Hammered Part IV

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Entry posted by Scaley McSlither · April 3, 2017

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Hammered Part IV

Don Rigoletto was the true head of the Maggia family. The machinations he’d put into play to protect his interests had cost him several valuable assets. His Lieutenant now stood before him to inform him that it had been for naught.

Hammerhead ran his fingers through his thinning hair, feeling the flattened surface of his reconstructed head. Knowing the fate of those who’d previously failed the Don set him further on edge. He’d been summoned to the Don’s yacht to account for his failure to capture Ms. Marvel. The analysis was brief and to the point as the one thing you didn’t do with Don Rigoletto was beat around the bush.

“…and when we went back in to find out what was takin’ so long, da dame was gone an’ my guys was busted up.” There was a long silence and Hammerhead fidgeted nervously. He eyed the capo standing guard a few feet away, a gun sitting within easy reach in its holster. Glancing down, he was somewhat relieved that there was no drop cloth at his feet. No drop cloth means no blood spatter - perhaps he’d be treated leniently. Finally the Don looked up from the table where he’d been receiving a massage. Grunting appreciatively at a knot being worked out of his shoulders, he waved dismissively to the attractive woman at his side. Recognizing the need for privacy she swiftly went below deck.

He spoke softly, in a voice like crushed gravel and tinged with a heavy Italian accent, “So, you’re telling me that after all that planning, you let that puttana get away? Do you have any idea how much she’s costing me? 40 years I’ve been building this famiglia and in 6 months she’s taken out over twenty percent of my business!!!” His voice rose in fury, “6 months!!! A quarter of a billion dollars!!! And you let her get away. Stronso!” He shook his head angrily, “Get me Fisk.”

“Fisk? You can’t be serious boss, dat guy’s got no respect. He can’t be trusted!”

Don Rigoletto pointed a finger at Hammerhead, “Basta! He’s got no respect for you! I said get me Fisk and count yourself lucky that you’re not sleeping with the fishes tonight. Now get off my boat.” He lay back down muttering, “Where the hell is Carla?”

Hammerhead left without another word. It wasn’t a long walk back down the pier to his limousine but it felt like one of the longest walks of his life. Wilson Fisk was one of the rising stars of the Maggia, providing valuable business acumen and ruthless action when necessary. Hammerhead had recognized the threat Fisk posed to his own position and had manoeuvered him into several difficult situations. To his frustration, Fisk always seemed to escape those traps unscathed. Worse, it had forced the Don to take notice.

And now Fisk had been gifted an opportunity to succeed in the wake of Hammerhead’s own failure.

His driver held the door open for him and hurried to start the car. “Boss?”

“Take me to da #@%$& tower,” he snarled.

Across town, Felicia Hardy had just retrieved her mail and trudged wearily up the stairs to her apartment. Keeping positive had become a struggle. It seemed of late that all of her friends and family were avoiding her, apparently for good reason with all the bad luck following her around.

The latch unlocked with reluctance as she had to jiggle the keys to make it turn. One of these days the landlord might actually respond to her complaints and fix it. Then again, she also may win the lottery, she mused with a derisive grin.

“This loneliness is really starting to get to me,” she thought as she placed her cell phone and mail on the kitchen counter and reached into her liquor cabinet above the fridge. The lack of contents forced her to recall last night’s binge that had ended with her passed out on the sofa and a large booze stain on the carpet.

A buzzing from the kitchen counter brought her back into the present. She retrieved the phone and unlocked it to find a waiting text. Her hope for a friendly chat was dashed by the unknown number on the screen. With a sigh she opened the message in anticipation of spam and was surprised by what she read.