Chapter 95 Questions must have answers

"They are now together on one cause… as we see it, they have the city in a choke hold." 

Salvatore was sitting at the head of the table with Jane next to him looking through police reports, Liz and Jacob were to his left, having Liz show him something on her laptop, Luke was on his right pressing his hand in the middle of the table, it opened up and a large screen appeared, it lite up showing the company logo, 

"It worked," Luke mutters

"Good work Luke, now this is what the team has gotten from their mission," Salvatore said 

Luke put the city map on the screen, he pulled it out of the screen, Salvatore glanced at him and moved the map to show where Shepherd was, 

"This is where we are and this," 

He pulled up the territory where the dons had taken and were trying to take, Salvatore stood up and pointed at the end of the street where Shepard resided, it glowed a soft red, and Salvatore looked at it with little emotion. He had to. 

"That is where Blake wants to take, right in the street where we reside. This is where they want to bring us," 

Salvatore moved the map and showed the right side to show a light pink and gold hue. It was at the other end of the street, and Salvatore stared at each of them. 

"They want to have us cornered, nowhere to go," 

A light green hue was behind them with a light yellow in front of them, Liz stared at this and had a sense of familiarity, Mórrígan would try to do that to the dons before her, she would cut them off from the good they needed, before ending there lives. she told Liz those stories there was only once she witnessed it. 

"That's what they do, trying to choke us out both financially and the reputation, at that," Liz told them,

Jacob glanced at Liz and knew the same as she had, Mórrígan had used this tactic only once when he joined the mafia. It was a bloodbath. She had killed the hand, then went to the boss. He had the worst of Mórrígan's wrath. 

"She is right, but why is Blake using this tactic? you would think he would want to take the other dons down first," Jane asked 

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, he would rather work with them and make shepherd a thing of the past, than have us tear them apart one by one, clever on his part," Jacob explained

"That is what they want to do with us. I will still have Ally and Damien on the right side. They will have to look over these territories," Salvatore said 

He pulled them up and moved them towards Luke. He looked at it then at Salvatore, who pointed at the territory, 

"Give this information to them, I want them to watch over the activity in those areas, the stronger the color the higher the activity, they already have the banks on that side, they have the manufacturers, they have the economy, we will be looking into the banks and companies to see if we can get them out of it," Salvatore said 

"You're going to investigate them?" 

"Yes, it is what needs to happen, with the left side of the city having the politicians in their pocket, they have destroyed the small businesses there, them working together was a match made in hell for us," Salvatore said 

Salvatore looked at Liz and Jacob, He pulled the left side to him, but it had more territory from Blake. He pushed it towards them, Liz wondered why they would have more to cover, but Jacob knew what Salvatore was on about, 

"You both will have Marcello and Avalon helping you," Savatore said 

"What about Ally and Damien?" Luke asked 

Salvatore glanced at him with a small grin on his face, he pulled the territory Blake had and placed it in the middle, it glowed red but it was in the middle of the other piece of the map. 

"So will Damien and Ally have their help. However, they will need more help on both sides," Salvatore said 

"You're keeping us where we are, but with more people? are you sure about this boss? me and Liz can look over the right side and figure out what the twins are doing," Jacob questioned 

Salvatore looked at him with a knowing look,

"What did you know of Lugh before we did? what Ally knew of Ceth before you did, there is a reason I keep you there. Jacob its because you would know what they do before they did it. You know Bal and Lugh more than Ally and Damien would, and they would know the twins more than the both of you," Salvatore explained 

Salvatore stared at the people around him. He felt worried about what they might blind them with next, so he warned them, 

"If anything, they will try to change it on you. Maybe bring Lenn into their territory, or Bal can go into their territory, they're going to try and blind us," Salvatore continues

The door opened abruptly with Marcello opening the door for Avalon and Ally, Avalon heard what Salvatore said and couldn't agree more, they were going to try something new and it's going to be a disaster. 

"Then we must think ahead," Avalon said

She moved aside, letting Ally take a seat near Jane, Damien followed her, patting Avalon on the back as he went by, Marcello closed the door while Avalon looked at the people around the table, greeting them, 

"Hi, how much have I missed?" 

