Path of the Vampire forum

This Roleplay is backdated to: October 3rd

Days went by, and then a week, and still no news from Levi about when their potential swim ‘competition’ might be taking place, and where. When days had went by, Hannah just presumed it was because he was busy, because that was the impression he had ever given her. That Levi was someone who worked just as much, if not more than Hannah. But when a week went by with no word, Hannah started to wonder if maybe, Levi forgot. How many glasses of wine had he had? Everyone’s alcohol intake was different.

She wasn’t the type to sweat the small stuff, not really. Eventually, they would meet up again, if not for the little competition, then maybe in passing (though chances of that seemed slim to none). Hannah had faith that if she put her mind to it, that at some point she would find a reason to knock on the male’s door; competition or not. Hopefully, the Serpents were as patient as she was. Unlikely, but Hannah could hope.

Her life had gone on as it typically did. She continued to work her insane amount of hours; more than normal because rain was here and apparently people either forgot how to drive in rain, or how to walk carefully when it rain, because the influx of patients seemed to hint at such a thing. Just about every morning she stopped at a little cafe to get her usual muffin (the flavor changed with her mood), with her typical caramel flavored frappuccino. An indulge she could afford since Hannah barely had time to eat these days; the exception being on her way to work and on her way home from work, or while working on work at work.

With her blueberry muffin and drink in tow, Hannah made it out of the bustling cafe with both items in her right hand. The left searched for her cellphone, wanting to see how much time she had left before she may, or may not be late, and to see if she had any emails from her boss, Adam. It wasn’t unusual to get one at some point of finishing work and then starting work, and Hannah liked to be prepared with what she might be faced with today. The email was simple and to the point, as it usually was. A list of patients to see, and then a new patient on the roster, not given a name. Just the room location and a brief snippet of why they were in the hospital and what the goal was for the patient before they were released to home, or a rehab facility. Five regular patients that knew Hannah by name, and the new one. Six in a day was considerably light, so the first thing Hannah would do was knock on a desk before she ventured up to the floors to deal with her first patient.

As Hannah put her phone back in her coat pocket, she tried to skillfully round a corner without looking as to where she was going. This resulted in her, and another busy person colliding with the other; the drink meeting her coat, then spilling from the small drink slot on her coat and even some of her jeans. “Sorry!” Hannah said with an apologetic smile to the other woman who was wrestling with a toddler, a phone, and some small dog. The woman waved to her, indicating her own form of apology, before dragging the toddler and the puppy with her, while still in conversation. It was then, that Hannah could assess the ‘damage’ done to her coat and clothing. With a big splash of light brown on her even lighter tan colored coat, and a golf ball sized splash on her jeans, Hannah could only assess that today was going to be a ‘fantastic’ day.

As the tides of change had surged throughout Japan’s criminal underworld, their ripples could be felt as far as America, Canada, and Italy. It hadn’t escaped the Mafia’s notice that the Yakuza were going through a period of reform, and while old regimes are expected to give way to the new, it seemed that whatever was happening in Japan was not a natural phenomenon. The whole house of cards was tumbling down, imploding from its own weight, and yet being rebuilt just as quickly. Still, it wasn’t immediately apparent whether the disproportionate weight of some families were to blame for their excessive influence, wealth, and power pushing down on the other households, or whether something had given the foundations a great push to make it all give way. Many had looked to The Golden Serpents for their hand in the matter, knowing that the infamous squadron were adept at forcing change in very indirect ways. After all, The Golden Serpents were known for their nefarious skill sets, for manipulating key targets, and unsettling the balance of politics and power within Japan’s underworld as well as at its surface. Likewise, when Gino Valachi became aware of a growing insurgence of Triads and Yakuza in Canada, or more specifically in Harper Rock, he was curious as to whether there were any connections to be found to the insurgence of the supernatural.

The Sicilian was not necessarily a God-fearing individual, despite all he had learned in the past year, but neither was he the sort to believe in coincidence. Since unmasking the supernatural for himself, and having his theories confirmed when the whole world had uncovered the truth also, Gino’s suspicions about the world’s underbelly was becoming more and more of a concern, as well as something of a threat. The Sicilian had understood, to a degree, why his veritable nephew had chosen to keep the news of his transformation to himself. Not only was this a matter of self-preservation, but a prevention of asset sharing, Gino surmised. Levi must have understood that he had power in his corner now that he was a Vampiro, and that he could only ensure his unceasing advantage for as long as the players in the game were limited. Unfortunately, that control was now out of any of their hands. Word of power beyond imagination was not only true, but ascertainable. Where the governments of the world had an obligation to keep their citizens feeling safe and in control, the criminal organisations of the world had only one obligation: to seize that power for themselves.

It stood to reason therefore that the levels of multi-faceted gang activity were rising in the area. Gino had expected them to come, and had prepared a number of fail safes for himself in the event that rival forces would attempt to take him down or extract his wisdom and resources. He still had the support of the Sicilian Mafia, of course, not to mention the allegiance of many of the Families within America and Italy, but this talk of monsters and demons and vampires had caused the, almost exclusively, Catholic followers to falter in their provisions. Despite their obviously sinful natures as criminals, murderers, thieves, and hypocrites, somehow the idea of transforming or exchanging their immortal souls for such dark power was a step to be taken with much reservation. In the event, Gino had offered a relatively peaceful compromise, that they would sacrifice or transform the souls of lesser beings and use those creatures as their puppets. It seemed like a good idea at the time, only, would such an organisation of men be able to tame creatures of such dark strength?

