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section7mfu2012-12-08 11:44 am
The New Kid on the Block~chapter 9
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Before April left to go gamble in the casino Napoleon had reached over to her, pulling her towards him and planting a rather sensual kiss on her lips. He could feel her stiffen at first, but was surprise when she relaxed and responded.
"Good luck at the tables baby, win big." He winked at her and smiled as he released her.
April stood in a daze for a moment as his kiss had taken her off guard, and oh what a kiss it was. It was no wonder Napoleon Solo had the reputation he did with the ladies. She took a deep breath and composed herself as she smiled. "I'll win big for you Johnny." She turned, following the schmendrick Howard to the gaming rooms.
.
A rather big and burly man, no doubt packing a pistol from what Napoleon could see, stepped up to escort Johnny Dio to his meeting.
"This way Mr. Dio." He gestured with a wave of his hand.
Napoleon was taken back through a service door, leading to an elevator. There they took it up to the top floor of the building, the same as the penthouse suite, but private and most likely the owners living quarters.
The elevator doors opened to a richly appointed lobby, decorated with Persian rugs, palm trees and pastoral oil paintings.
"One minute Mr. Dio," the escort said, " I have to frisk you before you go in."
"Not a problem, but I'm sure you've already guess I'm carrying, so let me just hand my gun over to you and then you can do your patdown."
He slowly reached beneath his dinner jacket, taking hold of his Walther with only his thumb and index finger, drawing it out slowly and handing it to the man.
"I do expect to get this back." Napoleon smiled at him.
"That depends on the boss." The man opened a pair of ornately carved oak doors, gesturing for Napoleon to enter.
"Ah Mr. Dio, welcome," a wiry haired blond spoke to him from across the lavishly decorated room. European style furnishings again, Persian carpets, plants and Grecian statuary...it reminded Napoleon of Harry Beldon's office... a bit over the top.
As the man approached, he gestured for Napoleon to sit in one of the high back leather chairs, offering him a snifter of brandy.
Once Oystracher seated himself, he got down to business immediately.
"An what may I ask brings a member of the Dioguardi family to my humble establishment?"
Napoleon took a casual sip of his drink before answering.
"I'm looking to make an investment and word is you have a nice little operation going on here, but might be in need of a backer, shall we say?"
"Hmm, interesting? I have nothing going on at the moment that would require such assistance." The Ukrainian smiled deceptively.
"Oh really?" Napoleon hedged his bet, going on what Illya had suggested." Your counterfeiting operation is small scale, I can help you build it and get a better return...maybe for another project in the works?"
"My my, you are good Mr. Dio."
"Call me Johnny."
"And your Uncle Don Dioguardi, is he also in on the offer of financing?"
"Ni, i ya proshu vybachennya za te , shcho ya zbyrayusya skazaty . Miy̆ dyadʹko znay̆de vas i vashykh lyudey̆ pid nym . Vy ne La Cosa Nostra_No, and I do apologize for what I'm about to say. My Uncle finds you and your people beneath him. You are not La Cosa Nostra," he answered in Ukrainian, hoping that Illya's tutoring was now finally paying off.
"Me on the other hand...I see a business opportunity and have no problem working with people of like minds. So what if you're Ukrainian...I work with Russian Jews too; it doesn't matter as long as I turn a profit so I can build up a nest egg for my old age. My Uncle the Don isn't exactly doing that for me..."
Oystracher laughed out loud at the man's boldness."
"So what sort of amount did you have in mind...Johnny?"
"Half a mil to start, then when I see how things are progressing, at least another mil."
The Ukrainians eyes betrayed him when Napoleon threw out those numbers.
"Vasha propozytsiya zvuchytʹ pryy̆nyatno , ale ya povynen budu konsulʹtuvatysya z moïmy kolehamy_Your proposition sounds acceptable, but I will have to consult with my associates. I propose a business meeting here tomorrow evening. It's then my associates will make some decisions. I will tell you this, you are correct in your assumption that there is another project in the works, but that is being spearheaded by my associates, so it is their decision to let you in or not."
Napoleon finished his brandy, and rose, offering his hand to the man. "Spasybi, i ya z neterpinnyam chekayu zavtrashnʹoho dnya_Thank you, and I look forward to tomorrow." He threw out what Ukrainian he knew.
"My pleasure," Oystracher smiled. " I must say your Ukrainian isn't half bad, though you do speak it with an American accent and I hear of touch of Russian as well.
