Frankie finally fell asleep after and hour and half of questions. I knew he had more, but his mind was so worn out he couldn’t process them correctly. I even had questions still. I sighed as I looked in the rear view mirror to the black duffle bag. I had enough heroin to put me in prison for life right now, Frankie as well. Part of me, a huge part, regretted pulling Frankie into this mess, but I needed help for the last few jobs I needed to do for Tony, and Frankie was the only one I could trust with this secret.

I jumped a little when he stirred in his sleep. I was far to jumpy lately. I was certain that Tony was going to kill me. I didn’t want to kill one of his men, his brother in law to specific, But he was going to kill my father. I shouldn’t have listened to my dad, he sold out his own son to Tony just to save his ass.

***

“Gee, I need to ask you a favor.” My dads voice shook as he sat down on the couch.
“I told you of our family history a few years ago as you know.” I nodded with an unsure look on my face. “I also told you that I didn’t play in the mobs game anymore, so I need you do something for me so we can leave the Mob in the past once and for all.” He looked at me with guilt in his eyes.
“What are you talking about…?” my voice cracked.
“Before your mother gave birth to Mikey I had to take care of something. The Lanio family is bad blood with us, and I thought if I stood up to them they’d back down.” He put his head in his hands.
“20 years they never did anything to me, 20 years they had been planning to take me out at the precise moment.” He looked at me, dead in the eyes.
“I need you too kill the hit man after me, Vinny.” my mouth fell open.
“Are you fucking insane. Fuck no dad!” I scoffed standing up.

He pushed me back down with force. The look in his eyes were cold, and not warm like they always had been. I was scared.
“Gerard you will do this and you will do it for your family. I did it for my father, and you will do the same.” He shoved a gun into my hands along with a folded up paper.
“That’s his address, knock on the door, when he answers just shoot in the face and go. It will be quick and done and know one will know it was you.”


My hands gripped on the steering wheel as I replayed that night in my head over and over again. The gun shot, the blood. His wife screaming and a baby crying in the house. She saw my face, that’s were I made the mistake. Tony got a hold of my father and he screamed like a fucking pig. He ratted out his own son. But I was lucky. Tony knew I had been betrayed, offered me a deal. I do his work, whenever he calls. I am to be there and do whatever he asked till my debt his paid to his family.

I didn’t realize I was so lost in my mind that we had made it to New Orleans. I found a hotel next to venue and close to the five customers I needed to do my dirty work with. The bright lights woke Frank up as I opened the car door.
“Where are we?”
“A hotel in New Orleans Frank.” I stated rather short.
“Oh, so it wasn’t all a dream.” My heart sank.
“No.”

I grabbed the duffle bag, and got out of the car with no other words to him. I made my way to the check in and got a room for us. I sent Mikey a quick text to let him know Frank was still with me and we had a hotel. He responded and asked what Hotel, but I ignored it. I didn’t need Mikey sticking his nose in this and getting himself into trouble.

I opened the driver side door and poked my head in. Frankie had a blank look on his face as he stared out the window, lost in his thought. I stared at him for a moment as I took in his face. It had been awhile since I actually looked at him. Fuck, it had been awhile since I actually talked to him. I cleared my throat and brought him out of his thoughts.

“I got a room. You commin’?”
“Yeah.” he said in a quite voice.

He opened the door and walked over to me, his eyes never left the ground as he shoved his hands in his pockets and followed me to the hotel.

We got into the room and set the duffle bag down and sat down on the bed. Frankie laid down on the other bed and let out a long sigh. I waited for him to speak, but the room was filled with nothing but our breathing and an awkward silence. My eyes couldn’t help but scan over him. He was my best friend since we were kids. I came to him for everything, and now I’m probably the worlds biggest monster to him.
“What’s it like?” his voice filled the room, but took me by surprise.
“What do you mean?” he sat up.
“doing what you have been doing. Killing people.” my eyes grew wide as I realized what he asked me.
“What is it like to kill someone Gerard?”

I paused, for what seemed like forever. Trying to get my thoughts organized. How do I answer this question? What was it like to kill a person? It was scary, and a very hard thing to do. I took in a deep breath.
“It’s…. not pleasant Frankie. Its fucking terrifying, and hard.” I looked up at him.
“So it bothers you?”
“Of course, why wouldn’t it.”
“Because the other morning when you told me to stay out of your business, you looked empty, and it scared me. I was thinking maybe killing these people that Tony want gone has made you into a monster and it was no big deal to you.” I sighed.
“It was suppose to scare you Frank.” he moved and sat down on the bed next to me. “I didn’t want you to get involved in what I am, even though I had to in the end.” he looked down at the floor.
“D..Do I have to kill anyone?”
My breath, and voice, got caught up in y throat as he asked this. Did he? I wasn’t sure, if Tony wanted us to kill someone, we’d have too.
“I hope not Frank.”
“Oh….” was all he had to say.

It was silence for another few moments. Frank yawned and I looked at him.
“Get some sleep. Its 5 am.” he didn’t refuse, only laid back and closed his eyes.
“I’m gong to go out and visit some of Tony’s customers.” I said as I stood up.
“Gerard?” Frank said barely above a whisper as I picked up the duffel bag.
I sighed, “Yes Frank?”
“Bring me back my best friend please? I need him.”

That’s when I knew I fucked up