CS: Blood Lines

“What do you think of our new guest?” Tony Cappolla’s voice was quiet, as all the house was now asleep save for the bodyguards outside and Reno sitting in the large armchair near the center of one of the many living rooms, watching a small fire flicker in the fireplace. The flames leapt back and forth, tongues of rolling heat and warmth spitting out, reflected in the eyes of the young Cappolla.

Reno’s eyes fell upon the carpet, decorated with a floral design in maroon and purple, two colors he never cared for. He had a taste for nothing other than the classic and simple blacks, greys, blues, and whites. Vibrant color was nothing but a distraction to him—just another difference between him and his father. He weighed his words carefully as he balanced each one in his mind before speaking. “He seems to be well qualified for what we expect of him.”

“Qualifications are not what I’m asking your opinion about.” The voice was hard, it had no compassion. To Tony, Reno was nothing more than another hireling that was sucking up money that Tony desperately wanted to keep. There was a wedge driven between the two, partially from differing personalites, partially from failed expectations, and partially from a natural life of gang war and violence.

“His mettle? Who knows. I’ll test him tomorrow, morning. We’ve got a few small things worth taking care of and then we’ll see. My opinion as of this moment is that he seems cold and calculated and not the kind to even have a second’s hesitation in killing a man he is told to. Which brings me immediately to three points of suspicion: one, how is that such a well-trained, calm, methodical, and as I can tell, merciless man, was removed from the organization he was a part of? Secondly, why is that Sylvestro would give me such a powerful tool, does he expect that we won’t possibly use it for our own good in the constant struggle with him as well? And thirdly, how far will this man’s abilities drive your confidence. Will you push for full power? Finishing off all the gangs would be a great thing, but do you think this man is enough to turn the entire tide?” Reno tapped the chair slowly, thinking over the questions and coming to his own answers, at least for the moment. He glanced up at a picture of his graduation and then over his shoulder, waiting for some response from the don of the Cappolla crime syndicate.

“We’ll have to see. On all those things.”

“Let us hope, father, that you have not done something foolish,” the words were a threat and were meant to be taken as one.

“You think you can take this family from me, Reno?”

“Yes.” The clock chimed once….twice, and then all was silent. The fire cracked and a log collapsed downwards into the center of the flames, casting several embers around and stirring the smouldering flames. They began to grow as Reno waited for a response.

“When, Reno, did you begin to hate me?” The words had a slight ring of sorrow, a slight pain in them, but it was almost masked.

“Don’t get torn up about it, father. I wouldn’t expect that sort of treatment from you. I’ve never got it, before.” That was all Reno would say, turning back to the flames and watching them. They let the silence stand, Tony turning and disappearing up into his study for a few hours of reading before sleep. The don rarely slept, he was afraid of someone killing him in his sleep.

In truth, he had nothing to fear from his embittered son. Reno had no desire to kill his father, he had no desire to run the family, he had no desire to die because of the money and the influence that he could gain or control. All he wanted at the moment was to live his life the way he saw fit. When the power was passed to him, he would of course take it, though it would be with some resentment. This was not the life he expected to live, and now it was his inescapable destiny.

Reno rose slowly and adjusted his suit, glancing over at the opposite wall and the large picture of his father that had been painted several years ago. He strode up to it slowly, observing every single feature on it. He let his hand rise slowly up to the pastels that stuck to the page in thick, dry colors. His fingers traced the eyes, the lips, the neck, finally crossing the neck in a sign of death. “One day. And that is all there is to it.”

He stepped from the room and out onto the patio where his two personal bodyguards leaned against the railing, both smoking. They let out two long plumes that rolled through the rays of moonlight and the patio’s few decklights. There was little light out here and the lights had been dimmed to a dull orange so no one could try and sneak a peak inside the house. Reno walked right up to the rails, his feet bending the boards until they groaned. He leaned against them, feeling the weight drop from his body and begin to seep into the wood. He stared out into the darkness and made out a few trees within the ever thickening shadow.

“Problems, boss?” The first bodyguard put out his cigarette in an ashtray on one of the two deck tables. The bodyguard leaned against the rail and listened, the other still relishing his cigarette.