“I thought you were off already.”

“Man, I wish!  I just clocked in.”

“What’s going on?  I see Ralph is here too, and he usually works the graveyard shift!”

“They calling all us in.  Supposedly some big wig’s in the hospital.  They want as much Security on duty as possible.”

“A big wig?  Who?”

“Hell if I know.  But the last time I remember this many security guards on duty at the same time was when a prime minister was here.  And that was a long, long time ago.”

They were standing near the entrance doors of the Philadelphia hospital: two security guards taking a smoke break, when three black SUVs arrived.  One guard elbowed the other one.  “Check this out,” he said, as the SUVs stopped at the entrance and men hurriedly jumped out.

The door was opened to the middle SUV and Roz Sinatra, along with two nannies and Mick and Roz’s twin toddlers, Duke and Jacqueline Sinatra, hurried into the hospital.  Then a second group of SUVs arrived just behind it, and Gloria and Nikki stepped out, and hurried into the hospital, too.

“All black women,” one guard said.  “You noticed that?  This big wig must be a brother.”

“Wonder who it can be?”

“Hell if I know,” the guard said again.  “But I hear he’s big.”

 

But inside the hospital, it wasn’t about how big Mick was, or how powerful.  It was all about how he was withstanding those two bullet wounds.

Roz, along with the toddlers and their nannies, was the first off of the elevator, and Joey and Teddy were there to meet her.   Gloria and Nikki stepped off behind her.

“Where is he?” Roz asked urgently.  She looked as if she was going to pass out to Teddy.

“He’s in surgery, Ma,” Teddy said.  “No word yet.”

“And you two are okay?” Roz asked, looking more at Joey than Teddy.  She knew Teddy was always okay.

“We weren’t hit,” Teddy said.

But Roz could see the fear still in Joey’s eyes.  She pulled him into her arms.

Gloria, instead, hugged Teddy, and then, with her stepmother, gave Joey a hug too.  Nikki, careful to be respectful of his stepmother and sister, waited until Gloria stopped hugging Teddy and moved to Joey.  Nikki then walked over to Teddy.

It was Teddy who pulled her into his arms, and gave her a big, smothering hug.  He already knew he needed her.  But in times like these, when he saw his father fall, he needed her like he needed his own body.

When she was able to pull back from his embrace, just enough to look into his eyes, she placed her hands on the sides of his face.  “I was so scared,” she said.  “When those guys came to your father’s office and told Gloria and me that we had to go with them, I was mortified.  But they said it was on your orders.”

Teddy was nodding.  “It was.  When something like this happens, we aren’t sure if more attacks might be coming.”

“What happened?” she asked.

But Roz had turned to Teddy.  “Who have you called?” she asked him.

“Big Daddy and Amelia, of course.”  Big Daddy Charles Sinatra was Mick’s oldest brother.  Amelia was his kid sister.  “They’re on their way.”

“What about the Gabrinis?”

“Uncle Tommy is out of the country.  It’ll be another day before he can get here.  But he’s coming as fast as he can get here.  Uncle Reno and Uncle Sal are on their way.”

Roz nodded.  “That sounds good, Teddy.  We’re family.  We stick together at a time like this.”

“I agree.”

“Where’s the waiting room?  After all the times I’ve had to come here, I should know exactly where that place is by now.  But I don’t remember.”

“I’ll show you, Ma,” Joey said, as he placed her arm in his.

  Roz, Glo, and Joey, along with the nannies and Duke and Jacqueline, began walking toward the private, VIP waiting area.  Teddy placed his hand around Nikki’s waist and they followed behind.  And Teddy didn’t hesitate to tell her what happened.  It felt good to be able to tell somebody.  “We were ambushed,” he said to her.  “Twice.”

Nikki’s heart sank.  “Twice?  Geez, Teddy!”

“I’m okay,” he said, leaning her closer against him.  “Don’t worry, Nikki.  I’m okay.”

“But your father isn’t,” Nikki said.

Teddy’s heart sank. But they were two people who kept it honest.  “No,” Teddy said.  “He isn’t.”

