The Commission

[Armalite_]

Spike pointed out his finger and opened his mouth about to give the biggest lecture on road saftey when he paused and noticed the young man's clothes. They reeked of salt water and coal. His pants were covered in sooty coal and his coat was covered in white patches of salt left behind from the water. Spike knew where this one had been. He looked back to the Romano don sitting around the puppet show. Spike turned to face the dock hand, a nerve twitching above his eye. His hand instinctively reached for the pistol inside his jacket when he froze. "...What am I doing?" He thought to himself. "Maybe this one could help me out." Spike looked him over assuming the boy wasn't very bright or well payed if payed at all. He pulled his hand back from out his jacket and fixed his collar, a smug grin crossed Spike's face. "How'd you like a job, son?"

[KittKat chunky~]

Kistrev squinted over at the stranger "yeah, sure... who doesnt want a job these days?" of course he did have a job, but pay was low, and looking up for another job was what any self respecting worker did these days.... he pushed his cap up out of his eyes and looked up at the stranger... he tensed slightly as he reached in his jacket, but it was merely to fix his collar, no harm in being carefull, he took another drag on the catnip and feeling self conscious he attmepted to brush off some of the coal from his jacket and tied a neckerchief round his neck.. "what kind of job where you thinking of?" the croud of people swarmed round them like a river round a large stone, parting and flowing around the pair...

[Armalite_]

The grin on Spike's face grew larger. "It's a job that requires you to do the exact same thing you're doing now in the same place and the same time...with a little extra. From what I can see, we'll both benefit from this. Mr. Lombardi is willing to pay you $500 a week to keep an open ear on any of Mr. Romano's operations. You will report back to me with anything you find out about what the Romano's are planning to do with the Commission. If I don't hear back from you, you'll be sleeping with the fishes...understand?" Spike tilted his hat over his eyes and crossed his arms. He stared at the Cat wondering if he was still up for the job.

[KittKat chunky~]

oho!... i see ya mate.... woah!... ya see, from where i stand i see this as a win, win job.... though wouldnt that technically make me a spy?.... hmmm, well i see it like this... i do what you ask, and i do good right? and you pay me, right? aannnd, as long as i dont go galabanting off telling everyone how a met a guy, who wanted me to spy on some other guys... i dont die..... *he took another drag on the roll-up before dropping and crushing it underfoot*... i suppose that makes you my employer? nah... my contact... yeah.... right then mister contact, i suppose weve got ourselves a deal!

well... where would i meet you, aaand... how do i know youre not just going to shoot me when im done eh?

[Armalite_]

"You'll meet me at the Lombardi compound in Brooklyn every Saturday at Noon. How you get there is your problem. You give us information, we give you money. What's your name?" Spike reached into his pocket about to pull out his notepad. "So you know, you take the money and run, lie to us, or even think about blowing your cover and exposing us, we won't make your death pleasant...and you don't know if we'll shoot you...even I don't know that."

[KittKat chunky~]

*Kistrev was starting to resent taking this job, however 500 bucks each week.. sheesh he could do with that kinda money... but what to tell him, there seemed no reason to lie about his name, he was both an illegal immigrant and this guy knew his face so he could be shot with name or without...*

the names Kistrev... is foriegn.... and dont worry i'l get there.... *he pulled out a pen and scribbled down a few things on a reciet from one of the stalls...* you want information, i got it... though as you will have most likely guessed im not exactly very far up the food chain... but you'l get what i can.... this commission personally is bad buisiness... ties like that can never hold when everyone hates everyone.... hmmm, lombardi compound? directions? or is that up to me too?

[Armalite_]

Spike scribbled notes down on his note pad. "The Lombardi compound isn't hard to find. In the center of Brooklyn, a large house, real big place. To get in, give them this." Spike dug around in his pocket and gave him a small sheet of paper with his name and businesss. He went back to writing down notes. He dotted the pad with his pen and stuck them both back in his wallet. He pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket. "Here's $250 up front." He handed Kristev the wad of cash. "You now officially work for Mr. Lombardi. Go buy yourself somethin' nice."  Spike lightly slapped Kristev on the cheek before walking away back into the crowd.

