Chapter 65 - 64: Revelation After Revelation

Chapter 65: Chapter 64: Revelation After Revelation

Next Morning,

*BAM*

"LUCKY, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!" Genovese burst through the door, kicking it wide open, disrupting the easy flow of conversation between Lucky and Ricky in the early morning.

Both men turned sharply, their pleasant exchange replaced with wary tension as they locked eyes with Genovese.

"What's the meaning of you kicking in my f*cking door? Last I checked, you weren't a damn barbarian." Lucky said, his voice calm but laced with a sharp edge as he gestured to the shattered hinges.

Genovese flinched at the remark but quickly regained his composure, straightening himself as if the momentary lapse hadn't happened.

"Lucky, did you not hear? Slick beat up my right, MY RIGHT!" Genovese's voice cracked with fury as he shot a venomous glare at Ricky, his anger spilling into the room.

Ricky blinked, just as confused as before, his brow furrowing as he tried to make sense of the accusation.

"Who?" Ricky genuinely wondered out loud, trying to recall who was Genovese's right hand man.

"Bass." Lucky promptly informed Ricky, still at a loss until a light bulb flickered above his head.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh," Ricky drawled, the sound stretching as the memory of the man he'd beaten to a bloody pulp in the back alley yesterday began to resurface as his expression shifted, slowly piecing together the situation.

"Well, he tried to touch my girl and that couldn't fly." Ricky didn't even give Genovese's face, promptly shrugging the act off entirely while leaning back in his chair without remorse for his actions.

"Was it Maria?" Lucky's eyebrow twitched, acutely aware that any action involving the Long Island Princess was a delicate matter.

However, as he caught Ricky's subtle nod of affirmation, Lucky leaned back in his chair, his expression cooling, as if already calculating his next move.

"Slick was in the right-"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME NOW-"

"Do not interrupt me." Lucky's cold tone cut through the air, interrupting Genovese tirade as the burly man had realized that he had crossed the line that was Lucky's patience.

"You know the rules." Lucky said, his tone cold and unyielding, gazing at him as if he was a piece of meat on the chopping block.

"You should've known my boy would've handled Bass that way if he stepped out of line. Now get out." Lucky's voice sent a shiver down Genovese's spine, its chilling edge serating his spine which made him instinctively lower his posture.

Realizing he'd either crossed a line or that Lucky was simply in a foul mood, Genovese decided it was best not to stick around to find out as he quickly made his exit, not daring to linger.

"Damn." Lucky's voice choked as the cold air seemed to disperse around him, his heart breaking in two.

"You need a minute or-" Ricky, seeing how Genovese's mere presence unnerved him, gave out his courtesy remark.

"Shut up." Lucky gave him the bird, scoffing at Ricky seemingly pulling out a tissue from nowhere.

"Ohohoho, looks who's letting his emotions-"

*Cough*

Lucky shot a harsh glare at Ricky, who, caught off guard, choked on his words and struggled to stifle a laugh.

"Just get your ass out there and try not to be a condescending asshole when you unveil the product."

5 minutes later,

"THEY SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE, BUT THEN I WENT OUT THERE AND DELIVERED!" Ricky roared with triumphant gestures as the Luciano family, assembled for their meeting, were stunned by the sudden reveal of two million dollars' worth of weed placed neatly on a large table.

They towered all the way to the ceiling, stacked in a pyramid as if sculpted from green gold.

*Sigh*

Lucky sighed from the side, clearly unimpressed, while Meyer erupted into hysterical laughter, utterly content with seeing their losses replenished.

Frank, meanwhile, applauded with a broad smile, clearly pleased with Ricky's display and relieved to see that everything was going well.

"That kid's hubris is gonna get him capped one day." Lucky muttered with an aggrieved sigh, while Meyer nodded in agreement, though the wry smile on his face contradicted it.

"I mean, you've got to give it to him." Meyer said, trying to defend Ricky, playing the devil's advocate for the group.

"The kid did something no one else could've done and then topped it ten times over." Meyer played along with the celebrating atmosphere, only for Frank's face to finally break first.

Frank didn't want to be the one to bring it up, but with everything going on, he couldn't stay silent any longer.

He needed to know the truth, he needed to know whether Genovese was a rat.

"Lucky be honest with us, is it really true that Genovese is selling the family out?" Frank couldn't hold back any longer and after turning and seeing Genovese glaring at Ricky with disdain, he finally asked Lucky in a low whisper

"C'mon Franky, he was just joshing us last night, Genovese is a lot of things but he isn't a snitch, right Lucky?" Meyer responded, though his words trailed off as he glanced at Lucky.

In that moment, Lucky's eyes held more emotion than they had ever seen before, a rare crack in his usually stoic demeanor.

No one could ever truly understand how much Lucky valued Genovese, not just as his underboss, but as his closest friend.

Growing up on the streets after emigrating to America with nothing but three nickels, Lucky had lived a hard life.

With his family dead in Sicily, he had nothing but the cruel memories he was left with.

Every day was a battle for survival, often ending in a fight just for even a scrap of bread.

