The Big Dirty: A Gentleman's Sport
Title: The Big Dirty: A Gentleman's Sport
Rating: R
Pairings: Gabilliam, eventual Peterick
Word Count: 1037
Summary: Chicago is ruled by The Big Four. A boss, a madame, an imports man, and the stock market king. Play by their rules and the world is beautiful. Come too close and they'll destroy everything you love.
Author's Notes: For kittygrenade's mob boss AU prompt way back on the ficlet meme. Series title from The Big Dirty by Every Time I Die. Chapter title from A Gentleman's Sport by Every Time I Die
The Chairman entered the room, his goons Carden and Chislett flanking him. He looked coolly over his investors (really a collection of men wealthy enough to buy into Beckett's particular brand of crime. "Everything can be bought," he always said, "even the almighty markets.") and nodded as he counted them off silently, turning to his apprentice, Adam. "Sisky, who's missing?" he asked, his mouth turning up at the corners.
"Mister Conrad, Chairman." Adam piped up. "This is the second investor meeting he missed this quarter, sir."
"Thank you Adam. Gentlemen? Have a seat. This meeting is called to order."
*****
When Chairman Beckett was angry, there were three outcomes: He would let it slide, which was rare, he would make the company collapse, which was the most common, or he would simply kill the offender with the same ease he ordered lunch. Thomas Conrad, owner of Conrad Light and Power, was faced with one of those three options at their next meeting.
William sauntered in, his slim fitting black pinstripe pants and deep red tie the picture of success. He removed his fine Fedora and handed it to his secretary. "Miss Mrotek, would you kindly go to the delicatessen? We've placed our lunch order my dear, and you're the only one I trust to fetch it." She smiled and tossed her hair over her shoulder, giving him a wink.
"Certainly Chairman. Would you like me to get your extra pickle or none today?"
"An extra please, Miss Mrotek. And take your time. This boy's club won't interest a pretty thing like yourself. Not today."
"Certainly, Chairman. Have a good meeting, sir."
Once the curly haired secretary was out the door, William turned to his investors. He walked around the table, nodding his hellos to Jonathan Walker of Walker Steel, Ryan Ross and Spencer Smith of Fighting Brothers Oil and Brendon Urie of Unique Coal. The other men nodded in return, Tom Conrad shifting in his seat uncomfortably. "Mister Conrad. So good to see you again. No, please, don't explain your absence. I'm certain whatever it is you did was far more important than the meeting where we discussed the division of Chicago's stock market. As it stands, Unique is currently market leader. In fact, Mister Urie has just acquired Conrad Light and Power. Congratulate him, Mister Conrad. He's saving your workers their jobs."
Chairman Beckett called Adam over. "My dear Mister Siska, what happens when a company's owner dies?" He asked, sliding an arm around his shoulders, leaning in with a catlike leer at Tom.
"The stock drops, the people lose faith and the company collapses, sir." Adam supplied.
"Excellent, Adam."
"I ain't dead, Beckett. I ain't even sick." Tom sneered, slamming the morning's paper down on the table. "This is a bunch of bullshit. We ain't your pawns, Beckett. You can't just shuffle our businesses like a deck of-"
A loud BANG and a slam of metal on the fine wooden table ended Mister Conrad's speech. "This," Chairman Beckett began coolly as he handed Carden the smoking pistol back, leaving it hanging off one delicately long finger, "is what happens when you disrespect me, question my knowledge of the market and HOW I RUN THIS GROUP. If any of you yellow bellied, limp rodded, whore fucking assholes have anything else to say, NOW IS THE FUCKING TIME! No one else? Good. Carden, Chislett, can you clean up this... mess?" Beckett's face, normally a beautiful, creamy complexion with a chestnut frame of hair, was flushed red and anger flashed darkly behind the deep brown eyes. "Meeting is dismissed, gentlemen. Same time next week."