Apparently Vampires could not die – that was the line that Levi had offered as a warning for the old man to leave well enough alone – but Gino had seen it for himself that Vampires could die. Once these creatures had sustained enough damage, their bodies turned to ash to be swept away on the winds. Yet, the evidence was somewhat distorted by the fact that the Vampire-like creatures that Gino had ordered to be killed were not so much like people as they were rabid beasts. He therefore suspected that there must be several kinds of Vampires, their types ranging in power, sentience, and durability. The types that were skulking around the sewers and the Quarantined Zone were practically a different species to the types like Levi D’Amico and his associates. Still, Vampires weren’t the only fish in the barrel to be concerned about. Gino’s investigation into one species had invariably uncovered the existence of a possible countless number of supernatural organisms. Each type applied to its own laws, abilities, and traits, leaving Gino to wonder if he should simply drop a bomb into the barrel or force its inhabitants to fight amongst themselves…

In the end, it was decided that it was better to prepare for both eventualities. As the inhabitants of Harper Rock fought to tear each other apart, they would be far too distracted by the nuke heading in their direction to get out or prevent it. After all, there was never just one solution to any problem. Likewise, it seemed that there never was just one problem to be dealt with at any one time. For while Gino had had his sights honed in on the Vampiro that he knew all too well, he had noticed that Levi had garnered the interests of yet another spectacular band of killers and schemers. At first their interests seemed fairly docile and Gino had automatically associated their arrival to the mess happening in Japan and Levi’s connection to the Yamaguchi’s heir, Shirosame Hiroumi. When the interest began to become a little more centralised and intimate, however, adding in the element of a young mortal female, Gino’s suspicions became centralised and intimate too. His reaction was out of curiosity as much as it was territorial, and while he believed that the creature impersonating his nephew was not the man he had raised, there was also a touch of sentimentality behind his reasons. The Sicilian wouldn’t allow the Yakuza to think that their actions were going unnoticed forever, which was why, when they presented him a trap, he lay himself down in the spider’s web and waited for the beast to unveil itself.

Arrogance could cause even the most organised and infallible to come undone after all, so when the Yakuza faltered in their final moments, Gino had been given enough of an insight to undo the Serpents’ plans. They were, as a matter of fact, not very adept gamblers because they appeared to be putting their entire plan on the chaotic nature of a woman and a man’s relationship. The woman in question, one Hannah Lynn, had an interesting history. Gino had surmised that the woman had gotten herself trapped in the belly of the snakes during her senior college years and now her entire life – as well as those of her loved ones – was at risk. Of course, it wouldn’t have surprised Gino in the slightest that Hannah’s life was forfeit the minute her usefulness to the Serpents was through; it was typical in their business. He did wonder, however, if Hannah was aware of this. By all accounts she was an average individual, meaning that this brush with the Yakuza was the closest she had been to their kind. Seeing as how this was probably the case then, Gino decided that the least he could do was offer her a new job with the promise of cutting the carrot from the stick that the Serpents were dangling over her head.

Thus, when Hannah showed up for work today, she would discover that her sixth and unnamed patient was actually in the position to provide a healing service for her. He was not often in the position to show his face so freely these days, but being an old fashioned man and highly confident in his abilities, Gino Valachi had decided that he would attend to this matter personally. He had requested that their physical therapy session take place in a private room, suggesting that he was a very reserved individual and required the utmost discretion around his health. People generally only had a problem with this kind of request if the cost was not worth the reward, and of course being a high ranking member of the Sicilian Mafia pretty much guaranteed that you could write your own cheques. Throw enough money at a problem and most people are willing to turn a blind eye to your operations – even the infallible law enforcers and government officials were not immune – so it was obviously an effortless and trivial matter for Gino to arrange his own room at the hospital for his session with Hannah. She might have been a tad bit suspicious of the burly men in black outside of the room upon her arrival, but, Gino was confident that she wouldn’t flee at the sight of them. If so, he would have to devise his own carrot and stick proposal.

"Just saw patient three. Their progress is tremendous. I think they should be able to be discharged by the end of the week for home." Hannah casually mentioned as she slid the patient's chart in the appropriate place, eyes on her boss. "That's good. I'll take Mrs. White off your hands, as I have the time and I think she's ready for discharge. Two birds, one stone." Adam said, glancing at the clock above the. "Your new patient is here." Adam offered the chart of the mystery patient for Hannah to grab. She took it and flipped through the basic paper work; name, birth date, gender, complaints; things of that nature. "He's at the end of the hall."

Hannah nodded her head, then took a squirt of the hospital grade A hand sanitizer that reminded her of baby powder, and ferociously rubbed her hands together. With the chart tucked between her arm and her abdomen, Hannah set off for the hallway with...men at the end of the hall. In suits. Black ones. She suppressed the smirk that threatened to rise, her mind going to the whole infamous scene in a comedic alien movie she must have seen at least five times as a teenager. Something along the lines of 'You'll dress in clothes sanctioned by MiB. From now on you'll have no distinguishing marks and you won't stand out. Your image is made to leave no lasting memory. Anonymity is your first, and only name.' But by the time she got to where the suited men stood, any curl of her lips was gone and Hannah was all business. “Excuse me.” She said with a smile before knocking on the door. Two short raps, before the door was opened slowly and she stuck a head inside the room.

”Mr. Valachi?” Hannah said as she came inside the room and closed the door behind her. ”Hi. My name's Hannah.” She said with a wide smile as she moved to the sink and began the usual process of washing her hands for the required amount of time, while thinking of the 'happy birthday' song,' in her head silently. She grabbed some paper towels and dried her hands off, while turning to face the older gentleman, still offering her smile. ”Why don't you tell me what's bothering you, exactly? Your x-rays don't indicate a broken bone. Obviously. But there's definitely some irritation and inflamation.” She offered him a reassuring smile. It would be difficult to tell if she was working with a potential strain or sprain, without hearing from him first hand, what his symptoms were and where exactly the problem laid at. While she waited for him to reply, Hannah grabbed a rolling stool that was near the door that she veered around on entry and scooted over to him. ”Tell me what happened and what you were doing when you believe you got the injury.” Hannah opened the chart and pulled a pen out of her left scrub top pocket, waiting to hear what he had to say and exactly how he said it to try and pin point what caused the irritation.

