Dmitry's Closet by Nelson, S. (read people like a book .txt) 📕

“Let’s get started,” Ivan began as his man closed the door of the private room. “I’ve spoken with several other men not associated with the Vory v Zakone around Memphis who would be interested in doing business with us. And they have agreed under one condition.” He looked around the room at the eyes glued to his mouth and his every word. “The condition being that we eliminate Dmitry and any men who are in agreement with him. That would mean the entire council.”

There was an automatic sigh of defeat. The condition was more than a notion for any of them. While it appeared that Dmitry traveled light, the truth of the matter was that he had over 200 men within the region were in allegiance to him. His organizational skills should have been the seventh wonder of the world. In a dangerous business of organized crime where men continuously stabbed each other in the back, Dmitry was no Caesar and no one had ever been strong or bold enough to be his Brutus.

“Dmitry’s men are larger in number than our own by thirteen heads if you have forgotten,” Nicolai, one of Dmitry’s most trusted men said,taking a sip of his strong drink. “What we are proposing is the deliberate overturningof our own leader. To do thatwould send the wrong message to others who have long been interested in taking over our business. Plus, let us not for get the code. Thieves- in-Law. What we are proposing will cause us to face retaliation by New York and Moscow.”

“Not if we do it the right way,” Ivan protested. “New York has never been one hundred percent sold on Dmitry’s tactics even if Moscow has. However, they have never gotten in the way, because he has always delivered. What we need to prove is that his new love interest isproving to be his Achilles’ heel. He is one of the first in the states to amend the code and allow marriage, family and legitimate business, and look what it had done to him…to us. There was a reason that the codes were in place. Who is he to change it? That is reason enough in itself for him to be killed.”

“I didn’t know that you cared so much about the code,” Nicolai said unconvinced. “Didn’t you have a wife?”

There was a silence in the room. Ivan looked over at the man with a scowl on his dark face. Then he smiled. The deepness of his dimples and the curve of his beautiful face were over powered by the sheer hatred and malice that he carried in his soul.

“Had a wife? Yes, I did. Funny thing happened with us though. Dmitry killed her.” Silence over took the room long enough for the clicking of dishes to be heard out in the main area of the restaurant. No one wanted to talk about Ivan’s dead wife. Many had heard the rumors, but no one dared utter a word.

“So this is about revenge?” Nicolai pressed the issue. “Because if it is, you need to get in line. Many people want to kill Dmitry because of someone that they’ve lost. It doesn’t mean that they will be avenged, especially by his own captains.”

“No. This is about money. And the only way that we make more of it is to cost him and New York a great deal of theirs.”

“Are you proposing that we become sloppy in our own business?” Max asked, another of the closest of Dmitry’s council.

He had long wished for more money to pay for his mistresses and wife. The multitude of his harem was growing and his cash flowed was dwindling due to the aching recession. Plus, his jealousy towards Dmitry had only deepened through the years.

Max had asserted to his wife and closest friends on many occasions that it was Dmitry’s looks that got him as far as he had gone. Had Dmitry been fat like Max, who had been treated for diabetes, obesity and heart disease for over ten years now, then the story would have been quite different for him.

“I am simply saying it’s going to take a sacrifice in our own daily business to get rid of him.”

The men were not sold. In fact, they were more resistant that ever.

“He’ll only tighten the reigns. Our incompetence all of a sudden will send red flags. He’ll cut us down where we stand.” Nicolai was ready to pull away from the table. He had hoped that Ivan had a better plan than this. “Please do not tell me that you have brought us down here for some paper thin conspiracy plan that will only land our heads on the chopping block, our families, and ourmen. You have to have more than a few adolescent whores in mind andsuggestions that we become careless in our finances. Tell me something more or I walk. Besides, if Dmitry would kill his brother’s wife, God only knows what he would do to us.” He looked at the other men, reminding them of how close to death they were at that very moment.

“We also give him over, limb by limb, to the police,” Ivan continued adamantly.

He was unmoved by their fear, unmoved by the mention of his dead wife. His only goal was to get them in agreement. Once the plan was laid out and complete, he would kill them too. He smiled as he thought of it. A whole new breed of Vory v Zakone would be put in place…all following him. “There is an ongoing investigation on all of us right now. You. You’re family. Your men.” He mocked them.

“We’re listening,” Max said, concerned. He reached for his friend Nicolai to settle down. Dmitry had always protected them from any real police threat. This was a new development, a reason possibly to validate their new alliance with Ivan.

“I don’t have a lot of information right now, but I know that Dmitry was approached by two police officers at