The hardest part of any operation for Johnny was always the waiting. Knowing they could be torturing his old man only made it worse. He’d bide his time, but they were all going to die. His dark, unhinged mind was already fantasizing about how he was going to make that happen.

His internal musings were interrupted by his phone going off. “Gino, what ya got for me?”

“Fuck me sideways, Johnny. Your old man’s second is off the chain. Fat fucker is literally fuckin’ laying by his pool without a care in the damned world. Want me to whack him, cause I’m dying to pinch the fat motherfucker. Just say the word.”

“That don’t mean anything. Are his guys mobilized?”

“Hell the fuck no. That’s what I’m trying to tell you, they got nothing going on here. They’re all just hanging out, doin’ nothing.”

“Fuck him. Get your ass back here. I’ll take care of that fucker as soon as I talk to our new recruits.”

“Doug and Stephen? I referred Doug myself. Never fuckin’ liked the look of Stephen though.”

“Any particular reason you never spoke up?”

“I can’t go by shit like how I feel about someone. You know, I don’t hardly like anybody.”

“Well this time you might have been onto something.”

“Be there in fifteen minutes.”

Enzo, Charlie and Dark showed up with the new recruits ten minutes later. Bot of the men looked a little roughed up. Doug looked confused as hell, Stephen not so much. Enzo jerked his head towards the pool house and Johnny followed them all in.

Looking around at the nicely painted shell pink walls and thick new carpeting, Johnny pointed out the obvious. “Enzo, this ain’t the opportune place to tear into these two.”

“Fuckin’ hell, Johnny. You think I give a shit about the carpet in here? My old man already laid down the law for me. He put out a missing person’s bulletin, so the police are looking as well.”

“That might be helpful. The more eyes searching, the better. Leave it to a lawyer to think of using the cops. Fuckin’ thought never entered my mind.”

“Yea, he’s a goddamned genius alright. My old man is mad as hell. Told me that if I don’t find your pops alive and well, I ain’t allowed to come back home. Crazy fucker’s got it in his head this whole thing is over your little agent’s crazy ass sister. “

“Well now Enzo, your old man might be onto something there. The thing is, pops always had a tendency to look on the bright side. Remember how he always said every problem is an opportunity in disguise?”

“Yes, I fuckin’ well do remember that, Johnny.”

“Well, I’d say Dragonfly just forfeited their organization by abductin’ a mafia Don. There’s the silver lining.”

“So what are we doin’ with the traitors?”

Doug spoke up. “I ain’t no traitor, man. I grew up not five blocks from your house.”

Johnny jerked his head to Stephen. “How’d you pair up with this fucker?”

“Guess because we’re both new. I noticed he ain’t been putting his all into finding your old man. Just thought he was a fuck up, but now I’m starting to think the term ‘traitor’ goes a long way towards explaining his lack of motivation.”

“Gino said you were solid. I tend to believe him.”

“I’m the most solid fucker you ever want to meet. How’s about you let me and Gino have a go at this turncoat? We’ll find out what he knows.”

The man stared back at them blandly. “There’s about to be a changing of the guards. Careful you don’t get crushed by it, boys.”

“He ain’t gonna.” Gino’s voice broke into the conversation a second or two before a fat body went careening into the self-assured man.

Johnny turned to his friend. “I thought that I told you to leave the fat fucker laying by his pool.”

“The opportunity presented itself and I took it.”

“What opportunity?”

Chortling a laugh, Gino replied. “Seems, Lenny’s wife don’t allow no one to walk her fancy ass poodle but family. Guess who’s turn it was to walk the little ball of fluff?”

Looking down at the little pink roll of poop bags the man was still clutching, Johnny couldn’t help but laugh. Stooping, he looked the terrified man in the eyes. “I’m going to kill you today and you get to die knowing it’s because you’re pussy whipped. Honestly, life doesn’t get any better than this for me.”

“They just want the gun business.” His stammering words took Johnny by surprise.

Staring at the now profusely sweating man, he tilted his head slightly as he put the pieces of the puzzle together. The whole situation began to make a perverse kind of sense.

Smiling, he could not believe it was really this simple. “Dragonfly stole my pops because they want to the gun business we bartered with the Irish to get? Makes perfect sense. They could divert the shipments before they reach the US and sell they anywhere they want. It would allow them to cherry pick the shipments for the best weapons for their own operation.”

The man’s eyes skittered away.

“How do you fit into all this, Lenny? As my father’s first, you must be getting something outta sitting on your hands.”

The suddenly tight lipped man murmured. “I’m the one who agreed.”

White hot fury burned through his chest. “You mean Dragonfly asked all my father’s men and you were the only one who agreed to roll over on my pops for money?” The moment the words flew out of his mouth, he knew. “Not for money. They removed my pops, you got advanced to Don. You agreed to give them the gun running in trade for puttin’ you in the catbird seat. Guess you didn’t anticipate me stepping up, you ignorant, back-stabbing piece of shit.”

Standing, he looked at Dark. “How’s about you get rid of both these stupid fuckers. In return you get all their worldly possessions. You keep whatever you find in his safe, do what you want with his women, even use that cute little poodle for target practice. Would a deal like that work for you?”

“Happy to be of service. I’ll bury them deep. Nobody likes a rat.”

“Great. Doug will be happy to help with that.”

“You stupid fucker, there’s upwards of a quarter of million dollars in my safe.”

Smiling broadly at Dark, Johnny quipped. “It’s a good day to be you, my friend.”

“I’d have done this job for free, but you’re right. It is a good day to have your back. We’ll get the job done. First we need to focus on locating your father.”

“I got a lead on that. Ever hear of a rabbit hole?”

Wrapping his arm around Dark’s shoulder, he guided him out of the pool house as they talked.