Fic: Tears Of The Saints I: A Jewel Of Great Price (12/14)
Title: Tears Of The Saints I: A Jewel Of Great Price (12/14)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): Red/Homer, Mel/Johnny, Paul Maglioli, Phil D’Andrea, Frank Nitti, Angelo Ricotti
Series Notes: Tears Of The Saints will deal with the Outfit/Syndicate (aka the Mob) and how they cross paths with the Dillinger Gang and the Bureau of Investigation. It helps to have first-hand knowledge of Italian culture and Catholicism. ;)
Fandom: Public Enemies
Genres: AU, Drama
Rating (this chapter): PG-13
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
General Summary: When the Syndicate needs the special talents of John Dillinger, they take out insurance that he will do the job they want by kidnapping someone near and dear to his heart: Melvin Purvis.
Chapter Summary: Johnny lays down the law to Frank Nitti.
Date Of Completion: February 6, 2010
Date Of Posting: March 27, 2010
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, Universal does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 1003
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
The entire series can be found here.
XII
"MY JEWEL"
Jewels of great price
Must always be
Protected.
Mrs. John (Sarah) Carrington
"The Sapphire Sparkles"
1906 C.E.
“Now what?” Homer asked.
“We head back to The Montmatre.” Johnny checked his tommygun.
“No,” Red said.
“What?” Johnny jerked his head up to stare at his friend.
“We don’t go back into the lion’s den.”
“We can’t afford to wait! We need to make sure Nitti countermands any order to kill Mel…if it isn’t already too late!” Johnny’s hand shook as he checked his pistol next.
“I know.” Red put a hand on his old friend’s shoulder. “We call.”
Johnny looked at him, frantic, then nodded.
& & & & & &
Mel could read his death in the stiletto-wielding thug’s eyes. His gut clenched as he knew he didn’t have a prayer against such a wily attacker, especially while chained to the bed.
He regretted dying like this, painfully and alone, and had hoped for more time with Johnny, but they’d always known their time together could end quickly and violently.
Mel set his jaw grimly. If he was going to die, he was going to go out in a way that would make Johnny proud.
Maglioli thrust forward with the stiletto.
& & & & & &
Phil hung up the phone and hurried into the conference room. “What the hell’s the matter…?” His voice trailed off as he saw the open statue and Frank clenching and unclenching his empty hand.
“That dirty sonafabitch double-crossed me!” Nitti snarled.
Phil wisely didn’t point out that Frank shouldn’t talk about double-crosses when the phone rang. He quickly went to answer it.
“Yeah?”
“Hey, Phil.”
“Johnny?”
“That’s right. Tell Nitti that I’ve got his pretty bauble. He gets it when I get my pretty Mel, and not one second before.”
Phil blew out his breath. “Hold on.” Squaring his shoulders, he returned to Frank and relayed Johnny’s demand.
“That…that…!” Nitti sputtered. “All right, tell him he’ll get his catamite back.”
“Oh, fuck!” Phil ran back to the phone. “It’s a deal, Johnny. Call back in ten minutes for details!” He hung up and quickly dialed the hide-out. “Ricotti, don’t go through with your orders! We need Purvis alive!” Phil’s fingers ached as he tightened them around the handset. If Purvis was already dead…he could hear shouts in the background, then the sound of the handset being picked up.
“It’s okay, Mr. D’Andrea. I called off Magioli, though it was rough goin’ there for a minute. Once that bastard smells blood, he’s almost impossible to stop.”
“Good. He didn’t cut Purvis’ face?”
“Nah.”
Phil sighed in relief. All he needed was a furious Dillinger ranting about his pretty boy not being so pretty anymore. “Good. Get ready to move our guest. I’ll call with instructions.”
“Yes, sir.”
Phil hung up the handset. Damn, that had been close!
Now all he had to do was wait for Dillinger’s call. He knew that it had been bad business to order Purvis bumped off. Double-crossing a man like Dillinger wasn’t smart. Figures he’d find the Sapphire and decide to use it when he anticipated a double-cross.
He went to the conference room to work out the details with Frank.
& & & & & &
The phone rang exactly ten minutes after the last call by Dillinger. Phil picked it up.
“Okay, Phil, no more jerkin’ me around. I want Mel.”
“You’ll get him. Come to the club…”
“No. No more meetin’ on your territory. Neutral site this time.”
