2021-05-14 - You, Into the Office

Joey called Seth to his office. yeah, the 'other' one. Not the one with the desk and the phone that people see up front, un-glamourous as it is, but the one in the back of the gym behind the fire door and the worn brick and down the half flight of metal and concrete steps with the bed in the back and the concrete floor, the sewer drain and the cleaning supplies and that chair they've sat people in to have short punctuated conversations with.

This is not new to Seth. Seth and Joey both grew up with their hands very dirty taking care of problems, and disposing of the situation so that the problems are gone. nice. Neat. No one has to know. Soldiers stand ready with rough hands ready to do violence on behalf of the people so they don't have to. Up til now Joey and Seth have doe the same... but for Felix. Today's a bit of a different day.

Nothing Seth needs to worry about personally as he's always been close as his own cousin (and less irritating). Walking in there's music from outside in the gym muffled but audible and Joey's there in his chair at that shitty metal desk that is all too often the desk that holds shit while they get their bullets pulled out. Today it looks like a lot of paper. A hand gestures behind him at the old fridge from the 90's that is still somehow working just fine. "Sup, Seth. Grab a drink. Have a seat."

Seth doesn't like coming down here very often. Usually, it means something has gone wrong be that having to pull bullets out of each other, or sometimes putting a bullet into someone else. Even though he knows he hasn't done anything to deserve it, there is always a sense of trepidation when the enforcer makes his way down those stairs wondering if it is 'his turn'.

The Irishman makes his way into the office, making his way over towards the fridge as he looks over the office. No plastic sheeting to help in any messy cleanup, so that is always a good sign. He opens the fridge and grabs himself a bottle of water before making his way to one of the chairs on the other side of the desk, "Hey, Joey," replies Seth as he opens the bottle to take a drink. "What's up?"

Joey knows. he knows the feeling and knows to answer, "Not you or yours." Always starting talks with your immediate concerns are not about to be disrupted is a fucking professional courtesy. Sitting back in his chair he wobbles his head, "Going through the books Felix left me I'm working on some business shit now that Felix is focused with his nose up Seattle's ass. He's got shit going on there and is relying on us not to let things fall apart as much as they just fucking did. So. the good news is we got all the rats out of our fucking kitchen so I may have to write Reyes' ass a fucking thank you note...for that." he's not going to that's for damn sure.

Brow furrowing his green eyes squint and look to Seth with a slow nod, "Two things we got though. Since it's my call I turned Itzhak loose. We're not collection on him anymore and in return he's staying on as a favor of respect and as a mechanical 'consultant'. He works he gets paid out. We're gonna start taking care of our people that have been good to us. He held up his end." He takes a drink and takes a deep breath. "I need you to take a trip and look into a problem for us. Someone is starting up a side business. Unauthorized. And two? They don't have our fucking blessing. What'chu got happening this Thursday?"

Seth's shoulders relaxing a bit as Joey alleviates his fears somewhat at the start of the conversation, though one brow does arch up as the mention of Itz, "Hell, I didn't even realize we were still collecting on him in the first place," the enforcer mutters out quietly. "As for Reyes, well, I already wrote him the only note I was ever planning on writing him with a lead stamp. I hope I got my point across."

Seth takes a drink from the bottle of water as Joey finishes up, "Apparently a field trip. What should I pack?" The enforcer leans back and reaches up and rubs at his now full beard, "This going to be an overnight or something longer?"

Joey tilts his head taking a deep, patient breath, "Yeah I was doing it. He was buried in Felix's back pocket for a while collecting dust. I bought out his lease when I started investing in properties and... he did a couple jobs that really needed doing and paid in with interest and... had my back when I needed it." Because it's Seth Joey's frank enough to say, "I promised him I won't make him busy my bodies no more so... goods only, yeah?" It's a common enough thing that it should be said.

"This... is for you." He picks up a piece of paper folded in half with some chicken scrawl address on it and a name. "This is presently our concern and now your concern. this asshole... is not only trying to cut in on Antonio's profit margin-" he pauses gesturing back to himself and then Seth with a gesture of the folded paper before handing the sheet over, "But he's doing it without an 'opt in'. So," Here it is, "I need you to pay this asshole a visit. I ain't having trafficking in my fuckin harbor. Deal with this asshole. Find his books. I want to know who he's doing business with. The fucking people... need to go home. There a problem? Fucking call me. Getting people home again is sort of a DA issue not ours but don't be a dick and leave someone in a box. "

He waits for Seth to process this and Joey shakes his head, "I want em gone like the STD he is. Might not be one trip. I know. I'm trusting you to handle this. Keep me up if you need anything. If you hit a problem you call me." Yeah it's bugging Joey, but so is them losing that little nosewipe Neil in the Reyes hit.