*****
The old men gathered at the newsstand always spoke the same story over and over, changing a headline if they saw fit, and waited for the young Stock Market chair to walk by and shoot the breeze with them.
"I heard he shot himself."
"They found his body in his office. The report said he blew his brains out. Probably because of that Urie kid buying his company."
"Wouldn't you too, Gregory? He's half Conrad's age and now owns both companies. He's got our winter in his hands."
"Damn shame, too. What's going to happen to the workers?"
"Heard they're getting a raise. Five percent, up to seven if the company does well over the summer."
"That's not so bad. In my younger days I'd have gone for it."
"Are you kidding? I'm in my prime!"
"Keep dreaming, Tim. Morning, Chairman Beckett. Lovely day."
"Mister Armstrong. Mister Holland. Mister Graffin. How are you fine gentlemen this morning?"
"We're all well, Chairman. Keep our city wealthy, sir."
"And you, you keep our city wise and kind, gentlemen. Good day."
William walked into the building with his bodyguards behind him, smiling at Andie as she left with Mixon behind her. She offered him a warm, slightly gap-toothed smile and left, laughing at the men gathered by the newsstand. They all thought she was a singer at the Queen Club, but if they'd ever heard her whiny warble, they would have known better.
William nodded at his bodyguards and they joined the others in the adjoining room for some cards and laughs while their bosses were in their meeting. He entered and was immediately wrapped in a pair of arms covered in a fine silk shirt. "Missed you at the Club, cariño," he heard in his ear, and smiled.
"I was busy negotiating a merger. Shame Conrad couldn't play by the rules, isn't it?" He purred, smiling at the others, the quiet, cool Madame Ivaarsson, and the softly smiling Boss McCoy. "Shall we get started then? Gabe, stop that." He giggled.
"This meeting has come to order. Any business we need to take care of?" McCoy asked.
"Stump." Ivaarsson said. "The commissioner is getting too close to us. He needs to go."
"Noted." Gabriel Saporta nodded. "I'll get my best man in here for our next meeting. Peter's never let me down before."
No Son Of Mine
Rating: R
Pairings: Gabilliam, eventual Peterick
Word Count: 1037
Summary: Chicago is ruled by The Big Four. A boss, a madame, an imports man, and the stock market king. Play by their rules and the world is beautiful. Come too close and they'll destroy everything you love.
Author's Notes: For kittygrenade's mob boss AU prompt way back on the ficlet meme. Series title from The Big Dirty by Every Time I Die. Chapter title from A Gentleman's Sport by Every Time I Die
The Chairman entered the room, his goons Carden and Chislett flanking him. He looked coolly over his investors (really a collection of men wealthy enough to buy into Beckett's particular brand of crime. "Everything can be bought," he always said, "even the almighty markets.") and nodded as he counted them off silently, turning to his apprentice, Adam. "Sisky, who's missing?" he asked, his mouth turning up at the corners.
"Mister Conrad, Chairman." Adam piped up. "This is the second investor meeting he missed this quarter, sir."
"Thank you Adam. Gentlemen? Have a seat. This meeting is called to order."
*****
When Chairman Beckett was angry, there were three outcomes: He would let it slide, which was rare, he would make the company collapse, which was the most common, or he would simply kill the offender with the same ease he ordered lunch. Thomas Conrad, owner of Conrad Light and Power, was faced with one of those three options at their next meeting.
William sauntered in, his slim fitting black pinstripe pants and deep red tie the picture of success. He removed his fine Fedora and handed it to his secretary. "Miss Mrotek, would you kindly go to the delicatessen? We've placed our lunch order my dear, and you're the only one I trust to fetch it." She smiled and tossed her hair over her shoulder, giving him a wink.
"Certainly Chairman. Would you like me to get your extra pickle or none today?"
"An extra please, Miss Mrotek. And take your time. This boy's club won't interest a pretty thing like yourself. Not today."
"Certainly, Chairman. Have a good meeting, sir."
