"HAS Maxim TOLD you anything like this?" Jon asked. Nicole shook her head and said, "It's just an assumption. Something you should not rule out completely."Jon nodded and said, "Thank you." He said, "For everything.""It's alright," She replied, holding his hand. "And you have my condolences."Jon nodded. "The airlines are doing pretty well," He said.Nicole shook her head and said, "No talking business today. And certainly not here." She gave him a small smile and walked away.Jon stood, watching her departing figure. He felt a presence beside him, so he turned to see Rick."I didn't know you would make it in time.""I wouldn't miss it for anything," Rick said sadly. "I was going to invite him to the official opening of my store next week."Jon sighed. "I am sure he would be proud of you.""He would be even prouder of you," Rick said.They exchanged a smile. Jon turned just in time to see Lucas hurry a person into a side room. He did not have enough time to see who it was.He ponder
"THERE IS SOMETHING OFF ABOUT THAT MAN," Jon said to himself."I have never met him before or even seen him remotely at any party I and your father attended," Vincent said.They both watched the man walk and mingle with the crowd without being drawn into any circle.Marshall smiled, improved by yet another bout of his acting skills. "I should seriously consider going into Hollywood movies," He muttered to himself.He gave a nod to a man, maneuvered his way around a group of women, and found himself in the midst of another group of men, each talking enthusiastically about how Stefan Stone's death would affect everyone.He was not the least bothered by anything, but he stayed in the group for a moment. He could still feel the eyes of Jonathan Stone watching him, and it would be very suspicious if he just left the party.So he stayed amidst this obnoxious group of men."I am telling you, Harry." A short man with a double chin was saying, "New Jersey would never remain the same.""That is
MR CARTER released a heavy breath that nobody had noticed he was holding. He had been the reader of many wills and he knew what wealth and greed did to a seemingly happy family. He knew what mothers had said to their daughters and what fathers had said to sons when they felt cheated in a will. So it was an involuntary action of him, holding his breath when reading the conclusions of any will and this was by far one of the wealthiest wills he had ever read in his 20 years being a lawyer. He must admit, when Mr Stone came to him a few months ago, saying that he wanted to make some adjustments to the will, Carter was surprised. At that moment, the will seemed perfect. There was just enough money for everyone and it was well shared, but Stefan had said he wanted to include the friends of his son. Carter had thought that it was not a good idea. But now, seated opposite the whole bunch and seeing the way none of them had any glint of hate or envy in their faces, Carter agreed with the dea
"MY PILOT SAID he did not see you," Vittorio said into the phone. Marshall chuckled and replied, "I am very sure I can leave your town on my own, Vittorio." Vittorio grunted and hung up the phone. He was so close to sending some of his men to find and kill Marshall, but apart from the fact that he knew that Marshall was more skilled than most of them, he still saw Marshall as that lost kid called Crouch that he found about two decades ago. He felt sentimental towards the boy, so he just sighed and dropped the phone on the table. A light knock made him turn his head to the door as a young boy walked and faced Vittorio. The boy bowed and said in italian, "Ha qualcuno che può vederla, signore – You have a visitor, sir."Vittorio nodded, "Let him in," The huge figure of Maxim filled the doorway as the Russian walked in. "I was beginning to wonder when I would be seeing you," Vittorio said. He called to the departing boy, "Oi! Versaci da bere." The boy hurried back and pulled two gla
JON WOKE UP feeling like the past two days had been a dream. But he looked at the foot of his and saw the crimped suit that he had worn at the funeral yesterday. He sighed, swallowing back the lump he suddenly felt at the base of his throat. He rolled out of bed and sat, hanging his head between his hands. He had not known just how his real father, Stefan had grown on him. The stranger that had picked him and his friends up from a gunfight had suddenly become someone that he could lean on. He sighed and stood up, drank a cup of water on his bed stand before heading to the bathroom to prepare his bath. He had only finished brushing his teeth when he heard the sound of a car pulling up downstairs then he remembered that Vincent and Jeffrey were heading back to New York that morning and he had something to ask Vincent. He had originally forgotten about it but since the talk with his friends the previous night, it had come back to bug him. He washed his face and rushed down the stairs,
JON SAT IDLY in the window seat of the plane. He was flying economy class – he could just see his father's face now and he gave a sad smile. It was probably going to be the last time he would fly economy given his new status. It was going to be first-class or private. A mother with a bawling child was seated beside him, trying to calm her child and it made it impossible to try to rest his head. He gave an ironic chuckle as he remained that if he wanted to, he could buy the plane and the whole airline in a second, but here he was, staring into the mouth of a six-year-old that is scared of flying. The child noticed that Jon was staring and became self-conscious. The tired mother dropped the child on the middle seat and sighed in relief when her child gulped in air and quietened down "Scared of flying?" Jon asked gently. The little boy nodded, wiping his eyes. "Yeah, I used to be scared too," Jon said. "Really?" The boy asked, "But you are a grownup." "Grown-ups can also be scare
"What is your name, ma'am?" He asked, ignoring her question. "Keisha," She replied. She didn't know where this conversation was heading. "Keisha Bronx.""Now, Keisha," Jon leaned on the counter, "How would you like to have a business partner." "Huh?" "I would have offered to buy the store," Jon said, looking around. "I would never sell," She snapped. Her tone was starting to become hard. "I know and that was exactly why I didn't ask," Jon said soothingly. "My name is Jonathan Stone and I would like to be your business partner.""I don't understand where this is all coming from," Keisha replied slowly. "There is nothing to partner here. I mean, take a look around you." "There is nothing to partner here yet," He put emphasis on the last word, "How would you like to manage a chain for pharmaceutical stores across Illinois?" "That would be –" "How about we talk about this over a cup of coffee?" Jon gave her a charming smile. "Um, yes, sure," She stammered, "If you would, please g
"MAXIM, MEET DMITRI Boris, although he prefers if you call him Boris," Igor said. The two men sized each other up. The man, Dmitri a.k.a Boris, stuck a hand out and Maxim took it. "Dmitri, this is Maxim. He is my nephew and the person that needs your, uh, service." Dmitri was a tall man. So tall that Maxim's 6-foot5 just about got up to his shoulder. "Drinks?" Maxim asked, "I'm buying." Boris nodded and Maxim waved to the waitress. "Maxim, why do you need the services of Dmitri?" Igor asked. Maxim cocked his head and smiled. He turned to Dmitri and said, "I hear you are an assassin." Boris nodded again. He had not said anything the whole time. "Why haven't I heard any word about you from the underground?" Maxim asked. "That is the whole point of being assassin. A ghost, that is what I am," Boris said in a cold voice. Maxim nodded. "I ask again, Maxim," Igor said, "Who is it?" Maxim kept on looking at Boris, "I want you to kill Vittorio Orsatti." There was a stunned silen