 

Five hours later and the automatic doors to the hospital slid open again, and Big Daddy Charles Sinatra, who had been in Arizona on business, and Amelia Sinatra, who had been with him, along with casino mogul Reno Gabrini and his cousin mob boss Sal Gabrini, all hurried in at the same time.  They hurried on and off the elevator, and down the hall to the VIP waiting room.

When they arrived, Roz and Gloria hurried to them, and there were hugs all around.  “How is he?” Big Daddy asked Roz.

“Still in surgery,” Roz said.

Big Daddy sighed.  He had hoped for better news.

“He was hit twice?” Amelia asked, worried sick herself.

Roz nodded.  “Yes.  But he’s going to be okay.”

Amelia hugged her.  “I know he will too!”

Then Roz looked at her.  “You okay?” she asked Amelia.

“I’m good.”

“How’s Hammer and the little one?”

“They’re fine.  I was in Arizona with Charles on business when the call came in.  I had Hammer’s private plane so it was nothing for me and Charles to get here.”

And the conversation continued.  Nikki stayed in the background.  This was definitely a family affair and she halfway expected to be asked to leave, especially when one of the men kept eyeing her suspiciously.

Finally, he spoke up.  “Who’s this?” Sal asked Teddy.

Teddy took Nikki’s hand and helped her to her feet.  “This is Nikki Tarver, Uncle Sal,” he said.  “She’s my lady, and my assistant.  Nikki, this is my cousin, although we call him Uncle Sal.”

“I remember.  You told me when we were in L.A. the first time.  You said men of high esteem in your family are always referred to as Uncle rather than cousin.”

Teddy smiled.  “Good memory,” he said.  “And yes, I know.  It’s a family thing.” 

Nikki smiled.  “Nice to meet you,” she said to Sal.

“Ah ha,” Sal said, unsure if it was nice to meet her.  “Think she can wait outside?” he asked Teddy.

But Teddy shook his head.  “No, sir.  She’s not waiting outside.”

Reno looked over when Teddy made that statement.  He was getting as tough as his father.  He was growing into his role as Mick’s number two.  He liked it.

“She’s been vetted, I take it,” Sal said.

“Fully,” said Teddy.  “Pop vetted her too.  And you know how Pop does it.”

“No stone unturned,” Sal said with a knowing nod.  “Mick drives me crazy with his vetting process.  I know.”

Then Big Daddy and Amelia looked over.  “I heard my brother’s name,” Big Daddy said.  Then he looked at Nikki.   “You must be Nikki.”

Sal looked at him.  “How did you know about her?” he asked.

“Mick told me about her,” Big Daddy said.  “He said she’s got what it takes.”

Sal and Reno both looked at Nikki.  Nikki felt on display, and it was a little unnerving, especially when she allowed herself to consider the power of those people in that room.  But she kept her head high.

Amelia Sinatra made her way over to Nikki and Teddy.  “Who’s this?” she asked politely.

“Teddy’s old lady,” said Sal.  “And don’t worry.  Mick already vetted her.”

Amelia smiled.  “Don’t mind the cave man,” she said to Nikki.  “Nice to meet you.  I’m Amelia.  I’m Mick’s sister.”

“I’m Nikki,” Nikki said as they two women shook hands.  “Very nice to meet you, too.”  Nikki was surprised that Mick Sinatra had a black sister, but nothing about this family seemed to fall in the norm.

But then Big Daddy looked at Roz.  “You might want to take the twins to the nursery, Rosalind,” he said.

Roz knew what that meant.  They were about to get down to business.  They were about to get the whole story.  “I’ll see if I can get more info on Mick’s condition while I’m at it,” she said as she gathered up, not only the twins and their nannies, but also Gloria and Nikki, and they all left the waiting room.

Amelia, whose background in illegal trade made her as gangster as her brothers and cousins, remained with the men.  And they all, once the coast was clear, turned to Teddy and Joey.

It was Reno who led the charge.  “What the hell happened, Teddy?” he asked.

But Joey stepped in.  “It was my fault,” he finally admitted.

“Your fault?” asked Sal.  Big Daddy was staring at Joey too.

“I hired the Bevin twins,” Joey continued.

