Marvel: Impregnation System

"HAZZAY!"

BAM

It was then that Ricky's memory cut out, darkness consuming his vision as a void crept into his consciousness, pulling him into a realm of eldritch horror. 

In his haze, as if his eyes were barely open, he glimpsed the void stretching endlessly before him, an oppressive expanse of nothingness.

As he gazed around, his focus was drawn downward to the cracked earth beneath his feet. 

The cracks widened, revealing an abyss that seemed to pull him in, slipping through as if gravity itself had betrayed him. 

Yet, this was no endless fall, but instead it was a descent into a crevasse that exposed the underbelly of this twisted realm.

Looking closer, the seemingly depthless void was filled with stones, each an obsidian black, emanating a foreboding presence. 

They crowded the underlevels, as though the realm was built upon this unsettling foundation of these mere pebbles.

Whispers shrouded this sea of stones, each a malformation of different horrors in the form of words and among them, one distinct pebble held the whisper of Ricky's name as he seemingly appeared inside this mere stone.

The murmurs around his pebble began to intensify, echoing louder and louder, vibrating the small stone with a haunting resonance. 

They were his tales, his whispers, spoken from the mouths of others as he finally was able to open his eyes to this sort of translucent cage.

Ricky felt an irresistible pull, drawing him closer as his fingers extended toward the jagged edges of his makeshift prison.

Then, something unprecedented occurred as the moment his fingertip graced the translucent surface, a tiny crack formed, disrupting the eerie stillness of the void. 

The crack spread slowly, a web of fractures expanding outward, giving way to the whispers that filled with his name.

'Ricky~'

GASP

Ricky gasped, his eyes shooting open as a sense of paralysis gripped him, his entire body jolting upright. 

The dream had been so vivid, so suffocating, that it felt as though he had been trapped under the weight of a sleep paralysis demon. 

Instinctively, he slicked his hand through his silky black hair before a hand suddenly landed on his chest. 

"Ricky?" Alina's worried voice broke through the haze as she rubbed her eyes, trying to wake herself fully. 

Ricky glanced down, realizing that not only was he completely naked next to Alina, but his fingers were unconsciously gripping her meaty flesh of a tit.

"Huh?" Ricky wondered out loud, looking around while rubbing his forehead as if it would help the memoires trickle into his mind.

After his wild proclamation, Ricky had gotten so utterly drunk that he somehow ended up breaking into the zoo, declaring his intention to ride a lion.

"I WANNA FLY ON THE LION~" Ricky drunkenly shouted, climbing the beast's enclosure as Bucky, James, and Herold all tried to pull him back.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS GUY MADE OF, F*CKING STEEL!?" Herold yelled, a little unbelieving at how with three pulling him backwards, they were getting dragged forwards.

"C'MERE KITTY, C'MERE~" Ricky slurred, his drunken aura flaring wildly, casting a sovereign presence that suddenly enveloped the growling lion. 

Animals, especially lions, are creatures driven by instinct, their pride towering over most emotions. 

Yet, it was this very pride that made the lion's eyes widen in recognition of the being before it, a predator cloaked in a swirling green aura.

The lion, an apex predator, began to tremble, its instincts overridden by an inexplicable sense of not pride, but self-preservation. 

Slowly, it backed away, its massive frame quivering as it scratched futilely at the door of its enclosure, seeking an escape as the three behind Ricky were stunned, their eyes widening as they watched the king of beasts retreat,

"KITTY-....KITTY?" Ricky continued to mutter that word until he realized something more precedent than riding a lion blooming within him.

"I wanna f*ck."

Then, as if it were the easiest thing in the world, Ricky casually opened a portal and vanished, leaving the three of them stranded in the closed zoo and as the faint shimmer of the portal faded, leaving behind only the bewildered stares of his companions.

A green portal materialized in Alina's bedroom, the moonlight accentuating her supple curves as she stirred, her head turning slowly toward the sudden illumination.

"R-Ricky?" Alina whispered longingly, her voice soft and filled with anticipation almost hoping it was him.

Then her tired eyes opened to a sight that made her cheeks flushed as her gaze met Ricky's, who stood in the portal's glow, his eyes locked on her as he reached for his belt.

Unbuckling it deliberately, Ricky took slow, measured steps toward Alina, each movement making her heart race faster, her face deepening in color.

With each step, his shadow that he casted seemed to extend further until his body loomed over hers completely.

Then, as the night unfolded, he devoured her thoroughly throughout the night, entire hours of filling Alina with his desire until he finally passed out.

"Oh yeah, that happened." Ricky wiped his eyes, pulling Alina closer as she smiled while he caressed her hair.

"A-Are you okay?" Alina asked, looking up with that familiar gaze of longing as he actually took a second to think about it.

"I'm fine, I just think I had a weird nightmare," Ricky muttered, pulling Alina close and pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, his cheeks flushing slightly.

"Hey, do you wanna get brunch or something-"

"Where the f*ck is he!" Lucky's roar echoed through the house, sending a chill down Ricky's spine as his entire body went stiff as he looked down at Alina, who was chuckling softly.

"Rain check?" Alina asked, watching him nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"If I don't die first."

10 minutes later,

"Thank you, honey," Lucky smiled at Sophie, nodding his head to her as he pinched Moxie's stubborn cheek before turning his gaze to Ricky.

"50,000."

Those were the only words Lucky said to him when Ricky appeared in his line of sight.

"Pops, listen I-"

"Seventy-five cents an hour, six dollars a day, one hundred and fifty a month, eighteen hundred a year, and that's all repeated, fifty thousand times," Lucky's voice rose with each number he uttered, his tone sharp and calculated all while Ricky rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the each number press against his shoulders.

Lucky tried to maintain his smile, keeping his composure in front of Moxie and Sophie, who were watching him closely. 

Despite his outward calm, his hand trembled with fury as he glared at Ricky, barely containing the storm brewing inside.

"So like-"

"That's 90,000,000 dollars," Lucky said, his voice strained as he grasped his coffee cup, the weight of the staggering figure making him cough. 

"You promised to shell out 90 million." Lucky felt as if he was on the brink of an aneurysm just thinking about that figure, struggling to keep his composure and resist the urge to hurl his coffee cup at Ricky's face.

