InsaneJournal

“Life. She’s a vicious bitch huh?”

Keys unfurled from between his fingers like improvised brass knuckles, Lorenzo juggled those keys within his palm once fingers were unclenched from a fist. It took several moments for his mind to claim the flare of danger and his bodies instinctive charge of ardenaline which cruised through his system. His reaction time like the hair trigger of a pistol, primed and ready to explode at the slightest sign of danger. Swallowing down the surge of energy which rushed through his veins, an accompanying breath eased his tension as he wandered down the length of of his dark hallway and deeper into his apartment. “You just let yourself in, phone's overrated? “

“You called me kid. A face to face is the least I can offer, besides I found a key “

His eyes confirmed what his ears had registered only moments ago. Turning the dark shadowed figure into a person he recognized with the switch of a light. The man in question looked older. Whether the proof was found in the rigid way his body betrayed his age or the lines which wrinkled his face, time was a predator he couldn’t escape. In his youth he might have been considered handsome, but the wear of years and the white scars along the side of his face, marked not only a life filled with violence but its gruesome results. Shepard was a man of simple taste, a suit and tie locked in the black and white nature of his attire. He was a chameleon from afar, indistinguishable among the crowd, perhaps an insurance sales man from days of old or retired CEO of a Fortune 500 company. In many ways he was an unremarkable man, the kind you didn’t think twice about when you passed him on the street corner. It was when he spoke, a cankerous voice with a tone which had the quality of sandpaper, that you paid attention. Sadly it wasn’t the type one wanted to be greeted with from the darkness.

“So I don’t need a new lock? “ Keys shoved into the pocket of his jacket before it was pulled off the wide berth of his shoulders, Lorenzo tossed it towards the couch as he moved into the kitchen. Despite the evasion of his apartment, Lorenzo seemed at relative ease and far from content to show the man’s presence affected him in any way. You didn’t tense up and become cautious around Shepard. If the man had wanted Lorenzo dead or hurt there was little he could do to combat the issue.

“I’d suggest an upgrade, bad neighborhood. So life’s got you by the balls again? “
“More like a swift kick”

“Those can be painful kid, no doubt”
“Especially when your blindsided “

“So you called, I think we’ve got the small talk out of the way “

Lorenzo rummaged around the kitchen for a moment, producing two shot classes and a bottle of Jose Cuervo. He’d never been a big fan of Tequila but the old man seemed to drink it like water. It was almost customary, a tradition where they were concerned, drinks and politics. Lorenzo was silent as he poured the drinks, whether he was gathering his thoughts or merely deciding whether this was the best course of action he wasn’t sure.

Shepard seemed to take the silence as an introduction to fill the void, not out of sense to hear his own voice but a reminder.
“The last time we talked. You asked for me to back your play, one last time. Granted it wasn’t a good plan by far, it just so happened to suit my purposes. I couldn’t have your ex-running around starting a war in New York“

Shepard was sitting now, the front of his suit jacket unbuttoned as he eased down in comfortable looking chair, eyes wandering about the living room. The idle glance to magazines scattered upon the coffee table giving the illusion that he wasn’t manipulating the conversation which had been incredibly one sided in his favor

“You want a thank you? “ Returning to the living room with the two glasses of Jose Cuervo in either hand, Lorenzo handed on off towards his elder.
“No I should thank you. You handled the situation, adequately. I just didn’t expect you to walk out”

It was the kind of dark humor which marked a smirk against Lorenzo’s mouth, shot glass held moments away from his face.

“A stretcher, maybe? “

Shepard offered a slight nod of his head, shoulder offering an easy shrug as he took a drink. He seemed to savor the drink for a moment before responding with an easy and emotionless response.

“I would have said Angelina”

Lorenzo was settled across from Shepard now, perched on the edge of his couch as he held a steady gaze upon the elder statesman.

“Always have a backup plan, or were you just hedging your bets? “

“It’s a contingency plan. She did have one hell of coup on her side, enough momentum to pin Cesar’s rival against him. Started a dirty little war all as a diversion to kill one man? Don’t ever say revenge isn’t a powerful motivator”

The first round of tequila went down quick and beyond their last visit, Lorenzo couldn’t remember the last time he’d touched a bottle. Eva had seemingly convinced him to acquire a better taste in drinks. In truth it was memory of a dark time in his life, an easy way to forget the type of troubles which seemed more like nightmares.

