Under the cover of the crepuscule darkness, a slender figure crept away from the house. Metres away, another person sat: watching, unbeknownst to them. Before they could reach their car, a voice called out to them; they stopped in their tracks, turning back to the source of the noise.
A gentle voice beckoned them closer to the porch, the open door casting sharp rays of light onto the street. The two companions, whose faces were hidden by the shadows, conversed quietly before they exchanged two identical objects.
Without a sound, the first figure continued their journey back to the vehicle, not looking back at the fling they'd likely never see again. Once they had driven away, the observer moved towards the house; the sounds of their footsteps broke the silence of the still twilight.
Two soft raps of their knuckle against the door were enough to alert the inhabitant of their presence. The door creaked open, allowing the person behind it to see their visitor.
"Leo?" the hoarse voice croaked.
"Yes, CJ. Do you mind letting me in?" he requested. A few grunts were all he received in response as the door swung fully open, revealing CJ in a tightly wrapped, placing a gun on the shoe rack in the hallway.
"Seriously?" he scoffed, motioning to the firearm.
"Can never be too prepared in my position." Leo followed her into the living room, sitting opposite her on the loveseat next to the sofa.
"Who was that?" he began. Her lips parted in surprise at the question.
"No one," she waved off his concerns. Leaning closer towards her, he glared at her until she gave in.
"Fine!" she exclaimed, "You know, even I need to get some now and again. Realisation flooded his face as he awkwardly sat back in the chair.
"So, why are you here?" she prompted, "At three in the morning, I might add."
"I couldn't sleep. And I had a feeling you couldn't either."
"What's on your mind?"
"Antonio Romano. We need to come up with a plan to capture him."
"I already have some ideas. There's a gala in a few days and he'll be there. That is when we'll get the drop on him."
"We need to start preparing, then."
"That, we must."
☆☆☆
"Shopping!" Adrian squealed, rushing into a store. His eyes roamed the coloured tuxes hanging on the displays, making a beeline for a dark blue blazer towards the back wall. Shaking his head disapprovingly, Leo stood still next to CJ.
"Not gonna get yourself a tux?" he asked seriously, watching her.
"No," she smiled softly, "I've got somewhere else to be." His stare remained on her retreating form as she hurried into the crowd of the mall.
Turning back to his friends, he entered after them, calling after Aiden. The two scoffed as Paulo and Iago disappeared into a changing room, two suits in hand. Walking side by side they looked through the various clothes.
Finally, Leo's gaze fell on a sleek, black tuxedo. Next to him, Aiden settled on a light grey and turned to try it on. As the men reached the back rooms, quiet giggles echoed from behind a curtain in the corner.
Leo rolled his eyes at his lovesick partners. Entering a room of his own, he pulled off his jeans and t-shirt, leaving him in his socks on the carpeted floor. Pushing his dark hair back from his face with one hand, he pulled on a crisp white dress shirt, followed by the trousers. Fastening his tie and putting on the blazer, he heard a knock on the wall outside.
"Yes?" he replied quietly.
"Do you need any adjustments, sir?" The tailor's concerned voice travelled through the thin curtains. Checking his reflection in the thin mirror propped on the bench, Leo called out a confirmation and opened the divider between himself and the shop owner.
Strolling in, measuring tape in hand, the man examined him, picking at the loose waist of the jacket, he sighed in disproval. Tutting, he took the blazer off of Leo.
"This simply won't do!" he exclaimed, admiring the dark material. Picking up the measuring tape, he wrapped his arms around his client's waist.
Towering over him, Leo watched intently as the small man lifted the shirt he was wearing to accurately gauge the circumference of his torso. His expression shifted to one of shock as he took in the mixture of tattoos and scars that decorated his abdomen.
After lingering slightly too long on a round raised wound near his naval, the shopkeeper refocussed, writing measurements on a small notepad he had tucked into his pocket.
"Name?" he stuttered his voice cracking slightly.
"Andrew Dickson," he responded coolly, as CJ had instructed. Surprise rendered the man speechless. Before leaving, Leo turned back to him.
"I trust you won't tell anyone about this."
Timidly, the tailor shook his head, not making any sudden movements.
"Come... Come back in two days and I'll have it ready for you," he was barely able to force out.
"And the rest of my associates, correct?" Leo questioned, rhetorically. A small nod was the reply he received.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Lopez," he smirked as he left, casually reminding him that they knew him. Reminding him of their power.
"Let's go find CJ."
BINABASA MO ANG
The Mafia Queens
Action"I came because your father passed two days ago. Drew is dead. You know what this means, right? You're next in line." - - - CJ Dickson is pulled out of her life in England and thrust into the USA, where she is supposed to assume her father's positio...