Hospital scenes were more familiar to the 54 year old than he would have liked to admit, and unfortunately, they were becoming more familiar with time. Some would state that this was all just part of growing older, and to some extent, that was very much the case. The aches and pains were as constant as they were inexplicable, but the world didn’t stop because of a little frost in the joints. Gino had a job to do after all, and while he didn’t physically have to attend these operations, he always preferred to work with a sense of closeness, such as it was that he was meeting with Hannah. Unfortunately or otherwise, the Sicilian had also been born into a world that encouraged bad habits and presented many opportunities for injury and death. It was rare that a Mafioso lived beyond their 60s. Certainly some lucky and over-achieving men had lived to die in their beds at the grand age of 90, but far more men died in their teens, twenties, and thereafter. Bullets weren’t the only cause of death in the Mafia, as many men died from various cancers brought on by their addictions, or otherwise suffered fatal accidents. If statistics are to be believed, 450 people in the US die from falling out of their beds each year. Imagine how much higher the chances were when you were drunk or quite possibly high…

The tall man, Gino Valachi, stood like a bronze statue in the private procedure room as he awaited the young therapist, Hannah Lynn. He wasn't left waiting long, but long enough to consider his surroundings; the blanch-white walls, the linoleum floors, the smell of disinfectant. To say he didn’t belong there would be an understatement of the finest degree. While most patients dressed in training gear – spandex, jogging bottoms, and the likes – Gino dressed as though he was attending a business meeting. He wore a navy two-piece Herringbone suit paired with a crisp white shirt, a navy tie, and polished brown shoes to match the cashmere Chesterfield coat. His attire spoke of money, the kind that falls out of bullet holes. The patients and other staff had looked to him and his two armed guards uneasily; a glint in their eyes suggesting the mortal fear of ever crossing such an individual. They didn’t know who he was, that his name could be enough to strike fear into the hearts of most men, but his demeanour wore his reputation well enough for people to mark a wide birth around him. Gino Valachi, consiglieri and notorious hired hand to the Mafia families of both Sicily and America, didn’t belong in this world, this hospital, but he stood there regardless; relaxed and yet unmoving with his chestnut eyes on the door.

When Hannah arrived, her nonchalance made the dark Italian smile to himself. She moved on impulse, on auto-pilot, from the entrance to the sink and then over to her client while she read off a line so imprinted in her memories that it could very well have been tattooed there since medical school. He decided to play along, to provide her a safe shell in which to work from before he spoke about their real issues with one another. He would need for her to be calm, rational, and favourable because he did actually not enjoy laying a hand against a woman. Gino was, after all, something of a traditionalist and having been widowed early and lost his daughter to the darkness only last year, it was highly probable that the Sicilian had developed something of a soft spot when it came to the fairer sex. He did not want to hurt Hannah, or even offer up the idea that he would hurt her. After all, it would have been simple enough to take the woman out and ruin the Serpents’ plans that way. It would take the Japanese a long time to replace the lost resource and whatever information that Hannah had squirrelled away to herself about Levi would have been lost with her. As it happened, Hannah was rather valuable to the Serpents and worth little to nothing to Gino but for on a personal level. Yet, while Gino hoped that he wouldn’t have to resort to violence, he was prepared to deal with that outcome if the woman expressed a dissatisfactory level of compliance.

“Well, I must confess that my problems are likely age-related,” Gino said flatly as he endeavoured to hold the woman’s gaze.

His voice held a tremor of waning pride, even despite its thespian qualities. The Italian also spoke with a pronounced English accent, though there was a suggestion in certain vowel pronunciations that he was not a native to the UK, but somewhere in Southern Europe.

“So I’m assuming there is nothing to be done but management at this point,” he added. “Would you believe I was bent down at the flower bed, tending the roses, when I felt my knee give up?”

There was something suspicious twinkling in the man’s eye when he questioned Hannah, and judging by his burly company outside the room as well as the request for a private room, it was easy enough for her to assume that he was... stretching the truth just a little. For authenticity’s sake, however, Gino had gone to the effort of allowing somebody to X-Ray him so that Hannah would be looking at his genuine condition. It wouldn’t do him any good to pretend he’d broken a bone or had some illness that couldn’t be cured.

“That’s the story I am sticking to regardless,” he chuckled.

Gino had Hannah's undivided attention, because he was a patient. At least that was what she thought at first. Gino was 'just a patient,' even if he didn't seem to fit the typical status quo of patients she dealt with. Maybe he wanted a place he wasn't familiar with to keep an embarrassing story out of the charts and ears of those who knew him well enough from providing him with healthcare his entire life. Once in a while, Hannah heard stories about people who came in to keep things discreet from their family doctor, to not get back to their wife or husband. No judgement was made by any medical professional (not vocally anyways), after all, they weren't the person's priest or anything.

However, any scenario of Gino trying to avoid embarrassing himself in some way was quickly dismissed when he flat out lied to her. Hannah didn't know a great amount of things in life, or proclaimed to be some overly intelligent being, but what she did know what bone deterioration and all things muscle and ligaments. Whatever happened to Gino could be from his age, but it sure as heck was not from bending over and plucking a flower out of the ground. It was such a horrible lie, that Hannah had to reassess things. Something she wouldn't have done more than five years ago, but being tied to the Serpents had made her do that time and time again. It was different to lie about not how many times you brushed or flossed your teeth to your dentist, but to go through having the trouble of an x-ray over pulling a flower out of the ground? No. there was something...more to Gino...what was his last name?

