*click* *click* *click*

"Forgot to get bullets, deadeye?"

Sam nearly crumbled in fear as he looked directly into the mafioso's eyes. They gleamed like cold arctic ice in the sun. He didn't get to plead as the first blow collided with his jaw, blood flying towards the liquor as he stumbled to the left, falling onto the floor. He gazed up and saw Steven looking down, rage in his eyes. He spoke to him despite the looseness of his jaw, the filling of blood, and the burning sensation in his mouth.

"Can I askth refore you do whathsever, shouts shonna do to sme...let me spexplain?." Sam spat out some blood to the side, wiping his mouth.

Steven smirked, then snorted,  then laughed...The rage in his eyes rose.

"Really, Deadeye?.. You openly betray us, betray Connie..and you think you can talk your way out..ok."  Steven crouched over Sam, elbows on his knees, hands still closed into fists. Clicking the top of his mouth with his tongue, Steven stared at the mustachioed man.

"Speak. Honestly."

Sam nearly pissed himself at the cool command, looking at the younger mafia with pure fear, knowing that his life was on the line..or at least his livelihood.

"Zhose guys...Zhey're new..parz of shome riszing kamily, frim the Motor Zity."

"You're boring me.." Steven clenched his fist clucking his teeth a few times in annoyance. "Get to the point."

Sam growled the best he could before speaking.

"Yous guys kave so manies propkerties in the cifie and so munz influeznce.. brouns to zring aivalies and seing oppozitionz."

"And you didn't want to get caught in the middle of anything. So what? Were you paying your way to safety?"

Sam, despite his position laughed; darkly and coolly. "heh...Zou woulz think that, with hos we mezs and all, putz no. I kuts vanted zo pe ooseful...oose ny ztill  as a inro proker. Zomezing, Connie, kuzt Igmored. ..No..She ooses ne as mozhing nore zhan a bamn...BAR MANAGER! Zits enzulting!.”

“So you betrayed us because of hurt pride, is that what you saying?” Steven threw a quick jab, stopping just in time to give his nose a glancing blow. “We gave you a job... A new lease on your life, and this is what you do!?” 

"I didn't dezrayed zanione! I zwear! I swas zrying to jet ya'll zome info on them."

"The money? Why were you giving it to them?"

Sam's lips pursed into a thin line as well as they could, swollen as they were. He knew Steven well enough...He swallowed some spit and iron before speaking.

"Zrugs.  zuns...I swas trying some from zhem.. zee what they got..didn't get much. Zhose suits, just surveillance, small time pushers and muscle. shirst time xoming, but zeen them Around."

Steven let out a sigh as he rubbed the back of his head...So Sam was playing nice to gather info...Fair enough, not a traitor...He did step out of bounds, though. 

'Broken jaw and strange talking is punishment enough.'

That being said, he didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. 

They already were aware of the Motor city family for a while, thanks to the host and hostesses. They were the information system here; could charm the dirtiest and most protected secret out of the most stoned face. Just had to liquor them up a bit.

 Though, he didn't expect the Zoot suits, never mentioned in the reports. Probably, a nobody gang they hired to ensure a presence before sending a real force. Steven stood up with a little pain in his side from the hit earlier. 

"Gonna call a clean-up crew for these four. You get the bar ready for tonight and get yourself proper. Wear a mask or something. "

Sams' eye widened as Steven started to walk away. He was going to live another and keep his job. He wasn't even going to tell Connie. The man got to his feet, looking as Steven walked past Red, relief in his damn eyes.

"Zhan yous." 

Steven growled and turned back towards Sam, a cold glare present. "Do the damn job you're assigned to. Run this bar. Nothing more, nothing less."

Sam nodded in fear as he lifted his hands in surrender.

Steven scoffed as he turned and headed out of the bar. As soon as he walked out and got into his car, a few SUVs pulled up to 'Shangri-la.' 

A small army of black vests and white shirt (the same as his) walked into the bar and quickly loaded the knocked out zoot suits before pulling off. One of them gave Steven a nod before heading off, the army leader, Amethyst.

"Well, she knows...Don't know why I would think differently." Steven kissed his teeth and sighed, thinking about going back to the office.