Seeing is Believing

The Domino Effect

It went on for a week or so like that. When Marco had shows Rosaline would help out getting things cleaned and running the ticket booth in the lobby. When it was their days off Rosaline was hanging around police stations and shady bars, trying to dig up leads. After years of doing this and a few close calls she has gotten pretty good at listening in and not getting noticed.

On one particular night after about an hour of waiting at the bar men dressed similar to the ones she ran into in the alleyway that night began to funnel into the establishment sitting in the opposite corner to the one she had been sitting in. There were four large men in the Domino mask who were head and shoulders above the mob of their colleges. The way they were arranged it was clear their boss was between the four. Rosaline tried to crane her neck to get a look at their boss but the mob was to dense and when they sat the way were arranged in such a way that she couldn't see him.

Not that she really needed to the whole reason she ended up in that alley way was she over heard a rumour that a few thugs in white mask were extorting people in the alleyways around there. These were not the men she was looking for. Then she heard their voices. "BOSS you seriously can't be letting that magician and his buddies we told you about get away with disrespecting us are ya boss." The other slammed his hand on the table and conferred." Yah what he said."

There was a collective gasp but it wasn't from what the man said. The moment he finished speaking he found a knife in-between his fingers and the hand on the handle, It belonged to his boss. Rosaline saw none of this but she definitely heard what came next. The tension was so thick you could of heard a pin drop in that bar. "Last I checked I'm the head of this organization and you are the grunt newbies who need to learn there place." It was as if the two men withered and shrank right before her eyes. " I decide what we do and when we do it. Don't misunderstand me no one disrespects me or my gang. But I've had much more important priorities these past few days than a few guys who knocked you on your asses. But since I'm free I'll swing buy tomorrow and deal with our little magic man problem personally."

Rosaline mind was moving a million miles a minute. She had to warn Marco. But she couldn't leave in a hurry it would be too suspicious. If she tried to leave more slowly she would risk the to men recognizing her. She came to the conclusion that waiting for the men to leave was the best option.

She waited a half hour or so and rushed back to the theater. By the time she made it to the apartment it was almost midnight. She looked around but Marco wasn't in the living room or kitchen. She found a note on the table. " Lock up when you get back ordered some sandwiches from next door for dinner left one in the fridge for you Incase you didn't eat."

She looks over to his bedroom door realizing that he must already be asleep. She debated with herself if she should wake him up. In the end she decided against it. There wasn't much they could do at the moment it wasn't like he would pack his things and leave the theater. So she ate and went to bed.

The next day the moment she had been dressed and ready for the day she found him in the lobby. "Marco wait up we need to talk." He turned to face her. "What's up kiddo?" She groaned in annoyance. " Kiddo comments aside when I was at the bar last night those guys you saved me from showed up." Marco crossed his arms in thought while she continued." The were with the rest of their gang and the important part is that their boss is headed here to deal with us." Marco covered his mouth with his hand and closed his eyes in contemplation. Just then they heard a knocking at the door. "NO WAY he's here already." Marco put up his hand signaling Rosaline to be silent. He opened the theater doors and was met with a well built man in business suit. The suit was white and covered in black dots of varying sizes. He had his hands in his coat pockets and his face was contorted into a devilish smile just below a thin ratty mustache. His hair was all greased up."Hello my name is Don Domino am I correct in my understanding that you are the owner of this..." The man snickered "Fine establishment."

"Yes sir is there someway I can help you our earliest show isn't until this afternoon." He says ignoring the man's rudeness."Well while I'm sure a show would be a barrel of laughs I'm here with a business proposal do you mind if I come in." the man says this but just pushes his way past Marco into the lobby. " A couple of my boys informed me that a certain gang has their sights set on burning this place to the ground. I just couldn't sit idly by and let that happen." Rosaline stared at the man with gritted teeth next to the snack bar. Marco closed the door and approached the man. Domino continued " I see majority of your workers aren't here yet I'm glad we could negotiate privately for the most part." He flashes a disgusting grin toward Rosaline. Marco getting frustrated stomps between the two and glares at the man. " Get to the point." The man shrugged and said " I propose for a monthly fee you hire my organization to protect this place. I'd hate to see anything happen to it." Marco replied " I Decline." The man let's out an exasperated breath and leaned against the counter. " Now that's a dying shame." The man notices a spider descending onto the counter and jumps slightly.

He starts rooting around in his pocket. " Ya know when I was a boy my grandmother had this little old ratty house. A real s**t shed. My favorite thing to do was to take the pieces from her Domino set." He pulls a domino out of his pocket and continues." She played every Sunday with her church friends real fancy ones too. I didn't know the difference they all looked the same to me." He said this while staring at the Domino. Moving it around in his hand. " Didn't stop the old hag from nagging my ear off. Anyway I would take one and head up into her attic and..." His hand hovered over the spider." Crushed every disgusting spider in that place." He said as he slammed the Domino onto the arachnid. He the got up into Marco face who had been holding back the urge to punch the man and throw him out. "I guess what I'm trying to say is old habits have a bad habit of dying hard." The two locked eyes unflinching ,unmoving. Neither willing to give an inch. Marco simply spoke. "Leave" Domino backed up and walk to the door. Just before leaving he turned partially speaking through his devilish grin one last time. "You two have a nice day. I hope your performance brings the house down." And just like that he left.