Rick nodded when Lia offered him the "pre-promotion" and said, [B]"Thank you ma'am. Sorry about the accent I try not to let it out, because if people hear the first thing they think is 'Gomer Pyle is in the big city probably dumber than a sack of hammers.' so I try not to let that get in my way." [/B]He shrugged his shoulders and said,[B] "I'm also a little nervous right now. Less than 24 hours ago I was back home in Raleigh now I'm in one of the largest corporations in the world telling the co-CEO that something is wrong with her bookkeepers and accountants. Kind of thing doesn't happen to me everyday you know." [/B]Rick then smiled at Lia and said, [B]"I look forward to getting a lot of things done here."[/B]

Rick followed Lia throughout the building and made notes along the way. Rick was sure of one thing, and that was Lia was the power behind the throne. She was beautiful but there was a mind like a steel trap too, and woe be to the one who under-estimated her. She knew people by their first names and titles and rattled them off like there were second nature. Lia was interested in the people who worked for her and that said a lot about who she was. Rick had to remind himself periodically of one fact. The fact that he was supposed to help bust her at some point so it was important to remember that she was one of the bad-guys. 

As they walked along Rick looked at the people in the offices and their body language as they did their jobs. This was an environment where there was a strong sense of community and willingness to help one another. It was a unique situation to say the least, and not to mention that from what Rick could tell their charitable foundation was on the up and up, and gave millions around the world. Again though Rick had to remind himself these people were the bad guys. 

Rick started to say something just the elevator doors opened up and out stepped Renzo. That alone would've caught Rick's attention, but exiting with Renzo was several members of the Yakuza. It was like a mob dream team meeting here, and Rick was starting to put two and two together very quickly. Mr. Kawashima was one of the big names in the Yakuza and he didn't come to America on social calls.

Renzo started talking to Rick, and Rick was convinced that if it wasn't for the fact that Renzo was born into this family he would've ended up being a used car salesman. Rick's little voice was telling him that Renzo was the one who took great pride and pleasure in doing the old school stuff for the family. Renzo loved the mafia lifestyle and enjoyed the many fruits of it, but there was something about Lia that while she was involved in all of this it wasn't really who she was.

Renzo calling Rick "Ricky" was not something Rick appreciated, but he didn't exactly have the home field advantage in this case, so he let it go. Rick replied (without any attempt at covering his accent), [B]"Well it's the usual first day stuff Mr. Barriello. Getting the lay of the land, seeing how things work here, talking with Miss Barriello about the accounting department and some ways to improve things. The thing I'm really looking forward to actually is just getting down to business sir. That and fixing up my apartment, and getting a car. I just got in last night so things are bit whirl wind for this country boy sir." [/B]