One day, he saw a scrawny kid getting beat up in an alley and without hesitation, Lucky jumped in, beating off the hooligans.

But it didn't take long before he was knocked to the ground himself and as one of the attackers pulled out a knife, Genovese returned the favor by smashing a brick over the kid's head, saving Lucky's life.

From that day forward, they ran the streets together, inseparable, until Genovese left for Sicily.

When he returned, Lucky hadn't forgotten their bond and immediately set him up as his right-hand man.

Their friendship, forged in blood and loyalty, was something few could ever hope to understand.

"We'll have to see." Lucky tightened his grip on his cane, his knuckles whitening as he gave Genovese a cold, unflinching gaze.

"SLICK!"

"SLICK!"

"SLICK!"

"SLICK!"

The Luciano family erupted into cheers, their voices filling the room as they turned to the young man who had just pulled them from the financial pit Dewey had so meticulously crafted.

Ricky stood at the center of it all, the unlikely savior of their fortunes, basking in the sudden wave of admiration.

'At least something good came out of all of this.' Lucky allowed himself a brief smile as he watched the family chant Ricky's name, the young man holding up his arms in triumph.

But as the moment passed, Lucky's face grew cold once more, his mind already shifting back to the weight of their world.

"Meyer, Frank, get the warehouse ready." Lucky made his decision, his gaze hardening with a resolution clear in his mind..

Meyer and Frank, sensing the shift, exchanged a silent glance as they understood without a word being spoken.

"And get me that Bass fella Slick beat into oblivion."

"Yes boss."

1 hour later,

"Lucky, you need to explain what the f*ck is going on with you!" Genovese kicked the door open and strode into the dimly lit warehouse where Lucky had asked to meet him.

He knew this place well and how it was reserved for secret meetings, the kind where only trusted men were invited.

Yet, the thought that this might be his own secret execution never crossed his mind as he walked in, unaware of the storm brewing within these familiar walls.

"LUCKY-"

Genovese screamed as a harsh light suddenly flickered on in the center of the warehouse, illuminating Lucky's figure.

The sudden reveal made Genovese flinch in surprise, his heart racing as the room filled with an uneasy tension.

"Sit." Lucky gestured silently toward Genovese, who frowned but stomped over to the seat, his frustration evident.

"Lucky, what was that sh*t about earlier, huh?" Genovese pointed at Lucky, his expression sharp with accusation, but Lucky remained unfazed, his eyes steady and unreadable.

The silence between them grew heavier, the weight of unspoken words pressing down, but still, Lucky refused to respond.

"I'm supposed to be your number two." Genovese finally blurted out, his frustration bubbling over, escalating with every word uttered from his mouth.

"But it feels like I'm just a placeholder for that little sh*t." Genovese's voice trembled with anger and hurt, unable to mask his growing resentment at being consistently overlooked.

"On top of that, you only gave me this position because the Jew and that Calabrian couldn't take it!" Genovese shouted, his voice cracking with genuine hurt.

It wasn't just the position that stung, but the knowledge that Lucky had overlooked him twice before finally offering it.

The pain of being seen as second choice fueled his anger even further, especially now that he was in the position but still overshadowed by Ricky.

Lucky remained silent, allowing Genovese to seize the moment and pour out all his grievances.

As Genovese vented his frustrations, Lucky listened, giving Genovese the space to finally express everything he had kept bottled up.

"And that kid of yours." Genovese continued, his voice rising with a clear resentment.

"He might be Sicilian, but he ain't a leader and he definitely doesn't have what it takes to run this family!" Genovese's frustration was palpable as he watched Lucky groom Ricky to be the next leader, a move that felt like a betrayal to the traditional order of the mob scene.

"Are you saying you would do better, are you saying you could lead this family?" Lucky finally broke the silence, his voice cold and measured as Genovese bit his lip, then closed his eyes, bracing himself for whatever was to come next.

"Yes Lucky, I think-"

*Bam*

Lucky slammed a packet onto the table, his hand tapping it once before he slowly slid it across to Genovese.

As Genovese opened it, his eyes widened in shock at the contents, unable to conceal his surprise.

"Is that why you tried to go behind my back and undermine the family through cowardly means?" Lucky asked, his voice tinged with pain as his hurt expression overtook his face.

Genovese's pupils shook violently, his shock clear as he processed Lucky's accusation.

Even now, Lucky didn't yell or scream as he continued to gaze at Genovese with a heartbroken expression, his eyes reflecting a deep sense of betrayal and sorrow.

In another world, in another reality, Genovese might have taken over the Luciano family after Dewey uncovered the evidence to imprison Lucky.

But with Ricky's unexpected rise, a ripple was set in motion that would forever alter the course of their world.

"W-What is this?" Genovese's voice trembled, asking in an incredulous tone.

Gazing down at the picture, Genovese saw his own men, those he had trusted with his life, conspiring with Dewey, his subordinates, and his own right hand Bass.

The sight was a crushing blow, revealing the depths of the betrayal he faced when gazing at this picture for the first time.

"What does it look like, Genovese?" Ricky spoke from the side as the lights in the warehouse flickered on, casting a stark illumination over the scene and revealing the gravity of the moment.

