บท 80: Success and new properties
Lorenzo sauntered towards the mayor's desk, as Mica blurted out, "Wait, we still need the key, it's in daddy's room—"
"No need to fret," Lorenzo interrupted, flashing a confident grin. He plucked a pin from his pocket and set to work on the drawer's lock.
Mica's eyes widened with amazement as she watched him deftly manipulate the lockpick. In no time, the drawer clicked open, and Lorenzo's fingers began sifting through the contents.
"Well, who would've known you had such talents?" Mica said, her voice tinged with surprise. She knew he was a decorated soldier once, having risen to the rank of young lieutenant colonel during the war, but this side of him was new.
Lorenzo chuckled, not taking his eyes off the documents he rifled through. "What can I say, babe? I'm a man of many trades."
Lorenzo's eyes scanned the confidential documents he'd unearthed from the drawer.
Two letters, in particular, caught his attention. The first was from a man named Leland Monroe, and its contents revealed a blatant bribe for Mayor Bowron. The second letter, still unfinished, was the mayor's response to Leland, but it was enough to incriminate him. The handwriting alone would be damning evidence.
As he continued to rifle through the papers, Lorenzo stumbled upon a document labeled "Suburban Redevelopment Fund." On the surface, it appeared legitimate, but the content of Laleland's letters told a different story. The project was nothing more than a front to swindle the government out of millions of dollars.
"What do you have there, detective?" Mica asked, her curiosity piqued.
Lorenzo's lips curled into a sly grin. "Oh, just some very interesting reading material." He glanced at the documents in his hand, and they appeared to be legitimate government projects.
"This should do the trick," he muttered, but his attention soon turned to the safe in the corner of the room. "So, babe, any idea what combination your old man might've used on this thing? Birthdate, maybe?"
Mica furrowed her brow, thinking. "I'm not sure, but he might've used his birthdate alone or the day of our birthdays together? Dad, mine, and Mom's?"
"Well, then," Lorenzo said, eagerness in his voice, "what's the big day?"
Mica rattled off her father's birthdate, and Lorenzo tried the combination. The safe remained stubbornly locked. "Maybe it's a combination of you, your mom and dad birthdays, too," he mused aloud.
Mica nodded and provided the date she, her mother, and her father were born. This time, the safe clicked open, revealing stacks of cash, gold bar and several documents.
Lorenzo's gaze fell on the latter, ignoring the money. His eyes scanned the pages, and his suspicions were confirmed. The Suburban Redevelopment Fund was nothing more than a front for a grand scheme to defraud the government. The documents detailed how Leland, the mayor, and other high-ranking officials in Los Angeles planned to siphon off millions of dollars.
A grin tugged at Lorenzo's lips as he stuffed the incriminating documents into his bag. His eyes fell on the stacks of cash and the gold bar inside the safe.
"Looks like your old man's been squirreling away quite a nest egg," he said, unable to hide the amusement in his voice.
Mica chuckled, her cheeks flushing. "I guess you're right."
Lorenzo quickly estimated the cash to be around $5,000 and added the gold bar to the haul. He then turned to Mica, his expression softening.
"This should be it, babe. Thanks for your help."
Mica's eyes met his, a hint of longing in them. "Will you... will you come back and see me again?"
Lorenzo's smile reached his eyes. "I live in the city now. You know where to find me."
Surprise flickered across Mica's face. "I thought you lived in New York?"
Lorenzo shook his head, his gaze never leaving hers. "Not anymore."
Mica's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Then... did you leave the woman you were with in New York too?"
Lorenzo chuckled and playfully flicked her forehead. "No, babe. I love that woman. She moved here with me."
A hint of disappointment flickered across Mica's face. "So, I'll always be your secret mistress? Great."
Lorenzo's expression softened as he caressed her cheek. "Don't worry, Mica. If she agrees, you won't have to be a secret anymore."
Mica's face lit up, and she threw her arms around him.
As they embraced, Lorenzo's keen ears picked up on the sound of footsteps in the distance. Mica, however, didn't seem to notice.
"Wait," he whispered, holding her shoulder. "Someone's coming."
Mica frowned, straining her ears. "I don't hear anything."
Lorenzo's gaze darted around the room, assessing their options. "Trust me, we need to get out of here, now."
Without waiting for her response, he grabbed her hand and practically dragged her into her room, closing the door just as footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Pressed against the door, they spied a middle-aged man in a luxurious suit enter the mayor's office.
"That's my dad's secretary," Mica whispered in Lorenzo's ear.
Lorenzo nodded, his senses on high alert. Moments later, the man emerged, his expression panic-stricken, though Mica didn't seem to notice.
Lorenzo knew it was time to leave. "Mica, I think it's time I make my exit."
Reluctantly, Mica nodded. To his surprise, she pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss that lingered for a full minute before she finally released him.
Lorenzo's smiled as he left the room. With the stealth and agility, he made his way out.
***
Lorenzo made his way downstairs, noting that his men had already left as planned, to avoid arousing suspicion. He slipped out of the mansion unseen, careful to avoid the guards.
