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Post by Cross Tornatore on Jan 16, 2008 13:07:05 GMT -5
Dropping his cigarette and crushing it under his foot, Cross hitched up his suspenders and put on his coppola (Sicilian for flat cap). Picking up the crate at his feet, he and a few of the other predominately Italian workers began halling them to a nearby warehouse. After placing his on a nearby pallet Cross had just enough time to see his friend, Tom, drop his after tripping on a fallen pipe.
The wooden crate hit the ground, splintering as it cracked. "Shit..." muttered Tom, leaning over to see if anything was broken. His eyes grew wide as he came up with a bag full of a fine white powder.
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Post by The Dark Knight on Jan 16, 2008 15:35:42 GMT -5
Nicolao, one of the older dockworkers on shift, was laughing as he approached. "Break a fingernail, eh?" He put out his cigarette, "Okay, my little friend, lets's see if we can... Madre del Dio..." he made the sign, before moving forward to grab it from his hads, "No, you fool, if Falcone finds out you touched his stash, you're liable to spend the rest of your life here at the docks, ecpecially after they out the concrete shoes on you!!"
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Post by Cross Tornatore on Jan 16, 2008 17:56:18 GMT -5
OOC: They're Italian, not Mexican... IC: Cross squatted close to the broken crate, "This is Falcone's?" He picked up one of the packages and felt it's weight before putting it back on the pile.
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Post by The Dark Knight on Jan 16, 2008 18:09:27 GMT -5
OOC: He is now! Changed Niccolo to Nicolao. ;D
IC: "And everything in Gotham, amigo, get this out of the open... I'll find a new crate before a stranger knocks on your door. comprende?"
He left Cross to hide the drugs while Nicolao vanished. There was something not quite right about the Mexican's response to the drugs...
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Post by Cross Tornatore on Jan 16, 2008 18:18:19 GMT -5
Tom shook his head, perhaps trying to clear it from what had just happened. "I neva' liked that guy." Tom took out a cigarette, nervously trying to light it with shaking hands. "Perhaps...you know, maybe we should ah'...take some...you know, just to earn a little extra dough."
Cross looked at him with unbelieving eyes. Putting his left hand on the shoulder he lightly slapped Tom on the face. "Don't be an idiot Tommy." He then pulled out his own lighter and helped Tom light his cigarette. "Come on, let's get this stuff in the corner there."
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Post by The Dark Knight on Jan 16, 2008 18:49:02 GMT -5
Nicolao soon arrived with an unbroken crate and set it down beside the shattered one. Immediately, the trio began the process of transferring the drugs. "You know, when I came here, I thought I'd escaped this life... no more smuggling cocaine across the border, no more wondering if I'll be arrested in a country where I had no chance of seeing my family again. But Gotham is... it's a deathtrap. Everything you thought you'd buried, it comes out. Ecen when you thought you'd left it a thousand miles away..." Once they were finished, he nailed the crate shut and then handed them a hundred dollars each.
"Here... don't judge me, just take the money... please."
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Post by Cross Tornatore on Jan 16, 2008 18:53:32 GMT -5
Cross and Tom looked at each other, shrugged, and stuff the money in their pockets. As they went back to work, Cross didn't see Tom quickly slip something else into his pocket; it was a small, plastic bag with white powder....
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Post by Cross Tornatore on Jan 16, 2008 19:13:05 GMT -5
That night, after the boxing match at the local community center, which divided the Little Italy from the Little Ireland, Cross went stepped out of the ring. He said hello to his friends, but when he saw Tom's wife and kids all alone he stopped and did a double take. "Hey Anna! Where's Tommy?"
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Post by The Dark Knight on Jan 16, 2008 21:48:59 GMT -5
She lead Tommy Junior and Michelle towards Cross. Anna's hair was unbrushed and her eyes had circles beneath them, make-up stains marking out the path of her tears. "Cross... there's something I have to say to you..."
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Post by Cross Tornatore on Jan 18, 2008 14:30:04 GMT -5
A worried look crosses the Sicilian's face. "Anna, what's wrong? Is Tommy sick?"
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Post by The Dark Knight on Jan 18, 2008 16:02:20 GMT -5
The flat of her hand came across his face like a hammer. "My Tony was a good man! A good, honest decent man until you put all that nonsense about by making a little money for his family with drugs!!" She spit on him, with all the bile and disgust only a former friend can muster.
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Post by Cross Tornatore on Jan 22, 2008 12:23:56 GMT -5
Cross ignored the spit on his shoe, and his reddining face, he was of Sicilian heritage, and in the heritage a woman was to be respected. Grabbing her by the arms he pulled her close to him, looking deep into her eyes. "What the hell happened Anna?" His voice slightly flavoured with an Italian accent. "Tom said he wasn't going to take any, I made him promise he wouldn't."
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Post by The Dark Knight on Jan 23, 2008 0:59:42 GMT -5
"Then why couldn't you stop him?!" She grabbed her children's hands and began to lead them away, Tommy Junior looking back at Cross with an expression far too common in Gotham.
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Post by Cross Tornatore on Jan 23, 2008 1:04:04 GMT -5
Cross thought of calling after her, but then thought better of it. Seeing his wife in the crowd he spoke to her in hurried Sicilian, telling her to go and see the distressed Anna. Putting on his clothes he stepped outside, leaning against a sheet metal wall he pulled out a cigarette and a match.
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Post by Cross Tornatore on Jan 23, 2008 21:36:26 GMT -5
The next day Cross went to see Anna, when she opened the door he pressed one hundred dollars in her hands. "I take care of my friend's families. I did not want to see my good friend Tom dead, nor did I see him take any drugs." Without waiting for an answer he turned and left for work.
At the docks it was a fairly quiet day, most of the men were subdued after their friend's death. Most would not even look the Spaniard foreman in the eye, they new who was involved with Falcone in these parts.
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