On each door, positioned at opposite sides of the warehouse, stood Meyer and Frank, their faces reflecting hurt and disappointment.

Meanwhile, Ricky stood a short distance from the table, next to a bound and helpless Bass..

"Bass-" Genovese stood up, his heart sinking into his chest upon seeing his right in such a bound and beaten state.

"I'm sorry, boss." Bass confessed as soon as Ricky ripped off the tape from his mouth, his words tumbling out in a frantic apology.

"What did you do!" Genovese yelled in anguish, his voice echoing through the warehouse and Ricky's eyes widened in shock as Bass, overwhelmed by the situation, began to cry uncontrollably.

"It should've been you boss, it should've been you that was next in line!" Bass yelled in desperation, his voice cracking with fear, as Genovese's face twisted into an expression of disbelief.

"DAMMIT GENOVESE, STOP LYING TO ME!" Lucky finally lost his cool, his anger reaching a breaking point.

Unable to contain his rage at Genovese's continued denial, he hurled the table aside with a violent shove.

Genovese looked back in shock, his face a mix of fear and confusion as the table crashed to the ground.

"Lucky, I'd never betray you-" Genovese immediately pleaded with Lucky, desperation evident in his voice as he gazed at his closest friend in this world.

"LIE TO ME ONE MORE TIME AND I SWEAR, I SWEAR GENOVESE!" Lucky roared, his voice filled with fury as he pulled out his revolver, his hand trembling as his heart screamed at him to stop.

All the while on the side, a sudden conundrum shattered what had seemed like a black-and-white situation.

Ricky, observing the unfolding drama, realized with growing clarity that Genovese was telling the truth.

The pieces clicked into place, and Ricky understood that Genovese's own men might have acted on their own, without his knowledge.

Ricky was left to grapple with the harsh truth: Genovese was never a rat and he hadn't betrayed Lucky, and in fact, was innocent.

In truth, Genovese never liked Ricky but that didn't mean he wanted him killed.

To him, the boy was reckless, self-destructive, and the glaring blind spot in Lucky's otherwise sharp judgment.

It felt as if Genovese alone saw Ricky for what he truly was: a cancer eating away at the foundation of their organization.

The plan to send Ricky to Mexico wasn't about setting him up for failure, it didn't need to be.

Genovese had complete confidence that Ricky would fail on his own and when he did, Lucky would finally be forced to see what Genovese had known all along: Ricky was never worth grooming for anything more than his inevitable downfall.

"Lucky w-wait, Genovese didn't-" Bass desperately tried to clear his name, but Ricky suddenly placed a hand over his mouth, silencing him.

Bass shook his head, his eyes pleading with Ricky for understanding, seemingly begging him to let him set this situation straight.

But in that crucial moment, Ricky made the brutal decision to cover it up, his resolve hardening when looking upon Genovese pleading with Lucky.

Ricky knew that eventually, he and Genovese would have to compete if he wanted to become the head of the family, it was inevitable.

However, Ricky was reluctant to deal with the complications that such a power struggle would bring.

Although it was against Mafia standards and considered immoral, he preferred to remove Genovese from the equation now rather than face the turmoil later.

"LUCKY, I WOULD NEVER BETRAY-"

*BANG*

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Genovese screamed as Lucky fired the revolver, the shot piercing his knee.

The impact of the bullet was sharp and unforgiving, and Lucky's hand remained steady, betraying no sign of the recoil or emotional turmoil he felt inside.

The bullet tore through the muscle and cartilage in Genovese's knee, causing him to collapse to the ground in agony.

The sudden loss of support left him writhing in pain, unable to maintain his balance.

"YOU WERE MY BROTHER GENOVESE, I TRUSTED YOU!" Lucky yelled out in immense grief, his voice breaking as his eyes began to water.

'A boss can only ask what he himself would do.'

These were the words his father had always told him: that it was his duty to clean up the messes he'd made.

Lucky felt the full weight of his father's wisdom and he knew that despite the pain and guilt, it was his responsibility to resolve the situation and restore order.

"LUCKY PLEASE-"

"TELL ME THE TRUTH, I WANNA HEAR IT FROM YOUR DIRTY MOUTH THAT YOU BETRAYED ME, SAY IT!" Lucky screamed, his voice echoing with fury as he pressed the barrel of the revolver against Genovese's head.

Genovese closed his eyes, accepting the harsh reality and knowing there was no escaping the consequences, and although he was innocent of the betrayal, he felt the weight of blame for his role in the unfolding events.

His constant complaints about Ricky and Lucky had inadvertently pushed his men into actions he never intended.

At that moment, Genovese resolved that if he was to leave this world, he would do so in a way that would at least make Lucky's life a bit easier.

As his friend.

"I betrayed you." Genovese managed a small, defiant smile as he lied, his eyes closing in resignation and Ricky stood by, fully aware of the truth but choosing to remain silent.

*Sniff*

"I loved you like a brother Genovese, I'd take a bullet for you." Lucky struggled with his emotions, the gun trembling violently in his hand as a single tear streamed down his cheek.

