Chapter 4

I rather work than blindly do something with a girl whom I have only known maybe a total of 15 minutes. I don't even know where she's taking me or what it is that I will be doing. All I know so far is that apparently she needs my help and we are going to meet her contact at some park down the road. Is my life worth it to try and land another paying gig? You're damn right it is. Forget it, I'll do whatever I can just to act again!

"Alright, let's move." She said to me while walking out of the apartment gates and towards the east.

"Okay. I don't think I ever been to Cheshire Park but I have road passed or around it a couple times I guess" I said to her

"Don't care." She said bluntly.

Ouch. I'm over here trying to start a conversation and she's giving me the cold shoulder. Not much I can do I guess. But it's not every day I can walk alongside a pretty girl.

We arrived at Cheshire Park just a few minutes later with no other words said. It's a nice park but it's still one of your average city parks. The layout has many trees with a playground section for the kids and a little work out area for the older people. There's a trail or two here and on the other side of the park there's a small dog park.

"So Cleo, where is this contact of yours?" I asked her

"You sure talk too much. Don't worry he's around here somewhere. We always meet on the dot" she replied

She surveyed the area until she pointed at a man in a suit sitting at a bench just across the park.

'That's the guy. Let's go."

She hurried along what I believed was the start of the trail and not long after we arrived at the bench where the man was sitting.

"Yo. I'm here with the kid I told you I'd bring. She said to him.

Wait a minute. She was already planning on bringing me here? What the hell?

"So this is him huh?" He asked while taking off his sunglasses to take a clear look at me.

Yeah, this isn't creepy.

"Who are you?" I asked him?

"That's on a need to know basis." He replied

"Well. I need to know before I proceed with anything."

"Fair enough. I am FBI Agent Rob Epps. I'm her Handle."

"Nope." she replied quickly

He showed me his credentials.

"Erm. Well anyways." the FBI Agent continued. "She suggested that we can use you to help us with this sting operation that the FBI has been working on for months. It's not necessarily a dangerous job but whenever she presented your information to me I felt that you might be the best candidate. Simon right?"

"Yes. What do you mean?" I asked.

"You work for Bruno's Pizza? Do you know much about that? I think I read that you were there about a year or so?"

"Yeah something like that."

He hands me an envelope.

"Open it."

I opened the envelope and inside were pictures. There were mainly pictures of a fairly large man, mostly mugshots and then some old pictures of the pizzeria that looks like it was dated maybe 10 to 20 years ago.

"What's this gotta do with me? These pictures look ancient."

"Do you recognize that man?"

"No. Should I?"

He picked out the mug shot of the man. The name written on the picture was: Martin "Junior" Barbazzo.

"This is Martin Barbazzo, who also goes by the name Junior. He is the boss of the Barbazzo Crime Family and as far as our intelligence goes, he is the most powerful and only mob boss in America right now."

"Wait, there were more?"

"Yes, only until a few years ago where the main families out in the Midwest were all arrested and tried which rendered them powerless. Now Junior here is picking up the pieces that they left behind and gaining control of their assets. Thus, making him a force not to be reckoned with. But since Cleo here offered you as assistance maybe it's time for us to finally get this guy."

"I have never seen this guy before. So what's this guy gotta do with me and the restaurant?"

"The guy's name is Sal right? The current owner? Did he ever tell you how the place came together?"

"Yeah, I remember him telling me that him and his friends wanted to make a place for them to hang out or something like that."

"More or less correct but yeah that's about the gist of it."

"Then what's this gotta do with her?"

"Listen here kid, I wouldn't bring you here if I didn't find you useful to me." She snapped at me. "For your information, Frank Bruno was good friends with Junior. You know who else he was friends with? He was friends with my dad."

"Say what?" I shockingly asked.

The FBI Agent cleared his throat.

"That's right. Her father helped with the financial aspect of the place. Actually to be precise her father actually owns the building, the restaurant, the whole thing is under her father's name. There's no record of Frank Bruno or his close associates ever associated with that building. Salvatore, your boss is actually working there legally. Well I mean on paper."

"So why am I here again?" I asked for the countless time

"I need you to wear a wire. We have information that two Barbazzo's associates will meet there for a quick meeting with Salvatore. So we need you to get us as much information as you can."

"And why would I do that? Why would I rat on my own boss?"

"Did she tell you who her father is?"

"No. Am I supposed to?"

The FBI Agent looked over to her.

"Ever head of the name, John Adler? Not just any John Adler but John Adler the Second."

My eyes widened.

