Winter had made its unwelcomed home within the city.
Old age had stolen the leafy youth of the trees with its icy fingers, clawing its way down the sidewalks and pavements, tickling the rosy cheeks of cherubs and shaking the souls of the experienced.
Leo and his crew of brooding, tall, angry and immortal men seemed to be the only one unaffected by New York's infamous winter. He seemed to find delight in the frosty pain those mere immortals couldn't escape.
Leo lounged back in his chair with Matteo flanking his right and Kerwin flanking his left; he paid very little attention to the two Brazilian immigrants sitting before him as they went on in their narrcisistic, winding speech.
If it weren't for the circumstances, he would have admired them. Carlos and his wife left Brazil with nothing but the prayers of their parents, $1,000.00 USD and a whole lot of dreams. Somewhere along the road, nothing much became something large and they were able to turn $1,000.00 into an entire 3 billion dollar empire: a successful clothing line, million dollar real estate, furniture and kitchen appliances, elitist party planning...
Leo had to admire The Gardel's determination, but they were deplorable, pesky humans that weren't deserving of such a rich and grand life.
Mr. Gardel rambled animatedly, Mrs. Gardel hungrily eyed the younger man sitting lazily in his expensive, swivel leather chair, and Leo couldn't wait to end the useless meeting.
Matteo looked over to his boss and sighed. He too had grown tired of Mr. Gardel's pathetic and exaggerated claims of his daughter.
"All in all, sir, she serves us no purpose. We had a child to carry on our legacy yet she is unwilling. We expect that you would be better at running it for us should we not survive this life, in hopes that you reproduce and pass on our legacy to your child who will surely be worthy."
The air of finality made Leo relax.
It's about fucking time!
"I'll let you know what the plan may be once we have everything settled.", Leo waved his hand dismissively, yet the Gardel's sat comfortably as if they belonged there.
Carlos sighed heavily, running his tiny hands through his black dyed hair. "You've been saying that for the past three months, Mr. Nautian."
Matteo spoke up this time, unknowingly sparing the Gardel's their pride. " You are very high profile people. It would take a lot more than three months to put everything in place, sir. You haven't done what we've ask of you, which makes it hard to stay within the time frame we've suggested."
Kerwin breathed out roughly through his nose, annoyance finally starting to itch his skin.
"Leo, ah gone. Dey takin dey time, and dat is somthin I doh have just fuh so."
He made his exit quick, shaking both Mr. and Mrs. Gardel's hands.
Little did they know...
As he was about to exit, Kerwin purposefully caught Leo's eyes and sang lowly, "Is de voodoo...in dey ass."
Leo chuckled silently.
He quietly said his farewells to Kerwin, and glanced briefly at Matteo. Matteo knew what his boss meant, and quickly stood from his seat as Leo spun in his chair to fave to large wall-to-floor window behind his desk.
Matteo rumbled lowly, " We have told you two to file several police reports saying that someone had sent threatening letters to the both of you and your daughter, Queen. You failed to comply, even when we had the letters drawn up and analyzed for fingerprints. We've told you to repair the relationship with your daughter under false pretenses, and again, you've failed again. We've done these things many times before, but if you think you can handle it on your own, then by all means---"
