by Nees, David
Jason put his face up close to Frank. “Do you understand me?”
The man nodded. He had no more words.
“Good. Now I’m going to hit you a couple of times. It’ll hurt, but it will keep Tony from doing worse. You just pay up each week and don’t give anyone any trouble. You got it?”
Frank nodded.
Before he could think about what was coming next, Jason hit the man in his stomach and then lightly in the face, enough to cause a bloody nose without breaking it.
With a suitably bloodied face, he walked Frank back out.
“No!” shouted Ramona as she went over to her father who was bent over and wiping blood from his face. “You bastard,” she said. Her face was full of anger. Her father put his hand on her arm to restrain her.
“Looks like we’re even now,” Tony said.
“But you try to hold out again, I’ll take Ramona for payment.” He grinned at the two of them and turned to leave.
Jason nodded to Frank and followed Tony out the door.
“How’d you know the money there?” Tony asked when they were on the street.
“They got to put the money somewhere. They didn’t react when I suggested we toss their home, so I guessed it might be at the shop.
“But behind the counter?”
“The rug looked wrong. It should have been under the register, to cushion someone who would stand there for a long time. It made no sense to be where it was…unless—”
“Unless it was hiding something. Very clever of you.”
“I try to be observant. Notice things that are out of place.”
Chapter 12
___________________________________
J ason spent the week working with Tony and his crew. Their work consisted of collecting what they called taxes from the businesses that had sprung up since the EMP attack. People who worked for the city in some capacity had these taxes deducted from their pay so collections weren’t needed.
At the end of the week, Tony reported back to his boss, Vincent.
“This guy Jason’s working out. We’ve increased our collections by thirty percent. He’s definitely convincing some of our tougher customers to pay up.”
“He’s busting some heads, is he?” Vincent asked.
“That’s just it. He’s not having to do much of that. He’s like the horse whisperer or something. He takes them aside and talks quietly to them, maybe along with some arm twisting, but they seem to come around. All in all, it makes for easier collecting and everyone’s calmer.”
“A regular magician.” Vincent didn’t sound convinced. “You hear what he’s telling them?”
“Not really. He takes ‘em aside, like he’s giving them word in private. But whatever he says it seems to work.”
“Maybe you want to listen in sometime. Find out what he’s saying.”
“You sound like you still don’t trust him. Things are settling down, collections are going well, what’s not to like?”
“I don’t trust anyone I don’t know.” Vincent leaned forward over his desk. “And I don’t know this guy. He’s a little too pat, too perfect for me.”
“I don’t know boss.”
“Look, Tony, if something seems too good to be true it probably is. This guy comes out of nowhere, seems to have all these persuasion skills. You say he can handle himself and now he’s the world’s greatest collector, without any beatings.”
“But boss—”
“I’ll tell you what,” Vincent went on, “he’s vague about his history, who he is, where he’s from. All we know is that he worked for the Chairman, but we can’t verify that. He spent some time in Hillsboro and what you don’t know is that we’re trying to collect a debt from them. And he never heard of Stansky? I’m not sure I buy that.”
Vincent waved his hand to dismiss Tony.
“Just keep your eyes open. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Okay boss. I’ll keep a watch on him.”
He turned and left the office.
Once Jason had been around with Tony and one of his other crew for a week, he was sent out on his own. Collections were done weekly, so there was a steady list of people to visit. This day his route took him to visit Harry, the mechanic, who had first talked to him after Jason got into the city.
Jason walked into Harry’s garage. It was a large place that had once housed taxis. There were twenty repair bays. Half of them were filled with old cars and a few trucks. The building had a tall, metal ceiling with dirty skylights that struggled to relieve the gloom. Harry didn’t seem to want to use much electricity to light the shop during the day.
“Hello Harry,” Jason said to the man who came over after he walked into the shop. Harry looked at him, trying to place him.
“I look different without my backpack and jeans. I met you about ten days ago at the bar down the street. You clued me in to the Exchange Centers and let me know the bartender had ripped me off.”
Harry’s face lit up. “Oh yeah, your name is…”
“Jason.”
“Right. What are you doing? You’re better dressed than when I saw you last.”
“I’m working for Tony Lucho.”
Harry’s face took on a guarded look. “Tony? What do you do for him?”
“I’m one of his collectors.”
“Oh hell. Why do you want to go and do that? I thought you wanted to settle down and do some honest work.”
“I did, I mean I do. This just came along and it seems like I’m pretty good at it.”
“I thought you were a straight up guy. Not one to go around harassing people, beating them up when they can’t pay what they owe.”
“I don’t beat people up.”
“No?” Harry’s voice was filled with disbelief. “Just how do you do that?”
Jason shrugged. “I guess I’m gently persuasive. Tony likes what I do. Says it fits in with the plan to have things to run more smoothly, without so much muscle.”
“You carry a gun?”
