Brick back in the city

*The camera pans along a busy city street and comes to focus on John "The Brick" Rose talking with some shady associates smoking outside a pool hall.*

Brick: So that's the plan. Joey, you better get your act together, you come to me with another light payment, and it won't be the bookies who get their fingers broken, understand.

Joey: Yes Boss. It won't happen again.

*Joey trembles in fear and backs himself against the wall, as another man speaks up.*

Paulie:Boss, how's my sister?

Brick: Kandy is fine, Paulie. Pissed off, obviously. Lil mook, Ventrue, doesn't know what type of trouble he's gotten himself into. I sent her down to the beauty parlor with some spending money. You know Kandy, when in doubt, shop.

Paulie: Yup, that sounds like Kandy all right. So what are we going to do about this little problem.

Brick: I'll handle Ventrue, don't you worry none about that. He thinks he can lay a hand on my girl without paying? Fehgeddaboutit. Next time we meet . . . I'm not taking a brick . . . I'm taking the whole damn wall down. Just like lil Jimmy . . . and we all know what happened there.

John and Kandy are lounging in their locker room when there is a knock on the door.

John: Hold on Kandy I'll get that.

John gets up and goes to the door and answers it to find a UPS guy with a package for him.

John: Thanks. What you want a tip, well here it is get LOST!

John opens the package to find a video tape inside.

Kandy: Whats in the box?

John: A tape...

John looks puzzled and Kandy stands up and goes to look.

Kandy: Watch me?

John puts the tape in the vcr and hits play.

The screen only has static at first, but soon lights up showing the out side of John's house. Ventrue begins to narrate.

Ventrue: Oooh for a wrestler just getting to his feet this place is sure fancy. Though I must say John the statue is a bit much.

The camera zooms in on a replica statue of the Venus De maiu. And pans over to the front door where Kandy is seen coming outside.

Ventrue: She deserved that love tap. You both know it. Oh there's the man. Doesn't he look like putts. It looks like you are yelling? Did she not feed you fast enough?

The film shows Kandy and John getting into a nice town car, and pulling out.

Ventrue: Hmmm...where are you going? Lets find out shall we? You know you pull out the piercings and take off the makeup and nobody recognizes you.

John stops out side of a beauty parlor and seems to be yelling again, and Kandy gets out of the car looking sad and unhappy.

Ventrue: I could follow you, but this is just too good to pass up!

John drives off clearly speeding, and Kandy waits until John is out of sight.

Ventrue: Look at that John where is she going?

John looks at a nervous Kandy without saying anything until Ventrues' voice comes out of the speaker again.

Ventrue: Of course she goes into a shoe store! And here I thought she may be cheating on you Johnnyl.

The camera shifts and gets a good view of her looking at some cute sandals, but puts them back.

Ventrue: Do you have a limit to the amount of shoes she can have? I mean why does she look so guilty for being in a shoe store?

Kandy looks around and decides this isn't where she wants to be either and leaves.

Ventrue: Where you going Kandy? Kandy...Kannnndy....oh kandy such an elegant beauty. John tell me why is such a lovely girl going by such a cheap ring name? Kandy Apple? I mean it sounds...

Kandy walks into a catholic church.

Ventrue: You know it is wednesday...You do know what they do on wednesdays right? CONFESSIONAL!!!!

The camera wavers quite a bit as Ventrue is obviously jogging around the church and goes in through the back. Ventrue finds a priests robes, and the screen goes blank.

Ventrue: Hey John to be continued...

*John "The Brick" Rose sits fumiing in the locker room as he grabs the footage and snaps it in half. John turns to Kandy who is shaken up by the violation of their life.*

Kandy: Wha - What was that? Why is he doing this?

Brick: Quit your yapping. I'll take care of this.

Kandy: What are you going to do?

Brick: I'm going to make a phone call.

Kandy: I'm scared John, he knows where we live, and we don't know what he wants.

Brick: He wants to push me. Now it's time I push back.

*John "The Brick" Rose picks up his cell phone, dials a number and soon we hear one half of a conversation*

Brick: Yeah Mike, it's me. Don't worry the line is clean. I need you to setup a pickup. You remember that mook Ventrue I told you about? Yeah the crossdresser. . . I want you to take his bike to the garage. . . yeah strip it to the bone.

*John hangs up the phone and turns to Kandy*

Brick: Don't worry Candace, I will get the mousey little bastard. Even if it means ripping every hair out of his freakshow head.

*John sits down next to Kandy and comforts her as he lights up a cigarette.*

Kandy: Oh John, be careful.

Brick: I will, and until this is done, I'll have Paulie watch over you, and keep a few eyes on the street.

Kandy: Whatever you say John.

*Hours have passed since John "The Brick" Rose and Kandy Apple had watched the tape sent by Ventrue, but the steam filling John forced him to the streets for a walk. He called Paulie to watch over Kandy. If he could trust anyone to watch over his girl, it was her brother. Family. That's where respect is purest. But now John had to find someone he could rely on. Someone to watch the streets. He knew where he had to go.

John took a turn downtown, walking past the broken down buildings. Grafitti covered the brick walls of the shops that once thrived in the olden days. Punk kids trying to leave their mark. Just a constant reminder of the lack of respect in today's youth. John knew where he was, he was on the streets he's walked all his life, and as he turned into a darkened alley, he knew who he would find there. As he approached a figure lurking in the shadows, he paused and met the figure's gaze.*

Brick: I am sure you know me. You have walked these streets almost as long as I have. We have never done business together, but our paths have never crossed in battle either. I am not here to run you out. So you can keep your crew at bay. I have come alone out of respect, and I am unarmed. I only have this.

*John slowly reaches into his pocket and pulls out a money clip. The camera zooms in and shows the wad on $100 bills wrapped in a silver clip.*

Brick: Your known for your reputation to know the streets happenings. These skills would be useful to me, as I find myself in a bind. There is someone I need to keep an eye on, but I can not touch him without risking losing control and ending up in jail for assault. The man who calls himself Ventrue, has taken it upon himself to stalk me and my girl. Although this is not your problem, I imagine that it could be profitable for you to consider.

*John reaches the money clip out to the shadowed figure.*

Brick: So what do you say? Are you interested?

*Emerging from the shadows is a girl, a deep purple mask over the lower half of her face. Her eyes glance towards the money clip, then back at The Brick. She's thin in frame, but her presence is overwhelming to the casual observer. The Brick, having dealt with people like this for quite some time, is unaffected.*

Snapshot: It was wise to come alone. A couple of my more 'energetic' bunch have been asking me to move in on your turf. Clearly, they don't understand the streets very well. It's been a while since someone's come to me with an offer though. I have to say, I'm impressed at your taste.

*Snapshot hands the photo to one of her 'crew', her eyes never leaving The Brick's face.*

Snapshot: This is just a down payment. Since you are more than aware of my, shall we say, abilities... The job will be done with my discretion, and the results will be most pleasing to you. You will in no way be linked or implicated in what I'll do. Once I get the results you're after, I'll expect the rest. Do not contact me, I'll contact you.

*Snapshot, with but a single barked order, has her group of 15 run off in different directions, scattering to the winds.*

John "The Brick" Rose feels something fall into his pocket as Snapshot brushes past him. A simple folded piece of paper, with what looks like three chains linked together on the outside. The Brick opens it up and reads it over. A smirk appears on his face. He takes out a lighter, burns the note, and walks off.