"We grew up together, we broke bread together, and when you came back from Sicily after being chased out, I welcomed you in with open arms," Lucky heaved, his voice thick with sadness as he looked at the man who had stood by him through thick and thin.

Discourse and soured relationships were inevitable within the family, but at its core, it was an immovable object.

Yet in Lucky's eyes, Genovese had shattered that core, breaking the very foundation of trust and more painfully, he had broken Lucky's heart.

"I know, and I betrayed you." Genovese lowered his head, accepting his fate as Lucky exhaled heavily, glancing over at Ricky.

Lucky's eyes searched Ricky's for that final confirmation, knowing that Ricky had the ability to discern truth from lies.

Lucky's eyes pleaded for a reason to stop, a last shred of hope to avoid the inevitable.

Yet Ricky saw an opportunity to seize the power within the family, the very power Lucky had hoped to bestow upon him.

For the first time, Ricky chose to deceive his old man as he nodded, and Lucky, trusting in Ricky's abilities, felt his entire world collapse.

Believing wholeheartedly in Ricky's judgment, he turned back to Genovese, the gravity of the situation settling heavily on him.

*Click*

*Sniff*

"Any last words Genovese?" Lucky clicked the revolver, the sound echoing ominously in the tense silence.

Genovese remained quiet, his head bowed and his expression resigned as the weight of the moment hung heavily between them.

"I know I betrayed your trust, but can you put 'A loving friend' on my gravestone?" Genovese asked boldly, wanting people to remember him as a good friend rather than a dirty rat.

As Lucky heard the request, memories of their shared past, both the good and the bad, flooded his mind.

"Yeah, I will."

"Thanks Lucky, take care." Genovese chuckled, a sad, knowing smile on his lips as he prepared himself for what was to come.

He had already accepted that Lucky would honor his request, even in the face of the betrayal that had brought them to this point.

"Goodbye Genovese."

*BANG*

*Thump*

Genovese's brains splattered across the pavement as his lifeless body collapsed onto the ground.

Lucky let out a deep breath, holding the revolver where the smoke trailed from the barrel.

He holstered the weapon back into his jacket and stood there, his face gradually hardening into an expression devoid of all emotion.

"Slick, issue the order." Lucky spoke coldly, his heels clicking sharply against the floor as he walked toward the door where Frank stood.

Ricky nodded in response, though Lucky didn't need to glance back as he continued walking, bypassing the waiting car and heading down the street with a grim determination.

"W-What are you going to do?" Bass asked, his voice trembling, once Ricky let go of his mouth.

A construct materializing above Bass, resembling a guillotine, though only Ricky could see its manifestation as it hovered over him ominously.

"Well, when a part of the body has rotted and threatens to spread its decay, what would you do?" Ricky asked, and as he did, Bass's eyes widened in shock, his vision seemingly turning upside down.

A look of disbelief was frozen on his face as he gazed at his own body slumped on the ground, the last flicker of life fading from his eyes as he looked upon his decapitated form.

"You cut it off." Ricky coldly chuckled as he walked toward the other door where Frank was stationed.

Meyer and Frank followed him, and they re-entered the building where all the higher-ups, except those under Genovese, were gathered.

In the headquarters, the higher-ranking members gathered around the large table, their faces etched with confusion and unease.

"Slick." Profaci gave a nod to Slick, who was waiting in the living room for Maria.

"Profaci." Ricky nodded in acknowledgment as the man approached and took a seat directly in front of him.

"So, you're a mutant." Profaci revealed that the news of Ricky being a mutant had finally leaked from the Luciano family and spread to the other families.

Ricky was slightly taken aback by Profaci's blunt revelation as he hadn't expected such directness, but he quickly realized, judging by Profaci's unyielding gaze, that denying it wouldn't change his mind.

"I am." Ricky nodded, not bothering to conceal the truth as Profaci's intense gaze lingered on him.

After a moment, Profaci closed his eyes, took a long look at his glass, and then set it aside, steeling his resolve before meeting Ricky's eyes once more.

"You can't come here anymore Slick, after today you're blacklisted from the Profaci family territories along with the other families territories." Profaci spoke to Ricky with a heavy heart, leaving Ricky bewildered by the sudden and unexpected proclamation.

"What are you talking about?" Ricky was caught off guard, thinking this was some sort of weird joke of his as he let out a small anxious chuckle.

"The commission met last night, Slick." Profaci spoke with a heavy tone, and Ricky, caught off guard, sprang to his feet in haste.

"That's against the rules-"

"5:1, the commission has voted." Profaci stood up and placed a hand on Ricky's shoulder, shaking his head as he did.

"Kid, if you don't leave New York, then it'll be war." Profaci was pained to even utter the words, but he knew he had to be the one to deliver the message.

"Does-"

"Yes, Lucky should've been notified right about now." Profaci spoke, but Ricky merely scoffed and pushed him away.

"You can't be serious Profaci, my pops will never let this go." Ricky couldn't believe what was happening, this scenario completely catching him off guard.

"I know." Profaci understood the kind of man Lucky was and observed as Ricky paced restlessly around the room.

