The Price of Protection

Chapter 5~ The Other Side

Marius:

     "Qui allons-nous rencontrer ? (Who are we going to meet?)" I ask my uncle as I finish changing. I can tell by the outfit chosen for me that we are on official business meeting business and not the... messier side of our business.

     The personal security guard in the passenger seat leans back without looking and hands me a folder as my Uncle stays silent. He's typing furiously into his phone. I glance at him once more before opening the folder to see a short meeting plan. The realization of what we're doing hits me and I try to stay calm as I ask, "Are you insane, Uncle?"

     "Watch your tone with me, boy!" He growls as he slips his phone into his pocket.

     "Do you want them to know our organization took a hit?" I throw back without consideration for his words, "You want them to think us weak?" The anger in his features reveal his disbelief that I would question him so boldly in front of the men.

     There has always been this sort of tension between us since he is technically the boss, for now, but I am also the boss. There aren't really rules for this sort of thing and mutual respect doesn't go as far as you think it might in organized crime. Perhaps it is that we're family that keeps us from destroying or outright defying the other.

     "We aren't going to tell them anything about the state of our organization. As far as they know, we are visiting some minor business partners in this part of the world and we're making nice since it is their turf. We don't interfere in their operations and show them we mean no harm and go home friends, ouais?"

     We hold each other's gaze for a few moments before I respond, "Ouais. You should have mentioned it to me though. Such little time to prepare could border on the line of sabotage of my leadership, Bastian."

     It's not a threat, it's more of a friendly warning. As the next head, all things for our operations are supposed to be run through me- especially if it involves the heads of another mafia. I don't like that he made this decision alone, something feels off and in the Mafia, if something feels off- it usually is.

     Within about an hour and a half we reach our destination. It's a large hotel and casino. Apparently it's owned by the Genovese Mafia under the guise of legitimate business. Everything is run through shell corporations and money is transferred through enough ghost accounts and offshore accounts that even if someone did dare to go against them it would take months to unravel their brilliant run around and by that time they would have moved everything again.

     The entrance we've arrived at is obviously a private one, but they didn't shirk on the extravagance due to its private nature. I'm sure they have many guests they want to keep out of the public eye that enter through this entrance. Likewise, I'm sure those same guests have no interest in being in the public eye. They certainly put on a good show, I'll give them that, but I still don't feel fully prepared to meet with them.

     Closing my eyes, I steel myself and prepare to be whomever I have to be to let them know that even though we pose no threat right now, we can if we have to.

     After that bracing moment I open my eyes again. I glance out my window to see a tall burly man get out of a black Mercedes-Benz and I can't help but allow a small smile to inch its way onto my face.

     The door to the SUV is opened from the outside and I slide out, butting up my suit jacket and doing a quick look around our perimeter. I lean back against the side of the vehicle and put my hands in my pockets, my legs crossed at the ankles.

     I let out an amused huff of air as I watch him lean close to the hood and use a small cloth to wipe away an imagined smudge.

     "Andre!" I call over to him through a stifled chuckle making him stand sharply turning to see me. His face breaks into a wide grin as he walks towards me with open arms.