Hannah peeked at his chart and then she swallowed and closed it before looking Gino dead in the eyes. Valachi. It sounded very...Italian, didn't it? Slowly, things started fusing together stronger than before. The men at the door, the way Gino wasn't dressed in a typical patient fashion, the last name and the blatant lie. If it seemed things didn't add up, Hannah had learned long ago, that it was because they didn't very well add up. A message conveyed to her by the Yakuza at the very first encounter she had with them. Either they didn't believe someone would use her internet access to steal the amount of money they had from one of their top players, or they didn't care. The old, 'Something just doesn't add up,' was thrown her way when Hannah told them the story about her ex, which just meant that she was forever their personal lap dog until she served them long enough, loyally enough, to be released from their services. That's what she hoped anyways, but part of her wondered if that day would ever come and if it did, if it would go the way she hoped it would.

"Mr. Valachi," Hannah began, her blue eyes still very much on the man. If he was going to lie, then she would try to plead ignorance for as long as possible and hope that this encounter just happened to be some sort of coincidence, even if Hannah knew better. "Your injury doesn't imply age or bending over to pluck a flower from a garden. Isn't it a little late in the season, anyways?" She met his gaze, her eyes growing steely. Hannah realized that while she wasn't completely honest for good reasons, she apparently didn't like being lied to; especially when it might entail her life, or the life of her family members. "I adhere to patient confidentiality, as hospital staff do. There's really no reason to lie to a trained professional. I've heard it all, or just about." While doctors, nurses and other professional staff signed a waiver and tried to adhere to that rule, occasionally, stories would be told when something out of the extreme and ordinary came long. But, Hannah believed those stories remained within the walls of the hospital and never saw the light of civilian life ever. "So, why are you really here today?" And there it was. Asked in a way that may or may not imply more. If it did imply more, then she was right. If he went back to talking about his knee and giving her the truth, then maybe, just maybe, Hannah was wrong about Gino Valachi.

“Not in Sicily, my dear,” he said with the smile of a charming snake, as well as its speed when he sniped at her assumptions. “There, the flowers bloom all year long.”

In southern Italy, where the sunny island of Sicily can be found basking in the Mediterranean Sea, the favourable climate conditions allow for a year-round production of cut flowers. Roses, in particular, are prized for their cultural significance, where hundreds of hectares of land are dedicated to its production. Ragusa, in the south-east of Sicily, and Trapani, in the north-west along with the town of Marsala, are the provinces with the largest area devoted to rose culture and have the highest flower production. The regions devote around 76 and 35 hectares of land for cultivation, and produce 40 and 20 million rose stems, respectively. These regions are also characterised by esteemed technological investments in greenhouse improvements and manufacturing, but of course, traditional cultivation methods still exist, and many Sicilians appreciate having their own lands and gardens. Gino Valachi did in fact have a rather large estate featuring an expansive plot that covered more than three hectares of steeply, sloping ground. The garden was spread out across the hillside below the villa; the intense planting and smooth lawns giving way to a less formal blending of exotic species and natural vegetation. Roses of various divinations did grow there, but, Hannah was right to believe that he had not injured his knee by bending down at the flower beds.

Those steely blue eyes looked down on him despite their respective positions; Hannah seated and Gino standing before the examination chair. It was clear to see that she suspected that he was not being particularly forthcoming with her. Likewise, Gino suspected that she wouldn’t like the truth regardless of the stare she was giving him. It wasn’t unlike the look a mother would give to their offspring, this scolding yet easily forgiving face she might pull; her brows wrinkling in the centre, her lips askew as though the sourness of her child’s actions had physically brushed her palate. Yet, his actions were likely unforgiveable. He had not been caught sneaking treats from the store cupboard just before tea time, after all. The injury to the man’s knee was the result of a run-in he’d had with a supernatural entity. Perhaps his curiosity had simply gotten the better of him in that instance because he really had no interest getting personally involved in such a dangerous situation. For a man of his age, he was outrageously fit and healthy. His cholesterol levels were impeccable, his eyesight spectacular, and he was regularly an attendant at private gyms across the globe. Gino ate well, didn’t partake in drugs or cigarettes, and he rarely drank except where it was socially expected. He was a representation of a man who took great care of himself, and so it was in sharp contrast to his good nature and healthy approach to life that Gino made a living murdering other people.

“Might I take a seat?” Gino asked, looking to Hannah and then to the worn wooden seat behind him – the one he was probably meant to have taken several moments ago.

Despite his affluent appearance, the Sicilian was not a stranger to poverty or hard times and had not neglected the seat out of any kind of aristocratic spite. His family had not been born into wealth, as it happened, and while their talents seemed limited, the Valachi family outlook was conversely infinite. His, among many other families in the region, were among the early peasant entrepreneurs whom forced change in the country and profited from the sale of baronial, Church, and common land establishing a system of clientele over the peasantry. When the government was unable to dispose of these violent organisations for good, they were ultimately forced to compromise with them. The "bourgeois Mafiosi “, as they came to be known, used violence to impose their law, manipulated the traditional feudal language, and acted as mediators between society and the state. These bourgeois Mafiosi became known as the first organised criminal network of the land, surviving several decrees, invasions, wars, and politics. They became known as the Cosa Nostra, which remains a secret criminal organisation with a state-like structure within Sicily, wider Italy, and even in the States. The organisation still utilises violence as an instrument of control, executing members who break its rules as well as outsiders who threaten or fail to cooperate with the organisation – and the Valachi family was still a significant part of their society.

So when Gino took a seat, he did so after Hannah had given him permission. It was the polite thing to do, the respectable thing, even if everything else about his presence there was not. He thought for a moment that he could continue the charade until he got bored or found the next perfect entry to remove his mask and speak frankly with her, but doing so invariably meant that he had to ignore the opportunity she had put before him now. Hannah had asked why he was really there, and while he fought the effort to inform her of his intentions immediately, he realised that there really was no reason to. Gino wove his fingers together and then placed them in his lap almost as if he was about to pray. His back remained straight and aligned with the chair, his posture perfect, and his gaze was set on her so closely that it was though he had known this woman for years. Yet, Gino’s gaze had a weight to it, the kind of scepticism and scolding that a teacher might lay upon his wayward student when delivering his verdict on their dissertation. He could be as coy as he liked with his words, but this conversation had to happen.