"Why are you doing this, I thought you wanted me to be your family?" Ricky asked out, bewildered, while Profaci looked down in silence and he continued, pressing for answers.

"I'm a part of this community, I'm a part of the mob, you can't just kick me out of the place I belong." Ricky laughed at the statement, finding the whole situation absurd, considering he was just as much a mobster as any of them and Profaci slowly lifted his gaze to meet Ricky's eyes.

"That's the problem Ricky, you were never a part of the italian community, you were never one us." Profaci drew a line between them, clearly marking where he stood and where Ricky truly belonged.

"You were always a mutant and that's all you'll ever be." Profaci's words struck Ricky like a knife, leaving him stunned into a brief silence.

"You're actually serious? You think that just because I'm a mutant, I'm somehow different-" Ricky, never having faced such blatant discrimination from the mob before, was taken aback.

"Yes, the things you can do go against the nature of God, powers that humans were never meant to wield." Profaci shook his head, his stance striking Ricky with the full force of inequality of what all other mutants in this period face like him.

"Is this what you really think of me?" Ricky asked, staring at the man who had treated him like family just days ago, now viewing him with contempt as a disgrace.

"I don't have a choice, this is just how it has to be and always has been." Profaci showed his stnace, putting a line between them.

"You can't do this-.....you just can't." Ricky vehemently denied it, but Profaci simply looked back at him with a face full of disappointment.

"Dammit Slick, can't you even see that you lost?" Profaci looked at Ricky, who was visibly taken aback by his words as that fact never came across his mind.

"What do you mean I lost, I f*cking won, I beat Dewey and-" Ricky, visibly hysterical, pointed to himself, his anger boiling over as he propped himself up after having beaten the man who tried to dismantle his family.

"Everything you've built yourself up as, everything you've done within the mob, doesn't matter after what Joe revealed at the meeting." Profaci said deliberately, his gaze unwavering as Ricky glared at him, teeth clenched in a mixture of fury and disbelief.

"Joe's a nobody-" Ricky laughed out, thinking of Joe Bonanno as nothing more than a psycho.

"Joe played you like a fiddle, played us all." Profaci sat down, swirling his drink as Ricky didn't accept these words at all and scoffed.

"And the fact you can't see it, concerns me." Profaci's words struck Ricky silent, leaving him staring at the man with a mix of disbelief and anguish.

"How." Ricky wiped his mouth, giving in and asking Profaci who sighed deeply.

"How did you think he found out, who has the most to gain from you leaving, think Ricky?" Profaci watched as Ricky's expression shifted, the realization dawning on him with a jolt.

"He's colluding with Dewey, and you didn't tell me-" Ricky put it together, holding his head as he immediately blamed Profaci who laughed.

"There's someone else behind this." Profaci firmly concluded, his voice tight with frustration.

"Dewey couldn't have spread the news so extensively without help. I didn't see it until the meeting, but now it's clear, there's someone else orchestrating this." Profaci looked at Ricky who nodded along, coming to this conclusion as well but they couldn't prove it so it didn't matter.

They stood in awkward silence, the tension between them almost palpable and Profaci, aware of the danger, felt the weight of Ricky's gaze.

Ricky, who could effortlessly end Profaci's life with a mere thought, something the unsuspecting Profaci remained oblivious to, finally reached the point where Ricky resorted to making threats.

"Honestly Profaci, could you really even stop me, do you think that if you waged war that you'd win?" Ricky stepped up to Profaci, looking down at him with a cold intensity.

But then, with a shake of his head, he took a deep breath, the threat lingering in the charged silence.

"No, I don't." Profaci spoke from the heart, knowing that Ricky must have something to be so bold in front of him

"Although I'm not fully aware of your capabilities, I'm well aware of your families capabilities, and I am almost certain that you'll come out the victor." Profaci explained, his words steady despite the tension.

Ricky, however, couldn't help but laugh, his gaze locked on Profaci as he tried to make sense of the situation.

"Then why should I leave, what would make me even consider just letting this go?" Ricky genuinely asked, watching as Profaci absently touched his pinky ring.

"Because the families won't only go after you, we'll go after everything you care about." Profaci said, laying his cards on the table as Ricky's expression hardened while processing the threat.

"Alina, Maria, Lucky, Frank, Jake, Henry, Madame St. Clair, Chores, and Barko are some of the few we know about." Profaci took another sip, Ricky side-eyeing him with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"You'll win, but not after losing everything." Profaci's words made Ricky really emotional as his eyes were as sharp as a dagger.

"You and your family don't have the resources to protect it all, you'll win but only if you lose as well." Profaci tried to speak reason, but Ricky cut him off, his patience wearing thin.

"Watch it Profaci." Ricky was clearly uninterested in the threats, but the old mobster remained unfazed.

"No Ricky, it's you who needs to watch himself." Profaci stood up, staring Ricky head on with an unfazed glare.

"If you think that we can't get to the people-"

"I can protect them-"

"Like Rocco and Eddy." Profaci went for the throat as Ricky choked on his words, looking away in guilt.

