Fic: Got Your Back (1/5)
Title: Got Your Back (1/5)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): Jim Collins (OC Narrator), Charles Makley, Mel/Johnny, Red Hamilton, Harry ‘Pete’ Pierpont
Fandom: Public Enemies
Genres: Angst, Challenge, Drama
Rating (this chapter): G
Claim: For the 12-stories Challenge (Mel/Johnny)
Prompt: T 7; P 7: Loyalty
Prompt Count: (11/12)
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
General Summary: A newcomer to the Dillinger Gang learns the secrets of their success.
Chapter Summary: A new member joins the Dillinger Gang.
Date Of Completion: April 6, 2012
Date Of Posting: March 7, 2019
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, Universal does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 781
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author’s Note: All chapters can be found here.
I
CHARMER
"A man develops certain…tastes…doin’ hard time."
Ed ‘Bruiser’ Kowalski
Leader Of The
Purple Steel Gang
1929 C.E.
John Dillinger sure was a charmer.
He was really the star of the underworld, the guy yeggs like me startin’ out wanted to be like. The dames loved him and he made the headlines of all the papers. His handsome mug was in all the newsreels, which really got Hoover’s knickers in a twist.
All kinds of stories and rumors swirled around him. Some said that he was the luckiest man around and had made a deal with the devil to get that luck while others claimed that the Feds were just incompetent. I could see that. The Bureau guys hadn’t been able to even get close to Dillinger.
Now the rumor was that a mystery man was with the Dillinger Gang. They said that he stayed in the shadows so no one knew what he really looked like.
Another crazy rumor was running around that it was Melvin Purvis, Hoover’s prize G-Man. He’d disappeared in that shoot-out they had up at Little Bohemia, but most figured he’d been killed and buried somewhere in the woods.
It was a rumor that was pretty much only in the underworld. The general public might think it odd that hints of Dillinger havin’ a man on the side were floatin’ around. They didn’t realize that havin’ a guy wasn’t a huge deal with some career yeggs. You spend enough years in the joint without women, a man can develop certain tastes. Most only did it with other guys outta necessity, but some liked to keep it up on the outside.
I wouldn’t be surprised if John Dillinger swung that way. He’d been in the joint for nine years. Does things to a man.
‘Course, the Sicilians don’t want no truck with pansies, but it’s part of their culture and religion, I guess. But the world outside of the Syndicate is different. We got our rules and they got theirs.
Not that every yegg thinks it’s fine and dandy to fuck guys, but most just don’t care. They care more about Dillinger’s skills as a bank robber than who he sleeps with.
I got really excited when Charles contacted me and said that they needed help for a big job. Homer was laid up with a case of the influenza and so the gang needed someone. The mystery man never went on jobs so they needed the hand.
I met Charles in the alley behind O’Donnell’s. He smiled at me and shook my hand. “Lookin’ good, kid.”
“Thanks. You, too.”
It was true. Charles was dressed in a nice, expensive suit and fedora, his fedora set at a rakish angle. His brown hair was slicked back and he smelled of good tobacco.
“You still smokin’ that fancy pipe?”
He laughed. “Yep, got my Meerschaum right here.” He patted his breast pocket.
“You’ve got a big job, I hear?”
“That’s right.”
I turned at the sound of the new voice, my eyes lighting up. “Mr. Dillinger, I presume?”
He laughed. “Fancy talk. You a college boy?”
“Nah, I just like readin’ about Stanley and Livingston.”
His brown eyes sparkled. A taller man with red hair and a blond man with suspicious eyes were behind him, and a third man stayed in the shadows, wearing an expensive black greatcoat, the fedora low over his eyes. I figured the first two for Red Hamilton and Pete Pierpont. The third? The Mystery Man.
“Charles here says that you’re a good yegg,” Johnny said. His affability didn’t fool me. I could see him assessin’ me as he talked.
“Yes, sir, I am. Know how to handle a tommygun and how to handle the crowds in a bank without getting’ anyone shot.”
“Now there’s a good trait to have. I don’t really fancy getting’ a bellyful of lead, or any of my men, either. Or any cop or civilian, for that matter.”
“Then I’m your man. Jim Collins.”
Johnny grinned. “Self-confident. I like that.” He punched one gloved hand into the other. “How’s your mouth?”
“Huh?” Those rumors swirled around in my head and I felt a little panicky.
Pete rolled his eyes while Red and Charles smirked. Red said, “Don’t worry, kid, he’s got a man.”
I was startled that Red was so casual about saying it aloud but they probably wanted to see my reaction.
I did my best to sound casual. “Sounds good to me.”
Satisfied, Johnny said, “Can you keep your mouth shut?”
“Sure, I’m no blabbermouth.”
“That’s good.” Johnny held out his hand.
We shook on it and I was the newest member of the Dillinger Gang.
free traffic counters
This chapter can also be read on AO3.
