no need to show off!" I said, picking myself up.

"You can thank me later. See! They're only a half-block ahead now."

As we continued to follow the car, the area started to feel familiar. Rocky's eyes widened when he recognized a building up ahead. "We're next to the police station!"

"It's okay, just act cool. We aren't wanted for anything, but the plates on the sedan could be a problem if we're stopped."

Less than a block later I noticed the Chrysler pulling up to the curb. "Park over here, Rocky."

Pulling into an open parking spot, I discreetly double-checked my new pistol. 45-caliber rounds were stuffed into the little Savage pistol. It had more firepower than my revolver but was small enough to keep in a pocket. "Okay, I'm going to get out and get them right here. When I start shooting, you boys drive around the block and I'll duck into that alleyway. We need to be quick though, the cops will be here in the blink of an eye."

Rocky gave me a thumbs up and a toothy grin. Freckle kept his head on a swivel with his Thompson at the ready. Getting out of the car, I closed the door and reached deep into my pocket for the pistol. As I approached the group of men that were getting out, my heart started pounding. This was going to be fast and intense. I was used to assassinating someone in the countryside at a distance. Every instinct told me to turn around, but I dare not chicken out now. I paused for a brief moment, but the thought of these guys figuring out who I was and coming after everyone I had been trying so hard to protect pushed me forward.

80 yards, then 70, then 60, then 50. A few more steps later and I was almost in range. Kids were playing on the sidewalk behind me, people were moving back and forth at the intersection on the corner. I couldn't risk collateral damage, this had to be as clean as possible. Then, out of the corner of my eye, a green Ford sped past before parking haphazardly in a spot a little further down from my target. At first, I hoped that it was just some more bystanders, but then four identically dressed cats stepped out of the vehicle. "Shit!"

Al turned around just in time to see the approaching threat. "Get down!" He yelled as he shoved Vito out of the way. In an instant the strangers produced guns. Al unholstered his pistol and took careful aim, winging one of the assailants in the shoulder. The response was quick and brutal as bullets tore through the gangster. The other three Green Ones ducked for cover behind vehicles and a large concrete pillar.

Bullets tore past Al and headed my way. I dropped to the ground and rolled behind the bumper of a car. I could still see Rocky and Freckle in the sedan fifty yards away. "Get clear!" I yelled. "Stick to the plan!" Rocky nodded in understanding then gunned the throttle, removing our car from the line of fire and around to the other side of the block.

The automatic fire from their pistols reminded me of the machine guns back in France. I poked my head from cover as the final shot was fired. "Stay down!" I heard someone say next to me. It was the fourth member of the Green Ones party. He had grabbed a gun from the streetside door of the Chrysler and maneuvered around to my position for a better shot. He and I made brief eye contact as he stepped into the line of fire. Drawing a bead on the attackers, he let hot lead fly. In response, an over-confident lad fired from the hip like he was a cowboy in Deadwood or Carson City. One of the bullets whizzed past my head and behind me I heard a blood-curdling scream.

I turned around and to my horror one of the kids I had passed on the sidewalk was bleeding out. By now the green Ford had sped off but one of the attackers decided to high tail it on foot. Oh how I wanted to get my hands on the sloppy bastard! That arrogant prig just shot a kid! But the cries for help could not go unheeded and after a split-second I ran over to the kid. At the same time I lost site of the other three members of Palazzola's group. Two helped their wounded colleague away and they made a hasty exit.

It was bad, the young boy had been shot in the back, bullet going all the way through the ribcage. He was fighting for breath. Another kid not far away stumbled to his feet. "Johnnie!" The older kid cried as he came up and knelt down next to me. I noticed some blood dripping from the kid's trousers.

"You got hit too. How bad is it?" I asked. The kid obliged by pulling his pants halfway down and inspecting the wound. It was just a graze to the inner thigh, nothing too serious. "You'll be fine, but I need you to do something for me, okay?"

The older boy, who must have been about fourteen, nodded his head. "Go get help. Have someone call a doctor."

"Is he going to be, okay?"

"Yes" I lied through my teeth. "But I need to keep pressure on the wound, now go!"

I moved the boy into my lap as I cradled him. I could plug the wound in the back, but the bullet had shattered at least a couple of ribs. He was bleeding out fast and I had nothing to stop the bleeding with. "You're going to make it, okay! You just stay with me; don't you dare fall asleep!"

The boy weakly nodded, but it was a losing battle. In a desperate attempt to save him I took off my jacket and wrapped it tightly around both wounds, but it was no use. I noticed my hands and my lap were coated in blood and there was a small crimson river running off the scorching sidewalk toward the street. Soon I felt him grow limp in my arms and his eyes glazed over. The adrenaline wore off and as it did so I started shaking. Shaking with rage.

All at once I could feel the Earth shift beneath my feet, and when I looked up again, I was holding Derrick in my arms. Consciously, I knew this was a dream, a hallucination, just like all those that came before. But something else was in this vision with me. I looked up toward the sky and that dreaded symbol revealed itself. Ogun had come, that spirit I had dismissed years ago as mere superstition. My head started hurting as I blacked out. When I came to, I saw a nurse hovering over me.