"We both know you can't protect everyone, all at once." Profaci used his final card, knowing that Ricky might be powerful but he couldn't be in all places at once.

"You really want to do this, don't you?" Ricky asked, nodding his head to the side with a hollow smile.

"I was left with no other choice."Profaci didn't want things to come to this, but sometimes tough decisions had to be made, even if it meant facing Ricky in this harsh manner.

"I thought-...I thought much like your father, that if I gave you enough time that you'd straighten out, iron out all the kinks in that tough armor of yours." Profaci straightened out Ricky' clothes, flicking some lint from his shoulder.

"I thought you could become a leader so that I could intrust my Maria too." Profaci spoke from the heart, showing his sincerity through his words.

"But you just can't see the bigger picture Slick, you can't see ahead of you and that's your biggest weakness." Profaci got down to the bare bones of it, speaking the truth from what he saw.

"You're just not a leader." Profaci revealed his true thoughts about Ricky, stripping away the veneer of camaraderie to show that Ricky was far from what he had believed him to be.

"I'm gonna be the Luciano family underboss, I'm a leader-" Ricky fired back, trying to argue with Profaci who shook his head.

"People who claim that their leaders aren't true leaders, but mere entertainers, are often the ones who misunderstand the essence of true leadership." Profaci believed, giving Ricky a nugget of wisdom.

"You're not a leader; you're just entertainment. People are drawn to you because you amuse them, not because you inspire them," Profaci scoffed, showing the truth of who he was as Ricky gritted his teeth.

"Your power isn't about guiding or building; it's about spectacle. You're the flashy show, the sideshow act that grabs attention but fails to lead. People watch, they cheer, but when the curtain falls, you're just a performer who couldn't keep them engaged. That's your real legacy, empty excitement and fleeting thrills." Profaci said, his words cutting deeper than any blade into Ricky as the mutant stood before him without a discerning expression.

"I had high hopes for you, Ricky. I saw potential, believed you could rise above the noise and become something more than just a spectacle. But now, seeing you for what you really are, it's clear that this is all you'll ever amount to, just a fleeting moment of excitement, lacking the substance and vision to truly lead-" Profaci continued, rubbing salt in the wound as Ricky clenched his fist.

*Bam*

Ricky's fist collided with Profaci's mouth, sending the old mobster reeling back as Profaci grabbed the chair behind him to steady himself, a surprised laugh escaping his lips as he wiped the blood from his split lip.

"The families have already started surrounding your territories, if you know what's best for you then you'll leave." Profaci words pressed on, threatening Ricky even further.

"F*ck you Profaci, I can't believe you're taking Joe's side." Ricky gnashed his teeth at Profaci, angered by everything he was hearing as he knew that Lucky needed to be warned.

"This is the real world Slick, it ain't no f*cking movie where everything just goes the way you want it to." Profaci spit out to the side, blood staining the carpet beneath him while spreading out his arms.

"If anything, I'm doing you a favor, teaching you a valuable lesson that you can't trust anyone but yourself." Profaci's words rang with hypocrisy, yet beneath the veneer of his criticism, there was a flicker of hope that Ricky might one day surpass his current limitations.

"Let me go, LET ME GO!" Maria broke free from Ninfa's grasp and dashed down the stairs, her footsteps echoing with urgency as she fled.

"RICKY!" Maria's scream pierced the air, and Ricky's head snapped toward the sound, his steps faltering as he instinctively moved forward until Profaci blocked Ricky's path.

"Move-"

"Slick, I can't involve Maria in this and if you love her like you say you do, then you know too." Profaci tried to calm Ricky, his voice soothing yet firm, as Ninfa yanked Maria back into her room. Maria's sobs echoed through the hallway, her cries piercing and desperate.

"Screw you." Ricky pushed Profaci away, literally being threatened by him mere moments ago as Profaci grabbed his clothes to stop him.

"If this goes down and I have to choose, I-.....I can't protect her if you go through with this." Profaci pleaded with Ricky, who was visibly agitated, his eyes darting between Maria, now held against the wall, and Profaci's restraining grip.

"Then give her to me-"

"I-I can't do that, the second you leave here with Maria, she's as good as dead." Profaci's words struck deep, leaving Ricky stunned and visibly hurt.

"Is that what you really think of me, do you think I won't be able to protect Maria?" Ricky asked, bringing up his old wounds from earlier.

"Yes, I don't think you can, everything you've shown me till now proves my point, you're someone who only protects himself." Profaci's bold words left Ricky breathless, cutting through his fa?ade to reveal the selfish, cowardly man beneath.

"What is wrong with you-" Ricky asked, watching Profaci's threatening demeanor turning into clear begging as Profaci lashed back out.

"What is wrong with you, how could you let this happen-" Profaci snapped back, thinking that if he had Ricky's power then none of this would have turned out the way it did.

"I didn't let this happen-"

"That's the point I was trying to make Slick, you failed, but most of all, you lost." Profaci explained, revealing that Ricky's ignorance of this fundamental truth was precisely why he had failed.

"Profaci, trust me they won't win-" Ricky assured him, trying to move forward only for Profaci to cling onto him further.