This entry has been cross-posted from Dreamwidth. Comment on either entry as you wish. :)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): Jim Collins (OC Narrator), Charles Makley, Mel/Johnny, Red Hamilton, Harry ‘Pete’ Pierpont
Fandom: Public Enemies
Genres: Angst, Challenge, Drama
Rating (this chapter): G
Claim: For the 12-stories Challenge (Mel/Johnny)
Prompt: T 7; P 7: Loyalty
Prompt Count: (11/12)
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
General Summary: A newcomer to the Dillinger Gang learns the secrets of their success.
Chapter Summary: A new member joins the Dillinger Gang.
Date Of Completion: April 6, 2012
Date Of Posting: March 7, 2019
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, Universal does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 781
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author’s Note: All chapters can be found here.
I
CHARMER
"A man develops certain…tastes…doin’ hard time."
Ed ‘Bruiser’ Kowalski
Leader Of The
Purple Steel Gang
1929 C.E.
John Dillinger sure was a charmer.
He was really the star of the underworld, the guy yeggs like me startin’ out wanted to be like. The dames loved him and he made the headlines of all the papers. His handsome mug was in all the newsreels, which really got Hoover’s knickers in a twist.
All kinds of stories and rumors swirled around him. Some said that he was the luckiest man around and had made a deal with the devil to get that luck while others claimed that the Feds were just incompetent. I could see that. The Bureau guys hadn’t been able to even get close to Dillinger.
Now the rumor was that a mystery man was with the Dillinger Gang. They said that he stayed in the shadows so no one knew what he really looked like.
Another crazy rumor was running around that it was Melvin Purvis, Hoover’s prize G-Man. He’d disappeared in that shoot-out they had up at Little Bohemia, but most figured he’d been killed and buried somewhere in the woods.
It was a rumor that was pretty much only in the underworld. The general public might think it odd that hints of Dillinger havin’ a man on the side were floatin’ around. They didn’t realize that havin’ a guy wasn’t a huge deal with some career yeggs. You spend enough years in the joint without women, a man can develop certain tastes. Most only did it with other guys outta necessity, but some liked to keep it up on the outside.
I wouldn’t be surprised if John Dillinger swung that way. He’d been in the joint for nine years. Does things to a man.
‘Course, the Sicilians don’t want no truck with pansies, but it’s part of their culture and religion, I guess. But the world outside of the Syndicate is different. We got our rules and they got theirs.
Not that every yegg thinks it’s fine and dandy to fuck guys, but most just don’t care. They care more about Dillinger’s skills as a bank robber than who he sleeps with.
I got really excited when Charles contacted me and said that they needed help for a big job. Homer was laid up with a case of the influenza and so the gang needed someone. The mystery man never went on jobs so they needed the hand.
I met Charles in the alley behind O’Donnell’s. He smiled at me and shook my hand. “Lookin’ good, kid.”
“Thanks. You, too.”
It was true. Charles was dressed in a nice, expensive suit and fedora, his fedora set at a rakish angle. His brown hair was slicked back and he smelled of good tobacco.
“You still smokin’ that fancy pipe?”
He laughed. “Yep, got my Meerschaum right here.” He patted his breast pocket.
“You’ve got a big job, I hear?”
“That’s right.”
I turned at the sound of the new voice, my eyes lighting up. “Mr. Dillinger, I presume?”
He laughed. “Fancy talk. You a college boy?”
“Nah, I just like readin’ about Stanley and Livingston.”
His brown eyes sparkled. A taller man with red hair and a blond man with suspicious eyes were behind him, and a third man stayed in the shadows, wearing an expensive black greatcoat, the fedora low over his eyes. I figured the first two for Red Hamilton and Pete Pierpont. The third? The Mystery Man.
“Charles here says that you’re a good yegg,” Johnny said. His affability didn’t fool me. I could see him assessin’ me as he talked.
“Yes, sir, I am. Know how to handle a tommygun and how to handle the crowds in a bank without getting’ anyone shot.”
“Now there’s a good trait to have. I don’t really fancy getting’ a bellyful of lead, or any of my men, either. Or any cop or civilian, for that matter.”
“Then I’m your man. Jim Collins.”
Johnny grinned. “Self-confident. I like that.” He punched one gloved hand into the other. “How’s your mouth?”
“Huh?” Those rumors swirled around in my head and I felt a little panicky.
Pete rolled his eyes while Red and Charles smirked. Red said, “Don’t worry, kid, he’s got a man.”
I was startled that Red was so casual about saying it aloud but they probably wanted to see my reaction.
I did my best to sound casual. “Sounds good to me.”
Satisfied, Johnny said, “Can you keep your mouth shut?”
“Sure, I’m no blabbermouth.”
“That’s good.” Johnny held out his hand.
We shook on it and I was the newest member of the Dillinger Gang.
free traffic counters
This chapter can also be read on AO3.
This entry has been cross-posted from Dreamwidth. Comment on either entry as you wish. :)