The ear splitting scream that tore through the Spiked Tiger had patrons and employees alike dashing to the aid of the victim. Unfortunately they were too late to save the actual victim of the horrendous crime. The scream had come from Tanya, one of the newer dancers at the speakeasy. She had discovered the bloodied body of the poor fellow outside the back entrance of the club, having stepped out for a quick smoke. Now the manager of the club rubbed his chin in thought as he decided his next move. They surely couldn’t call the cops, at that would result in the dismemberment of the Spiked Tiger on the grounds of the hundreds of liters of illegal hooch they had in the store room. He glanced at the maitre d of the place for guidance. “Alright everyone, go back to yer activities. This is obviously some scare tactic carried out by a competitor.” Dee ushered everyone back to the main area of the club. He turned back to face the concerned elk. “Think we could just dump him?” Ike asked as he circled the mangled corpse. “It’ll be better than trying to get creative. That could come back on us.” Dee made a move towards the corpse, getting in position to help Ike lift it. Ike hooked his arms under the dead doberman’s armpits and lifted, Dee grabbing the ankles and doing the same. “Ah, merda! Che palle*!” Ike went on a tirade as he dropped the body like it was on fire. He backed away, brushing off any remnants of the dead doberman that might have lingered. Dee went after him in confusion, trying to get an answer for his odd reaction. “Woah, cool yer heels there. What’s with all that hullabaloo back there?” Dee grabbed Ike by the shoulders and spun him around, a bit taken aback by the frantic look in his eyes. “Do you know who that is?! Huh?” Ike waited a beat for Dee to respond, when he didn’t he continued on, “That’s the capo bastone, of the Russian mob. The second in command! Santo cazzo Madre di Cristo**, I’m a dead man.” Ike paced back and forth as he eyed the dead mobster. Dee backed up a few steps and decided to let him work things out before approaching again. “Just, take a breath. If you don’t relax yer gonna have an aneurysm.” Dee reached for Ike to stop him from pacing but jumped back as the ekd fell to his knees and threw his hands towards the sky. “Death would be a gift at this moment! Oh please God, take me now and spare me the pain!” Ike wailed as he balled his fists and battered the sides of his head. “Dramatic. The whole lot of ‘em” Dee shook his head at the theatrics that was a trademark of the Martinelli clan. He hauled Ike up and gave him a hard slap across his cheek. Ike went silent and hung his head. “Thank you. I needed that.” He whispered as he composed himself. Ike gazed at the ground for a bit before brushing past Dee. “I’ve got a call to make.” Dee looked after Ike for a few seconds before looking down at the body. He heaved a sigh before following after Ike. “I don’t get paid enough fer this.” He whispered to himself. Upon re-entering the Spiked Tiger Dee was bombarded with questions from the nosiest employee. “Not now Evelyn.” He grumbled as he felt the beginnings of a headache forming behind his eyes. “Ah mon petit bourick, come on now. What’s the word? Who’s dat man dere? Dit mon la verite'***!” She nudged Dee and followed after him. “Dun worry yer pretty little head ‘bout it.” He gently pushed her back in the direction of the tables and booths in hopes she would go back to tending to the guests. No dice. Evelyn was going to nag him until she got what she wanted out of him. “Don’ be shy now, I’ll go motier foux**** if you don’ tell me. Deeeeeee” She sided up to him and traced a polished nail across his shoulders as she dragged out his name. “I’m not sure but Ike said it was the second in command of the Russian mob.” He whispered, noticing how Evelyn’s rounded ears twitched in interest at the bit of juicy information. Satisfied with the answer the polecat raised up on the balls of her feet to plant a thank you kiss on the horse’s cheek. Dee rolled his eyes before shooting her a beamused look and heading back to his station at the front entrance of the club. Loaded down with the succulent piece of gossip Evelyn just had to unload it onto someone else. She sauntered back into the dressing room where her best friends Beverly and Tanya sat waiting for a report. “Well? What’s the skinny?” Tanya asked, around the nail she was gnawing on to sooth her frayed nerves. “I wish you’d stop dat,” Evelyn hissed at her as she went to sit between the two, “Well Dee said it’s some hot shot from de Russian mob!” Evelyn’s pleased look only intensified when she heard the surprised squeak that left Tayna’s mouth. Beverly on the other hand was wide eyed and her breaths came in pants. Evelyn exchanged a glance with Tanya before placing an arm around the panicked leopard. “What’s wrong, beb? What’s got dis pretty bouche makin’ a bahbin?” She gave her friend a squeeze. “I knew that fella.” Beverly blinked back tears of fear as her two friends expressed their surprise. “What’cu mean, peekon?” Evelyn asked in a hushed tone. “That-that was the guy who attacked me the other day.” Beverly said in a small voice. “You sure?” Tanya urged, as she worriedly walked over to Beverly’s other side to offer comfort. “Of course I’m sure! You think I’d forget the face of the man who almost killed me?!” Beverly was bordering on hysterical now. “Why did the second in command of the Russian mafia try to kill me?!” Neither Tanya nor Evelyn had an answer to that