Phil huffed but knew not to push it. “All right, where?”
“351 Delancey Street. And, Phil, tell your boss no double-crosses this time. I want my Mel back as sparkly and pretty as this beautiful jewel, and I want him in one piece.”
“Okay, okay. When’s the exchange?”
“Five o’clock tonight. Don’t be late.”
The line went dead.
& & & & & &
Mel lay on the bed, listening to the rain drumming on the roof. He held his arm as he tried to slow his breathing, blood seeping through his fingers.
He gritted his teeth against the pain. He’d fought Maglioli the best he could, but the maniac had gotten a good slice of his left bicep and would have carved him up before cutting his throat.
By some miracle Ricotti had come in, yelling for Maglioli to stop, but the assassin’s bloodlust was up. Only a lucky punch in Maglioli’s kidneys had saved Mel.
He was weak from hunger. He hadn’t even gotten bread for the last 24 hours.
Something was up. Why give orders to kill him, and then rescind them only moments later? Unless Maglioli was an out-of-control rogue.
Mel hoped that he would see the light of day…and Johnny…after all.
& & & & & &
Johnny checked every gun, then double-checked them. The Sapphire was safe in his coat pocket.
“If that’s the Cibola Sapphire…” Red said.
“I know.”
“I don’t fancy hanging on to a jewel that’s supposed to be cursed.”
Johnny laughed. “Your Celtic blood is showing, my friend.”
Red grimaced. “So? It’s a gorgeous rock, Johnny, but it’s as lethal as the curse on King Tut’s tomb.”
“You know, I’ve seen pictures of that Egyptian exhibit. How do you think Mel would look done up in kohl around those pretty eyes of his?”
“Johnny…”
“No one prettier than my Mel, Red. Tall and elegant and graceful, big ol’ liquid-dark eyes and long, elegant fingers, and he ought to smile more, y’know, because he’s so damned beautiful when he does…”
Red gently put a hand on his friend’s arm to stop his rambling. Johnny closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, his hand trembling slightly as he buttoned his greatcoat. “Let’s go make the exchange.” He smiled his usual confident smile, albeit a trifle shakily. “I’d say my jewel is the more precious of the two.”
“Can’t argue with that.”
Johnny and his gang left their safehouse on a mission to get back one of their own.
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): Red/Homer, Mel/Johnny, Paul Maglioli, Phil D’Andrea, Frank Nitti, Angelo Ricotti
Series Notes: Tears Of The Saints will deal with the Outfit/Syndicate (aka the Mob) and how they cross paths with the Dillinger Gang and the Bureau of Investigation. It helps to have first-hand knowledge of Italian culture and Catholicism. ;)
Fandom: Public Enemies
Genres: AU, Drama
Rating (this chapter): PG-13
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
General Summary: When the Syndicate needs the special talents of John Dillinger, they take out insurance that he will do the job they want by kidnapping someone near and dear to his heart: Melvin Purvis.
Chapter Summary: Johnny lays down the law to Frank Nitti.
Date Of Completion: February 6, 2010
Date Of Posting: March 27, 2010
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, Universal does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 1003
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
The entire series can be found here.
XII
"MY JEWEL"
Jewels of great price
Must always be
Protected.
Mrs. John (Sarah) Carrington
"The Sapphire Sparkles"
1906 C.E.
“Now what?” Homer asked.
“We head back to The Montmatre.” Johnny checked his tommygun.
“No,” Red said.
“What?” Johnny jerked his head up to stare at his friend.
“We don’t go back into the lion’s den.”
“We can’t afford to wait! We need to make sure Nitti countermands any order to kill Mel…if it isn’t already too late!” Johnny’s hand shook as he checked his pistol next.
“I know.” Red put a hand on his old friend’s shoulder. “We call.”
Johnny looked at him, frantic, then nodded.
& & & & & &
Mel could read his death in the stiletto-wielding thug’s eyes. His gut clenched as he knew he didn’t have a prayer against such a wily attacker, especially while chained to the bed.
He regretted dying like this, painfully and alone, and had hoped for more time with Johnny, but they’d always known their time together could end quickly and violently.
Mel set his jaw grimly. If he was going to die, he was going to go out in a way that would make Johnny proud.
Maglioli thrust forward with the stiletto.
& & & & & &
Phil hung up the phone and hurried into the conference room. “What the hell’s the matter…?” His voice trailed off as he saw the open statue and Frank clenching and unclenching his empty hand.