"Sir, can you hear me? Are you injured?"

I nodded to show that I was lucid enough to understand. "I'm okay, but what about the kid?"

She held back tears as the nurse sat back on the sidewalk. "He's… the boy is gone."

"I tried. I—"

"You did everything you could." She comforted me. I sat up then steadied myself before getting to my feet. My coat was draped over the boy's body. Remembering the pistol, I went to retrieve it but the nurse's hand stopped me. "Please, he's gone. Don't disturb him until the police do their work." I nodded and backed off. A few yards away a doctor was tending to the boy who had been injured. He was going to be okay physically, but the poor kid was sobbing at losing what must have been a friend or a little brother. Lord, could I relate.

"How long was I out?"

"About a minute." The nurse confirmed. "The police will want to question you as soon as they get the area blocked off."

"Sure thing." I replied, sitting down on a concrete step. Down the sidewalk Palazzola's body lay there motionless, almost completely drained of blood. It seemed unknown assailants had done my job for me.

The nurse busied herself with cleaning up their supplies scattered around the sidewalk. Just then the shadow of an officer loomed over her. Getting to her feet and dusting herself off, the nurse greeted the cop. "Dr. Cornelis will declare time of death for the victims as soon as a detective gets here."

"Very good." The officer replied, shaking his head. "This is one bloody summer, and now it looks like it's going into winter."

"What does this make, thirty dead since June?" The nurse asked.

"I think so. But we probably shouldn't talk about that right now in case the reporters can hear us. Now, you had a witness for me to question?"

"Yes, he's right over—" But when the nurse turned around there was no one.

I scurried like a rat down the back alley, pistol tucked in my waistband. Emerging on the other side of the block I spied on our sedan. Freckle checked the time while Rocky looked around. Both were startled out of their skins when I dove into the back door while covered in blood.

"Ethan, you're bleeding!" Rocky exclaimed.

"Not my blood. Drive Rocky, now!"

A Triple Date

The school bell tolled as the teacher closed her instructional material for the day. Mrs. Casewell tapped on her desk with a ruler to get everyone in the one-room school house's attention. "That's all for today children, don't forget to read chapter three of your reading material and be ready for an exam on Tuesday."

"Have a good weekend Mrs. Casewell!" Riley exclaimed as she packed her books into the backpack.

"You too dear. And tell your brother that I have some paperwork he needs to sign at his earliest convenience."

Riley stepped out the door and immediately spotted the waiting sedan. She had hardly seen Ethan all week, but now he was in the front seat of the car. "Ethan!" She yelled.

I scooted over so that Riley could get some room in the car. She insisted on riding in the front despite all the ample room in the back. By now I had managed to clean most of the blood off, so without hesitation and wrapped her in a big hug. She didn't know it, but I needed Riley right now more than she needed me.

"What's wrong, brother?"

"Oh just… I'm just glad you're safe. That's all." I said as I let her settle into the seat.

Back at the house I immediately jumped into the shower. It was Friday and that meant all hands-on deck at the Lackadaisy. Despite the cool water washing over my bare fur as a welcome distraction, I couldn't shake the image out of my head. What happened today had scared me in a way that nothing else has since the war. The massacre in the quarry didn't even come close, I was on top of my game that night and had a singular focus. Save my friends and family. Maybe it was the leadup to the shooting? I had been anticipating violence. But no, that wasn't it. It was watching, no, feeling the kid's life slip away. That wasn't the only thing that haunted me. When I was back in the Argonne for a moment it was like I could feel the presence of a deity. That god of iron and war I had used to psychological effect months ago was now in my head. Every time I closed my eyes that symbol was there, drenched in blood. I opened my eyes and looked down, contemplating what I had just gone through as mud and blood was washed clean of my fur. I'd have to put this behind me for now, tonight I had other business to attend to.

Downstairs, Freckle was getting ready when the phone rang. Being his usual cautious self, Freckle peaked around the corner and waited to see if someone else was going to get it. Deciding that he was the only one available, Freckle reached out to pick up the phone, but as he did so Rocky flew down the stairs and accidentally trampled his cousin while yelling "I got it!"

Picking up the receiver, Rocky leaned against the wall while Freckle rolled over on the ground with an annoyed expression on his face directed right at his cousin. "Hello? Kelly residence."

A high-pitched voice on the other end of the line gave away Ivy's identity. "Rocky! Is Freckle there?"

"Of course! Let me see if he's available…" Rocky then picked up his cousin by the arm, handed him the phone and patted him on the back. "Miss Pepper wants to talk to you."

Freckle, still not steady, put the phone up to his ear. "Hello, Ivy?"

Ivy could hardly contain her excitement. "Calvin, my plan is good to go!"

"Wait, what plan?"

"You know, my plan to get Rocky a date! Alena said "yes". It's going to be us, Ethan and Isabella, plus Rocky and Alena. A triple-date!"