Reno frowned.  “The who?”

“They were guys on my crew who turned on Pop.  I trusted them.  They had me convinced that I could run Pop’s organization better than Teddy could.”

“What are you saying?” Big Daddy asked him.

“I plotted with them.  We cooked up a scheme to embarrass Teddy by taking the guy who set Dad’s ships on fire and hiding him out in a safe house.  The twins handled the interrogations.  I didn’t know they were going to force him to lie.  I didn’t know what they were up to.  But they were involved in that ambush.  They took sides against us.  I had no idea that was happening.”

“Are you saying you plotted and schemed against Teddy?” Reno asked.

Joey nodded.  “Yes, sir,” he said.

Sal’s anger unleashed.  “Why you dirty dog!” he yelled and knocked Joey to the floor.  He was about to jump down on him and beat the shit out of him, but Reno and Amelia held him back.

But as soon as Joey stood back up, Big Daddy knocked him back down.  Nobody held Big Daddy back.

“This is family!” Big Daddy yelled to Joey, who remained on the floor.  “You don’t plot against your own family!  You don’t get in league with anybody who schemes against your own family!  You should know that by now.  When the fuck are you going to grow up, Joey?”

Joey had tears in his eyes.  “I’m sorry,” he said.  “I didn’t know they were going to go that far!”

Big Daddy rolled his eyes.  “What is wrong with this boy?” he asked.

But Amelia helped Joey to his feet.  They had a bond that went back to the time when Joey helped to save her life.  “He apologized,” she said.  “That has to be enough.”

But Big Daddy and Sal and Reno weren’t feeling his apology right now.  Not while Mick was in surgery fighting for his life.

“We need to act,” Teddy said to his relatives.

“Act how?” Big Daddy asked.

“We found out that the man behind those explosions at the docks, and possibly behind that ambush, is a cop named Malidec.”

“A cop?” Sal asked.  “A fucking cop?”

Teddy nodded.  “He supposedly heads some east coast mafia syndicate that nobody’s heard of.”

“You heard of Malidec before?” Reno asked Sal.

“What are you asking me for?” Sal asked defensively.  “No.”

“Oh, Sal, cut the bullshit,” Reno said.  “Everybody in this room knows you’re a mob boss.  Why you still play dumb is a mystery to me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sal said.  “I’ve never heard of any Malidec.”

“They’re supposed to meet tonight,” Teddy said.  “They’re expected to pay off the Bevin twins when they get there.  But the twins are dead.”

“Good,” said Reno.  “Ungrateful motherfuckers!”

“Where is the meeting place?” Big Daddy asked.

“This warehouse on Roladeck.”

“How do you want to play it?” Reno asked Teddy.  Mick was down.  Teddy was in charge.  “You want to go to the warehouse now?”

“I say we put a tail on Malidec and follow him to the warehouse,” Teddy said.  “That way, we won’t get any cross wires.  That way, we’ll have him in our sights at all times.”

Reno was nodding.  “Good plan,” he said.

“What do you think, Sal?” Big Daddy asked him.

Sal was about to object again about this mob boss fixation they have with him.  But he couldn’t play those games with Charles.  “I agree with Reno,” he said.  “It’s a good plan.”

“Then let’s execute it,” Big Daddy said.

But before they could get down to the details, and who was going to do what, the door opened and Roz, along with a doctor, walked in.

“He’s out of surgery, guys,” Roz said with relief in her voice.

Teddy and Joey especially hurried to her and the doctor.  “How is he?” Joey asked.

Roz looked at the doctor.  “His surgeons are pleased,” he said.  “Your father is very fortunate.  No vital organs were disturbed at all.  He should make an easy and speedy recovery.”

Teddy and Joey, and everybody in that room, sighed relief.

“The surgeons will be available soon to answer all your questions,” the doctor said.  “They can give you more details on what’s ahead of him.  But they report an excellent outcome.”

“The doctor says we should be able to see him shortly,” Roz said happily.

“Maybe by the time we get back,” said Teddy.

Roz knew what that meant.  They were going on a mission.  An undoubtedly dangerous mission.

“Maybe so,” she said.