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Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

Apr-22-2010 21:04

"Cut!" The director screamed. He ran onto the movie set and stared at the lost man in a tacky detective costume. The director was a head shorter than most actors, but his stare was fierce. "I told you for God knows how many times, read your script as it is WRITTEN!"

"But real detectives don't say things like 'What were you doing at the time of the murder.' It's a straight give away to the suspect that a murder had taken place!" The poor man defended.

"God damn it, who cares what you say as long as it's a talkie film. A MOVIE!" The director slapped his script on the prop table. He turned to his crew, "Who hired this genius?"

The crew was stone silent. The cameramen wiped their bulky equipment fervently like their life depended on it. The lighting crew looked at their silver lamps as if they saw it for the first time. The soundman listened to his playback looking for noises that didn’t exist.

A young man in a plaid sweater put up his shaking hand, "but sir, you said you wanted an authentic guy to play the part, so I got you a real detective."

"I said I wanted an authentic LOOKING guy, Martin! Not the real deal. This is show biz, use your brain, if you're not SITTING on it!!" The stumpy director bellowed.

"But…"

A voice light as chimes cut through the quarrel. "Boys, if you don't mind, I'll just go powder my nose." The lead actress with white blonde hair and the figure of an hourglass floated back into her dressing room.

"Yes of course, certainly my darling." The director cooed. He then turned coldly to Martin and the detective. "We'll take a 15 minutes break for you two to sort this out."

"Break! 15 minutes!" Martin announced, he then turned apologetically to his friend, "I'm so sorry, detective Zeo. I know most of this doesn't make sense, but can you please stick to your lines?"

Joseph Zeo looked at his shiny detective costume and gave a weak smile, "I dig what you mean," he sighed, "and you know I wouldn't have taken the job if I wasn't low on dough.

Replies

Riza Hawkeye
Riza Hawkeye
First Nomad

Apr-27-2010 17:54

“Fine, we’ll do it my way then,” Riza said, and stepped towards him. She grabbed him with both hands by the collar and lifted him up to her eye level. She pulled her arms back and launched him into the air, causing him to fly though the air screaming, and land with a huge resounding crash into the wooden crates behind the set. Wood pieces and packaging material flew out in all directions. Some of the set helpers ran to see what had happened.

“Scram! Unless you want to meet the same fate,” Riza snarled at them, an ugly look crossing her face. They scattered. Riza stalked over to Salazar, her stilettos making rapid clicks against the hard concrete floor of the set. Salazar was moaning as he tried to pick himself up, staggering to his feet. “Oh no you don’t,” Riza said, kicking him back down with a sharp heel to the chest.

“Oomph!” he exhaled as the wind was knocked out of him. He fell backwards, clutching his chest. He looked down. A small bloody patch was beginning to appear. “You bitch!” he screamed.

Riza’s eyes widened. She reached under her leather skirt and pulled out her trusty pistol. That thing had been in more places than she cared to remember. She stomped right up to Salazar and forcefully smashed him across the face with it, making droplets of blood fly out and splatter across the set as his head smacked onto the concrete with a resounding crack.

Riza hadn’t hit him hard enough to kill him…lucky man. She went over and turned him upside down, and kneeled on top of him, making sure to dig her knees right into the small of his back. “Did you kill Johnny? And you better not lie to me!” she screamed in his ear.

“No! I didn’t!” he yelled, fighting back tears.

“Then how do you know how he died? You know who killed him, don’t you?” Salazar was breathing heavily. “Better yet, I bet you hired someone to kill him, didn’t you?” Riza yelled accusingly.

Riza Hawkeye
Riza Hawkeye
First Nomad

Apr-27-2010 17:55

“Go to hell, you motherf-” His words were cut off as his left arm made a deafening crack as it was ripped out of its socket by a swift upward pull by Riza. He howled in agony as she continued to bend it at an odd angle around to the other side of his back.

“Never. Call. Me. Names.” Riza huffed angrily. “Didn’t your mommy ever teach you to play nice? Bet she never told you the other part. If you don’t play nice, Riza will come and MAKE you.” She pulled back on his thumb, causing it to snap away from its joint. Salazar gave a scream so loud it echoed throughout the entire set and even made Riza’s ears hurt a little.

“Please!” he begged through tears. “Please stop. I’ll talk. Just please, stop…” His body shook with sobs, probably caused by the excruciating pain. Feeling pity for the sad little man crying on the ground, Riza got off of him and stood up, crossing her arms. “Talk,” she commanded.

Salazar started to speak, gritting his teeth to fight the pain. “It’s true, Johnny did come to the set one day, and he was trying to take Simone away. But I couldn’t let her go; she’s my little moneymaker. So Johnny and I got into a fight. In the end he gave me a black eye, but left without her.”

“Why wasn’t Simone allowed to choose?”

“She’s just the pretty damsel in distress. She wouldn’t hurt a fly, let alone launch herself into a dangerous argument like ours,” Salazar said weakly. He tried to get up, but couldn’t, and collapsed back onto the ground.

