Emily and the Mob boss

Octavio, a shrewd businessman who was ready to get involved in any business provided it wasn’t legal. He always thought legal was boring. Average height and bulky, his face was always clean shaved as he claimed it made him look younger. Legally, he was into the sales of modern artworks and ceramics. On the side, he ran a smuggling ring and underground sales of rare objects. His latest job was to source for a collection of rare artifacts for a buyer he often referred to as the Collector whom to Octavio, was a regular as they had done several businesses over the years.

Octavio and his men waited patiently for their buyers. He pulled out a cigar and sniffed at it the whole time - maybe it was some source of inspiration, no one could tell. A couple moments later, a number of black jeeps stopped at the entrance of the trade venue. It was all dark as it was night already, so the vehicles belonging to both parties had their headlights on. A good number of men came off the black jeeps and waited for their leader to step out from his vehicle before making their way to the spot where Octavio and his crew stood. “And here they are” Octavio said with arms outstretched in a welcome gesture, “Welcome Victor."

“Hello Octavio.” the leader of the buying team, Victor replied and bowed as a sign of courtesy. Victor had an intimidating look. He was a direct opposite of Octavio. He was much taller and almost perfectly built. He wore a tattoo on his right cheek to conceal a scar from a bullet wound.

"There is your money." said Victor as he ordered a mean looking man to drop two black bags to the ground inbetween both parties "We will like our cargo now."

"Ah yes" replied Octavio. "I'll just get-"

"Not you. Someone else should" Victor cut in. He held a cold gaze at Octavio, who understood the intention and smiled warmly.

"Trust...must be hard to come by these days." Octavio lamented.

"Don't get me wrong, my boss trusts you, I don't."

"No offense taken. It's quite normal." Octavio replied, then he signalled for the cargo to be brought forward and two of his men retreated almost immediately towards a parked vehicle behind them. He was no stranger to distrust. In this line of business, it was a powerful weapon every party wielded including him. Although he was a great actor and had mastered the act of concealing it. You couldn’t pick anything from his speech, tone or body movement, but as the saying goes; everyone has got that day.

The atmosphere was tensed up. Both parties had come fully armed and who could blame either. It was a deal that could go either way.

Victor thought it all felt wrong, he noticed sweat drops formed on the forehead of some of Octavio's men, eyeballs rolled in their sockets on immobile faces, scanning and monitoring every bit of the scene for the smallest movement and they all had their hands at ready positions to grab their weapons if need be.

At the time, Octavio wore a flat smile which confirmed Victor's suspicion that something was definitely wrong. "You know it doesn't seem fair...to me. After all these years of doing business together, I'm yet to know my real contact, the Collector. And this, which happens to be our biggest deal, he sends a representative again." Octavio finished with a click of his tongue.

Victor arched the corner of his lip a little to form a faint smile "it is not really necessary but-" He held back the rest of the sentence. He thought 'this might be it'. A statement like Octavio's never came from a heart with good intentions.

Octavio looked expectantly, waiting for Victor to finish his statement but Victor retained his silence. "Not like I'm trying to poke nose, but this meeting he..., your boss ditched our deal for-"

"I never made mention of any meeting." Victor cut in.