“It may not have been the flowers,” Gino confessed, shedding the warmer tones of his voice and leaving behind a fathomless charcoal structure. “Though I have been one to put many a living thing to rest in the earth, and these instances do not always come without injury. It’s part of the job description. As I’m sure you can imagine… what with your affiliation to gilded beasts that slither on their bellies.”

Even in an environment that appeared as innocuous and unassuming as the treatment room, Gino was careful with his words. This manner of speaking had probably become more a habit than an actual necessity for the older Sicilian. It was a rare moment indeed when he would have to speak to associates of their network rather than the members themselves, but he always enjoyed the game. In Gino’s mind, these associates were like latter day mercenaries, their loyalties up for sale. Gino considered himself to be the highest bidder in many instances, and while his voice may have seemed strict and his chestnut eyes had narrowed on Hannah as though he was judging her sins, he would not let the pleasantries be forgotten altogether. The one lesson that Gino had taught Levi – and the one lesson which had never stuck – was that of forging alliances out of favours and civilities. Of course, the outspoken Italian wasn’t one to make friends easily, his temperament and disposition usually favouring brutal and straightforward honesty, so Gino wasn’t surprised that his nephew preferred to resolve his problems with threats and bribes. Blackmail was easier too, but it was missing the point entirely. Reputations were important in their world and while Levi was considered a charging bull and a thrashing dragon for his actions, Gino was considered the smiling prince, the velvet glove holding the dagger to your throat.

“It has come to my attention that you have incidentally found yourself the victim of a snake bite,” he said, pulling warmth back into his voice and eyes. He glanced down at the ground, considered his words, and then looked sympathetically into her eyes. “And I think I might be in the position to help you. Please forgive the ruse, but it was necessary.”

And then he simply stopped talking and watched the thoughts that simmered to the surface. He expected fear, he expected dread, he expected anger and denial and even bargaining. He was not expecting Hannah to lay herself down before his feet and beg for help – not yet. She would need to go through the motions before she would finally come to accept his offer, and he had the patience and the resources to provide her that time uninterrupted. For his plan to go ahead, he would ideally require Hannah’s volunteered loyalty. So he would paint himself the saviour the best he could, even if she suspected that this angel was not sent from Heaven to save her soul.

Even though Hannah was suspicious and leery of Gino, there was some part of Hannah that believed she was wrong. Even if it was a tiny fraction; say one sixtieth or something as equally small in value. That maybe, she was a little too on guard about some random guy that had almost thirty years on her. After all, were people this old any use in the crime world? Surely, he couldn’t be someone’s (even Levi’s) hired muscle man.

The affirmation that she was dreading came anyways, when Gino Valachi casually mentioned Sicily. Very slowly, the pink tones in her cheeks drained, as her mind raced on what to do, and what to say, or what to not say in this situation. There was no way she could deny it; well, she could, but while Gino might try and insult her intelligence, Hannah knew very well that she wasn’t allowed to insult the intelligence of the person who was holding a full deck, while she possessed cards with no real value. Hannah realized she couldn’t ‘run,’ the two guys outside wouldn’t let her get very far she imagined. Besides, Hannah didn’t want to have her real, and preferred job being ‘alerted,’ to her personal and private life not being on the up and up. So, Hannah stayed seated on the stool and nodded her head when Gino asked if he could sit. As if she actually had any real choice in the matter; they both knew better.

It didn’t take long for Hannah to put together why a man like Gino Valachi was here. Not with the references to snakes, twice, in a period of four minutes tops. While Gino was busy presenting an offer of sorts, Hannah’s mind went to a completely different place. Did Levi know? How much did he know about what her ‘position’ was in the Yakuza? How long had he known about her ties to the serpents? And other thoughts, similar and slightly personal even came to her mind. By this point, with these thoughts, whatever color remained on Hannah’s face; whatever speckle of life that had been in her eyes had vanished, and her eyes turned hard and steely.

“You can’t ‘help,’ me.” There was a heavy tone applied to the word ‘help,’ that no one in the room could have missed. “No one can. It’s too late for that.” Hannah concluded before wheeling back a little on the stool, keeping more distance between Gino and herself. “You even coming here hasn’t helped me. In fact, it’s probably done the opposite.” She hissed out, knowing very well what would happen if the day came where Hannah found herself in this very predicament. “When they find out…” She stopped and shook her head. “Snakes are deadly and attack anything they see as a threat, even those oblivious to the snake being in their very own backyard.” Gino had to be a smart man and knew what Hannah was implying without actually saying it. “You should go, before more people get bitten by a snake. Including yourself.” Hannah set Gino’s file on the counter, seeing no point in holding it, or looking at it anymore. The charade was up and over with in her mind. “I haven’t told them more than they already know or suspect about Levi.” Hannah said, hoping to appeal, or even win favor with Gino in that respect. After all, if he was here on Levi’s behalf, knowing that might buy her some time. Maybe flee the country and try and get her sister, and her parents to another place where the reach of Levi or the Serpents couldn’t reach. Where that might be, she hadn’t considered, but it seemed that Hannah could no longer sit on the fence and hope for the best.