loaded question. The trio was beginning to piece together a rather frightening scenario to explain the not-so-random attack on Beverly a couple nights ago. And it looked as if another dear friend of their was in the middle of it as well, the only person in the Spiked Tiger who had a direct connection to the mafia was Isaac Martinelli. As the realization dawned on Beverly a slow building rage bubbled inside of her. Ike reckless behavior had now put her in more danger than she was before. Now the Russian mob would think that the murder of their underboss was a message from the clouded leopard and her cohort. She quickly rose and stalked out of the room, Tanya and Evelyn close behind. Once she located Ike in his office on the second floor of the building on the left side of the hidden speakeasy she barged in, oblivious to the fact that he was in the middle of a phone call. “-hell if I know! This can’t be good. It’s obviously a-” His conversation was cut short as he took note of the three females in the room. “Gotta go. Bye.” He slammed the phone back on the hook and glared at the intruders. “What do you stooges want?” He spat at them as he rummaged around in one of the drawers of the old desk. “Ike, just what is going on in that tiny brain of yours, huh?” Beverly snarled at him. “Look Bev, I ain’t got time for your tirades, whatever it is it’ll have to wait.” He slamed the drawer shut in frustration at not finding what he was looking for within it. He brushed past the dancers as he made his way back to the Spiked Tiger, the three of them right on his tail. “Like hell it will.” She reached for Ike’s arm and let out a shout as he wrenched it away and kept walking. As they entered the packed club Ike made a beeline straight for the bar, motioning for the bartender to get him a drink. He turned to face Beverly who had caught up with him and looked as if she had no intention of leaving him alone. “This chick,” He muttered to himself an squeezed the bridge of his nose, trying to keep calm. Beverly’s eyes flashed as she stepped forward, sticking a finger in his face. “What did you say? Oh boy Ike you are asking for it! You have some nerve to talk to me like that after what you’ve done!” She shrieked. “What is this dame talking about?” He asked Tanya and Evelyn, pointedly ignoring Beverly. A silence fell over the club as the sound of Ike getting slapped for the second time that night echoed in the cavernous room. All eyes were on the pair fuming by the bar. Beverly saw a Ike’s eyes darken in fury as a trickle of blood traveled down his cheek and barely had enough time to dodge the glass that went whizzing by her head, flinching when it shattered against the side of a table a few feet behind her. Before she could react Ike had a death grip on her arm, pulling her back with a snarl, she tripped over her feet as he yanked her face close to his. “You must be out of your everloving mind.” The timbre of his voice was sinister and it sent a wave of fear through Beverly. She had never seen this side of Ike and she wasn’t sure how to react. Though she was afraid she was still hopping mad about what Ike had done. “I know what you did, Ike. You killed that man.” She whispered, her voice tinted with pain as Ike’s grip on her arm tightened. She was sure if he squeeze more he’d break it. “What gave you that idea?” He asked incredulously. “Oh don’t play dumb Isaac. I know that dead guy is the one who attacked me in the alleyway.” Beverly watched as his eyes widened and she mistook it for surprise that she was able to figure it out. “You’ve got it all wrong, Bev. I didn’t kill that punk and don’t you go around telling folks I did.” He shook her for emphasis. Beverly tried to wiggle out of his grasp but her efforts were in vain. “Curse you Isaac Martinelli! You’re going to get us all killed with your stupidity!” Beverly wailed as she attempted to push him away. “You know what, you ain’t worth it. I should have listened to my brother. I shouldn’t have put my neck on the line for some dame, especially not some cheap hoofer.” He scoffed to himself, ignoring the hurt that surfaced in Beverly’s eyes at the insult. Her face contorted in anger as she spit in his face. Before Ike could fully process what happened he backhanded the fuming leopard. The smack sent her tumbling to the ground with a cry of pain, Tanya and Evelyn roused from their state of shock and rushed to the aid of their friend. “Bev, I...I” That was all he could manage before he glanced around the room at the faces filled with an array of emotions. From disgust to shock to fear, a few patrons even had a look of approval on their faces. Ike brushed past the small crowd that had gathered and rushed out of the club into the cool night air. Without so much as a glance back he took off into the night a voice in the back of his head screaming at him, scolding him for his deplorable actions. He ran, his legs taking him to the only safe place he had. ------------------------ Who knew Ike had such a temper? :0 I'm sad to say this has started a rather dark era for our band of misfits and don't count on Ike and Beverly making up anytime soon. Writing the end(???) of the Beverly/Ike alliance nearly killed me, I ship them so hard. HOW WILL THEY EVER FIX THIS?! X3 *: Rough Translation- Ah, shit! What a pain in the ass! **: Translation- More swears. X3 ***: Rough Translation- My little bellybutton (cutesy pet name), come on now? What's the word? Who's that man there? Tell the truth! ****: Rough Translation- Half crazy