"You have missed much that you already know, You are to help both sides of the city with the rise of the new mafia," Jane told her

"Until they betray each other for the power and control," Ally said 

Avalon sat down at the end of the table near where Marcello was, She pointed at her and said, 

"She is not wrong, but not anytime soon. Right now, they need this deal. If not, we would have picked them off," Avalon said 

"That is what we have already known. But what is next?" Liz asked

"They want to make so much chaos and blame it on us. Again, this is what Mórrígan tried to use, but they're going to try something different," Luke said 

Salvatore looked around the table and saw that they started to think of what could happen next, He didn't know for certain what could be next. However, what Luke said was accurate. They would work together for now and try to take apart the city leaving us. Shepherd liable to be taken down,

"You're right, Luke. They're going to choke us out and kill us off."

He looked over them once again, seeing if anyone would disagree. He stopped at Avalon, who had stared up at him, who had Blake territory in her left hand,

"They don't just want us gone. They want more than that Sal, they are going to take the city of Ninianne they want the other cities,"

Avalon watched their faces and saw that she had hit the mark. They wanted more than ninianne, but what lay around it. New fortune to take live to manipulate, and old ties that hide will be found.

"There is still stuff from Mórrígan lying around, and maybe Blake wants to find it... or the other dons have something there,"

Avalon stopped looking at the territory in her hand and shifted her gaze to Salvatore. She placed it back on the table,

"They're going to choke us out first as you have said, then if they can't do that they would try to kill us, is a thought, but I believe they won't do that unless they have to,"

Avalon felt a sinking feeling in her gut. She recalled the last time she had it, that old building.

"They are going to make crime worse than it already is. They're going to drain what is left of the little banks and blackmail who they have to give a shove in the right direction,"

Avalon finished and glanced around at her constituents. Some agreed with her, while others held concerns more than what she had said. Salvatore moved the map back together and took one last look at it,

"This is all we can do is watch and prepare for what they might do, Luke let Avalon and Marcello know their part,"

"You all can leave,"

They got up, chating with eatch other, Avalon got up from her chair and moved away from the table. She heard Luke come up to her with his tablet,

"You are going to watch Blake territory. However, if the ether side has trouble with the dons, you both will be sent there to help them," Luke told her

"Were there as the backup? To keep the dons in line?"

Marcello asked from behind her, Luke shrugged and said,

"Some what yes, but if you need any more information, it will be in your emails,"

Luke scanned over Marcello, seeing that he had stitches in his arm with bandages littered over his body,

"Did you get put through a storm, Mar? If so i think it won," Luke said

Marcello let out a chuckle, "No, i didn't, It was one of the twins sons that did this. Not one to trifle with."

"Anything broken?"

Marcello shook his head, and Luke let out a smile. He glanced at Avalon,

"You have no injury?"

"None,"

"Good, i know where going to need more help this time around..."

"Not on your own this time, Avalon," Luke told her,

"I hope so, Luke," 

"You got the ring leaders in the city?" 

Blake had a towel wrapped around his shoulders and glanced at her, Maxine placed some papers on his desk, and she stepped back letting Blake look over the documents, it was from the hires they agreed to his commands and would start setting up for what was to come. Blake smiled at his setting the papers down and stared up at Maxine, 

"You did well, Maxine," 

Maxine tried to keep her wit about him. If he could make Martha go away, why wouldn't he do that to her. She remembered hearing what he had done to Martha. She figured to stay by his side to survive in this business, She was tense and tried to hide it from Blake.

"Thanks, boss. we will have the rest of the other city done tomorrow," Maxine told him, 

Blake hummed, looking at her and noticing that something was bothering her. He remembered what happened when they got back, what happened to Martha. She must have held something dear with her.

"You should stop thinking of her. She's gone, Maxine. This is what would happen to anyone who was against me," Blake tells her,

Maxine watched, moved away from the desk towards him, and stood before him. He saw how she tried to hide how frightened she was, but he couldn't hide it well. her hands were fidgeting, and her eyes scanned the room looking for the shadow, Blake glared down at her. 

"I demand the best from you, Maxine, and I know you have strings to do it. I want you to forget that Martha was even alive if I commanded it." Blake said

He had his arms behind his back and stared at her, Maxien noticed that his eyes shone red. He saw that she didn't shake, not even flinch at her tone. however, her hands were still fidgeting, 

"So is she alive?" 

Maxine was frightened and said what Blake wanted, "She is dead." 

"Good Maxien, it's nice to hear that you have your loyalties straight." Blake scoffed

"Now, how was the..." 

"The don's letters should be here in an hour," Maxein said 

"That so... Then I will read it over, see what the remnants of the old and new want." 

"Then what are you?" Maxine muttered 

Her eyes widened not wanting him to hear her but he did, he grinned at her and said, 

"Im the in between,"