“So did you kill Johnny?”

“…No.”

“But you sent someone out to kill him, didn’t you?”

Salazar hesitated. “No.” Riza raised her eyebrow skeptically.

He hurried to explain. “Well, I couldn’t have him hanging around here. He was a disturbance and a threat to everyone on the set. Plus I wasn’t going to let him take Simone away…”

Riza Hawkeye
Riza Hawkeye
First Nomad

Apr-27-2010 17:55

“You love her.” It was a statement, not a question. Riza stared silently down at Salazar with a tinge of understanding, but it soon disappeared as she regained her composure.

“Yes. I do. More than anyone will ever know,” he whispered. “So I got one of my connections to jump him as he was coming out of his house one day and beat him to a bloody pulp on the roof of a building. Don’t get me wrong, he was still alive. I just had him crippled, basically. Just to teach him a lesson.”

“A name. I need the name of the hired hand,” Riza said, suddenly all business again.

‘I can’t. He’d come after me and kill me.”

“Would you rather have him kill you, or would you rather have me kill you right now, while you’re crying into your own pool of blood on the ground?” Riza asked smugly.

Salazar gulped. This chick was crazy; she’d probably do it without a single afterthought. “Tony. His name’s Tony…Genovese.”

Riza reached into her leather jacket and pulled out her trusty knife. She walked up to Salazar, knelt down, and used the blade of the knife to turn his blood and sweat-covered face towards hers. “One more thing. How did you know how Johnny died?”

“Tony told me. While we were having coffee the other week. I swear, I don’t know anything about it,” he said, his eyes pleading with Riza for mercy.

Riza smirked. “Good boy,” she said in a mock sickly-sweet way, and turned on her heels to walk away. The sound of clicking boots was the last thing Salazar heard before losing consciousness.

Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

Apr-27-2010 19:47

Marc jumped up pulling out both pistols and aimed them at the figure in the door way.

"Whoa there, Marc. It's me," Zeo said, holding his palms up and open. He then walked in and closed the door behind him, wearing a solemn look on his face.

"Sorry, yesterday's incident have me on the edge." Marc replied as he put his guns away. "What's the matter, you look grim."

"I think today's shoot have just been cut short." Zeo stated.

"What do you mean?" Simone sounded alarmed. She stopped herself from tweaking her eyebrows in the mirror and turned to the two men.

"Riza just had a 'conversation' with Salazar, and left him with a few broken body parts. Since Riza had been seen by a few people and had a 'run in' with the security yesterday, they are reporting her to the police. She might be in big trouble now. I quickly ushered Riza off the set and asked her to meet us at my office. I think she did found out a few things though. Anyway, Martin attended to Salazar and have called an ambulance. Without a conscious director, we cannot proceed with the shoot today. Martin is dismissing the cast now..."

"Oh the poor man!" Simone exclaimed.

"I believe 'the poor man' hired someone to beat up your brother badly, but didn't kill him. Anyway, we can talk about this when we're out of here." Zeo got up. "I am going to try to call Vulkie too, see if she's back from her photo hunt. I'll meet you two outside by my car."

***

Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

Apr-27-2010 19:48

When the group finally settled down in Zeo's office with their regular booze and cigarettes, Riza told them about her discoveries.

"Tony Genovese? That's Vito Genovese's good for nothing nephew," Marc remarked. "The wise guy doesn't have half a brain in his head, and would've ended up dead on the street without his last name as a protection. How did Salazar get that kid to do things for him?"

"The director does have his own connections, true." Simone's voice rung out like tiny bells in the wind, "You cannot imagine what people would do when they were promised to be made stars in a movie. Of course, most of the time they were just being lied to, just like the girls who listened to my brother."

"Speaking of which," Vulkie voiced out as she placed 3 photos as well as a torn one on the table, "I found a man dropping these as I battled him inside your brother's apartment."

The photos depicted naked women being nuffed by some Italian men. They were all very graphic. Zeo's heart winced when he saw them. What animals would do these things to any girl? Simone picked up the photos and flipped them over one by one. She brows furled together. "This is not all the photos."

"Yes, the guy took off with half of them." Vulkie replied.

"I need the rest." Simone blurted out.

"What do you mean you 'need' them?" Riza raised an eyebrow, "If the mob has taken them back, isn't it the end of the story? They've got what they wanted. If I were you, I'd just hand over the rest and get on with my famous movie star life!"

Simone stifled what she was about to say. She took a deep breath and said instead, "Yes, you're right. That's the end of it."

"No it isn't," Zeo said, "we now have a lead as to who killed your brother. Tony knew that Johnny fell to his death, and don't think he heard it in the news either. Tony must have seen something. I'm going to find out what he knows."

Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

Apr-27-2010 19:49

"I'm coming with you!" All the detectives said.

"Marc, you must stay with Simone. We'll be back as soon as we can. Riza and Vulkie, arm yourselves with all your gears."

"You know i'm always readied." Riza said nonchalantly and walked to the door.

Simone got up on her feet, "You really don't need to do this! It's okay, let my brother rest in peace!"

