Dignity's Worth

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

"Martin Giovanni?" asked Vinny, to which we nodded.

"That drug dealing motherfucker?"

We nodded again.

"What's your name?" he asked me, and that's when I realized I hadn't introduced myself properly yet.

"Alex. Alex Moretti." I replied, shaking his hand.

"Well Alex, I'm gonna ask you something. And I want you to tell me the truth, okay?"

"Alright."

"Do you have enough money to buy three guns?"

I hadn't thought about that, to be honest. But now that I gave it some consideration, I realized there was no way for me to have a hundred and fifty bucks at that time.

I shook my head and then held it low, afraid to look him in the eye.

"Well that settles it then," he said, looking at his guys. I thought at that moment that the deal was off and we were gonna be sent to our homes.

"Boys, go get the guns from downstairs." he told them, and they looked at him in surprise.

Vinny looked at us. Then he signalled his guys again, and they went downstairs.

"I'm only doing this for free because you're against Martin Giovanni," he said, "and if you give me your word that you're gonna do justice with that prick then you gotta promise me something else."

"What?"

"That you'll do justice on behalf of my sister."

I could see his lips trembling as he said that.

I didn't reply for a long time. I never knew it was so personal to him.

"Promise me," he said, "promise me this one thing and I'll give you all the guns you want."

Finally I said something which took a hell lot of courage to say.

"I don't know what happened," I replied, "but if it involved your sister, you can be damn sure I'll do her justice. And I don't care if I have to pay for the guns, Vinny. I'm not here for that. I could manage the payment somehow. But I give you my word on one thing. He's gonna regret doing what he did."

He shook my hand and clutched it tightly.

"Thank you," he said, "thank you Alex. I could've gotten my revenge myself, you know. I could've taught him a lesson myself. It's not like I don't have the means, you know. It's that I don't have the courage. I don't think you know who you're messing with, but I don't even think you care. I'm six years older than you, but here you are, a kid with more guts than anybody I've ever met. And I trust you on this one."

"I won't let you down."

"Of course you won't."

The guys came in with the guns. And the moment they handed the weapons to us, Vinny instructed us on what the rules were.

"You don't use them to open fire on innocents," he said, "no women, no children. No respectful men. This is an instrument of justice. Use it likewise. If anybody catches you using it without a license, then it's your problem. If these guns are linked to us, then we will deny knowing the weapons and you both. That much clear?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Now I know the exact purposes for which you'll be using these guns. So this time I'm gonna make an exception to these rules. Anybody asks you about the guns, I'll vouch for you. But that's only if you keep your part of the agreement. You're gonna have to avenge my sister. Okay?"