“That dirty sonafabitch double-crossed me!” Nitti snarled.
Phil wisely didn’t point out that Frank shouldn’t talk about double-crosses when the phone rang. He quickly went to answer it.
“Yeah?”
“Hey, Phil.”
“Johnny?”
“That’s right. Tell Nitti that I’ve got his pretty bauble. He gets it when I get my pretty Mel, and not one second before.”
Phil blew out his breath. “Hold on.” Squaring his shoulders, he returned to Frank and relayed Johnny’s demand.
“That…that…!” Nitti sputtered. “All right, tell him he’ll get his catamite back.”
“Oh, fuck!” Phil ran back to the phone. “It’s a deal, Johnny. Call back in ten minutes for details!” He hung up and quickly dialed the hide-out. “Ricotti, don’t go through with your orders! We need Purvis alive!” Phil’s fingers ached as he tightened them around the handset. If Purvis was already dead…he could hear shouts in the background, then the sound of the handset being picked up.
“It’s okay, Mr. D’Andrea. I called off Magioli, though it was rough goin’ there for a minute. Once that bastard smells blood, he’s almost impossible to stop.”
“Good. He didn’t cut Purvis’ face?”
“Nah.”
Phil sighed in relief. All he needed was a furious Dillinger ranting about his pretty boy not being so pretty anymore. “Good. Get ready to move our guest. I’ll call with instructions.”
“Yes, sir.”
Phil hung up the handset. Damn, that had been close!
Now all he had to do was wait for Dillinger’s call. He knew that it had been bad business to order Purvis bumped off. Double-crossing a man like Dillinger wasn’t smart. Figures he’d find the Sapphire and decide to use it when he anticipated a double-cross.
He went to the conference room to work out the details with Frank.
& & & & & &
The phone rang exactly ten minutes after the last call by Dillinger. Phil picked it up.
“Okay, Phil, no more jerkin’ me around. I want Mel.”
“You’ll get him. Come to the club…”
“No. No more meetin’ on your territory. Neutral site this time.”
Phil huffed but knew not to push it. “All right, where?”
“351 Delancey Street. And, Phil, tell your boss no double-crosses this time. I want my Mel back as sparkly and pretty as this beautiful jewel, and I want him in one piece.”
“Okay, okay. When’s the exchange?”
“Five o’clock tonight. Don’t be late.”
The line went dead.
& & & & & &
Mel lay on the bed, listening to the rain drumming on the roof. He held his arm as he tried to slow his breathing, blood seeping through his fingers.
He gritted his teeth against the pain. He’d fought Maglioli the best he could, but the maniac had gotten a good slice of his left bicep and would have carved him up before cutting his throat.
By some miracle Ricotti had come in, yelling for Maglioli to stop, but the assassin’s bloodlust was up. Only a lucky punch in Maglioli’s kidneys had saved Mel.
He was weak from hunger. He hadn’t even gotten bread for the last 24 hours.
Something was up. Why give orders to kill him, and then rescind them only moments later? Unless Maglioli was an out-of-control rogue.
Mel hoped that he would see the light of day…and Johnny…after all.
& & & & & &
Johnny checked every gun, then double-checked them. The Sapphire was safe in his coat pocket.
“If that’s the Cibola Sapphire…” Red said.
“I know.”
“I don’t fancy hanging on to a jewel that’s supposed to be cursed.”
Johnny laughed. “Your Celtic blood is showing, my friend.”
Red grimaced. “So? It’s a gorgeous rock, Johnny, but it’s as lethal as the curse on King Tut’s tomb.”
“You know, I’ve seen pictures of that Egyptian exhibit. How do you think Mel would look done up in kohl around those pretty eyes of his?”
“Johnny…”
“No one prettier than my Mel, Red. Tall and elegant and graceful, big ol’ liquid-dark eyes and long, elegant fingers, and he ought to smile more, y’know, because he’s so damned beautiful when he does…”
Red gently put a hand on his friend’s arm to stop his rambling. Johnny closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, his hand trembling slightly as he buttoned his greatcoat. “Let’s go make the exchange.” He smiled his usual confident smile, albeit a trifle shakily. “I’d say my jewel is the more precious of the two.”
“Can’t argue with that.”
Johnny and his gang left their safehouse on a mission to get back one of their own.