Sinthetica by Scott Medbury Page B

liked to think of himself as a good judge of character and decided he’d made enough dough off him for one day.
    “Five hundred oughtta do it.”
    Ivan counted out five hundred dollar bills into the old man’s open palm.
    “I’ll get you the keys.”
    Five minutes later they were headed to Chicago’s Croatian quarter, the Village.
     
     

20
     
    “Ivan! It’s been too long!”
    Mateo Babic, a big bear of a man, came barreling around from behind the bar of his restaurant. He embraced Ivan, thumping him heavily on the back before straightening his arms to take a good look at him.
    “My God, you are even bigger than the last time I saw you. You’ve fully recovered from the… the accident then?”
    “Da. I don’t remember much, but physically I feel better than ever.”
    “Great! And who is this?” Babic asked.
    “This is Inga.”
    “What has happened?” Mateo asked, his curious gaze resting on Inga’s face.
    “We’re in some trouble,” said Ivan. “Serious trouble. I came here to ask for help.”
    “Of course, of course,” said Babic, bustling past Ivan and taking Inga’s hand.
    “Come young one, sit. Can I get you some water?”
    “I cannot drink water,” said Inga, looking at Ivan as she resisted Babic’s insistent tugging.
    He nodded.
    “Sit, Inga.”
    She allowed Babic to pull her to a chair and sat down.
    “You sure you don’t want anything?” he asked again.
    “No, she’s fine Mateo.”
    The older man looked at him; one eyebrow raised and then back to the girl. He stood up straight and shrugged.
    “All right my friend, tell me what has happened and what can a poor restaurant owner do for you?”
    Ivan smiled. Mateo Babic was once the most powerful man in West Chicago. He had started and built up a thriving, mainly underground business, in the early 2000s.
    When Molenski arrived and began building the foundations of his empire, he saw immediately that the Croatian syndicate was going to be his main opposition. While expansion wasn’t a driving factor for them, they were powerful and dominated the drug trade in the West Side. They were much too strong to take on in a direct war, so against his normal modus operandi, he had extended an olive branch to the Croatian – much better to avoid carnage that would leave both of them weak enough for someone else to pick off.
    In the years following the Russian’s arrival, they’d had dealings that had been mutually beneficial, in fact, Ivan had been a part of their first handshake agreement very early on. The size of the silent, young man had impressed Babic, and he had requested him as sugar on the deal which slightly favored the Russian.
    Ivan had been horrified when Molenski let him go without an argument, but as it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened to Ivan. Babic was no Molenski. While he was ruthless with those who did him wrong, he was never cruel and took a real shine to Ivan that was returned by the apprentice bodyguard.
    Over time, Ivan came to see him as a father figure rather than a boss and, after a year, would have would have done anything for him. Ivan became a valued lieutenant of the Croatian syndicate and a very effective stand over man. His intimidation factor usually worked without the need for physical force, but when required he was extremely capable of handling himself and honed his skills at fight clubs.
    After 25 years Babic decided he was ready for retirement, so when the upstart Russian, now dominating the greater Chicago crime scene, made him a monetary offer too good to refuse, the old Croat, without an obvious heir, decided it would be the perfect transition to retirement plan.
    The only part of his business he didn’t sell to Molenski was the restaurant they stood in now.
    Ivan’s return to the Russian’s employ had been a part of the deal of course. Initially, Ivan had been reluctant, but Babic had persuaded him.
    “He’s a psycho bastard, but you should take the job, a couple of