Jake and Mikey
Two months ago...
Jake made his way through the streets and toward the dock area of the city.
He kept to the shadows and his eyes darted everywhere at once.
He’d recognized the fat man as the one on the boat.
He looked just as mean in the photo as he did in real life.
This man might have taken Leon Vincinti. Oscar said he was missing now.
Jake might know where this man was but he didn’t know who to trust with what he knew.
He got back to their place but Mikey wasn’t there yet.
Jake walked down to the edge of the water.
He was now pacing back and forth while watching the boat.
Then he realized he could hear a conversation the two men were having...
“I suggest we take the boat out tonight and just dump his body into the bay. That way there won’t be anything to connect us to his disappearance.”
Gianno smiled. “True enough and if we tie him up and gag him, he won’t be able to fight and he’ll sink like a rock.”
The mean man chuckled. “You really are a mad man, you know that right?”
“Si, I know that, but I’ve had many years to think about this and it’s a fitting end for a man like Leon Vincinti.”
Jake snuck away and hid in the shadows. Now he knew the truth but he wasn’t sure what he could do about it. “Holy Batman. This is huge!” he finally spoke aloud now since he was safe.
The Vincinti mansion was all the way across town and he had no clue how to get there anyway.
Jake remembered that Oscar told him the Sinners were searching the city for Leon as well.
Those Sinners always looked so cool when they rode through the streets on those roaring bikes.
He wanted to be a Sinner someday. He rolled his eyes. Yeah, like that would ever happen.
Maybe he could go there, to their compound. But how would he get them to listen to him?
Jake knew Mikey would be mad at him if he did this.
He told him so many times to mind his own business.
He stared at the boat and finally made up his mind.
He rushed back to where he and his brother had been hiding out and quickly wrote a note for Mikey saying...
I had to do this...they are gonna kill Leon and that is everyone’s business.
I’m going to tell the Sinners. Then he quickly scrambled up to the road and began walking toward the Sinner’s compound.
He didn’t know what they would say, but he had to do this.
At the Sinner’s MC Compound...
The man wore a patch on his vest that said, Saber. He was a really big man too. He looked down at the young boy and snarled, “What do you want here, kid?”
Jake swallowed hard and tried to talk. But nothing came from his lips. He gulped again and said, “I know where Leon Vincinti is.”
Saber stared at him for a moment then asked, “Say that again?”
Jake dropped his head for a moment, then he heard his brother yell his name.
Snapping his head to the side, he saw Mikey coming over and boy, did he look mad.
Jake turned to the huge man on the other side of the gate and said out loud, “I know where Leon is and he’s in really big trouble.
Those fuckers are going to drown him tonight, unless you guys stop it. ”
By this time, Mikey got close to him and slapped his hand over Jake’s mouth as he glared at the man on the other side of the gate. “He shouldn’t have said anything. He’s got to learn to mind his own business and no one else's.”
Saber frowned then growled, “He said he knows where Leon is, does he?”
“Why would he know where he is? We don’t know him,” Mikey reasoned.
Jake tugged Mikey’s hand from his mouth and said, “You know that’s not right, Mikey.
Those men were talking about what they wanted to do to him.
They called him by name. They called him Leon Vincinti.
They are going to kill him unless we stop them.
They’re gonna tie him up and gag him then take him out to the bay and throw him overboard.
He wouldn’t stand a chance if they did that. ”
The rescue...
Caldrone looked at Jake and asked, “How the hell did you get him off the boat anyway?”
John nodded. “We thought we heard yelling and a splash. What the hell happened?”
Jake shrugged. “Well, when I got on the boat there was no one sitting in the first room so I went down the hall and found two other bedrooms but there was no one there either. I found Mr. Leon tied up in the third bedroom, so I took my small jack knife and cut the ropes. I helped him sit up then I saw the fat guy leaning over the back rail. He was smoking one of those fat cigars and he was just staring off into the distance so I snuck up behind him and shoved him over the rail. That was him screaming and hitting the water.” He shook his head.
“Then I went back for Mr. Leon here and we just walked off the boat.”
Leon nodded at John and Calderone. “This child saved my life.” He cupped his bloody bandaged hand to his chest.
After Leon was rescued...
“Did you know our dad left us seven years ago when I was only eight years old?” Mikey asked Leon in disgust. “He left our mom, me and Jake because he liked to drink more than he loved his family.”
Leon nodded. “Si, I heard that about the man. How did your mother survive?”
Mikey turned his head and glared at him. “She worked two jobs to keep a roof over our head and food on the table. She told me she was going to rely on me to watch over Jake for her. I had to keep him safe while she was gone.”
