And how is it that you guys know about this place." I asked as we pulled up to a bar in Hell's Kitchen, The Verona Room, proudly displaced across the front in plain colours on the backdrop of a simple brick wall.
James pulled the car to a stop. "Every Agency keeps tabs on know fronts for every Major Crime Families in New York. This place is a known one for the DeLuca Crime Family. Their big into the black market and trading anything that people might want that is on the risky side."
Robert turned around. "They're also known middlemen for people looking to trade goods but don't want to give their identities away. You want something, The DeLuca knows someone who can get it. Now stick close and follow our lead."
The street was mostly empty, but I immediately heard some men chatting just behind the window of the building, they were quick to notice us.
We opened the bar to the sounds of smooth blues, cigar smoke, and quiet chatting behind drinks as I heard the end conversation of a deal completed for a shipment of weapons for an amount of money that sounded made up.
A beautiful waitress passed us. "Hey gorgeous, you wouldn't happen to be able to help some lost men would you." James smiled sweetly.
"Just one-second baby." She continued.
Robert quietly leaned down to me. "First lesson, always be on the lookout for every bit of detail to get the scope of the place, notice the waitress, she was carrying a 25-year-old Macallan whisky, that's the premium stuff. This place has wealth and they like everyone to enter to know."
I watched the waitress continue to the mahogany bar that stretched across the back, polished to a deep shine under golden pendant lights. Behind it, rows of imported whiskey, scotch, from Crown Royal to 18-year-old Glenlivet, that Robert pointed out for me, some open others collecting dust whilst all attended to by a quiet bartender who kept everything neat and clean.
The waitress returned quickly to us. "You asked for help good looking." She gave James a look over before smirking. "I'm sure I can spend time to help."
"Beautiful and helpful, the best of both worlds, we are on the look for information?"
She cheekily grinned. "I'm sure I could teach you something, but more general is in the booths, follow me."
She led us to the booths which were deep red leather, private, and enclosed enough for business. Though out of the conner of my eye, I noticed a doorway in the back, and behind it, I heard the breathing of what was most likely a guard.
"Wait here good looking, I won't be long." She quickly went to another booth before starting a conversation with the man in it.
James leaned down to me. "Second lesson, always be friendly and get along with anyone, people are more willing to help someone nice to them, or in my case has got their attention by flirting with them."
Robert made sure to keep an eye on the waitress. "Though you don't need to do the flirting, only if you can naturally or are skilled enough to do it. Don't force it because people will see through it. Also depends on if the place 'allows' it, just like us they flirt back to get information out of you."
I nodded my head; it was just another thing that I would have to learn quickly.
The waitress returned with another man in tow. "Customers meet Vince, Vince handsome customers."
He tipped off his fedora with his wrinkling hand, hiding his sharp oceanic gaze, buried deep in his weathered face scoped us out, behind his hat for a moment, before returning to normal as he put it back on.
"Thanks, darling. Can you get us the usuals?" Vince quickly sat down shaking our hands. "Names Vincent Calloway, taking your kids to work day?" he said as he shook my hand.
"Something like that." James smiled as he tipped the waitress and discreetly got the number from her which seemed to make James happy, after that everyone introduced themselves.
Vince took out a cigar and prepared to light it before looking at me and putting it away.
"Time is money and Sally says you're after some information. Got the goods to pay for that."
Robert reached into his jacket and showed an open envelope holding plenty of dollar bills. Vince nodded his head.
"Just had to check, had a recent string of dumb shmucks thinking they can get information for free."
"Sounds like business is being good for you."
Vincent intertwined his fingers. "You can say that everybody is looking for information these days and I just so happen to know how to get it. So, what can I do for you gentlemen."
Robert put the envelope on the table. "Word is that some stolen tech is up for sale, you happen to know of any of that kind."
"I potently do, but you are going to have to be more specific, lots of stolen tech is going around these days. Why do you think the family has been doing so well."
Sally returned with some drinks. "For you all." She gave everyone some alcohol whilst water for me.
Robert took a moment to savour his drink. "I can tell; this is some great stuff. Any change you are willing to sell the bottle."
Vincent smiled, looking smug. "Apologies, but the bottle is from my collection. But if you want a connection to getting them, then you're going to have to pay."
James tapped on the envelope drawing Vincent's eye for a second. "On the look for some Stark Tech, word is that it's some high-end stuff."
"Ha, should have figured you were also interested in that, been quiet the buzz about it and a lot of people have shown some interest. If you want the latest then you're going to have to ask the boss, he deals with those big deals." He reached over to the package and took a single bill from it. "You can find him in the back, give them my name and you can take part in the bidding for it."
"Bidding?" Robert asked as he took back the envelope.
"Yep, so many people have shown interest that the boss had to get involved in it, and turned into a bidding war. You came at a fortunate time; these are the last few days left if you want to get in on the action, you meet the boss and place your bid, whoever got the biggest bid wins." He shook our hands again before heading off to his original booth waiting for his next customer.
James started to lead us towards the back area. "This is going quick kid, but I hope you learn quickly because this is going to get interesting."
We knocked on the door, which was answered with a gruff muffled voice. "State your business."
"Vincent recommended us to see the boss."
There was some jiggling of locks before the door opened, the guard took us in before looking behind us and nodded. "End of the hall, doorway on the right."
We quickly went to the back room and behind a heavy curtain, into a private room, with its band on stage draped in purple velvet cloths and polished floors, lingering cigar smoke, swirled around drawing the sense away from the weapon in open carry. In the back of the room was a man watching the stage basking in the blues that was much better than what was being played in the main lobby.
The man looked good despite the start of sagging in his skin and the wrinkling of his hands. With slicked-back silver hair and deep-set brown eyes that smiled along with him, he simply sat and enjoyed the music with his men.
Dressed in a perfectly fitted tailored three-piece suit, polished with a gold watch peeking from behind his black gemstone cuffs, a family crest pinkie ring on his right hand, etching with a shield encasing a skull sitting atop two shaking hands.
James led the way towards the back, only to be quickly stopped when we got close to the boss by one of his guards.
"The boss don't just speak to anyone, state who sent you and what's your business." He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Sent by Vincent and looked to take part in the bid for Stark Tech."
The guard nodded before heading to the boss, he covered his mouth as he whispered into his ear, and they went back and forth for a moment before they agreed. I could hear what they were saying, and it looked like we would get our meeting. The guard quickly returned.
"The boss'll meet you after this song." The guard then directed us to one of the large free tables where we quietly waited for the last song to finish.