Valentin had always been in control, but now faced with this dilemma, he knew his empire was in jeopardy. Smoke from his ally’s pipe rose and formed delicate swirls in the air. Lanzo stood across from Valentin with his arms crossed, deep in thought. Valentin could only guess what he was thinking. This was the first real problem Val had encountered since taking over his father’s business. Annoyance was starting to build in his chest with every minute Lanzo stood there silent. Okay, Val thought, I made a mistake but that doesn’t mean you have to relish the moment so. Lanzo shifted, then placed his pipe on the pool table. 

“So these are all the men who are no longer….available?” His voice was low and gravelly from years of filling his lungs with smoke. Valentin nodded his reply and watched Lanzo’s face carefully, trying to gauge his reaction. His eyes flitted to the folders on the pool table then to Valentin’s face. 

“It is quite a loss”

“I know, Lanzo” anger was apparent in Valentin’s voice as he ran an agitated hand through his hair. “I didn’t call you here to gloat”

“I’m not gloating” Lanzo frowned, but Val could see the mischief in his eyes, “I’m simply trying to understand how this happened.”

“I don’t know how it happened” Val took his shot glass and downed the vodka that sat inside. Nothing ever agitated Valentin and Lanzo knew it. Valentin knew that he noticed how antsy he was. The air was thick with the sweet smoke from Lanzo’s pipe and Val felt as though he was choking.

“We’ll figure this out, Comrade” Lanzo placed both hands on the table and leaned in to whisper, “You are young. Things happen. No one will blame you” Valentin touched his pocket briefly, reminding Lanzo that if he wasn’t careful with his choice of words, he might get hurt. His partner got the message and raised his hands in mock surrender.

“A mole perhaps?” Lanzo picked up his pipe again, twisting it gently between his thumb and his index.

“That is the only explanation” 

“There are others” Lanzo raised a suggestive eyebrow.

“I don’t make mistakes” Valentin said the words calmly, but inside him was a raging inferno of doubts and fears. What if one of his careless decisions had led to the capturing of so many of his men by the authorities? Should he tell the few men he had left to lay low until he sorted this out? That would be a huge loss in income for who knew how long. Valentin’s eyes drifted to a picture of his father on the wall. Otto Schmidt had not been one to give up easily. After all, Val thought, father raised me, ran a successful legitimate business and was a notorious mafia boss. If his father could do it, Val was more than certain that he could too. Valentin found himself looking at his middle aged partner once more. He briefly wondered if he should take Lanzo out and keep everything the man owned, which was more than enough to keep his empire running for decades. But Valentine decided against it. He knew that Lanzo was more skilled than him in this area, and whether he wanted it or not, Val needed the advice.

“You should lay low for a while” Val snapped out of his reverie and looked to the older man with disgust plastered on his face. Laying low was not an option, what kind of boss went into hiding when things got hard? Not a Schmidt, that was certain. “Lay low and let me take over for a little while. When things are better I’ll let you know” Valentin could sense the deceitful edge in Lanzo’s voice. This man was a snake, and would never hand Valentin back the business when things got better. The gun felt incredibly light in Valentin’s hand as he pointed it at Lanzo. The older man didn’t looked frightened, he didn’t even look concerned.

“Beruhige dich, ja?” Lanzo took a long puff on his pipe and let it out.

“You want to say something like that to me again?” Valentin sneered.

“Don’t lose your cool Valentin, it isn’t becoming of a mafia boss”

Valentin grunted and put his gun back in the pocket of his trench coat. This man wasn’t worth a bullet, so he wasn’t going to waste one on him. 

“How will we go about catching this mole of yours?” 

Valentin fought the urge to say he didn’t know. How would he catch the mole? He didn’t want to go in himself, that would arouse too much suspicion. Valentin wanted to catch the person red handed, but not himself. Who could he trust to do the job? All of his best men were in prison or awaiting trial. The door to the room opened suddenly and Valentin could smell her before he could see her: Katarine. She waltzed in smiling that big audacious smile of hers. Her trench coat flowed seamlessly around her slender frame, and her golden eyes burned with a hunger that told Valentin that she wanted something.