"I can't lose Maria like I lost my brother, you need to leave." Profaci understood that he couldn't halt Ricky if the latter chose to disregard him, which is why, in this moment, the mafia boss who ruled over Long Island cast aside his pride to protect what he cherished most deeply.

"Do you think I'll be pushed around like some chump, that I'll just give it all up-" Ricky yelled out, pushing Profaci back as the man held up his hand.

"No, that's not what I'm saying Slick, I'm saying the people around you will, and only once you realize your own weakness, it will already be too late." Profaci spoke from a place of deep personal experience, haunted by the memories of his deceased older brother that died because of his own rashness.

"Do you want the truth Slick, man to man." Profaci finally looked up at Ricky, firmly trying to find the words to keep Ricky from taking Maria.

"You don't have the tools to fight these guys and you know it, I know you do." Profaci pointed directly at Ricky's heart, his eyes locked onto the younger man's, conveying a depth of emotion that words alone couldn't capture.

"You're just too young, too naive, too arrogant, too rash, and too stupid." Profaci declared with brutal honesty, his voice carrying a weight of years of experience.

"You want advice, real advice? Sharpen your knives, Ricky. The only way out of this mess is through a battle you might win, but remember, the war is one you'll ultimately lose." Profaci was confident in this fact, looking at Ricky as someone who could win a fight no problem but might crumble under the weight of a war.

"Your kidding, what can these guys do-"

"Listen Ricky, I'm just here to give you the words of the families and the commission." Profaci stepped back as a line was once again drawn between them.

"If you don't leave New York in two weeks, then there will be a war." Profaci stood resolute, unwavering in the face of Ricky's stunned silence.

"From here on out, you have been exiled from the order of the commission. You can no longer be a part of the Luciano family, conduct Luciano family operations, and belong to the Luciano family." Profaci spoke his words as if reading off of a script, informing him of the commission's decision.

"You may keep your last name, but that's all you're allowed to keep." Profaci's words sparked Ricky's anger, looking at him with a newfound animosity.

Ricky anticipated resistance from the other families once his mutant status became public.

However, what he failed to grasp was that while the mafia might tolerate his powers due to the church's influence, the real problem lay in his inability to fully integrate with them.

His powers might be accepted, but his differences made him fundamentally distinct from the rest, resulting in him being a black sheep.

These mobsters only trusted full blooded Sicilians, which Ricky was now considered a bastard.

"Is this how it is Profaci?" Ricky asked, clearly feeling betrayed by Profaci who nodded.

"This is how it has to be." Profaci spoke the words he never wanted to say as Ricky walked towards the door.

"I won't just run away-"

"It's ironic since that's one of the things you're best at." Profaci stepped up to him, Ricky looking at the crying Maria and backing away.

"This isn't over." Ricky pointed at Profaci, warning him in advance.

Walking out the door, Ricky went inside his car and drove off only for Maria to break down the door.

"Maria you need-" Profaci calmly spoke, seeing her fuming as she ran down the stairs.

*SLAP*

Maria slapped him across the face, her hand leaving a stinging mark as Ninfa, trailing behind her, gasped in shock; Maria had never shown such raw defiance before.

"How could you live with yourself, Ricky is one of you-"

"He was." Profaci's cold words cut through the tension, his voice unwavering as he turned his face back to Maria with a firm, unyielding expression.

"But he's not a Sicilian, he's a mutant and there's a difference."

Meanwhile at the Luciano Residence,

Lucky's office was a scene of chaos, with papers scattered and furniture overturned.

"Do they realize who they're dealing with?" Lucky sat in the center, laughing maniacally as Ricky walked in, the sight of Lucky's frenzied state..

"Lucky, listen to us-" Meyer tried to calm Lucky down only to be pushed aside, Lucky marching forward and looking at Ricky.

"Get everyone ready, if it's a war they want then it's a war they'll get." Lucky interrupted Meyer who backed away, Lucky informing them all as Frank had an uneasy expression.

"Slick, could you give us a second to talk-" Frank turned towards Ricky and asked out, knowing that this situation was a touchy one.

"No, he's now the underboss of the Luciano family and he's staying, it's final" Lucky's command came out in a burst of anger, his frustration palpable as Frank struggled to guide Ricky toward the door amid the chaos of Lucky's rage.

"Lucky-" Meyer attempted to reach Lucky, but the aftermath of Genovese's death had left Lucky in a visibly deteriorated state, something Ricky couldn't ignore.

"My boy ain't leaving, I ain't- '' Lucky yelled, his voice breaking as he struggled to get the words out.

"I ain't losing anyone else." Lucky felt a profound sense of defeat and powerlessness, despite being the most formidable mob boss in all of New York at that moment.

"Pops, you're not gonna lose me-" Ricky tried to offer reassurance, but Frank abruptly placed a hand on his shoulder, signaling a shift in the situation.

"Slick, please."Frank gestured for Ricky to leave the office as Lucky slumped into his chair, defeated and Meyer placed a comforting hand on Lucky's shoulder.