Jason nodded. “Always have, even when I met you. I’m told to keep it out of sight which I’m happy to do.”
“So, you’re here for some money?”
“You’re on my list.” Jason looked around the shop. “Why do you keep the lights off?”
“I negotiated a lower payment for that. I use enough electricity just to keep my compressors running. Can’t fix these old wrecks without air impact drivers. So many frozen bolts to get loose. I always pay the fee, don’t want any trouble.”
“That’s what Tony said.”
Harry just stood there looking at Jason. He finally shook his head and turned to the office. Jason followed.
“I never took you for a hood, no offense.” He said as he walked.
“None taken. It’s not my calling, but I’ve had experience with work like this before, keeping people in line. I’ve learned to apply a soft touch when I can. Of course, there’s some hard asses, cheats who need a wake-up call. Why they want to take on the mob is beyond me.”
Harry turned to Jason after they got into the office. “I wouldn’t use that word around them if I were you.”
“I know. But it’s what they are. Doesn’t take a genius to figure that out even if they’re trying to become more respectable.”
Harry went to his desk and took out an envelope and handed it to Jason. “Here’s my weekly payment. Dues I call it. Count it if you like.”
Jason gave Harry a serious look. “I trust you. And I want to thank you for talking with me that night.”
“I didn’t do anything. You still wound up sleeping under the stars.”
“Yeah, but you were helpful…and honest. That’s rare nowadays.”
Harry shrugged.
“Can I ask you something?” Jason asked.
“Sure.”
“Does the mob run the whole city?”
Harry gave him a sharp look. “Yeah, but why do you want to know?”
“I like to understand the lay of the land. Whe
re the power lies.”
“Well it doesn’t lie with our mayor, or the FEMA guy in town. They’re both under the thumb of guys like Tony and his boss.”
“Vincent?”
Harry nodded.
“And who does Vincent report to?”
“There’s two guys, Joe Nicoletti and the big boss, Albert Tagliani, those who know him call him Big Al. I don’t know anything about them and wouldn’t tell you if I did. You nose around, ask too many questions about guys at that level, you’re going to get yourself into big trouble. I suggest you go about your humane money collecting and keep out of the politics. “
“Like I said, I try to understand whatever situation I find myself in.”
“Well just watch out. And if you know how to work on cars and need a job, come see me.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Jason started for the door then stopped. “And Harry, he said, turning, “don’t mention our conversation with anyone, okay?”
“I guess I can keep a secret, but I might need a favor in return someday.”
“You get in touch. I’ll do what I can.”
Chapter 13
___________________________________
T hat evening, Jason left the bar where Tony sat receiving the day’s money. As he started down the street, Gino, another of Tony’s crew, came up to him.
“I’ve got my eye on you,” Gino said. His tone was unfriendly, aggressive.
“What are you talking about?” Jason responded.
“You may have Tony fooled, thinking you’re some kind of collection genius, but you don’t fool me.”
Jason smiled at Gino. The man was shorter than him but thick, with solid arms. He didn’t move fast. He seemed to Jason to be more tank-like in action, but Jason guessed he could take some punishment and then dish out more in response. The man could hurt you if he got you cornered or pinned down.
“Gino, I’m not trying to fool you, or anyone.”
“There’s something not right about you. I can sense it. I can smell a rat a mile away. You don’t talk about where you came from. It’s like you’re hiding something. I’m telling you that I’m watching you. You’ll fuck up at some point and I’ll be all over you.”
Jason didn’t answer and Gino pointed to his eyes and then at Jason. He didn’t wait for a reply and turned to leave.
Jason continued walking, thinking about the exchange. He went over his own actions since joining Tony’s crew. He couldn’t come up with anything that might have set off alarm bells. Was he not playing the bad guy well enough? Giving some civilian a serious beating would help, but Jason couldn’t bring himself to do it. He had made do with having serious talks with the slow payers, letting them know he was their buffer against serious injury and making them realize how dangerous injury was in the post-EMP world.
It generally worked except for some harder cases that were just as corrupt as the mob that was collecting from them. Jason used more force then. Still something had triggered Gino’s suspicions. He began to feel more and more that he was on borrowed time. Better stay tight with Tony.
A meeting of all the mob bosses had been scheduled for downtown. Vincent had been called in. He told Tony to come along and Tony told Jason to come with him. They would both be backing up Vincent, showing off his muscle to the other capos. Gino was furious as were the others in Tony’s crew. Gino was staring daggers at Jason when Tony said he was going.
“Why the new guy?” Rocco asked.
“’Cause he’s earned it. He’s the biggest producer in the crew. You guys should take a lesson.”
Jason knew that comment was not going to help him with the others. But this was the chance he had been looking for, moving up in the ranks.
“Boss, something just ain’t right with Jason,” Gino said. “He ain’t really part of us.”
“He’s doing what I tell him to do and getting results. That’s what counts. Now shut up about it.”