The Sicilian was often amused. He found delight in the smallest of things, sometimes even in the darkest of things, but the subject that tickled him the best was the short-sightedness of other people and how they built their lives around a misunderstanding. It was tragic alongside being comical – something that Shakespeare understood well and fashioned a career and legend from – for these people could have led much richer, more fulfilling lives than they could ever think possible and yet stooped in the mud of their limited expectations and called it making the best of it. The sorry situation amused him because he felt that it was their own narrow-mindedness which caused such a state, and it was a curious thing to watch it produce a cyclical event of ever spiralling negativity. These people couldn’t see the woods through the trees and therefore they felt trapped, forever lost in the wilderness with no guiding light and no trust. Hannah herself was in such a predicament. Her lack of knowledge as to who he was and what he was capable of meant that she was looking at the guiding light and mistaking it for just a firefly. As she waved her net of words to deter him – perhaps out of grace or self-preservation – Gino did not feel deterred, his amusement merely increased. Besides, he couldn’t blame her for not knowing that he could help her.

Gino Valachi was often amused, though, he very rarely expressed that emotion. A soft and condescending chuckle left him, and he bowed his head to disguise it, let his gaze leave hers for the moment. Though, of course he understood her plight all the same; it was a side-effect of being alive, unfortunately. Evolution is a rather fickle mistress and doesn’t often allow for risks to be taken, and thus creates what is known as an involuntary response; an instinct to distrust out of fear. It tells us not to eat the red fruit because once upon a time, some berry killed off a small village of people. It tells us not to trust the rodents because their appearance coincided with disease. It tells us even to cringe at something that is unsavoury like maggots, rot, and deformities. It is the equivalent of a hovering mother, wrapping their children in cotton wool to protect them from the dangers of the world, yet invariably causing the child to suffocate. The motivations may have been good – saintly even – but their results were no less debilitating than that which could have caused them pain or death through exploration. Fortunately, or otherwise, Gino would not allow Hannah to put herself in such a position that her life would be confined to half a year at most. For the Serpents would dispose of her as soon as they had discovered Levi’s deepest secret, he was certain.

Gino was convinced that his nephew had died two years ago and that what persisted in his form was nothing more than a malevolent spirit or a demon. He lamented the loss, of course, and held a certain degree of denial at times that perhaps Levi was not gone since the man stood there, he breathed and talked and acted the same – even looked the same. Regardless of whatever sentimentality remained in the older Italian, he wouldn’t allow for that devilry to spread to the opposition. Evil though it may have been, Gino regarded it as just another tool at their disposal, something to be wielded by only the best and daring. For now, it seemed like The Golden Serpents were holding their cards close to their chests concerning their knowledge of the supernatural. Gino did not suspect that they were completely blind to the goings on in Harper Rock, and were at this time, building a stack of evidence before they responded. He suspected that, despite the very obvious connections, the Serpents had no links to another nefarious Japanese company known as the Hebigumo Foundation. Or, maybe it was more that Gino hoped that the two were not connected, as it would certainly make his ambitions that much more difficult to achieve.

“My dear, it is never too late,” Gino informed her in his stony voice as his chestnut eyes returned to confront those steely blues. “And I will have you know that I am not a man of considerable health and age because I have been lucky. I’m also not a man of charity, so when I say that I can help you, I do so because it benefits me.”

Gino paused to consider his words then, to properly form them in a way that she would understand without giving too much away or causing her to react like an affronted cat again. Hannah at least understood what it was to speak with discretion, even though she casually announced her target’s name in conversation and implied her position. In fairness, it wasn’t a deplorable crime. They were alone, Gino had had the room traced for bugs already, and he did have men stationed very close by as well as at particular points of interest to secure their conversation here today. After all, Gino was not simply a man that would line up the board for defensive strategies alone, or respond reactively to threats. He would align the right pieces at the most devastating points so as to create a shield, a choke-hold, for his lance. The best offence was actually a potent mixture of strength and defence – never mind those silly quotes about one or the other being superior.

“At this moment in time, Levi is unaware of your treachery…” he continued calmly. “Oh, but that is a strong word for what you are actually doing, isn’t it.” His head dropped just slightly as he regarded her with suspicion, his eyes cementing the idea along with his words that he knew what games she was playing, knew her feelings. “I am not convinced you are behaving out of spite, Miss Lynn. I understand your predicament quite well, as it happens. You are not the first civilian to be caught up in the crossfire and you will not be the last. It is unfortunate, but, it happens and when it does, it rarely devolves into any choices beyond death. You, however, are different. You have the opportunity to make a choice regarding which side you will continue to play for.”

Gino paused once more to retrieve a card from his pocket and then smoothly leant across the cold space between them so as to hand it to Hannah. The card was blank, but for a blue ink tattoo that spelt out a few details he wanted to share with her. He wasn’t the type of man whom pretended to be in any kind of legitimate business, so he wasn’t the type of man who needed business cards. Thus, the papers in his pocket were deployed in unique circumstances and were hand-written. As Gino continued to speak, Hannah would be able to identify a list of numbers; her date of birth and her zip code, as well as those of her immediate family members. It covered both the front and the back of the card.

“This is a business transaction that I am offering,” he said. “And you can accept it freely and save yourself from their coils, or you can start planning your last six months on this planet. A bite from these particular snakes is always fatal, my dear. Go it alone and no one can save you, not even him.” While he was playing the pronoun game, he expected Hannah would be able to understand who Gino meant and exactly why he was referring to Levi at that point in time. “These snakes already have enough pressure to apply against those you love, as that card details,” he continued. “So you are fast running out of time. I can protect you from them, but, that protection comes with a price. Are you willing to listen to terms or will you confine yourself to stubbornness much like the man you stalk?”

There was a twinkle of amusement again in his features, but it only showed in the crease of his lips and as a warm sparkle in his eye. It was as if Gino was sharing an inside joke, but was probably the only one who was willing to appreciate it. If not, then it presented a clue about his own character for Hannah, that whomever this confident and terrifying man was, he was someone who knew Levi, someone who might very well have been on his side. The Sicilian was working to give that impression, but not at the cost of strictly lying to her. It wasn’t in his nature to boldly present falsehoods as truths, it was far better to create misunderstandings and cling to some form of superiority for never having deceived someone in the first place. These small things mattered in their business, and it probably always would.

