The color drained from Connor Sweeney’s face as he realized the identity of the voice that he was currently hearing over the phone. Gibbs. Sweeney could recognize that icy whisper anywhere. After all, Gibbs and the Sweeney family shared a long and tumultuous history.
Despite Gibbs’ frustrating goggles and penchant for wearing wetsuits, Sweeney’s father, the late Edwin Sweeney, had been good friends with the strange character for many years. The two would regularly play cards together, until one night they found themselves in a drunken altercation over a heated game of pinochle. Edwin, using his considerable connections with some of the city’s most powerful lawmakers, had Gibbs arrested and sent to a prison. Ever since, Gibbs had made his best efforts to disrupt the doings of the Sweeney family, whether it be through harassing them on the phone, causing property damage to the Sweeney estate, or even by eating some of the family’s priciest pets.
Needless to say, Connor Sweeney (current heir to the Sweeney fortune) was skeptical upon hearing Gibbs' phone request for a truce.
“I rescued the chessssst for you,” Gibbs said. “It wasss in grave danger.”
“How?” Sweeney questioned, suspecting Gibbs was toying with him once again.
“A very dangeroussss man was driving west with it. He wanted to take it to Mr. O’Brian. I hid in hisss car and stopped him. He’ssss already killed your uncle Rory.”
Sweeney gulped. He knew full well the danger that came with being a part of a mob family, and the Sweeney’s had certainly seen their fair share of fights with various competing mob groups and brotherhoods. Rory Sweeney had always been kind to him, and Gibb’s words, while still possibly untrue, provoked a powerful emotional response from the young nephew. The circumstances were different this time. No one had ever managed to steal the chest, much less cause Uncle Rory to lose more than a single fingernail in a fight. Connor, as a boy, had once joked that ‘Uncle Rory’ sounded more like a Gilmore Girls character than a powerful mob boss, to which Uncle Rory promptly broke the boy’s jaw in three places.
“I’m still having a hard time believing you,” Sweeney retorted, hungry for more answers. “Since when is the wellbeing of my family in your best interest?”
“You have no choice but to trussssst me,” whispered Gibbs. “We’re on the ssssame side now, fighting a common enemy. Haven’t you ssseeen the trailer for Catsss and Dogssss 2: The Revenge of Kitty Galore? Catsss and dogsss have to learn to work together in that movie. What about Eclipssse? Edward and Jacob must learn to accccept each other to protect Bella. These are not coincidences Mr. Ssssweeeney. Our time has come.”
“I haven’t been to the movies yet this year,” retorted Connor, frustrated that Gibbs would trivialize the situation by mentioning such cinematic tripe.
“I’ll be at your housssse at dussssk,” hissed Gibbs with an increasing urgency. “The man who killed your uncle is unconsioussss in my trunk. He’ll be awake sssoon.”
Connor hung up the phone, furrowing his sweaty brow. He had much to prepare.
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