“Lucky for me, it wasn’t clockwork. “ Lorenzo had abandoned his perch and now was returning from the kitchen with the opened bottle of Tequila. A refill given to Shepard and then himself before the bottle was left on the table between them.

“If you’re a believer, sure kid. You’re lucky. I never met a bullet that believed in karma, myself.” Shepard offered with a salute from his full glass.

“You don’t think we’d be having this conversation if she’d gone after me first? “

“I think we’d be talking about more than one dead body that night” He replied in a matter of fact manner, the hard pitch of his voice doing nothing to soften the blow and memory. “Don’t get me wrong kid. They were amateurs, took one look at pretty boy face and thought you were an easy mark “

It wasn’t the first time Lorenzo had heard that criticism, it was usually after they were left with an imprint of his fist on their jaw the illusion quickly faded. Still the look he gave Shepard from across the room caused the old man to pause and clarify.

“You look like a sixteen year old when you shave “

He didn’t discount the theory in all truth, especially when he preferred not shaving. He wasn’t against grooming or a good shave but the necessity to keep it up during the week became an irritation more than anything else. Lorenzo had moved away from the table where the bottle of Jose Cuervo rested, allowing his form to fall down into the couch which dominated the west wall of his apartment, settled just against the window which let in the last withering rays from the horizon. Having already made himself at home, Shepard poured himself another glass.

“She had a plan. Taking Cesar on his own turf with twenty strong to back her play? I saw the crime scene photos; it was a fucking blood bath. Your friend Oscar almost made it out alive, but we know they were all cannon fodder. “

He’d almost forgotten about Oscar, a big ox of a man who’d ran in the crew years ago. Along with him, Angelina and Austell they were the last few standing. Austell was somewhere in the wind now, probably backed to Vegas but Oscar? He’d taken it right between the eyes on that raid; a human shield so Angelina could get in the killing blow.

Lorenzo was nursing his second glass, dark eyes fixed on Shepard as he continued. “She almost pulled it off though, best laid plans and all. Still shooting a man in the back? You dad would be proud “

Shepard had a weird sense of humor, so much that Lorenzo couldn’t tell whether he was serious, sarcastic or simply joking. Yet even thinking about the moment he’d pulled the trigger, he didn’t feel a moment’s hesitation in the act. There was no righteous anger or cold hard resolve which settled upon his mind. He was simply in the right place, at the right time. It was only after Cesar was down and bleeding that he recognized Angelina and whether the tears were from the gunshot she’d taken to her or the cold hard truth it was over, he didn’t care to know.

“Figured she had you dead to rights on account of all the bad blood between you two.”

The thought crossed his mind for a brief moment, and it was the one memory about the night he recalled with certain clarity. Lorenzo wasn’t sure she had enough strength to pick up her gun and fire. The gunshot she’d been nursing was sure to be a painful reminder for years to come. He knew she must have felt as conflicted and he did. He’d had as much to do with the death of Dennis as Cesar and while her revenge on Cesar had been delivered by the other man she wanted dead, how it all settled when the dust settled wasn’t something either could have conceived at such a moment.

“Sorry to disappoint” Lorenzo offered as his mind returned from the memory and he finished off his glass.

“Mercy always bears richer fruits than strict justice, kid. She was your family. You’d both lost enough already right? That’s saying a lot more than I could for any of my ex’s”

Shepard looked at his empty glass for a moment, before washed blue depths turned towards Lorenzo.

“And here we are again. Almost two years and what you’ve got trouble again? Heard you busted the heads of a few drug dealers and Benito came back at you with force? “

Lorenzo was on his feet again, moving towards the open bottle of Jose Cuervo and pouring himself another glass before turning to face Shepard. “That about sums it up, my girl was with me “

“Now that’s a recipe for disaster. So you want advice or assistance? “

“Depends on the price? “

“Well I deal in favors. Benito was Cesar’s muscle, sure but he was a lot smarter than his cousin. “

Lorenzo couldn’t help but agree with the statement. The whispers which had been catching his ear the last few weeks spelled out more than reclaimed Cesar’s empire. Benito was branching out beyond drugs and moving into gun trafficking. He was consolidating his money and buying up property to establish a power base outside of illegal tender.

“So my advice? “Shepard was on his feet now, joining Lorenzo at the table as he offered up his glass for a refill.

“Kill him”