"Do you understand how much product you'd have to churn out to support that?" Lucky asked, his voice full of genuine frustration, actually asking if Ricky even knew how many products he would need to sell to break even, let alone make a profit.

"Your company has no perceived value, no brand recognition, no profit margin, and seven patents for products that only the middle class and above can enjoy," Lucky continued, his voice sharp, as he stared Ricky down, each word sinking in like a heavy blow.

"So when I saw this factory, I thought maybe 10,000, but 50,000-"

"Listen pops-"

"Oh no, this is your problem, I just came here to tell you that you're a dumbass." Lucky stood up, adjusting his suit and pinching Moxie's cheek again as the infant slapped him away, making his grandpa chuckle.

"And if you're looking for a loan, the interest is 5%-"

"FIVE PERCENT!" Ricky stood up, thinking he'd get at least a little leeway as Lucky raised his gaze at him.

"It's time you fix your slip ups on your own, starting now." Lucky turned away, giving some money to Sophia while walking out of the house.

"And this better not mess with the family, I'll see you at dinner."

BAM

Lucky slammed the door behind him, the sound echoing through the house like a gunshot all while Ricky Ricky sat there before he exhaled deeply.

"Well, if it isn't the consequences of my own actions." Ricky sighed, reaching over towards the cup of black coffee and drinking it.

"We meet again, you f*cking slut."

Meanwhile In An Undisclosed Location,

Raven stood outside the house where Irene was living, her eyes softening as they fell to the small bulge in her stomach. 

The changes were recent, but they were becoming more apparent with each passing day. 

Her hand gently rested on her belly, and for the first time in what felt like forever, a warm smile spread across her face. 

It was a quiet, almost surreal moment for Raven but for some weird reason, one of unexpected tenderness. 

Despite everything, all of the hardships and pain, this new life growing inside her brought a sense of calm that she hadn't felt in a long time.

She had betrayed Irene, and part of her expected to feel a deep sense of despair, a gnawing guilt that would never fade. 

But as she gently caressed her stomach, her mind wandered to the family she was about to build with a man who loved her.

Although she was a hardened woman, someone who wouldn't blink when putting a bullet in your head, she was still that same person who longed for stability, for a place to finally call home.

She had spent so much of her life running, moving from one situation to the next, that the idea of settling down had always seemed impossible. 

But now, it was a reality she could almost touch as she had always pushed away the thought of staying in one place, fearing it would make her vulnerable. 

But now, standing in front of Irene's house, a quiet sense of peace washed over her. 

For the first time in a long while, Raven allowed herself to imagine a future where she didn't have to keep running.

It was selfish but for once, Raven wanted to care about her own happiness and she wasn't going to let anyone let her feel bad about it.

Raven pressed her hand against the front door, her eyes closing as she took a deep breath, trying to summon the courage she needed to end things with Irene.

"Irene, I know you-"

The words Raven had meant to say, the ones she knew Irene had already seen, caught in her throat as her eyes widened in horror, her legs giving way beneath her as she crumpled to her knees at the doorway.

And there, hanging from the ceiling, was Irene's cold, lifeless body, strung up to the ceiling with a rope tangled around her broken neck. 

Raven's entire body trembled, paralyzed by the sight before her, as if the very air had turned to ice. 

Her gaze slowly drifted downward to a letter, almost instinctively, as if the universe knew she would shatter at that very spot. 

Her fingers shook uncontrollably, fumbling for the letter, each attempt causing it to slip from her grasp and finally, with a breathless, strained effort, she managed to open it.

Her eyes hollowed as they scanned the words as the world seemed to close in on her as the letter slipped from her fingers. 

Her head hung low, as if she too could no longer bear the weight of it all, a mirror image of Irene's final, silent posture. 

The words on the paper were few, but they were enough to etch an unrelenting pain into her soul. 

Two words, devoid of anything that could soothe her, lingered in the air, heavier than the silence:

Why him?

Irene could see the shifting possibilities of the future, a gift that had once been her strength. 

But every time Ricky appeared, the visions blurred, grayed out, fading away into uncertainty. 

It was as though the very threads of fate themselves recoiled from him, and with every passing moment, her power dwindled, slipping through her fingers like water.

But it was when she looked at Raven's future that Irene truly felt her world crack. 

It wasn't her future with Irene that lay before her eyes, but a future where Raven was smiling, radiant with a joy she had never seen, a joy given to her by him. 

The man who had stolen everything, the man who now held the heart Irene had fought so desperately for.

Irene's breath caught in her throat as she watched, helpless and shaken, seeing Raven's love, her heart, directed entirely at him, not at her. 

It tore through her, the sight of her love, her love, swelling with such affection for a man she could never be.

That ache in her chest, it just intensified with each vision, morphing into a cruel parade of futures where Raven's love for her evaporated with each passing second. 

In every single one, Raven was slipping away, drifting further from her grasp and into the arms of another, showing Irene that her affection had now only become a distant memory. 

And when Irene desperately searched for even a flicker of hope, a single thread of possibility where Raven remained by her side, it was clear: in every future where Raven stayed, she had to surrender herself to him.

The only way to keep Raven at her side was to give herself, her body, to this man and the sight of it crushed her. 

She felt it, in every vision, in every future, each one more agonizing than the last. 

And the worst part was she could do nothing. 

The love of her life had made her choice, and it wasn't her, Raven would never be hers again.

And in that final, bitter moment, Irene's heart shattered. 

Shattered into something else, that love she'd held so fiercely for Raven twisted into something darker, something hateful. 

A seething anger swelled in her chest, directed not just at Raven, but at the man who had taken everything. 

She wanted to hurt Raven, to make her feel the same way, share in this aching pit that had formed in her heart, and the thought, the thought of making her pay for brokering her mind into questions.

Why did Irene have to be the only one to feel broken?

Why did she have to feel this pain?

Those thoughts swirled in Irene's mind, consuming her, feeding a dark obsession she couldn't shake. 

She didn't want Raven to just move on, to forget her, to slip into a life with him as if their love had never existed. 