Outside, he spotted Max and Patrick, still in their disguises, chatting with the guards at the entrance.
Lorenzo signaled them, then made his way to where Adam and the others were hiding in the garden.
"Did you get something useful?" he asked, eyeing their bags.
Richard grinned, "We sure did. We managed to snag some nice stuff: a couple of Rolex watches, a Cartier bracelet, a Tiffany necklace, and a few other trinkets." He gestured to the bags, which bulged with their ill-gotten gains.
"The mayor's got a taste for the finer things in life, I see."
Lorenzo said, nodding approvingly. "This way, it'll look like a robbery."
Adam, Richard, and the others chuckled in agreement.
"What about you, boss? Did you get the goods on the mayor?" Adam asked, referring to the most crucial part of their mission. "We need something to blackmail him with."
Lorenzo's grin widened. "Not only that, I also relieved the mayor of $5,000 and a gold bar from his safe."
The team erupted into quiet cheers and congratulations.
"Alright, alright," Lorenzo said, raising a hand for silence. "Now let's get out of here."
Max and Patrick joined them, and they all climbed over the fence and sprinted to their waiting cars. Engines roared to life, and one by one, they sped away from Beverly Hills, their mission a resounding success.
[Mission Complete]
[Reward: Modest mansion in Beverly Hills, ownership of a film studio in Hollywood, +8 points, +Respect.]
***
The caravan of cars screeched to a halt in an abandoned park. Lorenzo gathered his men around him, a smile on his face. "We did it, boys. Smooth and clean. Good job."
Mike, the driver, let out a shaky breath. "It was… thrilling," he said, a grin tugging at his lips.
Lorenzo clapped him on the shoulder. "Damn right."
William slipped a cigarette between Lorenzo's lips, and Peter lit it with a flick of his Zippo.
As they all leaned against their respective cars, Lorenzo exhaled a plume of smoke. "Now, we lay low for a couple of days. Even though we did great, we don't want any unwanted attention. In two days, I'll contact the mayor and arrange a secret meeting."
Everyone nodded in understanding.
"Alright, boys," Lorenzo said, grinning. "I got lucky and managed to score some cash from the mayor's safe. I'll share it with you fellers. Consider it a bonus."
Cheers erupted as he doled out the $5,000, giving larger shares to those with higher ranks and smaller cuts to the less experienced, like Mike, Peter, and the others.
"As for the stuff you guys lifted, it's up to you what you want to do with it," he added.
The cheering intensified, but Max, Patrick, and Richard couldn't help but notice their boss's unusually generous mood.
Lorenzo's grin widened. He just received quite the haul from the system: a modest mansion in Beverly Hills, a film studio in Hollywood, 8 points to increase his attributes, along with a significant boost in his gang's respect for him.
As for the mansion and film studio, the paperwork would be waiting for him tomorrow. The system had already arranged for him to meet with the current owners and finalize the handover.
"Alright, boys," Lorenzo said, grinning. "Let's head back to the base. My Deborah might be worried."
The men chuckled as they climbed into their cars and sped off into the night.
After a short drive, they pulled up at their hideout, an unassuming apartment complex.
As they stepped inside, the dimly lit hallway was filled with the familiar scent of cigarettes and floor polish.
Lorenzo went to his bedroom. As he opened the door, he found Deborah sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
The moment she laid eyes on him, she was on her feet, her arms outstretched as she rushed towards him. "Oh, thank goodness!" she cried, her voice shaking with relief as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I'm fine, Deb," Lorenzo said, patting her back reassuringly. "No need to fret so much."
Deborah buried her face in the crook of his neck, her body trembling slightly. "I was so worried," she managed to whisper.
Lorenzo smiled, his free hand gently caressing her hair. "I know, but I'm here now, safe and sound. Come on, let's get some shut-eye."
Nodding, Deborah reluctantly released her hold on him and they both climbed onto the bed, nestling close together under the covers.
***
Early in the morning, Lorenzo gathered his boys and the few ladies of his gang. They all crowded into the living room, exchanging curious glances as they took their seats. Deborah sat next to him, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"I've got a surprise for you fellas today," Lorenzo announced, a wide grin on his face.
"What is it, boss?" one of the men asked, unable to contain his curiosity any longer.
"I'm glad you asked," Lorenzo said, a twinkle in his eye. "I've just bought us a new property."
Gasps and whispers filled the room, but he held up a hand to silence them. "Not just any property, mind you. Our new headquarters will be in none other than Beverly Hills."
"Beverly Hills?" Deborah gasped, her eyes widening with surprise.
Lorenzo nodded, unable to contain his own amusement at their reactions. "That's right. We're movin' on up."
The room erupted in cheers and back slaps, everyone except for Adam, who raised his hand cautiously. "So, do we abandon this base? Are we leavin' this neighborhood for good?"
"Whoa, whoa," Lorenzo said, raising his hands to quiet them down again. "The base in Beverly Hills will be our main one, but this here apartment ain't goin' nowhere. We'll keep it as our secondary base. And our operations in this 'hood? Business as usual, fellas."
A collective sigh of relief passed through the room, followed by more cheers and congratulations.
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