"Frank-"

"I know that it might be a lot with everything happening, but can you do me a favor and check on Eddy for me?" Frank asked, though it was clear what he intended, as Lucky needed his solitude with Ricky understanding and nodding in agreement.

"Alright." Ricky smiled, glancing back at Lucky in his distressed state before trusting Frank to handle the situation as he then walked to his car, where he glanced at a box of specially ordered sheets.

'Guess it's as good a time as any to give these to him.'

30 minutes later,

"So that is what is happening outside?" Eddy spoke as he gazed out the window, his eyes distant, while Ricky sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"Yep, it's a total sh*t show out there and I have no idea what to do." Ricky spoke, admitting that when he was driving to the mansion, he wasn't thinking about anyone else until he saw his father.

"Give me some advice, I would go to Jake but he'd probably just say to fight head on." Ricky spoke, admitting that as he drove to the mansion, he hadn't thought about anyone else until he saw his father.

*Sigh*

"I don't know." Eddy spoke honestly as he gazed at the sheets in his hand, gently caressing them and feeling their soft texture.

"Oh come on Eddy, that's really all you have for me?" Ricky asked with a wry smile but Eddy only closed his eyes.

"Slick, how should you react when you're pushed into a situation they never wanted to be in?" Eddy asked Ricky a question, prompting him to tilt his head in curiosity.

"Find a way out of it?" Ricky seemed to ask, and Eddy shrugged, finally meeting his gaze after a long period of silence.

"Then find your way out." Eddy told Ricky, hsi eyes conveying a deep meaning though the latter's mind was filled with too much to notice as he stood up with a chuckle.

"You speak as if you have experience." Ricky laughed it off, and Eddy, for the first time since the accident, allowed a genuine smile to appear on his face.

"Well, I'll come visit tomorrow to see how those sheets are fitting, alright?" Ricky waved, strolling out of the door as Eddy looked at him.

"You know I never blamed you for what happened to me, right?" Eddy suddenly spoke, causing Ricky to halt in his tracks just before he reached the door.

"Of course buddy." Ricky gave Eddy a wink and a smile, which prompted Eddy to nod his head in response.

'Good luck Ricky.'

Later that night,

Ricky gazed up at the mansion from which Profaci had banished him. He knew he had to see Maria, no matter what.

Gazing down at the various men patrolling the ground, Ricky walked on an invisible platform above them until he was high above the house.

Ricky realized that Maria had initially been intended as just another target.

Yet, as time passed, he found himself inexplicably drawn to her, though not in a way that made him love her.

Her presence seemed to complicate his life further, adding layers of difficulty to his already troubled existence.

From an outsider's perspective, Maria seemed unremarkable, just an ordinary girl with her head in the clouds and problems that only someone with privileged innocence could understand.

She didn't fit the mold of someone from a mobster family; instead, she appeared nurtured by pure love rather than the rigid rules that shaped others' fates and personalities towards marriage in this era.

Despite this, Ricky was drawn to her, whether by mere association or something deeper.

Over time, this proximity transformed into a subtle jealousy, as he couldn't help but envy the simplicity and purity she seemed to possess.

Initially, Ricky relished the idea of Maria, seeing her as a beautiful, privileged girl whose charm he wanted to taste firsthand.

However, as he spent more time with her, his perspective began to shift.

In stark contrast to his own corrupted mind, Maria always seemed to see the good in everything, trying to find any excuse for the bad.

Her unwavering optimism and almost childlike belief in the goodness around her made her appear to embrace a world filled with hope and possibility.

In a way, Ricky's attachment to Maria wasn't really love but envy.

He genuinely envied her ability to love so openly, finding himself unable to even fathom such a feeling.

His own personality seemed to self-destruct before he could reach that state of vulnerability and connection.

Seemingly deep down, Ricky was around her out of spite, a paradox of emotion where his resentment and envy masked a deeper, more complex attachment.

He stayed close to Maria not only because he was unwilling to let go but also because her presence was a constant reminder of the innocence and simplicity he could never attain.

He struggled to appreciate the genuine feelings she offered, instead seeing them through his own distorted perspective.

The window of her room was slightly ajar, and Ricky carefully climbed through it, his movements calculated and deliberate.

As soon as he landed inside, Maria was upon him, her arms wrapping around him with a desperate intensity.

She buried her face against his chest, eyes shut tight, her embrace a mix of relief and longing.

The warmth of her body and the softness of her touch contrasted sharply with the harsh reality Ricky had faced, offering a brief respite from the turmoil that surrounded them.

"I knew you'd come."Maria whispered softly as she looked up at Ricky as he smiled down at her, his fingers gently caressing her chin with a tender touch.

"I'll always come for you." Ricky whispered back to Maria, his words accompanied by a smile and teary eyes.

As their lips met, Maria didn't pull away; instead, she leaned further into him, gripping him tightly.

Amidst the chaos and the troubling news from her uncle, she felt that letting go at this moment would mean losing him forever.

"Ricky I'm ready~"

Author's Note: Massive Chapter for 8k collections. Just want to say a thank you for everyone who likes my writing and I'm glad that you all enjoy my story, even when it's a tad frustrating.