The next day they drove into the inner part of the city in a 1963 Oldsmobile. Ears, Vincent’s bodyguard, drove, Jason sat up front with him, while Vincent and Tony sat in the back. They were passed through a checkpoint. Jason tried not to crane his head around too much in checking out how the inner perimeter was protected. It looked like a concrete wall had been poured in places. He caught a glimpse of some buildings that had been bricked shut to provide barriers. Across secondary roads, barriers of abandoned busses or trucks had been set up.
“Looks like it’s hard for anyone to get inside without going through a checkpoint,” Jason remarked to Ears.
“That’s the idea. Can’t have the everyday punks coming and going,” Ears said.
“Hey Jason,” Vincent called out from the back seat. “You said you spent time in Hillsboro. I may want you to tell Mr. Nicoletti, about it. He also visited the town. Maybe you two can compare notes.”
“I doubt I can add anything to what Mr. Nicoletti knows,” Jason responded.
“You never know.” Vincent’s voice sounded cold.
They drove on in silence. Ears pulled in at the Omni Hotel in the center of the city. It was surrounded by high-rises that had been banks in the pre-EMP days. Jason could only guess what those monsters were used for now.
They stopped at the front door. Ears got out and opened the rear door for Vincent while Jason did the same for Tony. The two went inside leaving Ears and Jason to park the car.
Jason stood looking up at the impressive height of the buildings.
“You never been to Charlotte before?” Ears asked.
“I have, before the attack. But I didn’t have business downtown. Never saw these close up. They sure liked to go high.” After parking, they started walking back to the hotel. “Are they used for anything now?”
“Not sure if there’s much use for ‘em now. A lot of people died after the attack. You know, old folks, the sick. A lot died that winter too. The gangs added to the mess. There was a lot of killing. We had to get pretty brutal to put ‘em down, get the city under some kind of control. Now there ain’t as many people around.”
“And you run the city now?” Jason askes.
Ears looked over at him.
“I mean Mr. Tagliani and the bosses.”
“Ain’t no other boss besides Mr. Tagliani, Ears replied. “But yeah, you could say that. We still got a mayor, but he works for Mr. Tagliani. Most everyone realizes that we got the city under control.” Ears paused for a moment. “I heard it’s kind of like the old days, in the twenties. The organization keeps order and city hall leaves us alone. Only now we’re the ones bringing in the money, so we get to call the shots.”
“What’s the end game? I mean what happens when the feds show up?”
Ears gave him a sharp look. “I don’t know anything about that.”
They got to the front door. “Now keep your mouth shut. Stay with me when the bosses go into their meeting. Got it?”
Jason nodded.
They met up with Tony and Vincent and followed them into a ballroom. There was a band playing music at one end. Food was set out on a long, center table. Jason marveled at the selection. Shrimp, cuts of beef, pork and venison, pasta, salads. He’d hadn’t seen that much food in one place in years. Scantily clad women moved through the men with trays of wine and snacks of cheese, vegetables and small breads along with various sauces to dip.
Ears headed for the side of the room and Jason followed. Other bodyguards were standing around the perimeter. Ears greeted some of them. He didn’t introduce Jason, but when asked, told the others who he was. On the other side of the room was a long bar. Many of the mob men were getting something stronger than wine to drink.
“This happen often?” Jason asked to one of the bodyguards standing near him after Ears had wandered off.
“Twice a year. They like to put on a show. It’s good for us. We get to eat pretty well when the bosses go into their meeting.”
“There’s some good-looking women circulating. They part of the meetings?”
Jason watched the scene. Vincent’s suggestion that he talk with Nicoletti worried him, but it was also a way to connect upward. It was looking more and more like the mob really was in control. But what did they want with little Hillsboro? The scene he was witnessing was outlandish in the extreme. Hillsboro seemed a small side issue in comparison.
There had to be an end game to all of this theater. Some direction this was going. He sensed the mob wasn’t just enjoying having power without interference from authorities, either federal, state or local. They must be planning for the future. Jason kept trying to work out how all that he was seeing could be perpetuated.
A smaller set of side tables had been set up for all the bodyguards. The “unranked”, Jason thought. He kept working, talking to members of the different crews. From conversations he confirmed that the electricity came from the Riverbend Steam Station north of Charlotte. No one Jason talked with knew what would happen after the coal trains had been drained of their contents. Teams were being sent increasingly far afield to find this important resource.
After an hour, the capos disappeared into a smaller room. Someone explained they would have their meal and a meeting in the room. The crews were free to hang out, enjoy and free drinks and food until they returned.
“When the bosses get done with eating and business, we all move to the nightclub. That’s where the fun starts,” Ears said.
Jason gave him a confused look.
“Strippers and more drinking. You got any scrip on you, you can get a lap dance or more.” Ears winked at him. Jason could tell Ears was looking forward to that part of the night.