The Commission

[KittKat chunky~]

Kistrev watched Spike closley..... laughing and slapping the desk as Spike coughed "you like then? good... is good drink.... best Slivovica you find in my village!" He nocked back his glass as well, inhaling deeply before exhaling with a cough... *cough* ah... thats good... reminds me of home..... hmn.." Setting down his glass he screwed the lid back on the hip flask and shoved it back into his pocket... "you sure youre okay mister Spike? Slivovica goes straight to head...." he smirked, watching Spike...

[Armalite_]

Spike began to droop closer to the surface of his desk. He was getting tipsy already. He held his head up in his hand and loosened his tie. "Yeah, I'm...I'm doing just...fine." He said, smiling. His eyes were bloodshot and he was already pouring himself another round. He rolled up his sleeves and picked up his glass, tossing back the next round of shots. He pinted ot Kristrev with his hand containing the glass. "Help yourself." He said, sliding the bottle over to the cat. "I dun...like keeping open *yawn*...bottles."  He said, putting his head down.

[KittKat chunky~]

"eh, i gotta go Mr. Gambino... i have to be driving home so no more unfortuately.... i see you next time i have somthing to tell you?" Spikes head hit the table with a muffled thump as he began to snore.... Shaking his head, smirking, Kistrev stood and walked to the door... stopping only to turn and look back into the room to see Spike snoring on the desk...

Pulling on his jacket against the rain he fumbled with the keys, shoving them into the car door he jumped in with a sigh of relief at the dry interior of the skoda... turning the keys in the ignition he pulled away from the Lombardi complex towards his apartment, sun falling low over the city...

[Alice The Necrofox]

Franco looked on his customers with mild pleasure. He knew much money would be coming in from tonight. Plenty of customers, plenty of money. The Lombardi's would be pleased with tonights haul.
The families had been in relative peace near him, and he missed the days of gunning down the Lombardi's enemies. He sighed and looked through the one sided mirror. Some punk was stirring up trouble.
Maybe tonight wouldn't be so boring.

[Armalite_]

(The next morning)

Spike was being shaken. He opened his eyes and lifted his head out of the pool of spittle that had accumulated on his desk while he slept. "Spike? Eh, Spike. Wake up." Spike opened his eyes. The fuzzy image of a grey wolf towered over him. Spike moaned and immediately began to feel the affect of the night before. The image began to clear and the wolf who looked down at him seemed disappointed. "What can I do for you, Paul?" Spike asked. Paul shook his head. "Spike, you gotta get up. You can't be seen like this." Paul was dressed in a suit with a blood red tie under his jacket complete with a comlimenting hat. Paul gave up his hope of Spike getting up himself. Paul went around his desk and pulled Spike up with the undersides of his arms and dragged him out of the office despite Spike's mild hungover protests. "C'mon, you're gettin' cleaned up."

[KittKat chunky~]

(next morning too)

~9:00 am~
Kistrev stared at the numbers, mind fuzzy and unregistering...
"dammit... late again..."
Pulling himself off the couch bed he fumbled with his belt, pulling on his waxed jacket as he walked through towards the door... staring out of the window across the city he rubbed his arms...
"cold today..."
He spoke to no one in particular, pulling on a pair of fingerless gloves as he watched the sunlight sparkle off a frost covered new york... Fumbling with the keys in the lock he stepped out into the concrete stairwell, breath rising in front of him he shivered...
"bleedin cold..."
His footsteps echoed off the walls as he walked down to the entrance of the flats, blowing into his paws in an attempt to get warm...

[Armalite_]

Frankie brought Spike back into the office. He was fully dressed and looking brand new. Spike sat back donw in the chair and held his head up. Frankie sat down in the chair in front. "You should get youself some pills." Frankie suggested. Spike put his head against the desk, pressing his paws against his throbbing head. "...Wanna get me some?" Spike replied. Frankie laughed. "I'll be back." The tiger stood up and walked out of the room.

[KittKat chunky~]

"bleedin cold today"

"too right... freezin my tail off here"

Kitt stood beside Jake, the pair rubbing their paws, watching the steely gray water slide in and out of the dock...

"c'mon then... coal wont unload itself.."

They both turned, boots crunching over frost and ice that covered the dockside and jetties... new york a silvery, frost covered cityscape...

