"Hey youse."
The Flamboyant red suit of the Olive skinned Italian was a sharp contrast to Edward's more traditional tuxedo. Edward looked disdainfully at the caller.
"Yes, Anthony?"
Anthony's elbows were lifted as he laid back, his hands dangling off the sides of the chair, "I've seen youse around here since we started things, and ahve been dying to know, what's yer story."
"My story, as you put it, is a private matter. I am Edward, I am British. I am a great asset to the Antonelli family. That is apparent the rest is not and will not be revealed."
Edward tugged on his tuxedo to tighten the creases out. Noone had seen Edward without his tuxedo, which many claimed was incapable of wrinkling, much like Edward. Anthony had seen bullets explode inches from the brit without eliciting a response.
Anthony turned back to his gun, toying with it, teasing the trigger each time daring himself to pull it a little further.
"Don Julius would hardly approve of such play. We don't have bullets to waste."
"Shut up yah stinkin limey," Anthony knew that Edward was as right as he always was. He lifted the gun, pointing it in Edward's direction and waiting until he was sure the brit had noticed before stuffing it back into his pants.
"You are such a child, Anthony."
"Mebbe so, but at least I don't dress like f*ckin George the third."'
"George the third was not accustomed to tuxedoes."
"His butler then, whatevah."
A rare smile dawned across Edward's face as Anthony drifted, sullen across the waters of his own contemplations. Giggles came from the room next door, one of the hookers had nabbed herself a prize.
When the creaking of the rusted, ancient bed began it roused Anthiny from his ponderances, "Hope they usin protection, last f*cking thing we need is an outbreak around here."
"My dear Anthony, the last thing we need around here are the police. I would rate a sexually transmitted disease only second."
"Yeah, well youse aint with the girls as much as I am."
"No, of course not. I am more restrained than you I suppose."
"Either that or yah gay."
"My sexuality is beyond question. The only difference between us is that I do not indulge myself."
"Yah couldn't, Ed. You scare the sh*t outta half the girls."
"Really? I hadn't guessed."
"They say it's yer eyes, say youse got no feelings in 'em."
"The whores fear me because I lack emotion," Edward smiled again.
"Yeah."
Silence again, save for the steadily dying of the creak in the next room Edward looked at his watch, 30 seconds. He shook his head in an almost disbeleiving pity, poor bast*rd.
Suddenly Edward's eyes were alive, he tapped Anthony on the shoulder and they stood and left their room with a silent preparedness, their guns out and ready.
Anthony placed his key in the lock and pushed the door open, revealing a man holding a six shooter out at the 'girl' who had so recently entertained him.
"Put the gun down and pay the ladie."
"Yeah, don't stiff the whores."
Anthony cracked his grin at his own joke, looking about for a reaction on the faces of the others in the room. Edward's face was tight in a concentrated effort.
"Aint no way," the gun warbled in the large, rough, hands.
A sudden gunshot rang out, as the lights flickered off.
As they stood there in the dark a markedly femenine whimper began.
The lights were resumed by the same hand which had shut them off and Anthiny brought the hand back to help his gun bear on the deadbeat, but it was redundant, Edward stood with his own pistol the the man's temple.
Blood seeped across the carpet from a shattered hand, on to a liewise shattered gun.
"I'll never be able to work again in my life...." the man seemed stricken by reslity sudddenly. As he looked upon his useless hand.
"He that lives by the sword, will die by the sword. The check is a safer way of life. Now pay the lady and I'll show you how to fix your wound. It's not even that bad, probably only one bone broken and it should be healed within the month if you care for it."
The man's good hand was shoved into his pocket as he fumbled for whatever monies he could accomplish. Finding a sufficient sum he slapped it on the bedside, sobbing, muttering pathetically.
"Clever man. I have some bandages and a cast next door, follow me if you will and we'll have that fixed in no time."
"My gun....."
"Is lost. It shall not recover."
"It cost me...."
"He that lives by the sword, sir. Follow me."
"What am I going to do?" the tears poured out froma life ruined long before it had set foot in the bedroom of that lady. The myriad scars of a wasted life came to a head, pouring out decades of pain with the blood that came from his hand.
"Never steal from theives, either. We are far more experienced than you could ever dream."
With a nod the man followed. Anthony, watching from the door saw the amount of faith that the stranger placed in Edward, saw Edward's calm approach, his almost paternal care, and he wondered if he really knew the man.
-
Edward and Anthony are going to be delivering the Antonelli updates unless I find that I have very little time.