Irene's chest tightened at the thought of Raven's happiness, of her smiling without remembering the pain she had caused, knowing only one thing after that.

It couldn't end like this.

Irene wanted more than just closure; she wanted to make Raven feel the weight of her betrayal.

She wanted to break her, to force Raven to live with the guilt, the pain, the reminder of what she had thrown away. 

She didn't just want Raven to feel regret; she wanted her to suffer for it, to understand, deep in her soul, that it was her fault, her fault for leaving, for choosing him.

Every passing second that Raven lived in peace, in love, was a second that twisted the knife deeper in Irene's chest. 

She needed to show Raven the depths of her pain, to make sure that no matter how far she ran, no matter how much she tried to forget, the memory of Irene would haunt her, linger in her every step. 

She wanted to carve her name into Raven's soul, to burn that love into her mind so deeply that it would never fade, even if she wanted it to.

The faint smell of decay lingered in the air, but the room felt suffocated by it, settling in the grim reality before her. 

Raven sat motionless on the floor, her body numb, her soul aching but her mind locked in a fog of emptiness. 

She didn't cry, didn't scream but merely stared ahead, as though the world around her had ceased to exist, leaving her in this cold, dark vacuum. 

Irene had achieved her final desire as her suicide crushed Raven, in all possible ways, but there was no release, no outlet for the grief that gnawed at her insides. 

Raven just sort of sat there, eyes hollowed and cast down at the hardwood floor beneath her crushed soul.

In a haze, she found herself standing on unfamiliar ground, her feet carrying her without purpose. 

It felt like she was moving through the motions of life without actually living before drifting in front of a telephone booth.

Her hands fumbled for a moment before she found herself in front of a payphone, the cold metal casing gleaming faintly under the dim streetlights. 

Her fingers, trembling, searched for the only number she could remember, the one person who had always been there for her, the one she could lean on in times like this.

"You better be so fcking important if I'm paying these overseas fees-" Ricky spat, his voice thick with frustration as he was drowning in his own mess, surrounded by the madness of Lucky Incorporated, everyone scrambling to fix the sht show their owner had just created.

"Tiger, can you come get me?" Raven whispered into the phone, her voice barely audible as her hand trembled, gripping the device so tightly her knuckles turned white. 

"In a f*cking heartbeat." Ricky stood up, the frantic buzz of voices around him fading into indistinct murmurs as he bolted for the door, his focus entirely on Raven.

"WAIT SLICK, WE-and he's gone." Chores started, but the words were cut off as Ricky vanished in a flash, teleporting away before he could finish.

Raven sat in the phone booth, her body curled into a tight ball, motionless as the sun slowly sank lower, casting long shadows as the world around her seemed to fade into a blur. 

BAM

HUFF

HUFF

HUFF

Dawn arrived far too quickly, its light casting a cold glow as Raven's hollow eyes, empty and devoid of emotion for what felt like hours, slowly drifted upward to the intrusion.

Reflecting in those hollow eyes was Ricky, ripping off the door to the phone booth as the warmth of the setting sun illuminated completely around him.

Ricky was a complete mess, having discovered she was in Britain, only to teleport to Transylvania, then ride Chastelofld with the wind howling behind him as he pushed for speed.

Yet, none of that mattered, his disheveled state, his clothes ripped and battered, were all forgotten as he reached her. 

Without a second thought, he pulled Raven into his arms, holding her tight, as if the act itself could undo the torment she had endured.

"I'm here." Ricky's voice was steady, trying to say everything when he saw her but he didn't know what else to say, but the simple declaration was enough. 

Raven simply crumbled into his arms, her body shaking as the hollow dam holding back her sorrow finally broke. 

She cried, her sobs muffled against his chest, each tear carrying the weight of all she had kept buried inside. 

Ricky held her, offering nothing but his presence, his steady warmth, as the storm of her emotions raged within her.

All the pain and sorrow poured into Ricky, her emotions unraveling with each sob until, eventually, she calmed as the night slowly settled in.

"You ready to come home?" Ricky caressed her hair, raising her sniffing face, his thumb gently wiping away the tear as she slowly bobbed her head.

Sniff

"Yeah," Raven whispered, her voice barely audible as she rested her head on his chest. 

The soft hum of a swirling green portal filled the air, its edges shimmering with an eerie glow and without a word, Ricky gently shifted, guiding them both toward the opening,

"Thank you, for coming for me," Raven whispered, her voice filled with a quiet gratitude. 

Ricky, however, flashed a sleazy smile, his eyes gleaming mischievously as he delivered a cheesy line that would undoubtedly stay with Raven forever.

"Oh baby, I'll always come running for you."

1 week later,

"C'mon Gino, are you f*cking kidding me-"

"You said, on November 3rd, 1910, a Tuesday, mind you, that if you ever opened a shop, I'd get a discount," Gino said, busting out an old promise as if it were a recipe and presenting it to the man before him.

Recounting the year, month, and day with emphasis as the man standing across from him let out a heavy sigh.

"Your word is your body Rico, your bond!" Gino gestured with his hands, seeing Rico scrunch his eyebrows before scoffing.

"I don't even get this kind of shamelessness from the Jews up in Manhattan, y'know that?" Rico muttered, shaking his head. 

Gino, however, just grinned, his bright smile widening as he looked at the receipt with his newly earned twenty percent discount.

"Aye, man's gotta eat, but when he does, it's better to do it cheap." Gino chuckled, grabbing his bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich before walking out of the store.

Walking out of the store, he plopped down on a nearby table while pulling out a list that had some names crossed out on it with one left unchecked.

"Excuse me, are you Gino Giovanni?" Jake asked, his voice cutting through the moment just as the man was about to take another bite of his sandwich.

"Depends on who's asking," Gino said, squinting as he set the sandwich down and Jake couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm Slick's friend and Meyer's little brother-"

"Jakey?!" Gino laughed, standing up and walking over to him.

"Kiddo, I haven't seen you since you were barely outta diapers!" Gino chuckled, slapping Jake on the back before pulling him into a tight man hug.

"Come on, sit, sit!" Gino laughed heartily, gesturing to the seat across from his sandwich as he grabbed it.

