The Empire Builder

The corner was overwhelmed with bodies from the plague. His first impression was a heart attack, but the X-ray came back clear. Stroke? It was his next alternative, and the X-ray showedt a massive brain bleed. So, the autopsy read embolism no virus found. There was simply too much death and not enough time.

*****

The new Canarsie social Club sat on a corner lot. A former office building situated on a quiet commercial street in a neighborhood of two and three family homes. It is a modern building looking like the small business office it once was. Its dark grey windows seem only an architectural pretension; However, they are, in fact, bulletproof and resistant to all manner of electronic surveillance.

The club had a bar and a dance floor. However, admittance was by invitation only, and no cell phones or electronic devices were permitted. In fact, the club had no phones at all, only a single computer which monitored the twitter accounts of a dozen high school girls as they chatted up a storm.

Some of their followers wrote posts that strayed off-topic and were in fact coded messages. Thus, Tony the Tiger Mancuso had avoided the electronic surveillance that had undone so many of his rivals.

Tony believed in caution and on doing things the smart way. But he believed in respect above all. He had shifted his business from the old revenue streams of drugs and prostitution and moved on to more lucrative ventures in banking, insurance, and corporate finance.

The government was often his partner in these ventures. The current administration had been of particular assistance. Still, it was wise to keep your level of security up and to farm out the most sensitive work to professionals. That was why he was seated opposite the man in the dark gray suit.

The suit was, Tony assumed, as dark as the man's soul. He had entered the club with a confidence and self-assured swagger that was undeterred by the thugs on the club's doors. They had searched him thoroughly, but Tony knew to little effect. With one quick glance of his calm blue eyes, the newcomer took in everyone and everything in the room. It was a deadly and menacing glance.

Tony was a man who had learned to master his fear. But sitting opposite the man known as the Apostle, it was all the mob leader could do to keep from trembling.

"Nice secure place you have here," the Apostle said.

"A recent acquisition that I bought out of bankruptcy. I'm very satisfied with it."

"I hope you found our work satisfactory as well," the Apostle said.

"Of course," Tony replied. "What was there not to like the hit in Stockholm was ruled a natural death."

The Apostle gave just the slightest smile and said, "Almost too easy with the Swedes not even trying to stop the spread of the virus. They have their dead piling up in their morgues. Even a good sharp-eyed coroner gets tired and careless. After all, what is one dead Russian with what looks like a brain hemorrhage?

"The real skill was the killing off the bitch wife. But there again we had the harsh times in which we live and the U. S.'s Keystone Cops response to the virus to thank. By the time they got around to testing her for it, she was already dead. Why would you waste a precious test?"

"Well, it was excellent work," Tony said and signaled to the bartender who came from behind the bar carrying a bundle.

There were two large envelopes, and they were crammed full. Tony slid these across the table. The Apostle wore a heavy wool jacket despite the warm late May weather.

"The balance of your fee," Tony said.

"I hope you didn't find us too expensive," the Apostle said. "Since leaving government service, my agents have become used to the better things in life."

"Good work is worth the price. I'm surprised the government would let you go."

"Well, new people new ideas, and we were not exactly beloved by the Russians who have such influence these days." The Apostle said, "but, I'm glad you are pleased with our service, and we are available anytime. Remember, Russians are a specialty. "

"You need a ride or some security, that's a lot of cash you are carrying?" Tony asked.

"No, I'm well covered by my own people."

Tony glanced at the monitors above the bar. They covered the whole outside of the building, but he saw no watchers."

The Apostle chuckled, "You can't see them. They're chameleons. They blend in with the background. Especially when that background is as green as what's in these envelopes"

With that, the Apostle stood buttoned his suit jacket and made his farewell. As the Apostle exited the club, Nicky came from the back room.

"That guy gives me the creeps," Nicky said, sitting down.

"Yes, very scary, but useful. These are difficult times. It's best to keep him and his group in our back pocket for the occasional special job," Tony replied.

"You going to tell our lawyer friend how we helped him out?"

"No, why burden him with useless information. We got the opposition before they got him. Now we can reap the benefit. That is if the damn virus doesn't kill us."

"Well, we will just have to keep an antisocial distance," Nicky said with a sinister laugh.

"Particularly from our new apostolic friend," Tony replied as both men laughed.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

My buddy RichardGerald wrote the intro so I'm doing the end notes. I've always considered RG to be the James Cain of authors on this site, an amazingly talented story teller, willing to take you on a tour of the dark underbelly of human experience and show you all its frailties and foibles. He clearly influences a lot of other writers, at least based on the number of times his stories have been imitated; even once by me. But of course, he's a lawyer so I suppose he's seen it all. Being a hopeless nerd myself, I've always wished I could write like the guy. That's why, I jumped at the chance when we began talking about a joint work for Bebop and Nora's challenge.

The outcome reads better than anything I could expect from two guys with such different lenses and I have to give him most of the credit. His ability to add grit and substance to my romantic narratives has created something unique for me and I have to say it was an honor working with him. Hopefully we can do it again some time soon. I actually rode the Empire Builder back in a different world and it is indeed an experience like I'm describing here. I'll leave the description of lowlife shenanigans to RG. He has all the t-shirts. - DT