Act 1: The Family
"My father's best friend, Georgie Terra, was an Italian guy. The children and the cousins and nieces and nephews were children of the Mafia. Those were the children he grew up with. If you want to go to a safe neighborhood, go to where the Mafia is."
Louis Gossett, Jr.
The scene opens on the beautiful Las Vegas Strip. The bright lights from the neon lights cast their glow onto the street below. The traffic flowed through the streets as crowds of people moved along the strip in search of excitement for the evening while others headed to their hotels for the rest of the glorious evening. The moon had risen over the city, and the stars tried to sparkle against the bright lights of the city, but were dim against the bright lights. The camera soon falls on the Bellagio Hotel and Casino and into one of the many meeting rooms on the higher floors. We see Joanne sitting at a table with 4 other people. These were the heads of the other families on the West coast. This was the first time that Joanne had been able to meet with them in hopes of setting something up with them.
Joanne: Thank you for joinin' me here tonight gentlemen. I'm glad that you were able to make it on such short notice.Don Milano: I have to admit that I am surprised that you asked us here Don Canelli. I have been watching you since you made your presence known out our way, and I am impressed with what you have done on the east coast.Joanne: Thank you. The five families have been at peace for a very long time, and I intend to keep it that way. There has been no bad blood between us, and I don't want any between myself or any of the families out this way.Don Marino: I remember dealing with your father when he was a young man, and you have taken after him. But why come out here when you family is doing so well in Jersey?Joanne leans back in her chair, and smiles softly.
Joanne: Since I've joined with the SCW I've been in the Vegas area a lot, and I would like to get my hands in whatever I can out this way. I get bored between shows and I know there are places out here that need protection, or would like to have investors in their businesses.Don La Pietra: It would be nice to see one of the five families come back to Vegas.Joanne: I would like to brin' my business out here, and launder some money through the legit businesses around here. Or maybe through the casino's.Don La Pietra: We could make that happen Don Canelli. I have many friends here in Vegas and I'm sure they would welcome you with open arms. We know that you have taken up residence here in the Bellagio and have put money into the city so we are pleased to welcome you officially.Joanne: I'm glad to hear it. I would have hated to brin' some of my heavy hitters out here to show you that I mean business.Don Marino: Of course we wouldn't want to stand in your way of starting any business that you would like out this way and risk a war between our families, or coast against coast.Joanne smiles leaning forward in her seat, and rests her elbows on the table.
Joanne: I'm glad that you see it my way. I don't want to start any trouble amon' us, and jeopardize the Fed's findin' out that I have started to make a move out this way.Don Milano: We all know what the Fed's are capable of, and have destroyed enough of us. All of our families have suffered at their hands more than once.Joanne: I know. They've tried to pin thin's on me more than once but they could never get it to stick.Don La Pietra: They can try to pin things on you, but with us protecting you as well they won't be able to do anything. What else are you going to bring out here Don Canelli?Joanne: What else can I do that isn't already out here? I mean I have girls that do good for the family that dance, while others are in the escort business. We have dealers that are willin' to make the move or help start a few people out here. But I will tell you somethin' right now... My people have never sold anywhere near a school in Jersey. If they did they never talked again if you know what I'm sayin'? That is one thin' that I don't want done. If I find out anyone is sellin' to minors, or near a school they will not be breathin' long.Don Milano: I feel the same way. Kids shouldn't be involved with something like that. I make sure my people stay away from any place that they know where kids are going to be. But everything else that I deal in is harmless vice. Gambling, prostitution, racketeering are harmless vices, but drugs can be a dirty business if you're not careful.Don Marino: Then we'll make sure that everything is taken care of. If there is nothing else Don Canelli, we will take our leave.Don La Pietra: We know that you have a big match this week , and that you need to be ready for it.Don Milano: We want to make sure that you have enough time to prepare and make us just a little bit more wealthy Don Canelli. If not you'll owe us little bit.They all get up, and head for the door, as Joanne follows them to the door. She smiles softly, as they head back to their bodyguards who were waiting for them outside. Reno, Rude, and Scarpaci were waiting for her and start to head toward the area where the private villas were.
