Wrestling the Kraken

Mahone

Mahone

Most of the circus goers had cleared out. There were a few remaining stragglers. A young pair were rubbing noses behind one of the tents.

"Come on, guys, head out of here. Let's go." Mahone ushered them out. The girl scurried away, holding hands with a boy who had a smirk on his face. "Kids." He laughed under his breath.

His own youth sprang to mind, memories of young love and a budding romance. He could still see her- soft blonde hair, her oval face with her long nose. The way her eyebrows rounded her eyes, it always gave her that look of sheer joy. Her eyes had killed him the first time they met. She always looked elegant even if she tried to dress down in jeans. He still couldn't believe a girl like that could love a guy like him. His love for her grew stronger from the first day to her last. Married to the only love he had ever known. Now, married to the job to forget she's no longer home.

He made his way inside the theater and up the stairs. The rest of the night had been quiet. Just a bunch of people having fun.

There was only one he saw upset, holding back tears from what he could tell. She left in a flash, away from the circus and he wasn't able to follow. He saw enough to see that whatever caused her to be upset happened in the grand room during the show. There was nothing to indicate what could have bothered her. Could have been many things. An argument, bad news... many things. He made a mental note of the occurrence and moved on.

Now he had to deal with the one thing that did spring up. These two. Mahone stood in the doorway to Marcello's office. He and Armand lay passed out on the couch. "So what do we know?"

Stavo cheered up at the sight of Mahone. "Boy am I glad you're here. I'm done babysitting these two. I'm sorry, partner, but I had to knock them out." He shook his head, still in disbelief.

Mahone's eyes went large, as he looked at them laying there. "You did what?"

"Don't worry. I used some sedatives Ms. Cordova happened to have."

"I use it to sleep on particularly rough nights. All legal, I assure you. I showed your partner the prescription." Vivianne put in.

Mahone gave Stavo a hard look- one usually reserved for rowdy criminals and, at times, a thick headed partner. Stavo looked down toward the ground, away from his glare.

"I had to." Stavo said. "They were getting physical, trying to leave. First they fought each other. Mr. Rossini slapped Marcello. Slapped... Mahone." Stavo gestured with his hands. "I'm talkin' white glove, monocle style to the face. Then Marcello slapped back and before I knew it they were both rolling on the ground. I tried to break it up, but they both turned on me. I had Mr. Rosini sitting back down on the couch, but then Marcello darted and made a run for the door hollerin' something about hippos."

"Hippos?" Mahone repeated.

"Hippos." Stavo said, eyes wide.

Mahone could see where Stavo got roughed up, along with the two on the couch. "How'd you get them to take the sedative?"

"That was my doing." Vivianne spoke up. "I told them that in order to be invisible from said hippos, they needed to take this pill." She said, rattling the prescription bottle.

Mahone looked at Stavo.

"Hippos." Stavo whispered, still wide eyed.

"Did you ever figure out what they were on?" Mahone asked, giving Stavo a stern look.

"Yeah, I had Del La Rosa get me a kit, once they were knocked out. Some kind of hallucinogenic drug, but one I've never seen before.

"Get the results to Decker. See what she can make from it." Mahone looked around the room.

Stavo looked back at the two asleep on the couch, then back at Mahone. "Gladly. I'd rather deal with Decker any day." Stavo said as he rushed out with the kit.

Mahone looked at Vivianne smoking a cigarette and Dante sitting in a chair in the back corner. A drink in his hand. Yes... it would be a long night.