[Armalite_]

The door swung open and Paul walked into the small bakery on East 42nd Street. He pulled off his hat and looked through the glass at all the small pasteries that cooled from the oven. It was quiet. There were only three patrons in the small shop all of which made up a family of mice. Their small child nibbling away at a custard of some kind. The two parents tried to avoid the wolf's eyes as he looked at them. The baker stepped out from behind the back room. A female rabbit, torn apart by age, wore a dusty apron covered in flour. She looked at Paul and he smiled back at her. "Oh, Paul." She said, almost disappointed. "I'm sorry, I don't have the money for Mr. Gambino right now. Business has been hard lately, if you could just give me one more wee-" She limped over to the register but was cut off by the wolf. "That's fine, Ms. Cotton. Spike's understanding enough." She didn't change her face. She clicked open the register and pulled out every last bill. "Here give him this." She handed over the cash, nearly in tears. Paul frowned, pocketing what money she had. Ms. Cotton wiped away her tears. Paul looked down. "You got any of those cookies that you always make with the funny cut outs?" He asked. She looked confused. "...Yes I just made some." "Give me one of those." She looked at him then walked over to the counter putting one in tha bag. She went back to the register and handed Paul the bag. "That'll be 4 cents." She said. Paul took out his wallet. "Here you go. Keep the change." He took the bag and walked out of the store. Ms. Cotton held up the three one hundred dollar bills in her paws and smiled.

[KittKat chunky~]

The harbor crane groaned as it turned on its pintle.... the large crate swinging slowly before dropping down with a crash onto the jetty below, Kistrev quickly unhooked the cranes Jib which reeled back in and readied the crate to be loaded onto the truck...

"hey Kistrev.... ya hear about the job we got tomorrow?"

Kistrev jumped down off the crate, landing beside the heavily built bulldog...

"naw, i didn' hear nuthin about no job..."

The bulldog stepped out of the way as the truck reversed towards the crate, wheels rumbling over the planks of the jetty...

"well ya shoulda... tomorrow pier five, twelve AM sharp mind.... some big delivery.... jake shoulda told ye.."

Kistrev nodded, turning back to the crate as it was pulled onto the truck... he turned to Jake and shouted ""heyup Jake! i gotta go a sec.... be right back!" not waiting for a reply he walked off the pier and towards the phone booth at the end of the road, opening and closing the door he threw a few quarters into the machine, and squinting at the business card SPike had given him about a week back dialed the number for Mr. S Gambino...

[Armalite_]

The phone rang. Spike looked over from the paper he was reading and watched as the phone rang once then again. He reached over and lifted it off the reciever. "Gambino's office." He answered.

[KittKat chunky~]

"hey MR. Gambino... its Kistrev, i was just callin ya boss on a bit o' info i got... dont think it merits going to the office but you might wanna know.... somthing about a big job down at the piers tomorrow... i'l be there on the pier so i'l tell ya whatever happens.... just thought i'd let ya know boss..."

[Armalite_]

Spike remained quiet for a moment. "Alright, Kristrev. Thanks for lettin' me know. Ya know what sorta job it is?"

[KittKat chunky~]

"ive just been told to be down at the piers.... i dont know nuthing else.... i gotta be goin then, its gonna look suspiscious iff im away for too long..."  Kistrev hung the reciever back up, a few cents of change dropping out of the slot.... turning he opened the door, only to slam straight into someone waiting outside..

"Kistrev.... what?.. who where ya on the phone too?"

Kistrev looked up at Jake, who stood before him, eyes steely...

"oh.. uhm... well... ya see... okay... a girl..."

Jake stopped, his face completly blank, before he started to snigger...

"girl? Kistrev... we both know you aint seein no ga'l..."

"oh yeah? well it was the girl you introduced me too last week, remember?"
Kistrev stood defensively, staring back at Jake

"oh... really?.... okay, well... thats... alright then... maybe you could meet her tonight? i could take you two down ter the pic'tures.... hows that?"

"oh... thats... thats great Jake.... thanks.."
Jake turned, with Kistrev in tow back to the piers.... Kistrev bit his bottom lip worriedly... he'd dropped himself in it...

[Armalite_]

Spike listened as the line went dead. He put the phone back down on the reciever and looked around his office. "Eh, someone get Paul and Frankie in here!...Pronto like!" Spike called out the door. Frankie looked in the door having already been outside his office. "Yeah, Spike?" He peeked in. Spike was surprised at Frankie's appearance. "Get the boys together, we're going on a field trip to the piers."