"Except for him?" questions Seth with a soft chuckle as he nods towards the paper in Joey's hand. "Sounds like a box is exactly where you want him. Did you want something tangible as proof, or a photo enough?"

Seth takes another sip at his water, lowering it and running his thumb across the lip of the bottle idly as he thinks, "What do you know? Anything useful or is that also my problem?" the enforcer questions with a smile as he reaches out to take the paper from Joey's grasp. "Also, am I on my own for this, or can I take Vic along? Assuming she can get the time away from the Twofer that is. I think she spends more time there now than anywhere else."

"As for Itz, I never busied him with bodies anyway so no skin of my back. All I ever call him for is help with Lilith, and I never assume it was free." The '68. Joey would know the name of Seth's pride and joy. "Glad to hear he is getting free of the shit."

Joey sets his jaw, "I wouldn't mind having a talk with em... but I understand if he's unavailable." As for proof he arches an eyebrow, "You think I don't trust you? You come back tell me we're good that's enough." When he asks for more information he gestures to a 5x7 manila envelope on the desk. "that's what I got. That's what you need to know. You got the internet. You're a big boy. We're in the art of getting shit done and making sure this town don't go to shit so there's anything profitable worth making money off of." He considers and wobbles his head, "Take Vic with you. Remember those people? They didn't opt in for this. Get em out if we can. "

There's a deep sigh and he just shakes his head picking up his bean burrito there on the side folding the paper back. "These guys I don't get. rime was something we used to be able to be proud of. No one takes pride in their fucking work anymore. Whatever you gotta do to get it done? Es spiritu sancti go with my blessings." There's a pause and a wry grin not often seen but genuine all the same remarking on Lilith. "Yeah she ain't changed a bit. You got anything for me aside from fucking now twice dead Addingtons stepping up on our block?"

Seth is in the process of getting up to go, reaching out to grab the envelope on the desk when Joey mentions dead Addingtons. Seth finishes the move for the envelope, standing up with a shake of his head, "Not that I know of. I mean, there is some personal business I am handling with Rhys and some beachcombing treasure I came across. Decided I am going to turn that into something a little more tangible in the long run, and give Ravn's charity a nice donation in the process. Aside from that things have been kinda quiet. I hadn't heard about any Addington related issues, other than Ravn's 'girlfriend'. What happened?"

Joey nods slowly. "Good use for it. Launders it nice too." Though the word of Ravn brings an eyebrow up, "Hey, careful with that shit. He's sensitive about things for whatever reason. He's not cuddling up with the damn DA." He sighs and mutters putting something into his phone. "Someone needs to go by Ronnie's and drop him off some fuckin ribs. Not. You. You have shit to do.. Some fuckers rolling into Pourhouse after some Vinnie guy that looks kinda like Clayton. If you think of it see if you can find em. Vic was there. She can fill ya in."

"He knows," Seth says with a smirk, "I made sure he could object if he had any reservations about accepting it. He didn't. Maybe we are being a bad influence on him."

The talk of ribs makes the enforcer's stomach rumble audibly. "No ribs for me? Tease." jokes Seth. "I'll ask Vic about it when we head off too," he says as he glances down at the paper, "Aw shit. I have to go to Spokane?"

Joey looks up without missing a beat, "baby you take care of this for me you get a goddamn steak dinner." His hands lift up and all he has to say to Spokane is, "Look if he makes enough bad life choices to get planted in the ground why wouldn't being in Spokane be among the list of reprobate moves on his part?"

Seth sighs, "Fair enough. I'll bring him in to have a conversation...unless I can't. Either way, next time you see me it will be taken care of." Seth slips the paper into his pocket, along with the envelope, and turns for the door."

Joey looks up and says "Hey Seth?" There's that pause that Joey picked up from the many Felix updates, "If you find his buyers? I don't think we'll need em. Call me on your way back in. You'll get your ribs." And payment on delivery as it were, but right now Joey's just concerned with making one bad connection stop on all ends.

Turning back as Joey calls his name, Seth nods his silent reply of understanding before he heads up the stairs.