 "So, what can I do for you, kiddo?" Gino asked, leaning back in his chair with a casual grin, clearly not having left New York yet.

Instead of firing Gino or sending him back, Ricky and Lucky decided to keep him on retainer, paying him hourly. 

The paperwork Lucky needed sorted was quickly handled, but Ricky still had use for Gino. 

He wasn't joking, Ricky had meant what he said about making the mob bosses' families suffer, and he wasn't about to let them run their operations in his city. 

That's why he'd hired Gino to draft the necessary papers to buy out their legal fronts and properties.

But it was the abstract way in which he asked Gino to handle it which made him raise his eyebrows.

Gino had been meticulously outlining the proposals for each of the widowed families, offering them precise instructions before falling back.

His task was nearly complete, with only one name left to check off his list but before wrapping it all up, he decided to take a quick sandwich break, savoring the brief pause before diving into the final step.

"Actually, Gino, if it wouldn't bother you, I wanted to shadow you for the negotiations with the families," Jake said, already sensing Ricky's approval as Gino raised an eyebrow, visibly surprised.

Actually, Jake had been thinking about what he wanted to do for a long time after Barko's words, but it wasn't anyone in their group that had inspired him. 

It was Marshall. 

The way he took control of the courtroom and commanded respect was something Jake had always admired. 

It was a kind of power Jake had always craved for his own life, and it deeply resonated with him which is why he had finally decided to pursue a career as a lawyer.

"Oh, well that's no trouble at all." Gino smiled, taking a bite of his sandwich as Jake reached into his coat pocket.

"Also, Slick told me to give this to you, saying you'd understand." Jake clarified, handing over the envelope and Gino, still munching on his sandwich, took it with a raised brow.

Opening the envelope, Gino tilted his head, eyes scanning the contents before he froze mid-chew. 

A wide grin spread across his face as he gulped, then immediately burst out laughing, his voice hollering at the contents.

"Jesus, the kid's as wicked as Lucky." Gino chuckled, puting the paper back into the envelope, wiping his face without even finishing his sandwich.

"What are you-

"Come on, we'll eat on the go." Gino said abruptly, snatching up his sandwich and striding towards the side and Jake, still processing everything, stood frozen for a second.

"Hurry up, time is money and we never waste money!" Gino barked at him, causing him to flinch and Jake scrambled to catch up, hurrying behind Gino as he marched toward his car.

"Rule number one of being a good lawyer: your client's desire is always the right one," Gino lectured, taking the broken bird under his wing and Jake couldn't help but think he should be taking notes.

"Just like when you're running with the gang, the family's always right, but in the business of law, you look after your client," Gino waved his finger at Jake, imparting the lesson as the door slammed shut behind him.

"But if ya look at it that way, the law's like a gun, the family's the client, and the ones on the other side of the table are the suckers," Gino joked, his voice light as he slammed his foot on the gas, weaving through the streets.

"Has the Luciano family always been your client?" Jake asked, curiosity evident in his voice, the question lingering in the air as he glanced at Gino, only ever knowing this man by the few words spoken about him.

"Nah, unless Lucky needs something from Rochester, but I f*cking doubt it!" Gino cackled out, hitting his hand on the steering wheel before regaining himself.

"Oh don't say that Gino, I'm sure there are things happening in-" Jake let out an awkward laugh, trying to appease him only for Gino to wave his hand.

"Cut the sh*t Jakey, ain't no one in any family, or at least the former families, wanted anything from that bumhole of a place." Gino scoffed, only to let out a smile, looking forward with a toothy grin.

"I mean, that's why I moved up there anyways." Gino chuckled, Jake being utterly shocked since he knew that he had to quit, but he thought it was because of an injury.

"But I thought you left the family because of your injury?" Jake obviously asked, only beocming more confused as Gino slowly nodded his head.

"I did," Gino said, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Jake, the answer seeming obvious to him but Jake, however, was still visibly confused.

"But you just-"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Gino burst into hysterical laughter as they swerved around the corner, and Jake slammed into the door, his face palling at the wild driving.

"Listen Jakey, I loved the family and I'd give my life for Lucky in a f*cking heartbeat if he asked." Gino first started, swerving around the next corner as Jake clutched his seatbelt tightly.

"But what Lucky always leaves out was what happened afterwards since after I got hurt I slipped into a hole filled to the brim with booze." Gino side-eyed Jake, watching his sacred expression slowly morph into shock.

"I just drowned myself in rum, I mean, all I ever knew was running in the streets." Gino sighed, staring aimlessly off into the road ahead since that point in his life, was his lowest.

"Then when I got shot, I just crumbled, sank into this pit and felt like my life was meaningless." Gino's voice was somber, still heartbroken to this day about what happened to him all those years ago.

Jake slowly looked forward, his words sinking in as his eyes became hollow, reflecting the weight of the situation and Gino let out a sigh, the car surprisingly coming to a stop at a red light.

"But just Lucky yanked me out of it." 

The words suddenly sparked Jake out of his thoughts, catching his gaze all while Gino shook his head, reflecting on how naive his younger self had been.

"Literally, the guy chained me to the heater until I flushed all that shit out of my system." Gino shivered, recalling that grueling time in his life.

"I mean, Lucky, he felt responsible for what happened to me, and at the time, I blamed him with all my heart." Gino patted his heart, stepping on the gas once the light turned green but Jake didn't flinch this time.

Sigh

"But growing up, being an adult, having free will, the best part about all of that is having the ability to make your own choices." Gino continued, a little reminiscent in his tone as he swerved around the next corner.

"I jumped in front of that gun and even when I finally realized that I did not, not him, not anyone else, Lucky never stopped blaming himself." Gino gripped the steering wheel, feeling sh*tty even now as he just wished his old friend would let it go like he had.

"What did you do?" Jake asked, watching Gino laugh as they came to a stop outside a residential neighborhood.

"I started living my life, living the second chance he gave me." Gino winked at Jake, stepping out of the car as Jake scrambled to follow.

"Here." Gino flicked his keys to the chauffeur, the man stumbling before managing to catch them.

Most neighborhoods, gated and closed off, will not let visitors in without a guest pass or prior approval. 