"No death should be unavenged." Vulkie said, "Don't worry, we'll find out who killed your brother. Joseph, can we drive by my place to pick up my 'collection' of firearms?"

Zeo nodded and the three hurried off, leaving Marc and Simone behind.

M. Lacrimosa
M. Lacrimosa
Thespian

Apr-27-2010 20:56

Marc was just asked to do the unthinkable. To go behind his friend's backs. He had no clue how this would turn out. But he had to protect Simone Summers too.

"Simone...This is not going to be easy." Marc said. He sat down in a chair and ran his fingers through is hair. After a moment Marc pulled out his pipe and lit it. "We leave when just before darkness," Marc said after a moment.

Within a couple of hours Zeo, Riza, and Vulkie had not returned. Perfect. "Let's go," Marc said grabbing his small fedora. Quietly, the two people left.

"Where does this Sleven guy live?" Marc asked when they pulled out from behind the hotel. She told him where to go. Within an hour, it was dark. Night time was Marc's best friend. He knew how to use it. He shut the lights off in his car and slowly crept up the driveway the average sized house, just outside the city. "Stay here," Marc said shutting of the car. He pulled the keys out o the ignition to make sure that she wasn't going to set him up. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, but even those you trust..something can always go wrong and Marc wasn't going to take the chances. Besides, he knew Simone wouldn't go anywhere. Marc started for the front door.

--Inside the house--

Marc walked quietly inside the house. The front door was locked but luckily Marc knew how to pick locks. He wasn't proud that he knew how to do it but it always came in handy from time to time. Marc could hear some noise. It sounded like someone talking to himself. It didn't matter. Marc was here to get the photos. Marc entered to room to find Sleven trying to hide some pictures.

"Sleven," Marc said,"I think you have something that belongs to me."

"Who the hell are you?!" Sleven screamed. He dropped a small box. All he could see was an outline. A tall, creepy looking figure standing in the shadows. Sleven reached for the light switch. Marc moved faster and shot the light in the room, blowing the bulb. Now they were in total darkness.

M. Lacrimosa
M. Lacrimosa
Thespian

Apr-27-2010 20:57

((One quick note; that shouldn't say "hotel" I meant office. The are in Zeo's office not a hotel))

M. Lacrimosa
M. Lacrimosa
Thespian

Apr-27-2010 21:11

"Give me what I want," Sleven and you'll live to see tomorrow.

"F**K you!" He screamed. Sleven reached for a pistol and Marc fired another shot. The bullet zipped through the air missing his head by mere inches. Marc was sure that Simone could hear the gun shots outside.

Marc walked up to Sleven who was still trying to find his gun, and cracked him across the face. "Where are the photos?" Marc asked.

"What photos?" the man spat back.

CRACK!

Marc hit him again across the face. This time, blood poured from the wound above Sleven's right eye. He grunted as he fell over. Marc picked him up and sat him down in a chair.

"Now, where are the photos that Johnny took?" Marc asked again.

"Johnny who?"

BANG! Marc shot him in the left knee. "Don't play stupid with me, asshole! You know! Your best friend. Now where the photos?"

"You'll get nothing from me!" Sleven said behind tears in his eyes from the pain. And with that, Marc shot him in the other knee. Sleven cried in agony as his patella was shattered from the .45 slug.

"In the box!" In the small box. There is a small portion of photos..he has more...they are hidden. I don't know. I swear to god!" Sleven cried.

"Swear to me!" Marc growled, "Who has the other photos?"

"I never knew the guys name. I was Johnny's closest friend. But this guy...I think he's family..maybe a cousin..I don't know his name...his last name I think..I think is Rodgers...." Sleven said with sweat pouring down his face.

"That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Marc said picking up the box. He turned and pointed the pistol at Sleven's head.

"Wait! You said you'd let me live!"

"I lied," Marc said. "Sorry." Marc pulled the trigger.


Marc got in his car and left with Simone and the small box of photos. "This is only a small part of them," Marc said.

M. Lacrimosa
M. Lacrimosa
Thespian

Apr-27-2010 21:21

"Only part of all the photos?"

"Yes," Sleven said that they have been divided up. One person who has some is a cousin of yours with the last name of Rodgers." Marc said.

"But for now, we are going to a safe house that I have." Marc said.

They drove in silence to the safe house.

--At the Safe house: Location is somewhere deep in the heart of the city--

Marc had just killed someone in cold blood. This would not be the first nor the last. He didn't have to tell Simone that Sleven was dead. In fact, he didn't even show signs that he had just killed someone. Whether or not she knew was beyond him.

Marc sat the box down on the small table and Simone sat down. Marc turned on the light switch. Inside the box was a pile of photos of women. More pictures of them being nuffed by a group of men.

"Your picture isn't in here, Simone" Marc said after a minute. They dug through the box several times. Someone else had that photo.

Marc pulled out his pocket watch and looked at the time. It was late. Very late. Which meant that the others had found that Marc and Simone were gone. He was now sure that they knew something was up.

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