As Spike walked he didn't turn around to see what Kristev was doing, he didn't care. He hoped this Kristev guy was reliable. Angelo had been pressuring Spike to try and get a job for the Romanos. But Spike had Kristev and the sinister grin crossed Spike's face yet again. "Time to find some cannoli."

[KittKat chunky~]

*Kistrev watched spike leave, rifling the wad of notes there was indeed $250 in advance as he had promised.... shoving the money deep into his pocket he carried on back to his aprtment, thinking of just what he could do with said money.... a vehicle, he had always wanted to be able to drive, and since he had come 18 and got a license, he may actually be able to do it... $250? he knew someone, Frank could get it, if Frank couldnt get somthing for you no-one could... he was the Romano grease monkey, everyone who had a need for rubber to burn could turn to old frank... and there was somthing hed been asking frank to keep for him.... a grin played across Kistrev's face as he thought of his dream finally coming true, he walked into his old apartment and flung himself onto the couch. First sleep, then he would see about Frank, and this evening when it was his shift he could get the information needed....*

[Armalite_]

Wendsday, July 7, 1946  2:13am

"You sure you can trust this Kristev guy, Spike?" Frankie asked from across the poker table. Spike sat in the basement of the compound with three other associates. Spike didn't look up from his cards. "Nope." Callum sat next to Spike, across from Frankie. Callum was an German Shepard, and ironically was the Lombardi's inside man for the FBI. He sat with a cigar locked between his jaws as he looked over at Paul, the white wolf, who was still trying to decide whether or not to fold or raise $500 to call Spike's bluff. As wads of green cash littered the table, not one of the furs sitting at the table made a movement under the dim light that illuminated the crowded cold room. Frankie leaned back in his seat, grabbing a salami roll off one of the shelves in the cold room before bitting into it. Callum bristled his fur before he spoke. "Why do we insist on playing poker in the coldest part of this damn place?" Spike shrugged. "I like the cold, besides, you got fur for a reason." Callum smirked. "Yeah, right. Anyway who is this Kristev guy anyway?" Callum asked, taking a shot of whiskey. Spike played with the cards in his hand, looking up at Paul, now getting impatient. "He's a dockhand, no one special...which is exactly what we need to keep a low profile. Hurry up and decide Paul." Paul threw in his money and looked up at Spike. "Satisfied?" Paul asked. Spike nodded. "Yeah, full house." Spike threw down his cards. Paul frowned and Frankie and Callum began to laugh. "Listen Spike, I got some tabs on the Romano crews. I'll check him out for ya." Callum offered. "Yeah okay. Maybe you could meet him. Come with me tomorrow. We'll pay a visit to the docks."

[KittKat chunky~]

Wednesday, July 7, 1946  8:56am

"you sure you got the other $250 coming Kistrev? You know i cant trust you with this...." Kistrev looked up at Frank, he was a Racoon, his fur covered in grease and oil, to match his gargage "Look frank, it doesnt matter IF i got the $250, what im paying you is easily almost double what this car is worth... the extra is for you to check her out, replace any old parts.... really, if you want me to give you extra then fine, but you have to wait for the end of the week. This money is also going twards my bills, its not every day you get income like this you know..." Frank gave the money a wistfull look, before snatching it out of his hand and grumbling his approval. "Here, just cos i like you see? and you never did tell you where you got this money, you said it would at least be another month before you could pay for the car...?" Kistrev looked back with a smirk."THAT Frank, is buisiness, but, seeing as i like you..." he smirked at the irony "i gonna tell you" Frank had leant in to catch every word... "i got the money, cos.... PSYKE!" Frank stumbled back as Kistrev shouted into his ear, laughing like old times... "now ya see Kistrev, thats why i like to deal with you young uns, you fairly make my day you scoundral!"...