It's a system designed to keep out unwanted traffic and ensure only those with permission can enter. 

The security guards at the gates are strict, checking every ID and confirming appointments, sometimes even calling ahead to verify the purpose of the visit and if you don't have the right credentials, you're simply turned away, no questions asked.

"Hey there tutz, I'm here to see Misty Bonanno, I'm a dear friend." Gino leaned on the counter, flashing a smile at the women working at the receptionist desk who raised an eyebrow.

"I apologize, but I'll need to confirm this with Mrs. Bonanno-"

"That's fine, just tell her that Slick sent me." Gino showed his pearly whites, the receptionist nodding before he turned back to Jake.

"Will this work, and why are we here in the first place?" Jake whispered, but Gino raised a hand, nodding toward the front desk, signaling him to look.

"Yes, alright." The receptionist nodded, placing the phone down and looking up at them.

"Mrs. Bonanno confirmed your appearance. Your guest passes will be issued for the day. I hope you have a marvelous day." The receptionist smiled, and Gino smirked before she handed them two green passes.

"Thanks, doll." Gino grabbed the passes, winking at the receptionist, who rolled her eyes as he turned away.

"Follow along and just watch." Gino shoved the guest pass into Jake's chest, walking ahead with Jake following closely behind.

Walking into the residential neighborhood that practically screamed money, they arrived at a certain address and made their way up.

However, they didn't have to knock, the door already opened to reveal a dolled-up woman who scrunched her eyes in recognition.

"Hello Mrs. Bonanno-"

"Save it, if Slick sent you to cap me then get it over with." Mrs. Bonanno hissed, gazing hatefully at the men standing before her but knowing she couldn't turn them away.

However, instead of Joe's wife, the one he expected to see, Jake found himself staring at the old woman, the matriarch of the Bonanno family and Joe's mother.

"Oh no, that's not why we're here. Can we come in?" Gino asked, already pushing the door open as his smile widened.

"Yeah, make yourself at home," Mrs. Bonanno said sarcastically, scoffing as she turned her back to him.

Doors creaked open above before one look from Mrs. Bonanno forced them shut, her gaze returning to the living room.

Jake stood a little spellbound by the crystal chandelier hanging from the rafters, its facets catching the light and shimmering brilliantly. 

It wasn't until he snapped back to reality that he realized Gino had already walked forward, leaving him behind.

"Why is Lucky's dog here, carrying out his stain of a child's orders?" Mrs. Bonanno spat, her words harsh and Gino laughed, though his eyes remained cold.

"Those are some mean words. It's a good thing I know you don't mean them," Gino said, his voice cold as he raised his gaze as the old woman, filled with hatred, turned away without a word.

"And besides, I came here on business." Gino lifted his briefcase into view, placing it on the table before pulling out the folder he'd handed earlier.

"My client, Ricky Luciano, would like to make a formal offer for all your 'business holdings.'" Gino's words surprised both Jake and Mrs. Bonanno, before they quickly realized what he was after.

Although the Luciano family had already devoured the territories of the others, that was mostly in the underbelly, where the dirty work happened. 

On the surface, where the legal buildings and legitimate businesses were held, the territories still belonged to the heads of the old families.

Over the past week, Gino had been delivering the same offer to the other former family heads, and Mrs. Bonanno just happened to be the last one.

However, both Jake and even Mrs. Bonanno thought he was going to simply take it away and instead, they were met with the offer currently being placed right in front of her.

"The offer is $350,000 for a complete buyout of all your legal holdings." Gino slid the piece of paper across the table, while Mrs. Bonanno crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"I heard you were going around offering the same to the others but to think it was true." Mrs. Bonanno curiously raised an eyebrow, not denying the idea of being bought out but not totally shackled to it.

"But this is it?"

Mrs. Bonanno waved the piece of paper, considering that Joe's holdings ranged from $250,000 to $300,000, however, she knew a proper buyout should be closer to $400,000.

"Later today, there will be a meeting held with the others, and Ricky Luciano will be there personally to negotiate further." Gino instructed, his words making Mrs. Bonanno feel uncomfortable as she immediately went to reject.

"Well I-"

"I highly advise you to attend." Gino's words seemed casual, but his voice was cold as Mrs. Bonanno scrunched her brows in suspicion.

"Fine."

"Good, I'll see you there." Gino then stood up, flicking his head to the side as Jake followed him out.

"What was that?" Jake asked, unable to really get a grip on what was happening.

"Part of being a lawyer, pretty boring, right?" Gino laughed, glancing at Jake, who had expected more excitement, more spin and dance.

But being a lawyer was sometimes like a lukewarm beer and sometimes it could really hit the spot, but most of the time, it was just a little dull and unfulfilling.

"Listen, I get this whole thing about lawyers and the trials, but that's only a smidge of what we actually do." Gino lectured, walking out of the house as fast as he walked into it.

"Being a lawyer is mostly going through briefings, studying, delivering proposals, and so on, and so forth." Gino chuckled, side-eyeing the clearly disappointed Jake, brooding at the side.

"But let me guess, when you were in D.C., you thought being a lawyer was always like that?" Gino's question made Jake blush in embarrassment as he laughed and slapped him on the back.

"Oh come on, don't be embarrassed!" Gino cackled, watching him visibly turn away since that stuff only happened once in a blue moon.

"That was history, Ricky actually kicking the government's ass in their own house. Of course, it would make anyone stand on the edge of their seat." Gino didn't reprimand it but completely understood, wanting to see it for himself if he wasn't stuck here doing paperwork.

"I mean, the kid really knows how to keep you drawn in." Gino got into the car, with Jake quickly following.

"Yeah." Jake chuckled sheepishly, gulping and rubbing the back of his neck, unable to shake the feeling of being pulled in after all of that.

"So what now?"

"What now? Of course we get a hot dog and wait!"

4 hot dogs later,

"Still the best hot dogs in New York~" Gino patted his stomach, burping as he ate three hotdogs while Jake barely finished his first.

 "Hey Gino, can I ask you something?" Jake suddenly asked, sitting next to Gino who was unbuckling his belt.

"Shoot."

