\u201cHey Joe, guess you ain\u2019t feelin\u2019 too good, huh?\u201d said Fingers. Joe shook his head and looked at the bottle in his hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey call it \u2018hair of the dog that bit you\u2019. I don\u2019t think it bit me, I think it just crapped in my mouth and my guts and ran off,\u201d said Joe. His colleague chuckled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho\u2019d you end up out with last night?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBusiness. Couple a\u2019 the new guys.\u201d Fingers sucked his teeth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThought you were smarter than to go drinking with Business. Guy doesn\u2019t get drunk. Newbie trap!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that,\u201d said Joe, \u201cI just didn\u2019t care last night. Felt like getting wrecked and Business always gets a bit enthusiastic with the rounds when he\u2019s drinking with new guys.\u201d Joe sucked from the bottle again and smacked his dry lips. \u201cI\u2019d just go back inside pal, I\u2019m just going to be standing outside here feeling sorry for myself for a few hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fingers shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets. It was a habit he\u2019d developed to reassure his fellows that his hands were where everyone could see them. Joe knew better, in fact he considered it to be worse as it meant that you couldn\u2019t actually see Fingers\u2019 hands, which was when you really had to worry about things going missing from your person. Fingers\u2019 kleptomania bordered on the magical in terms of how he could snaffle things away, including how he\u2019d manage to pinch your loose change without his hands leaving his pockets in any obvious manner.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me guess,\u201d continued Joe, \u201cthey don\u2019t want your thieving arse anywhere near the guests in case their very important valuables go missing from their very important personages.\u201d Fingers beamed a wide grin, exposing the slight gap in his front teeth.<\/p>\n
\u201cPretty much,\u201d he confirmed. Fingers took up leaning against the fire escape next to Joe. Joe smiled and, using a foot, nudged Fingers along so he wasn\u2019t stood so close to him. Fingers mocked a frown at Joe.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoing you a favour anyway pal,\u201d said Joe, \u201cI\u2019m skint.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know,\u201d said Fingers, looking at his fingernails and wiping them nonchalantly with his thumbs, \u201cI checked your pockets earlier. You\u2019ve never got anything on you worth stealin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two were prompted to look above them at the sudden shuffle of muffled movement above them. On the corner of the building over their heads was Big Jim\u2019s office, the head honcho of the Dalminetti Mafia. The windows were full-length along the outside of his office, giving him the lovely view of a wall in a shitty alleyway, much like most of the views the area offered.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s getting lively up there,\u201d Joe said, celebrating the observation with another swig from his bottle.<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably moving around and shaking hands an\u2019 stuff,\u201d stated Fingers. The pair returned their glances to ground level.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019re the VIPs?\u201d asked Joe, feigning curiosity and trying his best to care about anything.<\/p>\n
\u201cMercenaries.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? Mercs? Really?\u201d<\/p>\n
That surprised Joe, Big Jim was always sceptical about third-party assistance. Big Jim was big (hah!) on encouraging the mafia to \u201ckeep it in the family\u201d, which wasn\u2019t a literal statement given the only two Dalminettis in the organisation were him and Little Jim. What he meant was trying to internalise all the profits.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do we need mercs for?\u201d asked Joe.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the Triads, remember?\u201d said Fingers in the manner of a person stating the obvious, as if it had been the only current event that people were discussing. Joe returned a blank stare, prompting Fingers to elaborate more. \u201cThey\u2019ve got their eyes on the south side since it\u2019s prime real estate and all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joe vaguely recounted two or three lesser mobsters individually discussing something similar at him, but he\u2019d probably been distracted by…well, literally anything more interesting. A passing housefly on a nearby wall could have snagged his attention away from the thrilling day-to-day Dalminetti affairs. It was all so bloody boring<\/i>.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight,\u201d he said automatically, \u201ceasy access to the transport lift will help with their gun running operations I guess.