“Valentin darling” She cooed. Katarine sidled up next to him and placed a kiss on his cheek. Valentin knew her tactics, she would try to charm him into giving her something or doing something for her. Well, Valentin thought angrily, I don’t have time for naive little girls today.

“Have I caught you at a bad time?” she asked, jutting out her bottom lip in a way that would have most men change their minds in an instant. Her golden hair lay gently over one shoulder and her eyes searched his for any sign of relenting.

“I am busy Kat, I have many things to discuss with Lanzo” Katarine seemed to notice Lanzo for the first time and gave him a bright and seductive smile. Valentin rolled his eyes as Lanzo looked Katarine up and down, clearly taking in every inch of her deceitful little body. Lanzo may have been the older one, but Valentin was experienced with Katarine’s kind. Kat took the initiative to introduce herself to Lanzo as if securing another person in her book of favors.

“Is there anyway I can help?” Kat turned back to Valentin and leaned against the pool table.

“If you left, it would be greatly appreciated” Valentin didn’t even look at her to know she was giving him her classic puppy eyes.

“Kat, can you give Valentin and I a minute. It’ll be quick” Lanzo said gently. For a single man in his forties, Valentin wondered if Lanzo should be looking at a twenty-five year old girl the way he did. Katarine complied and left the room humming a happy tune.

“If you let her, she’ll swindle you out of everything you own” Valentin warned as he watched Kat close the door behind her.

“Maybe I’ll let her” The lust was apparent in Lanzo’s eyes, but Valentin didn’t have time to worry about that, his empire was in danger.

“Don’t you see the opportunity that just waltzed in here?” Lanzo asked Valentin excitedly.

“She’s not my type” Valentin replied dryly.

“Nein, nein" Lanzo waved his hand, “I’m speaking of Demi problem” Lanzo waited for Valentin to say he understood, but he didn’t. “Send her in, she’ll find them in no time” Valentin smiled, then chuckled, then laughed. It was a deep belly laugh that Lanzo or Valentin hadn’t heard in ages. Lanzo frowned and Katarine opened the door and stood there, frowning at Val.

“I can do it Val” her voice was soft and Valentin could see that Lanzo was taking pity on her.

“I don’t need you help” Valentin managed to say when he calmed down, “But Danke for the laugh” 

“What’s the problem?” Kat came closer.

“None of your business, Kat. Now get out of here before someone reports you missing”

“Tell me” Kat came up to Val and clutched the front of his black trench coat. Val’s blue eyes searched her face as she leaned against him, no matter how hard he tried, all he could see was a manipulative young girl that might just change his mind if he kept looking at her.

“Leave Katarine” Valentin pushed her away, “This is no place for a girl such as-”

“I’m not a girl!” Katarine stomped her booted foot,”I’m only a year younger than you are”

“Valentin believes there is a mole amongst his men” Lanzo said, never taking his eyes off of Katarine. Her annoyance faded to interest at this new nugget of information, she stepped towards Lanzo, taking a different approach.

“I can help” she said, “Tell him to let me help” Lanzo basked in her attention. Valentin wondered exactly when he had lost control of the situation as Lanzo convinced him that this was the only way they could go for now.

“It’s all fun and games until-”

“I’ll be fine” Kat said turning to Val.

“Fine!” Valentin threw his hands up, “But you will do exactly as I say, und-”

“Trust me” Kat whispered and winked at Val before sashaying out of the room.

“I hate that woman” Val muttered.

“She didn’t even look back” Lanzo said with an air of admiration.

“One thing you should know about her, Lanzo” Val gathered the folders on the pool table and shoved his top hat onto his head, “She never looks back” Valentin walked away, leaving Lanzo alone. He had a lot of work to do.