Previously in Issue One...
“Who the hell is that?”
I stand at the garage door, half-in half-out as Salty talks to his cousin, Dominic Alvaro.
“That’s Marky,” Salty declares beckoning me over. “We did time in Blackgate.”
“That’s because you’re a meathead who doesn’t think!” Dominic snaps. “He looks like a cop.”
“Everyone looks like a cop,” Salty punches him in the arm. “Marky! Strip!”
I wander over to them. “Say that again?”
Dominic stares me down. He looks exactly like his father, Peter Alvaro. “You’re a cop.”
“How about you suck my…” Salty steps between us.
“Strip and prove him wrong, Marky”
“He might be your cousin, but he’s about to eat through a straw,” I mutter.
“Easy,” Salty warns in that tone which means if push comes to shove, its family over prison pals. “Just do it.”
“Fine!” I exhale. “Give me your phones.”
“What?”
“I’m not having either one of you filming me and putting it up on the net, okay. Phones or you can stick this whole idea up your…”
“Okay, okay,” Salty hands his over and then grunts to his cousin who reluctantly agrees. I’m lucky because I don’t wear a wire. There IS a tracker embedded in my heel and my watch is essentially a nanny cam that wirelessly sends images back to an encrypted hard drive in Cornwell’s office; but no wire. I yank off my shirt and throw it at Dominic. I spin around before unzipping and downing trou. “You want me to part my cheeks like they do in Blackgate or you happy with a quick look, huh?”
“Told you, Dom,” Salty says. “Marky and I are tight.”
Dominic’s whole demeanour changes, like he stopped holding his breath. “Sorry, can’t be too careful. Cops, them bastards in spandex, y’know. Dom.”
“Mark.” I shake his hand and get dressed.
“What were you in Gate for?” He asks. It’s like I’m still under suspicion.
“Bit of burglary, bit of punching a cop out, bit of possession,” I tell him as I straighten myself out. “Now just looking for something easy and under the radar.”
“Hanging with my cousin isn’t under the radar,” Dom says sarcastically.
“Hey!” Salty complains.
“He’s okay for an idiot,” I jest.
“Watch it!” Salty snaps. “I’ll knock both you out!”
And like that I’m in with Salty’s cousin Dom, who is further up the Alvaro chain and another step to taking them out.
-
Fifteen months ago
“This is Nicholas Alvaro,” Lieutenant David Cornwell tells me as he taps the picture at the top of the pyramid. “Head of the Alvaro’s. Took over from his father, Francis. He’s got three kids in the family; Nicholas Jr aka Nicky, Maurizio aka Salty, and Amanda…who’s married to Simon Rescigno of the New York Rescigno’s. Then there’s Peter Alvaro, deceased, because the rumour is that Nicholas had him killed. No proof of that, but Peter hasn’t been seen for twenty five years. Peter had three kids too; Peter Junior, Dominic and Catrina.”
I look at the crime pyramid. It’s no Falcone or Bertinelli rat’s maze, but its significant. I try to commit it all to my memory as I don’t want to be caught by someone with a folder on the who’s who of the Alvaro’s because that’ll be the end me as both an undercover in their organisation and also my time on the planet.
To be continued...
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