Blood Ties

Chapter 21

From the outside, the building that housed Tommy's gymnasium was unremarkable, at least for Venice- a white stucco front with high, Gothic arches. A couple of blackshirts passed by, their boots coated in a fine layer of pale brown slush, but they didn't look twice at Damiana or the building. She had avoided their attention since the night one had followed her, meeting China's beau in the alley behind the bar where he worked, amidst empty bottles and food waste.Damiana waited for the blackshirts to pass, her heavy winter coat pulled tight around her. There had been no raids on family property in the weeks that she had been there, at least none that China had heard of. How did Tommy keep a rein on the fascists in the city? Had he found some that could be bribed to look the other way, or was he dependent on his powers to keep them in line? The vampire Neroni had managed the latter, but he'd had his rank to fall back on.

The guard at the door was her cousin Dante, who had visited her house often in childhood, his parents hoping for Carlo to choose him as a student. He exclaimed as he saw her, and kissed her cheeks."I heard Leo spoke on your behalf," he said, his smile broad. The five years since Damiana had seen him had improved his looks, his shoulders wider and his protuberant ears hidden by his thick, curly hair. "Congratulations.""Thank you." After weeks with only China for company, Dante's warmth was a welcome change, and Damiana felt herself smile. It was an exclusive club that she had been indoctrinated in- the recipients of the proxy kiss. "Is Tommy in?"Dante nodded, taking her coat for her. "By the ring."Damiana felt a quiver of trepidation as she stepped inside, the gymnasium little warmer than the streets, though without the biting wind. Why had Tommy summoned her? China had told her about the summons when they had last met, after dictating her latest love letter, almost as an afterthought. Tommy wants to see you. Hopefully this wasn't the party he had threatened.The place smelled of sawdust and sweat. Two men circled in the boxing ring, with the family brow and jaw, but wide as oxen and packed with muscle. They were lit from above in brown and grey, from a skylight covered with slush. Tommy leaned against the ropes, stripped down to his vest, his shoulders gleaming. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Damiana, and a couple of his cronies handed him creased Lira notes, which he examined, and pocketed."Tommy." Damiana padded towards him. "Not seen you in a while.""Cuz," Tommy inclined his head. "Leo's had me out of town. Y'know how it is.""Not really, no.""Well," her cousin gave her a sidelong glance, his cheerful demeanour unchanged. "You will soon enough.""Will I, now?""Uh-huh." Tommy folded his arms. "I saw China the other day. Like what you did with her nose."Damiana looked carefully at Tommy. Was this an official reprimand, or did Tommy just want to hear what she had to say? "She started it."Tommy smirked. "I'm sure. I don't know what they taught you in the people's army, but you can't just go beating on family-""I said she started it.""If you say so, cuz." Tommy rolled his eyes, but he showed no sign of anger."Why'd you call me here, anyway?" Damiana sidled up beside her cousin. The two fighters were circling each other, eyes wary. "I mean, I appreciate the scenery."Tommy glanced back at the fighters. "Do you, now." He smiled. "You hear from Old Joe recently?""No," said Damiana, slowly. "He's not called." Giuseppe had left the night after the trial, with no entourage save his ghosts, and he hadn't sent back so much as a postcard."Huh," Tommy's eyes were piercing, but revealed nothing. "Shame.""Why are you interested?"Tommy turned away, frowning. The fighter with the red gloves landed a blow with the solid sound of meat on leather. "Leo was asking.""Leo's interested in my grandfather?""He likes to look after family," said Tommy. "Can you really blame him? Your grandfather's trouble." He paused "Like you. Enough to drive a man to drink.""Hey." Damiana bristled. "I've been staying out of trouble.""Yeah," Tommy conceded. "Guess you've not bought me any more injured blackshirts." He gave a low laugh. "Speaking of trouble, you seen anyone else? Apart from China and her beau, I mean.""You know about that?"Tommy shrugged. "It's the only time you leave the house. And I should know; I have two very bored informants tailing you.""I'm sorry," Damiana felt herself grimace, her stomach squirming in indignation. How dare he."I'll try to be more entertaining in future.""Good." Her cousin turned back to the fight. "Get out more. God knows I pay those guys enough.""Get out more?""Yeah," Tommy said, eyes twinkling. "Actually, I had a favour to ask you. League of wives and mothers is holding a ball. Some Christmas charity type thing. I want you to go.""What?" The League was well known to be supported by the fascists. "And get caught by the squadristi? Are you insane?""Depends who you ask." Tommy grinned. "Nah. Remember how you owe me one? Well, now is the time to return the favour."Damiana stared at Tommy for a moment as her thoughts ordered themselves. Was Tommy one of the enemies that Giuseppe had warned her of? Tommy was well-placed enough that he wouldn't need to resort to chicanery if he wanted her disposed of in her grandfather's absence. That meant he had a reason for her to go to the meeting. "What's this about, exactly?""Thought you'd never ask." Tommy rolled his shoulders. "It's the church. You read the papers recently?""They're refusing to get into bed with the fascists?" Damiana offered up. A few church-affiliated organisations were being closed down, labeled as political agitators."Something like that," said Tommy. "More immediately, they've sent a contingent up here from Vatican city. Guy called Selvaggiani and his retinue.""For the ball?""Yeah, but not just the party," said Tommy. "Other stuff too. Fuck knows what. He's working for one of the internal congregations, but it might just be politics.""And you want me because-""Well, that, for starters," said Tommy, nodding to her stomach. "I don't know how clued in these guys are, but you're practically beyond reproach in the definitely-not-dead department. And you're an anarchist to boot.""Freedom fighter," said Damiana, more tersely than she intended. "Former freedom fighter."Tommy blew a stray curl from his forehead. "Semantics." He shrugged. "Let some of that slip and the papists will be sniffing round you like you're a choir boy in heat. They need activists. Grass roots.""I'm an unwed mother.""You got a ring, don't you?" said Tommy. "Put it on and look sad if anyone asks after your husband. Shouldn't be hard for you, considering. Just maybe leave out the brother thing."Lazaro. Even after a few weeks, the reminder still hurt like a punch to the gut. Damiana shook her head, leaning against the ropes. "You're an insensitive bastard, you know that, Tommy?"Tommy smiled. "And you're a reprobate, dear cousin. You gonna take the job, or what?""Do I have a choice?""Sure." Tommy looked down at her, his smile unfaltering. Behind him, the red-gloved fighter took a fist to the chest, and stumbled back winded. "There's always a choice."It wasn't a threat, but it was as good as one. "Alright," said Damiana. "I'll take the job."