Wednesday, July 7, 1946  9:30am

Kistrev pulled back the dusty cover over the car sat in the back of the garage, this was what Frank had been keeping for him.... the Skoda 100 didnt gleam, it didnt exude power and riches what it most definatly did whas release a cloud of rust as the cloth was pulled back and creak on its springs... it was however, in reasonbly good condition, and Kistrev wasnt buying for speed. He was buying for memories, the Skoda 100 was an old Slavic Saloon car, and ever since a child he had wanted to be behind the wheel of one....  "so, when will you have it ready to drive Frank?" Frank looked up from a pile of tools and parts "well Kistrev, i said i would keep this baby for you, but it aint in good shape.... but" and here he looked down at the wad of cash he had been given "for such a well paying customer, i can have it ready by tomorrow"....

[Armalite_]

Wednesday, July 7, 1946  9:32pm

"You see him yet?" Paul asked from the backseat of Spike's Ford, a Thompson machine gun gripped in his paws, resting on his lap. "No." Spike replied, balancing a cigarette in his lips as he spoke. "Guy's I'm tired, can we just go home?" Frankie asked, playing with shotgun shells between his claws next to Paul. Callum sighed, resting his Thomson on his lap as well. "This is risky, Spike. We shouldn't be here." Spike ignored Callum and Frank. The wind blew a fine mist over the car windows as they sat, steaked out, outside the pier. "I just want to be sure about Kristev...you said you wanted to meet him yourself anyway." Spike said, blowing smoke out his nose. "C'mon." Spike said, gripping the shotgun from under his seat before stepping out of the car. As Spike's goons followed, they hid in the shadows behind crates. "Where is that kid!?"

[KittKat chunky~]

Wednesday, July 7, 1946  9:40pm

Kistrev wandered towards the docks, his shift started at 10:00pm but that didn't matter. He'd decided he was gonna take a gander round the docks n' see what was cooking, walking along the dock front he lowered his cap against the rising spray. It was gonna be a cold night tonight, attempting several times to light up a catnip roll-up he blew the thin dark green smoke out over the dock he walked across the pier. The sea spray whipped across his legs and face, dripping of his waxed jacket and down his cap... He whistled as he walked, an old communist anthem, though very broken and missing several parts, the sound echoed morosely across the docks...

[Armalite_]

Spike peered around the corner of another crate. He quickly snapped back when two dock hands walked past, talking and laughing away. Spike cautiously looked again. Paul and Callum waiting patiently behind Spike quietly as not not even breathe. As Spike waved it was clear, Spike walked over to the next pier when Kristev caught his eye. "There!" Spike pointed. "Ok, Spike looked down over the edge of the pier to the small port meant for smaller boats to dock at. He looked at the ladder and swing the shotgun over his shoulder before he began to climb down. After Paul and Callum followed, Spike looked up at Kristev on the pier towering over. "That's our man." Spike said. "Kristev!" He yelled up trying to be too loud.

[KittKat chunky~]

Kistrev stopped in his tracks looking back along the pier expecting jack or one of the other dock hands to come running along to catch up. However there was nothing on the pier other than the constant slap of sea spray, looking down he saw spike, the rest of the group concealed by the edge of the tarred wooden planks. "yeah, im here" he dropped the roll up before clambering down over the edge of the pier, and dropped the last part of the drop beside spike. It was then that he noticed the rest of the group, "and i didnt expect such a party niether..."

[Armalite_]

Spike looked back. "Oh don't worry about them, they're just a few friends of mine who wanted to meet you. This is Paul and Callum" Paul and Callum stepped forward, leaning their guns against their shoulders, extending their paws for a shake. Spike lit up a cigarette only to have trouble keeping it lit from all the mist from the water. Growling in frustration he flicked the damp cigarette away into the waves and looked back at Kristev. "So how's business?"