Hannah had believed their meeting to come to an end once she had slapped Gino Valachi's file on the counter. Gino, believed otherwise and made sure to let her know that with the first set of words he said after Hannah had informed him that whatever he was getting at, or wanting was too late. People's lives were at stake-more than her own. He countered, and at first, Hannah had a difficult time believing him. People said a lot of things; accurate and inaccurate to get what they wanted, even people like Gino Valachi.

Hannah dropped both arms in her lap and pressed her elbows on her thighs as she kept her gaze on Gino. It seemed to her, that ego's ran like wildfire in both Levi and Gino, only Gino Valachi's ego wasn't as appealing as Levi's was. Probably because not only did he lack a sense of humor, but Hannah couldn't help but feel as if Gino was talking down to her. It was true Hannah didn't know how the crime world worked, but she had a firm (even if it was flimsy grounding) belief that she and her family might be able to get out of this thing with the Serpents alive. In a sense. While the Serpents paid for most of Hannah's set-up in Harper Rock, Hannah was discretely setting all her earned money from her hospital job off to the side in hopes of stashing enough cash to get plane tickets to somewhere along with a years worth of living. Anywhere for her and her family. At the very least, her and her sister.

When Gino mentioned her taking his offer and it benefiting him, Hannah looked at him skeptically. What on earth did she have that he could benefit from? A man like Gino Valachi had to have a physical therapist on hand; someone with more years of practice and graduated from a top IVY league school in the states, she imagined. Money, she doubted he needed, and Hannah couldn't very well promise anything on behalf of her parents or sibling-not that she would. So how could she be useful to a man like Gino Valachi? And then it hit here, the only thing that came to mind. He wanted her to do a whole 'double-agent' thing. As if she were doing a fabulous job at the single agent thing for the Serpents. Well, if that was what Gino Valachi wanted, he'd probably end up just as disappointed at the Serpents were when Hannah met with Takano for their report session. And just as Hannah was about to inform Gino that she wasn't in the 'in-crowd,' Hannah bit down on her tongue and resisted. What he didn't know didn't hurt her, or her family, so if he was unhappy with the deal he made with her, that was his problem, not hers. It wasn't as if Hannah gave the impression she had anything worthwhile to share, or set aside for a rainy day against the Serpents.

Treachery. Hannah hadn't viewed what she was doing on behalf of the Serpents, or not doing on her own behalf, as treachery. The word he choose to use did little to keep Hannah's steely gaze from softening, even as it seemed Gino was backpedaling slightly on his original shared thought. When Gino suggested she was 'different,' Hannah wondered why that was. Why was she different, when others in her situation, were not? Hannah didn't, and wouldn't ask, because it was better to stay silent right now than to interrupt. Hannah wanted to see the full deck of cards, instead of a partial. Just what did Gino think she was possible of?

He leaned forward and offered her a card. At first, Hannah couldn't see the relevance of the card, not until she identified her month, date, and year of birth. Along with the Canadian zip code she inhabited. More birthdays; that of her birth mother, probably her husband's, along with her dad's, stepmom's and finally her sister. Gino suggested that Hannah's life span, along with the span of those on the card would be half a year, tops, which had Hannah flipping the card over to make sure that the birth dates, aligned with the birth years, or close to, at least. Her step-dad's year was a mystery to her and honestly, Hannah had to think about how 'old' her mom was. Evidence that Hannah and her mom wasn't as close as they probably should be; something she might hopefully work on later, should they make it past this supposed six month time frame Gino Valachi was giving her.

When Gino mentioned Levi in a roundabout way, there was a mild look of surprise, followed by a frown. Hannah had never believed for a second that Levi would come to her rescue when it came to the Serpents. Not when he was their main focus. Hannah simply didn't have the galls to try and pull that card, nor did she play the damsel in distress card either. And as a deal was presented to Hannah, there were a few thoughts running through her mind. The first being that Levi supposedly didn't know about Hannah's ties to the Serpents. Yet, his hired man did. Or, if Gino wasn't Levi's hired man, that would imply that Levi worked for Gino. Hannah found that pretty unlikely, as Levi didn't seem like the type of person who worked for anyone but himself, and even then, most the time Levi didn't seem to want to work. The second thought, which was more like a question was: Just who was Gino Valachi in conjunction to Levi? Why did this man care so much about what she was doing with Levi, if not one of his hired men? And if Levi didn't work for him, then who was Levi to him?

“I'll listen. I have nothing better to do since you were my last patient for the day. Besides, it's on your dime.” Hannah rolled her eyes at the word patient, but couldn't hold back the smirk on her lips from Gino's comparison of her stubbornness to that of Levi's. Hannah had never seen herself as a very stubborn person; perhaps set in her particular ways, and determined at best, but being compared to Levi and his stubbornness, was amusing, to say in the least. “But, I'll have you know that while I might not know everything about your world, I know enough. Enough to know that if you work for him,” Hannah made sure to say the pronoun exactly as Gino had a little while ago, “Then you can't offer me a deal without him knowing about it and approving it.” Oh, yes. Hannah knew this because Takano had to pass all her requests on to upper management before approving or not approving the things Hannah needed or wanted. “How do I know your offer is a sound, legitimate offer?” If Gino was a small fish, the best he could do was splash empty offers in Hannah's direction and what good would those do her in six months from now?

