Chapter 5: The Duo Returns.

Not since that night had either me or Silas tried to rebuild our ties with the people in Dogtown. Things usually take time to get close to normal, what with a showdown between two gangs and a heavy conscience, neither of us had the ability to regain our lost paths.

But since Mylene walked into my home and put down 100 large on my table, with that look in her eyes, I felt strangely rejuvenated to get back on the map. So I decided it was time to get back to the grind and do this job right. Besides, if I was going to go meet Vadim the next morning, I should enjoy this night like there was no tomorrow.

I walked down to the garage and finally called up on my car after 2 years in hibernation. This car was my baby, back since I had been in the force, I had kept the car as my wheels. And once I made detective and I got out of the police coffin-on-wheels this car had helped me and Silas a number of times. It was an old Chevy hard-top. Nothing too flashy, just soot black. It had helped us meld into the night on uncountable watches and the fact that the door had 3 bullet holes always served as conversation piece with the ladies.

I got into the drivers seat for the first time in 2 years. I suddenly felt a surge of nostalgia at my partner sitting next to me. The days of being a cop, the badge, the gun and a clean town. The days before the battle. Before megalomaniacal sons-of-bitches decided to fuck up the order of things. I stopped that train of thought before it spoiled the night for me. I decided to pick up Silas on the way, maybe his business could run without him for a night.

I took the car out of the garage and hit the gas as I headed towards 6^th. Silas’ place was bustling at this time. Business looked good. I walked in through the front door, doing the routine dance and dodge. Silas was reading a book on the sofa in the back. One of his men was in the middle of a deal with a couple of neighborhood small gang members. The ones who wanted to make it big on the crime scene but only got dead or caught before they could do anything. One of the kids wanted a sub machine gun of some sort, and I noticed the other two looking fidgety.

Silas always had himself and 3 other guys in the shop at all time. The gun business called on dirt gangsters trying to get a free deal. The accepted payment was only by cash, some of them tried to pay in lead. Like these fools who thought they could rob the Devils Home.

The apparent leader of the comical three pulled a magazine from nowhere and loaded the gun he was checking out. “Nobody move, just give us the guns we need and no one has to die here.” Silas didn’t even care to stop reading.

“You just did the stupidest thing for a stupid person to do in this part of town.” I spoke up, making Silas look up from the book he was reading. “You fools have just 2 options here. You either get shot in the face or you walk out that door with the gun in your hand get shot in the back of your head. Either way, the three of you are dead.”

“And who’s gonna do that Mister Wiseguy? If you haven’t noticed I’m the one holding a sub machine gun in your face. All I have to do is press this little thing here and I blow you to kingdom come.” He pointed at the trigger and saying so he pressed down on it.

It was moment too long before he realized the gun didn’t fire. Silas was a smart man as I kept repeating. He always shifted the hammer in all his guns so that they won’t fire if some idiot on testosterone decides to rob his shop with his own gun.

The kids realized they were dead. Anyone who’s seen that realization dawn on someone will never forget the face. The color drains when you know that you’re going to die in the immediate future. The fear of death becomes apparent in the person’s eyes. It’s true what they say, in their final moments a man’s true character becomes clear. Silas’ men rounded off the kids and took them out back. Not a lucky day for the three of them.

“Don’t worry, they won’t kill ‘em. Just rough them up a bit and let ‘em go.” Silas seems to read my mind at times. “So to what do we owe the honor this time? Got any more mob women waltzing into your life?”

“Nah, I just realized it’s been a while since the Vodka Lounge saw the likes of us.” Vodka Lounge was the nightclub in South Dogtown. It was considered the best club in Dogtown, and we used to be well known down there. It also happened to be owned by Vadim, and run by Mylene.

“Well, well, well. Paying your ‘client’ a little visit eh? How did Vic Sullivan finally get off his ass and decide to get out for a night? You haven’t been told you got cancer or anything is it?”

“Nothing like that, I just realized we should reconnect to the old times if I’m gonna do this job well. And also the fact is, I need your help with this, it’s gonna get bigger than what I thought it would be.” I told him about Sergey’s visit and also about Mike. If anyone Silas was the one person who would know if anything big is happening. Especially if the top men of both gangs are snooping about my life, I could use a friend like Silas.

“So, it seems you’ve suddenly become quite popular with the wrong people. Just today some new buyer was asking about you. And the word on the street is already out that you got a new job. And to tell you the truth,” I never liked it when he said that, it gave an ominous feeling to the complete sentence, “this isn’t really the best time for rumors going around town.”

“What rumors? Vad knows I’m on a clean slate with him, and the Mike trusts me enough that the Lombardi’s wont get their hands messy with me.” I knew both of these things for a fact. Except a meeting from Sergey had a way of putting people on edge.

“Vic, the rumor is not so much a rumor as a lot of things happening at the same time. There’s news that a new player is entering Dogtown. Trying to capitalize on the chaos caused by the Russian and the Italians. And the rumor says, that the person he’s going to, is you.” This was bad, if the Mob and Family thought that I was helping some other player, then they had every right to get suspicious about me. “On top of that, you’re back on the street since the night of the raid, and you tell me you’ve got a meeting from Mylene Rivers, and you and I both know how well she can be trusted.”

“I know I can trust her at this point Silas, right now it seems I’m going to have to trust a lot of people wether I like it or not. But you’re the only person I’m willingly going to give my faith. And Mylene is someone who might just be someone I can trust completely. There’s a sense about her which makes me at ease.”

“That’s your dick speaking and not your brains. Maybe if you get your head out of her ass, you could think clearly. Right now, lets get the fuck out of here. I haven’t been around town in a long time as well. And God knows I need it today.” Saying so, he pulled on a jacket and held the door open for me.

“Silas, I should be the one telling you that you need to learn how to switch the conversation better. Maybe you should learn some tact.”

“Vic, I think I should be the one reminding you that you’re the one paying tonight. Maybe you should think about that.”