Yesli vy predpochitayete YA govoryu na russkom_or if you prefer I can speak Russian?" Napoleon smiled at him.
"That won't be necessary,"Oystracher said, "Your Ukrainian is better than your Russian, but we can continue in English, that will be fine.
.
April wandered the casino, taking note of the exits and guarded doors. She played a few hands of blackjack again, lost a few then finally began to win. She quit while she was ahead a thousand dollars and decided to cash out; tipping the dealer before she left, placing several chips on the table, to the far side outside the wagering spot. Her daddy was a bit of a gambler in his day and taught his little girl other kinds of table manners...
She returned a second time with her chips to the teller's window handing them over.
"Small or large bills Miss?"
"Small will be fine," she smiled at him.
A manager stopped the teller as he reached into the drawer at his station. "No, regular for this one. She and her boyfriend are, umm, special guests of the boss."
'Yes sir." The teller reached into a different draw, counting out the cash in five, ten and twenty-dollar bills. April handed back a five as a tip for him.
"Thank you Miss," He nodded, placing the money in a jar at his station.
She looked up casually, taking note of cameras mounted in the ceiling, the same that were scattered out though the casino.
"My pleasure darling." She put the cash in the large leopard skin shoulder bag that she'd brought with her and as she turned, she spotted Howie nearby, staring at her.
"Excuse me, you said there was an indoor pool on the premises?"
"Yes gorgeous, I can show you if you like,' he oozed.
"That won't be necessary, just tell me where it is. I feel like going for a relaxing swim, gambling can be a bit tiring, don't you think? After getting the directions, April returned to the hotel room to fetch her bathing suit, as well as a pair of sandals, and while there alone she had a strange feeling, her instincts told her the room might now be bugged. Once Napoleon made his presence know, it made sense.
She was unaware of the fact that a pair of eyes had been watching her the entire time she'd been in the casino. Oystracher, after concluding his business with Johnny Dio, turned to his his private monitors that gave him views of the gaming areas as well as the corridors and select rooms.
The fiery red head had caught his attention, as he watched her lustfully. Maybe, he thought, if this deal with Johnny Dio went well, he might ask him to throw the red head in to sweeten the pot. After all what was another woman to a man from the Dioguardi family, it was not like she was his wife.
"What has your attention now? A man entered the office through a secret entrance behind one of the many bookcases."
"Perfect timing Mr. Ravel." Oystracher reached to turn off the monitor but his visitor stopped him.
"Yes she is quite lovely...planning to add her to your stable I presume?"
"Perhaps, that is if a certain proposition that I've been given works out...how much do you know of Johnny Dio of the DioGuardi family of New York?"
"Mafioso?"
"Yes."
"I know nothing of him, we in THRUSH avoid involvement with such ilk. The only reason we're working with you is because you're not associated to any extent with that kind and therefore we can expect no interference as we would from those Sicilians that run the other casinos. Why are you asking me?"
"I've had an interesting offer from Mr. Dio, looks like he has access to fairly large amounts of cash and is proposing to bankroll some if not both our operations."
Ravels face reddened with anger. "You fool, you told him!"
Oystracher shrank back defensively. "NO no, sir. He seemed to know about the counterfeiting operation, but the the other...he seemed to suspect something, that's all. I did nothing to confirm its existence."
.
Napoleon ducked out of sight behind an oversized palm tree in the main foyer, pulling his communicator to check on April.
"So are you having a good time, and where are you?" he whispered into it.
"Oh," April was startled as she was wearing an earpiece, having kept her own communicator open but hidden in her purse. "You know this is really a gorgeous suite if I do say so myself. Now once I head down to the pool for a relaxing swim, I'll be ready to crawl into that bed with my Johnny."
He realized she was telling him she couldn't talk as it stood to reason, he came to the same conclusion that she had... once he'd met with Oystracher, the penthouse suite had most likely been bugged.
"Now you're just teasing me," he whispered, "I'll meet you in the suite after your swim."
"Oh yeah that'll be yummy," she answered with a sultriness in her voice that she just knew would bother him. "I'll have a nice relaxing swim in my new teeny weeny polka dot bikini." She hugged herself.
"Knock it off...out."
April giggled, realizing she had just teased Solo and was sure his mind was racing to somewhere that included her and a bed. She grabbed her things, heading out to the elevator and down to the pool.
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