\u201d Fingers nodded, partially relieved that Joe apparently wasn\u2019t completely ignorant of the things happening around him. He appeared to be a little distant recently, but the evening session with the Business explained that away.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething like that. If they tried to take turf at the skyport then they\u2019ll have to deal with the Dragon, which they\u2019re too smart to do, and taking turf right inside the south side will see them dealing with the Frankonis. They must think it\u2019ll be easier to take out some of the smaller gangs with turf around the outskirts and start bleeding into Frankoni turf that way. Take a few lorry depots by gang osmosis or whatever.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo Big Jim wants to tell them that we\u2019re not as small-time as they think we are by sending in a load of mercs?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah. \u2026Well, two<\/i> of them, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo?\u201d repeated Joe in disbelief, \u201cagainst the D\u00ec s\u0101n b\u01cen Triads?\u201d Fingers shrugged in response.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll I know is that there\u2019s only two of them up there right now. Apparently the Fixer highly recommended them. They do stuff like this all the time. Apparently.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHarry Kilroy2<\/a><\/sup>,\u201d said Joe, stating the Fixer\u2019s name out loud apropos of nothing. \u201cJesus Faust3<\/a><\/sup>, if we\u2019re outsourcing our work to some Undercit shyster…you get what you pay for, I guess-\u201d<\/p>\n The conversation was cut off by a muffled cry that, to Joe at least, sounded suspiciously like someone saying \u201cthe fuck\u201d and being cut off before they could elaborate more on whatever had bothered them enough to swear in the first place. This was followed by more scuffling sounds, these ones more frantic, and the heavy thud sounds of something falling to the floor. Joe eyed the window suspiciously, hoping that perhaps one of the mercs was introducing their pet water fowl by pointing at it and loudly proclaiming it to be \u201cthe duck\u201d. It seemed unlikely.<\/p>\n \u201cThink they\u2019re finishing upstairs,\u201d he guessed. \u201cSounds like they\u2019re moving around up there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh good,\u201d said Fingers, \u201cI don\u2019t like mercs. Cocky shits. Think they\u2019re the bee\u2019s knees because they\u2019re always facing danger.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStill,\u201d said Joe, \u201cI bet if you\u2019re being paid a big fat bag of cash to kill people you\u2019d probably welcome a little bit of danger. Travel the world, meet new and interesting people-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c-Kill them in new and interesting ways,\u201d added Fingers.<\/p>\n \u201cSure, at least the conversations would be brief. And there\u2019s the importance of coming up with a witty one-liner just before you off them, that\u2019d keep your mind busy,\u201d said Joe with a smirk. Despite the humorous edge, there was a twinkle in his eye and a newfound enthusiasm to his face. This didn\u2019t get past Fingers, who frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cYou ain\u2019t looking to jump ship, are you Vekowski? I can\u2019t see you doin\u2019 hits any time soon,\u201d he said sceptically. \u201cSounds a little too dangerous for your tastes.\u201d Joe sighed and relaxed even more against the railing behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, you\u2019re probably right mate. But a guy can dream, right? You never know what\u2019ll suddenly fall into your lap-\u201d<\/p>\n Something big fell past Joe and landed heavily on the ground, scaring the living daylights out of him and Fingers. If he\u2019d not been so surprised, the irony of the thing landing at lap height might have later dawned on him. The thing unfolded itself and stood upright, coughing awkwardly. It was a man.<\/p>\n \u201cYou alright there?\u201d asked Joe, bewildered. The man gave a big grin and a warm chuckle, as if he was in on a joke nobody else had been told about. An unlit cigarette sat in his mouth; he fished it out of his oral cavity with one hand and waved it at the two of them.<\/p>\n \u201cCould be better, mate. Gotta light?\u201d the man said earnestly. Joe pulled his pockets inside-out and shrugged to show that he didn\u2019t, while Fingers produced a small silver lighter from one of his pockets and proffered it to the man, who leant forward and lit it on the flame. Joe leant in towards Fingers.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Tony\u2019s going to want that back at some point,\u201d he murmured. Fingers elbowed him and grunted \u201cyeah, probably\u201d. The man took a long drag off of his cigarette, exhaled and then lifted both arms out in front of him, towards something above and behind them. Joe suddenly realised that one of the arms was entirely mechanical, a bionic prosthetic.