found by officers of the law, most of whom were now either in counselling or had become bitter and twisted, turning bad and taking bribes as their disillusionment with law enforcement grew and their principles deteriorated.
Despite this initial lack of panache on Jack’s part, this served its purpose for the Don as it made the police weary and easier to corrupt. Nevertheless, he was concerned that Jack’s psychotic methodology would eventually lead the authorities to his door and so, weaned him off this form of killing by assigning him to distance kills. He used The Phoenix to tutor him in the arts of the assassin and taking on targets from a safe distance until no distinguishable difference existed between the work of Jack and that of The Phoenix himself.
“Well, let’s drink to The Phoenix then,” said Jack raising his glass.
“The Phoenix!” responded Stephan in salute. “Long may he reign,” he added.
“So Stephan, how is your side of the business going?” asked Jack, changing the subject and referring to the ‘legal’ side of the business. “The Don has voiced his concerns to me that profits are down in the casinos. Should he be worried, Stephan?”
Stephan was aware that Jack was a killer, and a fearsome one at that. Most members of the cartel had to kill at one time or another to prove their commitment to the Don. But he was not aware of the extent of Jack’s merciless streak or indeed his newly incorporated and infamous identity.
“What are you insinuating Jack?” snorted his insulted friend.
Jack stared deep into Stephan’s eyes. “I hear you’ve been spending a lot of time at the track lately. Do you owe money, Stephan?”
“I’m not sure I like where this is going Jack. And no, I don’t.”
Jack persisted. “Stephan, we’ve become good friends these past five years. I can lend you money if you need it.” His eyes never left Stephan’s gaze.
“Jack, if you’ve brought me here to question me about my side of the business and directing accusations at me, then you can fuck off!” he stated arrogantly. “I have blood links to this family Jack. I don’t ponce around like some outsider who thinks he runs the family,” he wailed referring to Jack’s position within the family. “You don’t scare me Jack!” he concluded.
“Come on, Stephan. Calm down. I asked you out here to have dinner with a friend. If you say there’s no problem, then there’s no problem. I’m just concerned for you that’s all,” he said with a smile, putting his arm across Stephan’s shoulder.
Stephan looked up at him, angry but also anxious. There had been more bravado than truth in not being scared of Jack.
“We’ll go and have dinner. They’ve got a great lobster special on tonight and your uncle wants to join us. He said he hasn’t seen you for a while and would like to catch up,” he added, referring to the Don.
“Okay,” replied Stephan, attempting to regain his composure.
“I’ll just get my coat,” said Jack as he wandered into the bedroom.
Jack sat down on the side of his bed and pulled out the ticket. He stared at the numbers and sighed with disappointment. Stephan’s ticket had been passed to Jack to honour by the bookie, who had received a less than warm response from Stephan when asked to settle up. The sum on the ticket was over $100,000.00. Jack had a decision to make.
This was not a one off debt. It was simply that Stephan had siphoned so much off the casino’s bottom line, that he feared taking any more. The ticket just scratched the surface of how much family money Stephan had gambled away. The question Jack was wrestling with was, whether he would save his friend and put himself in jeopardy or come clean with the Don about his friend’s predicament.
Both Jack and the Don had been concerned that embezzlement was taking place within the casinos and hotels in the region. Stephan might
Despite this initial lack of panache on Jack’s part, this served its purpose for the Don as it made the police weary and easier to corrupt. Nevertheless, he was concerned that Jack’s psychotic methodology would eventually lead the authorities to his door and so, weaned him off this form of killing by assigning him to distance kills. He used The Phoenix to tutor him in the arts of the assassin and taking on targets from a safe distance until no distinguishable difference existed between the work of Jack and that of The Phoenix himself.
“Well, let’s drink to The Phoenix then,” said Jack raising his glass.
“The Phoenix!” responded Stephan in salute. “Long may he reign,” he added.
“So Stephan, how is your side of the business going?” asked Jack, changing the subject and referring to the ‘legal’ side of the business. “The Don has voiced his concerns to me that profits are down in the casinos. Should he be worried, Stephan?”
Stephan was aware that Jack was a killer, and a fearsome one at that. Most members of the cartel had to kill at one time or another to prove their commitment to the Don. But he was not aware of the extent of Jack’s merciless streak or indeed his newly incorporated and infamous identity.
“What are you insinuating Jack?” snorted his insulted friend.
Jack stared deep into Stephan’s eyes. “I hear you’ve been spending a lot of time at the track lately. Do you owe money, Stephan?”
“I’m not sure I like where this is going Jack. And no, I don’t.”
Jack persisted. “Stephan, we’ve become good friends these past five years. I can lend you money if you need it.” His eyes never left Stephan’s gaze.
“Jack, if you’ve brought me here to question me about my side of the business and directing accusations at me, then you can fuck off!” he stated arrogantly. “I have blood links to this family Jack. I don’t ponce around like some outsider who thinks he runs the family,” he wailed referring to Jack’s position within the family. “You don’t scare me Jack!” he concluded.
“Come on, Stephan. Calm down. I asked you out here to have dinner with a friend. If you say there’s no problem, then there’s no problem. I’m just concerned for you that’s all,” he said with a smile, putting his arm across Stephan’s shoulder.
Stephan looked up at him, angry but also anxious. There had been more bravado than truth in not being scared of Jack.
“We’ll go and have dinner. They’ve got a great lobster special on tonight and your uncle wants to join us. He said he hasn’t seen you for a while and would like to catch up,” he added, referring to the Don.
“Okay,” replied Stephan, attempting to regain his composure.
“I’ll just get my coat,” said Jack as he wandered into the bedroom.
Jack sat down on the side of his bed and pulled out the ticket. He stared at the numbers and sighed with disappointment. Stephan’s ticket had been passed to Jack to honour by the bookie, who had received a less than warm response from Stephan when asked to settle up. The sum on the ticket was over $100,000.00. Jack had a decision to make.
This was not a one off debt. It was simply that Stephan had siphoned so much off the casino’s bottom line, that he feared taking any more. The ticket just scratched the surface of how much family money Stephan had gambled away. The question Jack was wrestling with was, whether he would save his friend and put himself in jeopardy or come clean with the Don about his friend’s predicament.
Both Jack and the Don had been concerned that embezzlement was taking place within the casinos and hotels in the region. Stephan might
Similar Books