Scarpaci: So how did it go?Joanne: Just as well as I thought it would. Not to mention they have money riding on me.Reno: So they're betting on you to win?Rude: You and Gothika can do it. I mean she's crazy and she'll do anything to win.Scarpaci: He's right. That vampire chick is insane, and has shown it more than once. Hell she was part of the Tag Team champions, and they kept them for a while.Joanne: You're right. I know she'll do anythin' that needs to be done to win this match and that's a good thin'. For right now though I'm goin' to relax a bit I think.They reach the villa and Joanne heads for the pool area where a bubbling hot tub sat. She removes the suit revealing a two piece blue and white bikini. She slips into the bubbling water, letting the heat work along her body. Joanne ducks her head under the water and comes up smoothing her hair back and leans against the edge of the hot tub.
Joanne: Roxi the Superhero thin' is gettin' old sweety. I know that I haven't faced you in sometime, but still it's gettin' really old, and no one wants to see a woman like you dress in a silly outfit tryin' to save the day. But when was the last time you saved the day Roxi? What super villain have you faced lately? None? Or one that has thrown out a challenge that you can't handle? In a way I am a villain, but then again I give back to my city, and do what needs to be done to further myself by any means necessary. I know you think I should be in jail, but look at my track record Roxi. I have a code of ethics unlike most people in my possession, I don't harm children, I don't go after a whole family just to get to one person. I'm a killer by trade, I deal in thin's that are immoral and yet nothin' can ever be traced back to me.Joanne smiles to herself as she looks up at the stars twinkling above her.
Joanne: This match is goin' to be one that no one will forget. I've been off for the last couple of weeks but now that I'm back it's not goin' to be easy to brin' me down. Do you really think you can stop me? We've done this dance before Roxi many times actually, and yet I've managed to come out on top more than once. I hope you're ready for what I have to throw at you Roxi. I will break every bone in your body, just to slow you down, and keep you away from any chance of winnin' a match ever again. I have ended careers, I have made people wish they were dead once I was done with them, and yet you really want to stand against me knowin' all that? It's your funeral if you still want to come at me. But I will warn you now, don't underestimate me and think that you'll be able to just walk away from this.Joanne gets out of the hot tub, letting the water bead from her tanned, and toned body. She heads to the pool just a few steps away from the hot tub and dives in, coming up just a few seconds later. She pushes her long hair back and leans against the edge looking over the edge into the villa. Reno and Rude were sitting in front of the TV, while Scarpaci was getting ready for a night in the casino once again. Joanne sighs, and shakes her head knowing that his night wasn't going to end well.
Joanne: Traci how many times do I have to beat you before you learn your lesson? We've teamed with each other and yet you've made me lose at least a couple of times now, but not this time. I have another chance to beat you and this time won't be any different then the last. Just because you're teamin' with a so called super hero doesn't mean anythin' to me. She's a wannabe and nothin' more. Do you really think she's goin' to help pull you along in this match? She's only out for herself, and she wants another shot at me just as much as you do. Traci how long do you think you can hold out against Gothika and I? I mean I'm bad, but she's a hell a lot worse then I am. Gothika is unstable and unpredictable, and I will do everythin' that I can to stop both of you and let Gothika and I walk away with the win, and just a little bit closer to the top once again.Joanne ducks back underneath the warm water and comes back up, pushing her long locks away from her face once again. Her dark eyes sparkled in the dim light that surrounded the pool, and made her skin almost shimmer as water beaded off of her.
Joanne: As for you Gothika I know that you and I have never teamed up, but you and I want the same thin', and that's gettin' a win under us, and movin' just that much closer to gettin' our hands on the Bombshell tag titles once again. Between the two of us I know that we can beat the so called hero, and the wannabe. Both of us have had titles and we know what it's like to have gold around our waists, and hopefully we will be on our way to gettin' our hands on the Bombshell tag titles once again. We are the Mafioso; and we get paid to kick your ass! See you soon!Joanne leans against the edge of the pool and looks up at the hotel that loomed over her. The lights were bright, and sparkled against the night, as a plane flew over head. It would land at the airport just outside the city, bringing in more tourists or fans for the show in Reno in just a few days. She sighs, and closes her eyes feeling the warmth of the water move around her. She lets go of the edge and floats on her back relaxing as the scene fades to black.
