Chapter 4: Home At Last

Luciano had no idea how long he had stood there before a Rolls-Royce slid to a stop in front of him.  The driver hopped out first, but before he could hustle around to the back, the rear door swung open on its own. Two men stepped out. One older, one younger. The older one, in his fifties, wore his hair slicked back, with gold-rimmed glasses and a sharp suit, and he carried himself with authority.  The younger, in his twenties and looking somewhat like the other man, also wore a suit. The moment the older man spotted Luciano, he shoved the driver aside and hurried over with the young man in tow.  He spoke carefully. "May I ask, are you Mr. Luciano Griffith?" "I am. And you are?" Luciano frowned. "I am Cooper Mills. This is my son, Brennan."  Hearing the answer, Cooper brightened at once.  "Mr. Solomon notified me and asked me to pick you up from prison." "Solomon?" Luciano frowned, thinking for a moment. "I don't know anyone by that name." "That's the name he gave me, Solomon," Cooper clarified. "I don't know Solomon. You've got the wrong man." Luciano shook his head. Cooper's eyes flickered. He hesitated, then braced himself. "Mr. Solomon said you're his boss. He said you usually call him little Solomon." "Oh, I get it." Luciano finally remembered. A bony, stooped old man flashed across Luciano's mind.  Back in the Netherworld Prison, Solomon's cell was in The Seventh District. Since he stubbornly refused to admit he was getting old, a few fellow Corvaina inmates jokingly called him little Solomon. "Perhaps… I suppose so," Cooper managed.  Sweat pricked his forehead. Solomon had once been a titan who dominated the entire southwest, wielding power.  Even as the richest man in Khester, Cooper knew he never would have risen so high without Solomon's guidance when he was young.  He had sworn to repay that kindness no matter what.  In their world, loyalty came before profit. So when Solomon's message came, he rushed over.  He was shocked to see a young man. Still, Cooper had never been one to judge by appearances.  If Solomon recognized Luciano as his boss, his status and strength had to be extraordinary. "So he sent you. I'll take your car back to the city," Luciano said, understanding that Solomon must have learned he had returned to Khester and arranged help in advance.  As for who Cooper was, Luciano did not bother to ask.  "Please, Mr. Griffith." Cooper shook off his thoughts and reached to open the door for him. "Dad, this is the big shot you dragged me out to meet? He's just an ex-con, right? What makes him worth your time?" The young man's voice dripped disdain. Brennan Mills stood aside with a scowl he could not hide.  His father was the richest man in Khester.  Wherever he went, people bowed to him.  Why would his father bow to a guy barely older than himself? "Shut up!" Cooper's face changed. "Am I wrong?" Brennan shrugged. "I even ditched a golf game with friends just to meet him, and I don't see anything special." He had been chasing the Wokey family's heiress lately. He had arranged a morning meeting with friends, but Cooper insisted on bringing him.  They had sat in the car for over an hour, driven to a godforsaken patch of nowhere, and the so-called big shot turned out to be a convict. The more Brennan brooded, the more it burned. "I said be quiet!" Cooper snapped, fury rising.  His son had been spoiled rotten.  No sense for people, no sense for danger. Brennan didn't realize Solomon was Cooper's boss. Before Brennan could fire back, Cooper's hand slapped across his face.  Smack! "Stand aside!" Dazed, Brennan looked into his father's blazing eyes and swallowed his protest. He slunk to the side, stiff with wounded pride. "I'm sorry, Mr. Griffith. My son is poorly disciplined and spoke out of turn. Please don't take offense," Cooper said, bowing his head. "It's fine. Get in," Luciano said, unruffled. He slid into the back seat, and Cooper followed in a hurry.  After a withering look from his father, Brennan sulked into the front passenger seat. Once they were rolling, five minutes slipped by in silence.  Luciano leaned into the headrest, eyes closed. "Mr. Griffith, shall we head back to Khester? If you don't mind, you could come by my place for a bite and some rest," Cooper suggested. "No. Once we reach the city, just let me off," Luciano said, opening his eyes. Cooper's heart kicked. Had Brennan offended him already?  "Have I done anything lacking in courtesy, Mr. Griffith?" "No." Luciano's thoughts were still on Marilyn. He had no desire to make small talk. They fell silent again. After more than an hour, they finally reached Khester. "Drop me at that intersection," Luciano said. At his direction, the driver took a roundabout route and pulled up at the corner of a narrow street. "Isn't that a slum?" Brennan curled his lip as he glanced out.  The block was lined with government-leased apartments, old and grimy. The ground was filthy, and the crowd was a rough mix of good and bad sorts.  Brennan would never have set foot here. Luciano cast him a glance, then stepped out. "Mr. Griffith, do you need any help?" Cooper called. "No. You can go." Without so much as a backward look, Luciano walked into one of the buildings. "Dad, who is this guy? Why does he act bossy?" Brennan began. Thump!  Pain bloomed at the back of his head. He spun around, aggrieved. "Dad, why did you hit me again?" "If you dare offend Mr. Griffith, I'll throw you out of the family," Cooper said, shaking with anger.  "I can indulge you in many things, but not this." "I get it. He knows Mr. Solomon. Mr. Solomon used to be a big shot, but he's in prison now. What can he do for you? Why fawn over him? Especially someone like that!" Brennan retorted. "Shut your mouth!" Cooper almost laughed from sheer fury.  In their world, loyalty came first. Even if Solomon sat behind bars, his reach was nothing Brennan could imagine.  If Solomon called Luciano his boss, how could Luciano be as simple as he looked? Which was why Cooper did not drive away. He waited. Ivy draped the old building like a faded green net. At the sight of it, a tide of memories surged through Luciano. He had grown up here. His parents had died early.  When he was ten, his aunt and uncle, Paula Griffith and Roger Powell, had raised him through college.  It had been five years with no contact, not with Marilyn, and not with his aunt and uncle either. Returning to Khester, Luciano had three private matters on his list.  First, to make Marilyn happy. Second, to settle the score with Hugo Campbell. Third, to take care of his aunt's family. He wondered how they had been. Were they still here? The nearer he drew to home, the more his courage faltered. His heart tightened as he walked. The building had only stairs. There was no elevator.  When Luciano reached the sixth floor, he heard a noisy commotion above.  At the seventh, two men in gaudy vests stood at the stairwell door, blocking the way. One arched a brow when Luciano stepped up.  "What are you doing here?" "What are you doing here?" Luciano shot back. Their swagger set his nerves on edge. "Kid, who gave you the guts to mouth off?" The man sneered and ran his eyes up and down Luciano with hostility. Luciano ignored him and swept the corridor with a glance. Old buildings like this had straight corridors. Eight apartments are on each floor.  He saw three men standing before the door.  Luciano's face went cold. The number on that door read 7-6, his aunt's place. A burst of shouting erupted inside. "Damn it! If you won't pay, we'll use you to settle the debt!" "No, don't!" Crash, crash, crash!  Something heavy went over. Jars and glass shattered. A hulking bald man with tattoos strode out, mean-faced and grinning.  He had an eighteen-year-old girl by the arm. She fought to pull free, but he dragged her across the floor as if she weighed nothing. "Go on, struggle, see if you can run," the bald man, John, said with a leering grin.  Outside the door, he hooked a finger under the girl's chin. "Bruno has had his eyes on you. Come with us." The girl blinked back tears and spat. "You'll get what's coming to you!" "A father's debt is a daughter's to pay!" John laughed, delighted with himself. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and started to haul her away.