"You said earlier that you left for Rochester, but why did you leave after Lucky went so far for you?" Jake asked, relating heavily to him as Gino patted his thighs in a drumbeat, then looked up at the sky.

"Cause when Lucky pulled me out of my rut, it wasn't because he needed me, it was because I was his friend." Gino easily said, unashamed of his past anymore and wearing it as a symbol of pride that was his growth into the man currently sitting before him.

"I think the hardest part, the thing that took the longest time to really get a handle on, was that after I got hurt, Lucky just didn't need me anymore." Gino voiced out his truth, his words making Jake flinch as he slowly ducked his head.

"Unlike now, it wasn't all that administration sh*t like the family is now, since it's gotten so big. Back then, we were fighting every day just to keep up as a small gang." Gino revealed, having gotten hurt in a time where everything was moving so fast, and yet, he was barely even walking.

"But when I went down, I just couldn't run anymore, I couldn't keep up." Gino said, his hand slowly brushing against his wounds before looking at him.

Sigh

"And don't get me wrong, Lucky tried everything to get me back involved and made up sh*t to get me occupied." Gino nudged Jake, seeing him all quiet before his smile slowly faded and he decided to be truthful with the kid, with the younger him.

"But-.....but I knew it was meaningless." Gino words made Jake slowly lift his head up, trying to stop the tears falling from his eyes since this was the reality.

Ricky didn't need him anymore, they had grown apart.

"Gosh Jakey, you should've seen Lucky back then cause he was nothing like he is now." Gino rubbed Jake's hair, pushing him back down so that no one could see him cry.

"The guy was the most inspiring and ruthless guy I knew. Literally fought off four guys, all armed with knives and knuckles, with his bare fists." Gino exaggerated his motions, gripping his fist while emphasizing every word to give it that flare.

"But the thing that made me feel useless was when he was doing all of that and looking back at me." Gino slowly lowered his fist, knowing that no matter how hard Lucky tried to keep him tethered to his side, there came a point when he realized that all he was doing was dragging him down.

"God, he just kept running so far ahead and I was walking."

"..."

"I think that's when I really understood this second chance he gave me." Gino looked down at his chest, remaining silent for a long time.

"For the longest time I was Gino 'Fists' Toerrili but after the injury, I was just Gino." Gino closed his eyes, having his identity essentially stolen from him.

"The hardest part about starting over isn't taking the step forward, that's easy." Gino then opened his eyes, looking up at the clear blue sky with a sad smile.

"For me, it was finding out who Gino was, finding out who I was without the gang." Gino then turned his gaze back to Jake, smiling warmly at the kid who reminded him a little too much of himself.

"Weirdly enough, the thing that really helped me find out who I was, it was a law book." Gino turned to Jake, who was silent at the side, and gave him a toothy smile.

"I got invested, and one day, I asked Lucky about it, and he invested heavily into my education." Gino continued, narrating his life but making it short and sweet rather than dragging it out.

"I got my degree, passed the bar, and met my wife." Gino chuckled, looking down at the golden wedding band adorning his finger and holding it up proudly.

"That's who Gino is and that's how I found myself." Gino patted his shoulder and handed Jake a card.

"Listen, Ricky told me about your situation, and I'm being completely honest with you, I think you've got potential." Gino patted his shoulder, nestling the card in between his fingers as Jake slowly looked at it.

"Putting aside the fact of how similar we are, Lanky told me about you, and I've seen how you managed the clubs." Gino shook him slightly, really trying to shake any sort of response out as he continued.

"I think you could be a great lawyer." Gino then pushed Jake's fingers to wrap around the card, standing up as a car pulled up from the side.

"I'm looking to expand up in Rochester and I need another Paralegal." Gino turned back to Jake, walking while nodding his head.

"It won't pay much, but being around the firm will do you wonders while you're in college, if you decide to pursue an education." Gino gave Jake a toothy smile, seeing too much of himself in Jake to let it simmer.

Honestly, back then, Gino wished he had someone who had gone through all the stuff he did to help guide him. 

It was a sort of healing for his past, to help Jake, or at least reach out a hand to show that he wasn't alone, and to close that part of his life without any regrets.

"I'm leaving soon 'cause I gotta get back, so if you have this handy, give me a ring." Gino then turned to Ricky, getting out of the car.

"Gino!" Ricky shouted with an enthusiastic smile, spreading out his arms as Gino hugged him and patted his back.

"Aye, thanks for handling all this paperwork, I mean it, you're a lifesaver." Ricky patted his chest, laughing since he had been swamped, and Gino handling this was such a relief.

"It ain't nothing, don't worry about it." Gino waved him off, laughing along with the bubbling Ricky.

"They in there?" Ricky asked, pointing forward towards the meeting location as Gino nodded with a smile.

"All except the Profaci family, like you asked." Gino tapped his nose, knowing full well why they were left out but respecting Ricky's decision to cap Profaci himself.

"Good, good." Ricky patted his shoulder, noticing Jake staring blankly at the side.

Snap

"Snap out of it, the job ain't over yet." Ricky laughed, snapping his fingers in front of Jake's gaze as he flinched.

"More like a slaughter." Gino chuckled behind, watching Ricky yank Jake off his feet and sling his arm around him, pulling him towards the meeting room as he slowly shook his head and followed.

There was nothing of significance in this place, and Jake had never even been here before, but right next to that office was a bar. 

The same bar where Abraham had been hanging around, near the back alley where Ricky had found himself after Eddy's suicide. 

It had been one of his lowest points in New York, and he wanted to completely erase that memory, to make this place have more meaning.

So, when Ricky walked into the office and toward a particular room, he didn't hesitate in the least. He walked forward with a confident stride before appearing in front of the double doors.

BAM

Kicking the door open without any regard, Ricky slowly walked into the meeting room with the most confident smile, spreading out his hands as if claiming the space.

"If it isn't the losing side, long time no see." Ricky immediately pressed on the wound which made everyone in the room sour.

Ricky's toothy smile rang out as all of the matriarchs of the families were now sitting in one room, each bearing their own lawyer.

Except for Maria, the Gambino, Lucchese, and Buffalo families were all sitting at the table, eyes fixed on the piece of paper in front of them. 