"You aren't serious?" I looked at Cleo. Is this FBI Agent telling me that she's an Adler? Cleo Adler? The Adler Family owns like half of the city. They don't just own the city, they run the movie business, have their own hotel line and as far as I know they own property for rich people. Now the movie business, Adler family had a hand in that. They not only produced the world's best movies but they have actors and actresses that are immortalized. They are never forgotten. They are acting legends.

"You're an Adler?" I asked her

"I guess so." She answered coldly. "I'm serious that if you help me, I can get you a gig. Not just any gig, an Adler gig."

An Adler gig is what they say in the acting circle is when you get an acting gig regardless if it's a main role or even just a background character. You are pretty much set for life. Being an Adler's actor or actresses is like being a student at Harvard. It will open many doors for you.

"Well if you put it that way. I guess I have nothing to lose. I can't believe Sal would be on this."

"Well, we might not know if Sal is actually associated with the Family. We just know his father was and as far as we know he's been pretty clean. If he's hiding something, he's really good at it. And that's where you come in. We need more information about these two associates coming to lunch on Thursday. I also hear that the restaurant might be closed until 2 PM, I can't deny or confirm that but you can when you go to work tomorrow.

"I'm not going to lie. But I think you guys are crazy, but I guess I have to trust you since you guys brought me all the way out here."

"You won't need to worry about anything. They won't even suspect you. All you gotta do is get some information and you let us handle the rest. Now Cleo will be your handle and you will report everything to her. She will get you the gear and she'll also set you up with anything that you may or may not need. All I asked for you is to be somewhat normal and get as much information as you can."

"Don't worry, kid" Cleo butted in. "I'll have my network look after you as well, you know just in case anything happens.

"Like what?" I genuinely asked.

���You just found out that you may or may not be working at a place that might be mob related. I wouldn't be surprised if a drive by was going to happen. But as far as I know I don't think that place has ever been robbed considering the neighborhood that it's located in some of the gas stations has been robbed a few times."

"That is true. I don't think I ever witnessed a crime at the restaurant."

"Then, you're good to go. Alright Mr. FBI Agent. I'm going to go home now. I have been outside way too long. If you need anything else you know how to contact me. And kid, don't worry about your equipment while you were sitting here I was able to get an order in for you. Your stuff should arrive tonight, hopefully by the time you get home."

"Wait, what stuff?"

"Don't worry about it. You'll see when you get it. It'll help you move forward until Thursday. We can get it set up and running tonight."

"But how do I contact you? I don't have your number."

"Don't worry about that. I got that covered. I will see you folks later."

And just like that, she opened her umbrella again and began walking away from us.

"This is going to be a strange question but how do you know her?" I asked the FBI Agent.

"Short story? We caught her sneaking into one of the computers." He answered.

"What? She was just in your guy's office and was stealing information?"

"Nope. She did all that from some place in South America and if I remembered correctly our IT team noticed she was trying to plant a message. I don't remember what it was but it caught our attention. She didn't want a job with us but we eventually hired her on as a part time consultant like now. Aside from this case, she's also helping work with the IT about the bank transfer case that happened recently."

"Oh yeah, I read a little bit of that in the newspaper recently."

"Well, Simon it was nice meeting you. Let's catch this guy and put another scum behind bars. Hey kid, she may be a little abrasive or whatever but she knows what's doing. Maybe too much for her own good, so stick your ground and be careful. She doesn't trust anyone and neither should you."

"You guys are crazy but I have no other choice." I began to walk away and head home.

"Hey Kid," the FBI Agent stopped me before I moved further.

"Yeah?"

"Let me know what acting gig you got. I'll watch you."

"Okay sure."

I made my way to the other side of the park and right when I was about to leave through the parking lot to head home I realized I left my bike at Cleo's apartment complex.

I sighed and began to make my way to the opposite side on the way to her apartment. A job is a job but this acting gig can change my life forever. Did I get blackmailed into doing this? Did I get scared to say yes? I don't know how she did it but I'll pretty much do anything for a paying acting gig. She's not giving me an acting gig, it's an Adler gig.

After about a 10 minute walk back to her apartment, my bike was parked outside the gate. I couldn't believe it. Anyone could have stolen it. It was just sitting here. I'm pretty sure I had it on the inside before I walked up. I'm guessing Cleo did it.

I finally rode home and as soon as I got to the front door I noticed a package on the ground. It was addressed to me with a small envelope on top. I opened the envelope and read the letter that was inside.

"

Let's get to work.

-

@FireFlower

"

This must be the package that Cleo said was going to get delivered. That was pretty quick. She did this not even an hour ago. I wonder if I'm being watched. I took the package inside and as soon as I opened the door I tossed the package on top of the small coffee table and I fell onto the couch.

I'm going to take a nap.