Ask any committed and successful deceiver if they considered omissions of evidence to be on par with a bare-faced lie and they will invariably insist there is a difference. As with everything in life, nothing is completely black or white. There is somewhat of a spectrum in situations such as these. Some omissions are harmless, while others are necessary. You might not want to reveal your whole opinion about a person and risk a friendship, likewise you are expected to honestly voice any reservations you might have about said relationship. Some believe that omissions are sweeter versions of lies, but not inherently a lie in themselves. Yet, at what point is the line drawn? When does an omission become a lie? Or does it even become a lie at all? It can be argued that a lie is not in the words or the lack of words, but in the intention of the deceiver, the intention to elicit a specific response from the asker. Is an omission only a lie when there is an expectation of a truthful answer to a question, where the answer was deliberately used to obfuscate the truth? A deliberate omission can be considered a lie if the lack of information alters outcomes – be it discernment or decision. People are not entitled to share their innermost selves with everyone they come across, but it is believed that if you are withholding relevant information in order to sway a person's judgment in some way, then that is in fact a method a deception. It is a lie.

Any attempt at deception is the same as a lie, regardless if it is done through delivering false information or the omission of critical information. The end result and overt attempt is exactly the same. Ultimately, most reasonable people believe that omission is the same as lying if something relevant is withheld from the person who needs to know the answer. If you are in a committed relationship for instance, and have cheated on your partner, but do not tell your partner, you are still lying to them by not revealing the truth. Relationships carry the expectations of fidelity, and by omitting the indiscretion, you are in fact lying to your partner. A failure to disclose all information in media outlets in order to sell more sensational stories is also an example of deceit. This includes upselling where selective reporting, in which scandals involving one party as a front page news while similar incidents are made less prevalent, can be considered parallel to omission. Like many other aspects in life, this scenario can be looked at as a cost-benefit analysis situation. If the other person has an expectation and information is withheld for selfish purposes, it is considered a lie. If the disclosure serves no purpose other than to cause harm, then perhaps it may be better to simply hold one’s tongue, to omit the truth. Proliferating gossip serves as a relevant example of this type of omission, but what Gino had in mind was most certainly that of deception.

The Sicilian had the intention of rerouting Hannah’s “loyalty” from The Golden Serpents and to himself by way of a proposition that would be too good for her to pass up. First he would downplay the Serpent’s abilities, present that they promised her a short future if she was lucky, and further his own abilities in turn by offering himself as a Saint that could shepherd her away from danger. Though, he would not fail in delivering a key piece of the puzzle that her alignment would come at a cost and his assistance of her own goals – freedom and peace for herself and her loved ones – was only being offered because he wanted something. The Sicilian was offering her a trade that would give her the freedom to ultimately choose her own death, rather than what she would do with her life. Gino wasn’t opposed to removing certain figures from an equation if they did not provide a value that he was comfortable with. He suspected that Hannah was different because her value could be considerably higher than “normal” civilians. For instance, Levi had seemingly taken an interest in the mortal and Gino did require a route back into the man’s inner sanctum now that his relationship with the Vampiro had fallen so drastically. Levi had never confessed that he trusted Gino – quite the opposite in fact – but this was far different, now Levi considered Gino his enemy.

Suffice it to say, Hannah’s theory regarding Gino’s influence and his profession did make the Sicilian chuckle again. Of course he worked very hard to be an enigmatic figure, a shadow, a wraith, but he did not suspect he had done so much as to convince people of his worth being below that of a common “businessman”. Though, perhaps the review was biased considering Hannah’s knowledge and interactions with the man from Verona and Boston. Perhaps Hannah simply held Levi in higher regard than she did the Sicilian sitting before her, whom had after all, appeared in a ruse to offer her deal she couldn’t refuse. Gino did not consider his actions to be particularly cruel or worthy of vehemence, but he could appreciate that from her point of view he did come in the form of death. His very presence here had been defined as dangerous because his sniffing around would cause the Serpents to rise, for their bodies to tense into a striking pose. Of course that was all perfectly reasonable as far as assumptions went, which led Gino to the conclusion that she had only met with members of the organisation that were of subordinate level and no greater. She’d had no dealings with the higher ups apparently, perhaps she had not heard even a whisper of their existence, which certainly made the game more interesting to him.

“My dear, I’m afraid you have the hierarchy all wrong,” he said, forcing his voice to still around the humour he felt wriggling in his chest. “As we are in good company, I suppose I could reveal a few details that you will find… intriguing.” Gino looked directly into her eyes as he continued, his gaze narrowing, his voice flowing as free and as crisp as one of Chopin’s waltzes. “I have few superiors, you will find. There are many who think themselves above me, of course, many who see an old man sitting across from them whose time is done. They are mistaken. Just like you are, for you see me as a doting father figure of sorts, I presume. Perhaps you see my loyalties toward a man such as him because I have nothing better to do. Perhaps you think me not clever enough to decide my own fate.” And as the score rose, he went to the crux of the matter. “Whatever your reason, allow me to shatter the illusion. I have no reason to report to a man of his calibre. I am the one they send to displace men like him. Do you understand?”

He didn’t pause to allow her to respond in any form but to flash an affirmation or disagreement.

“The terms I come with therefore involve a greater deal of subterfuge,” he continued. “I still expect you to cosy up to your target, in whatever way you see fit, but you will do so with a different purpose. And of course you can expect that with greater risks come greater rewards. I know this will not settle the vitriol you feel for my presence here today, but I present this as a fact: if I had wanted to simply murder you, my dear, I could have done so weeks ago. It’s actually more… cost-effective, shall we say, for you to be kept alive. I could threaten your family, much as your current employers have done, but, they do not hold my interest. The only thing that concerns me today is your choice. You have the choice to align your interests with my own, or not. But I will say that if you choose to do so, your interests will become our interests.” Gino paused to frame his next words in a light, friendly smile. “Consider it a partnership, or an exchange of goods, where we both stand to benefit equally. Has anybody ever stopped to ask what you wanted, Miss Lynn?” Of course, Gino was aware that he was not setting out the terms in any detail as of yet, merely presenting a term of their agreement. “I suspect not,” he continued. “Now. Shall I go on? Or perhaps you have some questions for me before we continue.”