Together, their total net worth of assets that Ricky wanted to buy amounted to around 1.5 million dollars. 

His offer, however, was clearly a lowball, and the lawyers sitting across from him wore greed like a second skin, their eyes sharp and calculating, their demeanor entirely composed.

"Mr. Luciano-"

"Call me Slick, that's my pops and don't you fcking say his name in such a nonchalant way, you fcking bolden it," Ricky pointed his finger at the first lawyer who spoke, scowling at him as he coughed and choked on his words while paling.

"Then, Mr. Slick-"

"Jesus Christ, it's Slick, no Mr. and what the fuck did I say about boldening? Use your chest and stop being such a sissy." Ricky laughed, looking at the next lawyer as his gaze slowly started to loom over him.

This was one of the tactics that Lucky had taught him and although it was a more crude way of doing, it basically involved demeaning the man on the other side of the table.

It wasn't just about throwing insults or making crude remarks; it was about dismantling the other person's sense of control. 

Lucky believed that in the high-stakes world they operated in, the mind was as much a battleground as the streets.

This particular method involved calculated mockery, demeaning the man on the other side of the table in subtle yet devastating ways. 

It might begin with a seemingly innocuous comment about the opponent's appearance, posture, or mannerisms. 

But Lucky just had a knack for finding cracks in a man's façade and exploiting them ruthlessly. 

If the opponent had a nervous tick, Lucky would draw attention to it, weaving it into the conversation until it became all they could focus on. 

If they dressed too extravagantly, Lucky would reduce their choice of clothing to something gaudy and desperate, making them feel almost foreign in their own clothes.

For Ricky, this approach was both crude and effective, but he recognized the danger in wielding it improperly. 

It wasn't just about making someone feel small; it was about controlling the narrative of the exchange. 

'If you can make them feel like they're defending themselves, they're already losing.' It was one of those handful of comments that Lucky always told Ricky in his passing, trying to drill it into his head until it came of use, like it was now.

"S-Sissy?!" The lawyer was appalled at his choice of words before RIcky scoffed, slicking his hands through his hair.

"Just get on with it already, the whining is getting annoying." Ricky continued, his gaze infuriating the lawyer as the other stood up.

"It says here in the contract that you are going to provide the sum of $350,000 for the range of assets within the meeting." The other lawyer voiced his concern, adjusting his glasses and looking at Ricky with squinted eyes.

"However, all the assets under each family are being bought, so are we to assume that our clients will not be receiving the sum of $350,000 each, but all together?" The other lawyer first inquired, needing it to be clarified as Ricky simply shrugged.

"Yeah, that's right." Ricky laughed, wiping his mouth and not even bothering to hide it as the women all gasped at his shamelessness.

"That's absurd!"

"Do you think we're fools!"

The woman berated Ricky, their voice rising in frustration, but he didn't interrupt them and instead, raised his hand.

He mimicked her words, waving his hand up and down, as if it were his hand doing the talking, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Clearly mocking their complaints until they all angrily and hatfully gazed at Ricky, deciding to let their lawyers do the talking. 

"Why on earth would we agree to this!" The other lawyer couldn't help but yell, thinking this was entirely absurd for suggesting it.

"Because, do you really have any other choice?" Ricky raised his gaze, his cold smile widening as he spread out his arms, surveying the room as his voice was sharp, confident, and almost mocking, daring them to challenge him.

"You're in my playground, I'm the neighborhood bully and I can go around kicking up whoever's sandcastle I want." Ricky joked, waving his finger at them as if reprimanding a bunch of children.

"You think cause I didn't come after you immediately meant you all could live in my city, fat f*cking chance." Ricky scoffed, seeing the woman all visibly recoil at his words as they swallowed their breaths.

"I was just busy with other sh*t that I didn't have the time to lug myself out here and take all your stuff for pennies on the dollar." Ricky shamelessly shrugged, essentially telling him that one way or another, he would be getting his nut.

"But before your lawyer chimes in, recommending that you leave here and discuss later, let me give you a piece of advice." Ricky suddenly spoke right when he saw one of the lawyers about to open his mouth.

"I'm not gonna play fair once you walk out of this room today." Ricky's cold words froze the woman in their tracks, their gazes shrinking as they all slowly turned towards him.

"But you're not supposed to-"

"You're right, you're not supposed to go after loved ones once the dust clears, and I wouldn't have even thought about it at all." Ricky knew the code, he knew that there was a line you weren't supposed to cross, but it was the mob bosses who stepped over it first as he let the silence hang for a moment, his gaze cold as ice, before he leaned in a little closer.

"If your f*cking husbands and sons didn't start it," Ricky leaned in, his presence intensifying as his aura pulsed with menace and every single person at the table felt a cold shiver tingle up their spines. 

"The balls they must've had to go after what's mine while I was away, thinking it would all be swept under the rug just 'cause they got popped." Ricky chuckled, but there was no warmth in it, almost predatory, and it left the women before him unnerved, their eyes darting between each other, unsure of how to respond. 

"But I don't want any accidents to happen like with the poor Nitti family up in Chicago." Ricky's words made the women lower their heads, sweat dripping down their faces as his eyes scanned them coldly.

"Mrs.-"

"Be quiet, now." Mrs. Bonanno silenced her lawyer, her trembling hand clenching into a fist before she finally looked up at him.

"So you're saying that if we all take the 350,000, then you'll let us go." Mrs. Bonanno finally said, slowly gazing up at a smiling Ricky, stretching it from ear to ear.

"Sure, I won't go after you if you give me what I think is mine." Ricky chuckled, watching as the women exchanged silent glances, an unspoken agreement passing between them.

"Fine, we-"

"But before you accept, can I tell you all a story?" Ricky asked, pulling the envelope back just before Mrs. Bonanno could take it, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"S-Sure?" Mrs. Bonanno glanced around nervously before her gaze returned to Ricky as he began pacing around the room.

"You know, there were a lot of numbers thrown around this week," Ricky said, side-eyeing them, still smiling as he took in their confused expressions.

"300, 350, and even 350 each." Ricky waved the envelope in the air, making a spectacle of it as all their eyes were drawn on it.