Freckle sighed in frustration. "Ivy, are you sure this is a good—"

"No time to explain further, I need to help her get ready. You need to do the same with Rocky. Make sure he shows up looking like a proper cat instead of a fiddle-wielding, pancake-smelling, creature from the swamp."

"Okay… I think I can do that."

"Thanks Calvin! Love you!" And like a leaf in a hurricane, she was gone in a flash, on to do whatever else her brain called her to do. Freckle shook his head. Despite his doubts, Ivy was excited and that alone was enough motivation to at least try and contain the loose cannon that was his cousin.

Rocky was in the bedroom tuning his violin for the night's band session when his younger cousin entered and started removing his dirty shirt.

"So, I take it you two are having a dinner date?" Rocky asked playfully, falling backwards on the bed.

"Actually, it isn't just Ivy and me. Ethan and Isabella will be there too."

"Oh, a double-date! I can't wait to watch from the stage."

"…and you'll be with us as well."

"Wait, what? I thought you and Miss Pepper wanted your "alone time" together without your old pal, Rocky?"

"Well, not this time. You get to come with us."

"You mean I get to be the fifth wheel?! Sweet! Look out world, Rocky is moving on up!"

"But…" Freckle then threw a fresh shirt at his cousin. "You only get to join us if you dress properly. Just like how mom would make you."

The smile immediately disappeared. "But my blue suit is like a second skin! I can't leave the poor thing here."

"It smells like a second skin…" Freckle commented under his breath. "Look, you can wear blue but maybe try a little different suit?"

"Well… I have been working on some more formal attire with our recent funds." Rocky then dashed toward the hall closet and produced a cheap suit that had been crudely tailored from the same blue fabric. Freckle thought it looked familiar.

"That's… remarkably similar to your old one."

"Now now, dear cousin. This suit has been engineered for the working musician! But I didn't want to change it too much. Why bother ruining a classic?"

"Fine, good enough, I guess. Just get ready, please. I don't want to be late."

Out of the shower and sufficiently dried off, I put on my best clothes. A full suit, stone grey and a matching fedora. Black dancing shoes were polished to a mirror finish. This would be the first time in a while I had a full evening off and I wanted to look my best for my girl. Even so, looking in the mirror I saw the eyes of a scared soldier. I couldn't help but gaze past my own reflection and through the window out toward the distant trees.

Joining the boys downstairs, I got a drink for us all. As I came into the kitchen, I noticed that Rocky was looking clean and crisp, a rare sight for the musician who seemed to find swamp water and mud on every mission. "Looking to impress Miss M?" I asked.

"Nope!" Rocky said. "Apparently I have a date."

"With whom?" I followed up.

"I uh, don't know. Ivy got us set up and—" Rocky's face then froze in fear. "-Oh no!" He said.

"What?"

"Alena Vasko." Rocky made the connection. "No, no, no, Viktor would kill me."

"Viktor would kill anyone." I dismissed the notion, though he was probably right. "Okay, so maybe Alena isn't your cup of tea, kind of late to back out now, right?"

"I guess… But what am I supposed to do?"

"What you always do, Rocky. Improvise. I'm sure Alena is perfectly fine, just be a gentleman for the night."

"Okay, you're right. I can do this. I certainly wouldn't want to cause any emotional distress."

Taking a moment to dwell on the irony of the statement, I proceeded with pouring the lemonade. Handing one cold glass to Rocky, I grabbed three more and made my way to the living room. The house was really starting to shape up, and there were going to be quite a few projects to tackle in the next couple of weeks. We had a plan to get finished by Christmas before the cold weather of January and February descended upon us. Freckle looked his best, and I had been noticing that he was less and less nervous about dating Ivy. In fact, the boy was starting to show some confidence!

"Now, where's my little sister?" I called upstairs.

"Coming!" She replied.

Riley looked gorgeous descending the stairs. She was the spitting image of our mother. Ivy helped Riley in making the dress over the summer using one of her old ones and some heavy tailoring. It fit her like a glove now and with just enough give to allow Riley to join us on the dance floor.

"Miss Kelly, you look dashing!" Rocky fawned. Riley beamed, she valued his thoughts almost as much as mine, and sometimes even more.

"And with all present and accounted for…" I said, opening the door, "let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

As the others slipped out the door, I decided to give Asa the news. Going back to the phone, I picked up the receiver.

Asa was lounging around his office as usual when the phone rang. Reaching out, he put the receiver under his chin while reading through papers and smoking a cigar. "This is Asa."

"It's me." I said, and he immediately recognized my voice.

"Ah, I trust our problem is taken care of?"

"Yes, but someone got to him first."

"Well, a happy accident I suppose. You certain he's gone?"

"He must have been shot over a dozen times. Last I saw the doctor was covering him up."

"Good, then we should sit back, relax, and admire a job well done. I'll keep my eyes and ears open in case there's anything else we need to do."

"Hey now, you said this was the last job."

"And let's hope it is! But there's no guarantees in this business. Besides, we're in the same boat, remember?"

"Fine, I guess one can hope."