<\/p>\n As if things couldn\u2019t get weirder, a slim figure in a long brown coat fell into the man\u2019s arms. He placed the figure down on the ground, revealing it to be a redheaded lady. She angrily eyed the lit cigarette in his mouth, removed the wide-brimmed hat from her head and slapped at the man\u2019s head with it a couple of times before storming off down the alleyway towards the main road, cursing \u201cidiot!\u201d in several outbursts. The man turned back to the two men and shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cWomen, am I right?\u201d was all he could say before bursting into a loud roll of hearty laughter. Joe and Fingers just smiled dumbly, it all seemed a bit random.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure she\u2019ll get over it?\u201d was all Joe could offer. The man grinned again and placed his human hand on Joe\u2019s shoulder. Joe noted how big the hand was and tried not to look too nervous. He also noticed the prominent scar bisecting the man\u2019s face, right across his nose. The man seemed genuine enough in his happiness, and Joe resisted letting out a squeal when the man pinched his shoulder, grip like a vice.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, man. She usually does.\u201d He let go and began to walk away, the walk quickly turning into a jog to catch up with the woman. He turned one last time to call to them. \u201cYou look after yourself pal, you\u2019re looking a little rough!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI fuckin\u2019 feel it!\u201d replied Joe with a chuckle. When the man was out of sight, he added \u201cThanks for saying, you weird, scary one-armed motherlover.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe hell did they come from anyway?\u201d said Fingers, looking behind them and up at the sheer wall face above the fire escape. Joe joined him and observed that one of the drainpipes was bent at a forty-five degree angle, pulled from its joist.<\/p>\n \u201cOi, you two!\u201d a voice called out. It came from Big Jim\u2019s office window on the opposite building, where the window was now swinging open. Looking up, Fingers and Joe saw the familiar thick-framed spectacles of Alfie \u2018the Business\u2019 Cartwright leaning out.<\/p>\n \u201cAlfie!\u201d Joe called out in recognition.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you two pair of bleedin\u2019 numpties see two arseholes run past? Only the mercs \u2018ave scarpered after offin\u2019 Big Jim an\u2019 a load of the boys up here!\u201d<\/p>\n Joe and Fingers looked at each other, and then down the alleyway where the man and the woman had made their exit. The sound of a car revving its engine heavily growled a street away and a car suddenly drove past on the main road at top speed.<\/p>\n \u201cOhh shiiit!\u201d cried Joe and Fingers, both legging it down the alleyway after the mercs. It wasn\u2019t any good, by the time they reached the main road the car was a blip on the horizon. Joe angrily wheeled around on his feet and threw his empty beer bottle at a nearby wall, smashing it to pieces.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the guys ask, we didn\u2019t see nuthin\u2019,\u201d said Fingers as more of the mafia ran down the alleyway to join them.<\/p>\n \u201cDouble negative mate, dead giveaway,\u201d said Joe, deflated. They would probably get their arses chewed out for this cock up, and all he had wanted to do was have a nice quiet day to himself. This gangster bullshit was too much hassle. He\u2019d almost wished the mercs had taken out more of the mafia so he\u2019d have an excuse not to carry on.<\/p>\n \u201cA guy can dream…\u201d he said under his breath, walking to meet the other mobsters angrily waving and pointing.<\/p>\n Joe did not realise that his dreams would come true in a matter of weeks. He desired a life on the road, to be a hired gun thrown into dangerous situations armed only with his wits and his guns. On Lusinia, if you have the money and the need, you can hire a rogue with the right skills to expertly take out your enemies – a hitman.<\/p>\n Joe Vekowski will become a hitman. This is his story.<\/p>\n The smell of meat sizzling on a hot pan wafted out of the open doorway, an inviting smell for everyone but the man stood nearby harbouring a hangover. He leant over and stroked a tabby cat who had come over to investigate the smell in the hopes of scrounging up…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[50,79,32,47,31,77,78,52],"class_list":["post-269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-hitmans-tale","tag-big-jim-dalminetti","tag-alfie-the-business-cartwright","tag-blaise","tag-dalminetti-mafia","tag-doug-mccracken","tag-joe-vekowski","tag-milo-fingers-malloy","tag-the-novelty-lighter-incident"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"The](\"http:\/\/www.payneful.co.uk\/tales-of-sin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/HitmansTale_Cover.png\")
<\/p>\n
\n\n