"But there is one number that really matters to me, 3." Ricky suddenly stopped at the end of the table once more, holding up three fingers to them all.

"3?" Mrs. Bonanno laughed, glancing at Ricky, who simply shook his head.

"Yeah, 3. But let's see if it's still funny, Mrs. Bonanno." Ricky's words wiped that smile right off of her face, watching him slowly turn to the side.

"You probably know this, I mean, it's not some hidden secret but I went away." Ricky repeated the same chagrin he always seemingly said, having said this very thing over and over again like some sort of broken record.

"Did some soul searching, went to the Vatican, really just found out a bunch of stuff and really got my sh*t together." Ricky sped it up, only giving some brief words to summarize, to let them all visualize what he was alluding to.

"But the key number is three years, a grand total of three years I was gone from New York." Ricky once again held up his three fingers, showing them to the group before squinting his eyes.

"For three years, I suffered through grueling training, hidden away like a goddamn piece of trash accidentally thrown too far after missing the bin. I was tucked away in that corner for all those years, until I finally came back out into the light." Ricky narrated, showing how pissed off he was even now, after already getting his revenge on the guys who orchestrated it all.

"Those three years, those 36 months, those 156 weeks, and those 1,095 days were all spent away. But before all of that, I was in New York." Ricky continued, wanting to make a show of it as it really laid it on thick.

"I was in Profaci's house after handling some business, only to find out some news." Ricky then stopped, turning towards them while raising his gaze.

"You're sons and husbands had just got done calling a meeting, a secret one like some rats having to hide away to get their f*cking cheese." Ricky pointed the envelope at them, until he slowly retracted it.

"They had found out about me being a mutant and just couldn't resist the mouth watering opportunity, the perfect excuse to ship me away." Ricky flew his hand to the side, expressing him being literally shipped away as his hand acted like some sort of boat.

"So a vote was called, without my pops, by the way, and it was decided that I was to be banished from New York." Ricky chuckled, a hint of pain still lingering, but after today, he felt that his heart would finally be at ease.

"But my pops, he came to me. He told me he wouldn't rest, that he'd fight for me if I showed the initiative." Ricky looked up at the ceiling, taking a second before laughing and turning back to them.

"I ran, though a part of me felt a little bitter, at the fact that the Commission forced my pops' hand, even though I could've stayed." Ricky sighed, getting a little tired of having to constantly explain himself to others and always describe this story.

"But even now, I'm still a little bitter about that memory from three years ago." Ricky revealed the real reason they were all here as one of the lawyers couldn't help but speak out.

"Are you telling me we're here because of that ancient bullshit?!" the lawyer asked, speaking for his client, as Ricky laughed heartily.

"That's right!" Ricky chuckled madly, appealing to the head of the table before all of them.

"That's why I'm here presenting you with a check for $350,000, minus $300,000, $100,000 for each year I was away." Ricky laughed, slamming the offer onto the table as they all looked at him, stunned.

"Leaving you with a grand total of $50,000." Ricky then slid the offer into the middle, amused with himself as they all stared at it, shocked beyond belief.

"That-that-"

"That is bullshit!" Mrs. Bonanno yelled at Ricky, her face red with anger, but Ricky just shrugged.

"We will walk out of here if you don't honor the full amount-" The lawyer tried to hold firm, but Ricky shook his head.

"No, you won't. You all won't last a day in those streets if you don't leave here with that $50,000." Ricky's ruthless laugh simmered into their ears, a clear warning that they were open season if they didn't take that check in hand.

"Because not one of you, not one, can stop the fucking tidal wave I'll unleash upon you if you don't do what I say, when I say it, with a smile." Ricky's words felt like a pressing echo, causing every one of them to lower their heads.

This wasn't a negotiation; it wasn't even an offer. It was pure and unbridled humiliation, and it was the entire reason why Ricky had come here.

He knew how high up they were on their little horses, looking down on him, but that all ended here. 

He was going to stain each and every one of their names until he felt like stopping, because that was the power he wielded, that was power to Ricky.

"And after reviewing your holdings, your debts, and all the damages you've incurred from the pinkertons, this check is the only safe pass you have from the hell that awaits you beyond those doors." Ricky spread out his arms, knowing that he had royally destroyed them and they would probably never financially recover even with the miniscule amount they split among them.

"So pick it up, put it in your pocket, and walk out of here." Ricky's words weren't a question, but a demand, as Gino placed a piece of paper on the table, marking the transfer of their holdings to the Luciano family trust.

"Or I will." Ricky raised his gaze, looking down at them as they all exchanged long, tense glances.

They were former wives and mothers of the mob heads; there was no one who didn't know who they were.

They had made people duck their heads and bow for them, yet that anxiety still crept in.

The fear of the unknown seeped into their minds as the Shadow Broker stood by their side, tearing their conscience piece by piece with every paper wielded.

It was from that anxiety, that fear, that Mrs. Bonanno reached out and grabbed the envelope before the pen. 

Signing her name on the dotted line, all the others followed suit, like the sheep they really were, as Ricky smiled warmly at this.

Slowly, one by one, they all walked away, leaving Ricky to take a seat at the head of the table. Soon, there was no one left except him, Jake, and Gino.

"Ruthless, just like Lucky at his age." Gino grabbed his shoulder, pulling up a chair next to him with an enthusiastic smile.

"Yeah, well, you've got to be in this business." Ricky sighed, leaning back as he stared at the ceiling.

It was only the start. Ricky knew he had to be even more ruthless, for there would always be wolves and hyenas circling around him, waiting for the first chance to pounce and tear off a chunk.

Sigh

"Well, good work, you two." Ricky then hauled his body up, adjusting his suit before wiping his nose.

"I've still got another meeting, but this time, I'm going solo." Ricky saluted Gino with a smile, then turned to look at Jake, who ducked his head.

"Take the rest of the day off." Ricky patted Jake's shoulder, knowing he shouldn't, but feeling small as he left the room.

"Where are you headed?" Jake asked, watching as Ricky tapped the beam above him while walking out the door.

"To the Steffiled residence, I got to rub some salt in some old wounds."