Leon nodded. “You became the man of the family at the age of eight, that was a hard thing for you to do wasn’t it?”
Mikey shook his head. “No sir, I knew what was what by then. And it wasn’t because it was the right thing to do. My mom needed my help so I gave it to her. Then when she died she begged me to look after Jake and keep him safe. We’ve been struggling but we’re still together and we’re doing alright.”
“I can see that. But Mikey, you know the type of man your father really is, right?” Leon asked softly.
Mikey nodded. “Yeah, he’s still a selfish creep.”
“Si he is, but now instead of alcohol, it's drugs he’s pushing and that’s even worse.” Leon shook his head.
Mikey looked him straight in the eyes and said, “He’s not only pushing drugs Mr. Leon...He’s using as well.”
Leon looked saddened to hear this then he shook his head. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Mikey just shrugged. “I’m not, I knew he was a loser a long time ago.
It only makes sense that when the booze wasn’t enough anymore, he’d move up to the drugs.
But I’ll be damned if I’m gonna get dragged down to his level and I won’t let Jake get dragged down either.
I made my mom a vow to protect my brother.
Family might not mean anything to our old man but it means something to me. ”
“I can see that,” Leon told him. “Family is important to me as well. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for my children, including protecting them.”
“Then you know how I feel about Jake,” Mikey said.
“Indeed, I do. But you know everyone needs a little help once in a while. You helped me and now I want to return that favor. I want to offer you and Jake a safe place for as long as you want to stay. The streets aren’t going to be safe for a while until we can clean them up again.”
Mikey seemed to think about his proposition for a moment then he nodded slowly. “I suppose we can stay here for a few days.”
“Grazie.” Leon nodded. “Evelyn will show you to a room. I hope you will stay with us for a while.”
A few weeks after that...
Leon turned to see that the boys were finally done with their dinner. He nodded at them and called out to them, “We got chocolate cake for dinner.”
Jake beamed at him. “Mr. Leon, we never seen so much food before in our lives!”
Mikey nodded. “How are we gonna make room for cake?”
Leon stared at him as he suggested, “There’s plenty of time to...” He shook his head and said, “I am just going to ask you now.”
Mikey stared back at him then he glanced over at Jake.
Jake looked a bit lost as he shrugged at him.
“I have to ask if you will agree to being adopted by Evelyn and I.”
Looking stunned, the boys both gawked at him, jaws hanging open.
All the adults at the table stared at the two boys from the streets. It was adorable, the surprise on their faces. A few days ago, they looked pale, with rings under their eyes. They looked haggard and thin. Now, they already looked healthier, cleaned up in nice clothes and bright eyed.
“Y-you want us to be...” Mikey gulped heavily then went on in a shaky voice, “Vincintis?”
Jake kept nodding as he now grinned. “Wow.”
“Bene, we do. We all do.” Leon nodded at them. “In your hearts, you are already Vincintis.”
“I agree,” Calderone spoke up. “Courage and smarts. You are very Vincinti.”
Jake turned his head to grin at Mikey. “You hear that? We are very Vincinti, Mikey!”
Mikey paused as he seemed to ponder this idea. “Yeah, I heard but we will never really be Vincintis.”
“The hell you won’t.”
Everyone looked over at John who had said this.
“I’m not biologically a Vincinti,” John stated, “Yet, I belong here as well. I earned it. But you two earned it too.”
Iceman nodded and said, “I am an earned Vincinti too. And from what I have heard and seen, you boys are as close as it gets. I never saw anything closer to Vincinti stubbornness, loyalty and guts. You belong here.”
The two boys stared at him and John, then looked at each other.
Mikey pushed his chair back then motioned for his little brother to do the same.
They stood up and clasped their hands in front of them. Both of them stood stiffly and formally. Their expressions were very serious. It wasn’t every day that homeless boys got an offer like this.
Mikey cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak.
“We accept!” Jake blurted out while cutting him off.
Mikey looked surprised then shook his head.
The family at the table all laughed.
“Molto meraviglioso!” Leon raised his glass. So wonderful.
The whole group raised their glasses.
“Welcome home, Jake and Mikey Vincinti!” Leon toasted them. “Saluti!”
The family all raised their glasses too as they cheered, “Saluti!”
Jake wrapped his arm around his stunned looking big brother and leaned his head onto his shoulder to whisper, “We have come home, Mikey.”
“Saluti, baby bro,” Mikey replied with shining eyes. “Saluti.”