Vito

5 - In Motion

The mayor's meeting spot was, quite ironically, more humble than Grayson's had been. I had been expecting to see at least a small mansion when we pulled up to the address but that was not the case. Instead, the meeting place was a four story building that looked like some sort of shop from the outside. 

A security guard stood by it's sliding doors and let us through without as much as a second glance. I guess spotting the Colt brothers wasn't too hard. We made our way inside and a woman waited in a lobby of sorts.

"Welcome, gentlemen!" She said in a practiced manner, gesturing to her right where a set of winding stairs led upwards. "Unfortunately, there's no elevator here, meaning stairs is the only way up." She added brightly.

Michael loudly grunted his disapproval. "If I was the mayor, stairs wouldn't even exist in my buildings." He stated, not caring if the woman heard. The woman just kept on that bright smile while gesturing us to the stairs, not acknowledging the comment. 

We started up the stairs. "Let me guess," Michael started in a defeated tone. "He's on the top floor isn't he?"

The woman nodded, as brightly as ever. "He sure is!"

The annoyingly long climb up the stairs did help me gather my thoughts. I wondered with barely concealed disgust if this was where he took his underage victims. An inconspicuous building such as this, a security guard on the lookout for any curious onlookers. The thought reignited the fuel to get this guy in the ground. I was interesting in getting some good karma, I figured I was a bit too far gone for that but some couldn't hurt, right?

Finally we reached the top floor. The woman pointed to the one room on the floor and did a small bow. "He waits for you in there."

I nodded at the woman as we passed. Time for my second meeting --this time planned, with the supposed deity of St. Louis. With the new knowledge of his deeds, however, I was fully committed to bringing him down. As Michael opened the door and stepped aside for me to go through first, I could think of nothing else.

The room was modest, a picture perfect carbon copy of a business office, with the Mayor sitting at the back of the room behind a desk. Two bodyguards stood on either side of him, doing their best to look menacing.

The Mayor was clearly in a much better and controlled mood from when I had last seen him. He met me with a big smile, standing up although he didn't attempt to shake my hand. "I trust the stairs weren't too much of an inconvenience?' He asked, gesturing at the two chairs about 20 feet in front of his desk.

"Like hell it wasn't." Michael retorted. He took the left seat while I took the right, loudly groaning to exaggerate his legs' fatigue. 

The Mayor chuckled, seating himself in a smooth motion. " I apologize then, Michael." He turned to me, an eager glint in his eyes. "So, are you more prepared to hear my situation this time around?" 

I nodded, managing a faint smile. "That is --assuming you provide credible information on Owens as well as other compensation."

"Of course. I just hope helping out your friend doesn't get in the way of you assisting me in a timely manner?" He replied, saying it like a question.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm known for being able to multitask, shouldn't be much of a problem."

The Mayor didn't exactly look convinced but he didn't push the issue further. "I'll remind you the task I'm asking of you then. I need the administrative officer murdered in a way that cannot be traced back to me." I idly noted he didn't seem to care if it was traced back to me. "In fact, there's also some friends he sides with that would ease my mind, should they be neutralized as well."