"Smiling" Act Two: Part Two 'The Ballroom'

I open my pack and light up a cancer stick. The smoke fills the room. I pull a chair over to the phone so I could sit and enjoy the smoke. I pick up the phone and make a phone call.

"Hello?" he answer scared.

"Ned Toys? It seems you got information I want."

He responds quietly.
"What information are we talking about? All I got is a story of Jack and Jill go up the hill to fetch a little more than a pail of water."

"I have a story here of friends, friends who want to be your friends. But they can't be your friends if you talk publically like that."

"My story has pictures to go with the words, all of which come with a price. Let me see, the words alone are worth 250 gs. The pictures, well, they a little more. I say no less than 500 G's. And I think the ball's coming up two nights from now. I also think that if the story gets out tomorrow night, It'll be the talk of the town. What do you think. I want some today to make sure this is real"
The little kid had done his homework. I pulled my nine up to the phone.

"That makes me think that if I don't see you down in your hotel lobby by 3pm today, you'll be showing up(I pull the hammer back)to the ball in a bloody bullet tuxedo. The money will be separate and in your mailbox before hand no later than noon. If your a good boy your tux might be looking extra nice."

His voice trembles.
"I-I-I'll be there early and waiting."
Him being scared adds a little more jazz to my morning. It makes me smile.
*click*

I walk over to Obi Scat Cat's place to tell him the news. As soon as I walk in Scat gestures to a chair. I pull up a seat next to him. Chuck walks in, with a cigar puffing, from the other room and pulls up next to me. Chuck says sternly "This Ned Toys problem, you got a solution?" I look him in the eyes, then I look around to make sure no one else knows. "I meet with him at 3. We give him 250,000 now he'll keep mum. We give him the rest later." Scats looks at me and says "So the deal is done. Good, now more important things. I'm looking to expand operations. Any ideas on who to initiate?" I look at Scat's, "How about The Creeper, ya know Creeper has got some talents we could use." Chuck adds in, "I like it alot. When it comes to the forced fight, I want to be the one he fights." Scat nods,"Than it's agreed. I'll throw the idea out to the Creeper at the Ball." Chuck gets up from his chair and ashes his cigar. "Today's a good day. In fact great day, but I can't stay. They need me at this ball rehearsal." He looks at us and smiles from cheek to cheek.

I made my way to the lobby of Toy's apartment. To make sure its not a set up on his part, I look around. There's the usual, cars are parked out front. The only person I see is a man walking outside with a big hat and briefcase. He's wearing sunglasses and a long coat. For a moment he looks around. Then enters a black car. Moments later a lady in a white and purple dress walks fast out and crosses the street. She enters a taxi that just pulled out. An older man appears from the corner of the street and walks in the building. I follow seconds behind him. I grab a paper, light a cig and take a seat. The lady at the lobby desk is old and tired. My voice gets gruffy and I refuse to make eye contact for long periods of time. "Listen here ma'am, I got a letter for a Mr.Toys. He said he was going to come down in twenty minutes. If he doesn't come down, could you bring it up to him?" She doesn't even look up to acknowledge me."I'll be sure he gets it." Her voice is nasally and depressing. It's 3pm and no sign of him. Five minutes later and he's still not here. I walk out to the phone booth around the corner. No one is smiling.

An old lady answers the phone.
"Hilltop Estates, Mrs. Berman speaking. How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for a old friend of mine. His name is Ned Toys. He told me he lives here but I can't remember the room number."

"The room number is 558. Sir should I tell him your coming?"

"No thanks. He'll be anticipating my arrival."

I walk into the lobby and head straight to the elevator. I make sure my nines are ready and waiting. The doors open and there's this little old lady and her poodle. The dogs barking and the old lady has tucked herself into a corner. "Going up?" I ask. She just shrivels up. *Bing* Fourth floor and the door opens. A short self proclaimed distinguished man walks in with a delicate woman. He's wearing a smaller coat. Nothing is concealed. His delicate woman friend is too proud to look my way. All they can do is talk about how the city needs to rid of the scum. She says, "Thank God Hilltop Estates doesn't allow street scum." *Bing* Fifth floor, my floor. I lit my a cig and turn slightly. I flip my coat back a little to let my little friends breathe. I turn to her and say "Seems as if that scum of yours runs deep here." The door opens and I know that its the time. I dream of those nights when I get to get interrogate a fool or hunt him down and hold a gun to his beat up ass. It makes me feel so good I smile.

The door closes and I exhale. The puff of smoke is slow. I pull out my guns cock them and head to his room. My hands are steady, and my mind is focused. This is fun for me. I can feel the adrenaline pump through my veins. I get two doors down from his when I hear some shouting coming from his room. I can hear Ned's voice. It's scared like he's begging for something. I get to his door. My guns are out and ready. Then I hear it. A 8mm sounds off twice. Then the room is silent. Fuck. I kick the door, and I soon as I do guns are blazing my way. They had been waiting for me. I dart across the room into the kitchen. Bullets graze me and one finds its way into my lower chest. There are three guys in the living room and one in the bedroom. I am sitting behind the counter island holding my position. Just then a guy from the living room, bearing a shotgun, charges me like a dumb ass. I pump a clip into his sorry ass before his body barrels to the floor before me. His shotgun slides to my feet. I pocket my guns and grab his shotgun. I jump up and pump lead into a friend of his. But his other friend nails my right arm. I pop up again and rattle his brains with bullets. The last one had barricaded himself into the bedroom. I bust the door and jump the sorry ass. We tussle for minutes. He throws me into the wall and starts to strangle me. I eye ball him to see if has any colors as I gasp for air. Nothing. He pulls himself close to my ear and whispers. "We were expecting you." Just then I pull my gun from my pocket and drop a bullet in his heart. We both drop to the floor. I have no time to gasp for air. I am bleeding really good. I look around but there is nothing. No pictures, no story nothing. The envelope that had the money was empty. This is no time to smile.

I hear some voices come my way. More guys are coming to clean me out. I dart out the door and head the opposite way. They don't notice me. I make my way to the lobby. The lady seems to be oblivious to what has just happened. Gasping for air I tell her as I walk by, "He won't be needing that letter." I walk out the door and head to the phone. I call Scat's.

"Hello?"

"Scat's is that you?" The gunfire has caused a ringing in my ears that pounds louder than I can hear his voice. The blood loss is starting to get to me.

"Yeah this is, what's wrong!?"

"We've got a big rat on the inside!" I am starting to get woozy.

"What the fuck is going on!!" Scat yells.

"I'VE BEEN FUCKED OVER!!!"
*click*
I put more quarters in like a bar drunk way beyond his control. I call C-Rag. He's the doc we go to. I can't go into a hospital like this. Those doctors ask questions, questions lead to investigations. Investigations lead to time. Time we would all have to spend. I hear the phone receiver pick up. I am getting delusional.

"Heyyyy C-Ragggg"

"Where are you?" He sternly asks.

"I am at The Hilltop Estates calling my good ol' pal. That's you."

"You must be getting bad. I'll be on my way."

"They fucked me C-Rag. I just been fucked over real good. Yessirre." I drop the phone and slide down to the bottom of the booth. I lay there in my own pool of blood. All I can think about is what just happened and what is going to happen. All I can do is smile.