A Man of Honor.

Chapter 64: A Patchwork Mafia.

"We're soldiers. Soldiers don't go to hell. It's war. Soldiers kill other soldiers. We're in a situation where everyone knows the stakes and if you are going to accept those stakes, you've got to do certain things. It's business." ~ Tony Soprano, The Sopranos.

My hands gripped the cold wet railing of the fishing trawler as I heaved out my last meal. Casting the bile off into the dark rolling ocean beneath me. I couldn't even see the waves because it was so dark. Everything just disappeared into the blackness.

I felt Neo's hand on my shoulder along with the rain slapping my back as it poured down in sheets. I had decided to travel to Patch quietly, arriving through a commercial ferry or a bullhead would probably draw attention. Cardin had suggested buying a private yacht and I had considered it for a bit but ultimately decided that I'd like to arrive as quietly as possible through one of Sal's old fishing trawlers. Technically they belonged to me and Fat Mike now but I still thought of them as Sal's.

I didn't try to stop myself from heaving everything out. The sooner my stomach was empty, the sooner I wouldn't have to worry about blowing chunks everywhere. I could feel the eyes of the crew on me at the moment.

Jaune "The Gentleman" Arc, acting Don of the Torchwick Crime Family, seasick. The thought was so funny that I almost laughed amidst my bouts of heaving. Here I was, a supposedly master criminal, on a mission of murder and I couldn't even keep my lunch thanks to a little rough weather.

Neo patted my back as if that would help me expel everything out faster. I spat out the lingering chunks in my mouth and took a few cool breaths of the frigid wet air before stepping back. The nausea lingered, rising and falling with the fishing boat, but I felt confident that I couldn't throw up anymore even if I wanted to.

"I think I should have taken the bullhead." I told Neo as I spat one more time. "I would have still thrown up, but I'd at least be dry."

Neo nodded in her pink raincoat and guided me back towards the cabin where Cardin and the rest of my crew waited for me. I released my numb hands from the railing and followed her into the cramped interior of the ship. Cardin took my soaked rain coat and Neo helped me down into a seat. Deery put a heavy wool blanket over my shoulders. Neo sat down next to me and I put part of it around her as well so we could share it as well as some warmth.

"You weren't kidding about not doing well with boats." Deery commented as she grabbed a thermos and poured a couple of steaming cups for Neo and I.

"Boats, bullheads, the one time I was on the airship to Beacon." I commented with a shiver. "I don't do well with moving vehicles. It took a lot of family road trips with a barf bag before I could even stand being in a moving car."

"Maybe you just need some practice." Deery suggested.

"Or some dramamine." Russel said to me.

"It gives me dry mouth." I said. "And I don't need to get used to anything. This isn't going to be a regular thing. I'll just suffer, it's not like anyone ever died of sea sickness."

"Here." Deery said, handing Neo and I some coffee we had packed. "How can we help?"

I took the offered cup and took a sip letting it warm me down to my toes. "Let's just talk for a bit. Did Boris call back yet?"

"No." Cardin said, leaning against the door to prevent anyone from coming in without knocking first. "He hasn't called yet, but from what i last heard, he had already gotten there and set up a safe house with that Itachi guy and those clan members he invited along."

"Well our little hunting party isn't going to be lacking muscle, that's for sure." I commented after taking another sip of hot cocoa.

"Are you sure you want to be here doing this, boss?" Dove asked me. "We could handle this alone."