[color=9e0039][u][b]Gomorrah - Zoara Club Mezzanine[/b][/u][/color] “So it's like this Captain, we tied Tony to the tree and then we posted up like ten feet away from him, we knew the Boss wanted to see what would get him…” “Yeah that’s right we weren't about to leave without doing everything Don Dominic wanted us to do to the letter. So we found a good spot and got real sneaky and quiet-like.” “Right, then we were watching Tony and then all of a sudden the tree grabs him or something and pulls him up into the freaking top!” “Paulie you idiot it wasn’t the tree…it was this huge black claw or somethin’..... Anyway, so then we pulled out our pistols and shouted up at the tree that whatever it was better stay up there or we’d come back and fill it with lead. Then we walked away and came right here.” “No Maurice I’m telling you, it was the freaking tree!” “How could a tree grab someone moron?” “How could a giant claw come down from a tree idiot??” Maurice and Paulie bickered over their recounting of the events to their very unamused Capo, Johnny, who looked at them with something approaching disgust. “Alright quiet youse idiots,” Johnny said as he raised a hand to silence them, no longer wanting to entertain their bullshit, “I’ve heard enough. Whatever happened, at least you took care of Tony. Now get down to the Casino floor and do your rounds, then have a drink on me at the bar after you’re done, you earned that much at least going into the Green and coming back.” The pair of bumbling Omerta Thugs nodded gratefully and then bowed themselves out of the room. Once they were gone, Johnny rubbed his forehead in frustration and sat up from the poker table he’d been seated at, then walked over towards an office door situated on the far wall of the Mezzanine. The office had at one time been Nero’s, the former Omerta underboss. “Consigliere?” He asked after knocking softly on the door twice. “Come in.” Johnny took a deep breath to ready himself then opened the door. The Omerta Consiglere’s office was nearly as lavish as Fat Dom's, with a large oak desk, a bookcase, and various paintings and decorative pieces. The office chair behind the desk was turned around facing a window on the far wall that looked out over the Mojave landscape. Johnny therefore couldn’t see the Consigliere, but instinctively could tell that they weren’t in a great mood. “I’m assuming you heard those loudmouths Maurice and Paulie outside,” Johnny began sheepishly. “Do you trust them?” The Consilegere asked. “No….but I don’t think they’re lying,” Johnny replied honestly, “They’re idiots…but not too many of my guys would be willing to go into The Green in the first place. Those two don’t scare easily, believe it or not, and something had them spooked…” “I’ll inform Dominic of the details. We don’t need this to spread around anymore than it already will, can Paulie and Maurice keep their mouths shut?” “No,” Johnny chuckled, “But nobody will believe them regardless.” “Good enough. We have bigger things to worry about in any case. I’m told that the NCR Ambassador is soon to arrive in Vegas. I’m going down to meet them. I’ll be taking a full crew along with a squad of the new mercs we hired to the gate.” “Here’s hoping this Ambassador is as slimy as the last,” Johnny quipped with a grin. “We’ll see…we’ll offer him the same deal as all the others, and see if he’s willing to play ball.” [hr] [color=9e0039][u][b]Later - Strip Eastside Gate[/b][/u][/color] The magnificence of the strip shone out in all its neon glory, marking a stark contrast to the slum that was Freeside. Atop the gangplanks and fortified walkways that led to the Strip’s main entrance were silhouetted shapes both familiar and new. As always, the stalwart MK I Securitrons rolled around on the endless unchanged vigil, but now they were joined by Iron Forester Mercenaries decked out in MK II Combat armor and sporting a variety of heavy weapons and energy rifles. Freeside locals and squatters were cleared away, sometimes forcefully, allowing for a direct path for the NCR personnel to approach the gate without being mobbed by the press of people trying to enter. Once the gates were opened and the Ambassador and his entourage were allowed inside, they were immediately greeted by a substantial welcoming party. Ten Omerta made-men in full suits standing alongside five of their affiliate Iron Foresters mercs. At the center of this welcoming group stood the Omerta Consigliere, a figure in the family of significant power and prestige second only to the Boss himself in overall power. The NCR delegation might be forgiven for assuming that any one of the tall, muscular Omerta soldiers standing behind the Consigliere were indeed the individual in question, but they would be very wrong indeed. The Consigliere walks forward to greet them with a confident stride, her high-heeled boots loudly clapping against the smooth asphalt with each step. She is smartly dressed, no less so than her male Omerta counterparts in form-fitting suit pants and a black pinstripe vest overlaid atop a white long-sleeved shirt the sleeves of which she has rolled up to her elbows. The silver chain of a pocket watch partially dangles from one of her pants pockets and she has a black and gold .357 revolver holstered at her side. Her striking, silver-blonde hair is done up in a ponytail and she wears a wide-brim fedora. “Lucrezia,” She says simply, offering a wry smile to the Ambassador and his escorts, “Or Lucy for short.”. She stretches out her hand in greeting to the Ambassador, “Consilegere to the Omerta Family and a personal representative of Don Dominic Omerta. Welcome to the Strip. Our boss offers his sincere greetings, and hopes you will join him for a chat at the Zoara Club at Gomorrah at your earliest convenience.” She then turned to the rest of the escorting soldiers and offered them a wink, “And for your brave escorts…Don Dominic offers each of you a complimentary guest voucher of 100 caps to be spent at either the Gomorrah or Ultra Luxe on whatever services or games you choose Please…enjoy.”