Once the curly haired secretary was out the door, William turned to his investors. He walked around the table, nodding his hellos to Jonathan Walker of Walker Steel, Ryan Ross and Spencer Smith of Fighting Brothers Oil and Brendon Urie of Unique Coal. The other men nodded in return, Tom Conrad shifting in his seat uncomfortably. "Mister Conrad. So good to see you again. No, please, don't explain your absence. I'm certain whatever it is you did was far more important than the meeting where we discussed the division of Chicago's stock market. As it stands, Unique is currently market leader. In fact, Mister Urie has just acquired Conrad Light and Power. Congratulate him, Mister Conrad. He's saving your workers their jobs."
Chairman Beckett called Adam over. "My dear Mister Siska, what happens when a company's owner dies?" He asked, sliding an arm around his shoulders, leaning in with a catlike leer at Tom.
"The stock drops, the people lose faith and the company collapses, sir." Adam supplied.
"Excellent, Adam."
"I ain't dead, Beckett. I ain't even sick." Tom sneered, slamming the morning's paper down on the table. "This is a bunch of bullshit. We ain't your pawns, Beckett. You can't just shuffle our businesses like a deck of-"
A loud BANG and a slam of metal on the fine wooden table ended Mister Conrad's speech. "This," Chairman Beckett began coolly as he handed Carden the smoking pistol back, leaving it hanging off one delicately long finger, "is what happens when you disrespect me, question my knowledge of the market and HOW I RUN THIS GROUP. If any of you yellow bellied, limp rodded, whore fucking assholes have anything else to say, NOW IS THE FUCKING TIME! No one else? Good. Carden, Chislett, can you clean up this... mess?" Beckett's face, normally a beautiful, creamy complexion with a chestnut frame of hair, was flushed red and anger flashed darkly behind the deep brown eyes. "Meeting is dismissed, gentlemen. Same time next week."
*****
The old men gathered at the newsstand always spoke the same story over and over, changing a headline if they saw fit, and waited for the young Stock Market chair to walk by and shoot the breeze with them.
"I heard he shot himself."
"They found his body in his office. The report said he blew his brains out. Probably because of that Urie kid buying his company."
"Wouldn't you too, Gregory? He's half Conrad's age and now owns both companies. He's got our winter in his hands."
"Damn shame, too. What's going to happen to the workers?"
"Heard they're getting a raise. Five percent, up to seven if the company does well over the summer."
"That's not so bad. In my younger days I'd have gone for it."
"Are you kidding? I'm in my prime!"
"Keep dreaming, Tim. Morning, Chairman Beckett. Lovely day."
"Mister Armstrong. Mister Holland. Mister Graffin. How are you fine gentlemen this morning?"
"We're all well, Chairman. Keep our city wealthy, sir."
"And you, you keep our city wise and kind, gentlemen. Good day."
William walked into the building with his bodyguards behind him, smiling at Andie as she left with Mixon behind her. She offered him a warm, slightly gap-toothed smile and left, laughing at the men gathered by the newsstand. They all thought she was a singer at the Queen Club, but if they'd ever heard her whiny warble, they would have known better.
William nodded at his bodyguards and they joined the others in the adjoining room for some cards and laughs while their bosses were in their meeting. He entered and was immediately wrapped in a pair of arms covered in a fine silk shirt. "Missed you at the Club, cariño," he heard in his ear, and smiled.
"I was busy negotiating a merger. Shame Conrad couldn't play by the rules, isn't it?" He purred, smiling at the others, the quiet, cool Madame Ivaarsson, and the softly smiling Boss McCoy. "Shall we get started then? Gabe, stop that." He giggled.
"This meeting has come to order. Any business we need to take care of?" McCoy asked.
"Stump." Ivaarsson said. "The commissioner is getting too close to us. He needs to go."
"Noted." Gabriel Saporta nodded. "I'll get my best man in here for our next meeting. Peter's never let me down before."
No Son Of Mine