The Olympus (One-Shot)

"Ok, now just sign here. And here. Initial there, there, and here. Flip the page. Sign the bottom. Next page. Signature here, and initial over there. Annnnnd, just four more signatures on the next page please. Alright, we're officially done. Welcome back to the land of the living Mr. Van Brunt."

The clerk slides the completed paper work over to the judge who adds his own series of signatures and you are finally able to leave the courthouse with your identity officially reinstated; no longer legally dead. Totally worth the weeks and weeks of work leading up to the marathon of paper work today.

You gather your things and leave the courthouse in a bit of a hurry. The manager of the Olympus, the nightclub you own, called this morning and had a few things he wanted to discuss with you in person. As usual, he sounded a little annoyed. He took over managing the club in your absence and while he was glad you were alive and well, he didn't like having to relinquish control.

But before you can make your way to the club you are stopped by a well dressed man in a suit who appears to have been waiting outside the courthouse for you. He gets your attention with a sharp whistle and when you turn around the old head of your father's security team is looking you over with a wide smile.

"You looking pretty good for a dead man, Eli." He takes his hat off, slides his hand through his slicked back hair, and then reaches out for a handshake. "Way I heard it, you've been back in town for weeks. Didn't think about reaching out to an old family friend? I'm hurt, Eli, honestly." He puts on a comical pouty face before his used car salesman smile returns. "So what's the plan now that you're back?"

Eli turns, at the sound of the whistle, and smiles at who he sees. Mac! It is good to see you. I am sorry it took me so long to reach out. There wasn't to much that I could do while I was...dead. Who knew how much fun it would be to prove you're actually alive.

Standing beside his long time friend, Eli looks out at the city. As far as plans go...I plan on assuming control of Olympus. I'm hoping that'll keep me sane. As for everything else...It'll be to big of a fight to regain control of the company. I'm satisfied with keeping my father's seat at the board meetings. As long as a Van Brunt has a say in the company I'm satisfied.

Looking out at the street and watching the people go about their day, Eli glances over at Mac. I need to see the full police report on the accident. I owe it to them to look into it.

Mac's smile finally fades as you bring up your family and their tragic fate. "We never got a chance to talk about what happened. I'm really sorry about how it all went down. I should have been there. I'd been working O.T. for weeks, and your Pop insisted that I take the day off. Not a day goes by that I question how I could have saved them if I had been there."

Hearing Mac talk about it conjures up images of your family drowning. The newspapers say the car was last seen flying down the road at unsafe speeds before it was driven right off the pier and into the Atlantic. No one made it out alive. There were rumors that they were being chased and were forced off the road, but nothing concrete. The papers sensationalized everything. You needed real solid facts to put this behind you.

"I'll talk to some people; see if I can't help you out with those police reports. But you know how this city works. Unless a heavy briefcase is passed to the right people, I'm sure you'll hear that the report has suddenly gone missing." Mac's wide smile returns as he tries to shift gears a little.

"But the Olympus, yeah, great place. Glad you'll be hanging around the club. I'm there myself most nights. If you wanna grease a few wheels, the Olympus is the place to do it. Since you've been gone the private rooms have become the go to place in town for-- let's just call them very competitive poker games between wealthy friends. I guarantee if there is a crooked cop that can get their hands on that report, you'll find them at the Olympus."

Eli smiles as he listens to Mac. Don't beat yourself up. If you had been there, then you could've died in the crash as well. You have nothing to be sorry for. You're also the only family that I have left.

Glancing down at his watch, Eli realizes what time it is. Ahh hell, I need to get going. I'm supposed to be down at Olympus signing a new deed of ownership, which reverts ownership back to me. You're more than welcome to come with me. You can tell all about what I've missed. Plus you know Ziggy, he's glad I'm alive, but hates it that he's giving control of the club up.

Mac agrees to come along and the two of you hail a cab. On the way he fills you in on some of the things you've missed. He tells you about the general chaos surrounding the trial and whether or not it could be continued without your father and brother there. He isn't even sure if the case was ever officially ruled on. It seems like the whole town just forgot about it and moved on. Mac then quickly glosses over his own tough times after your family's death. It seems people were hesitant to hire the head of security who had multiple people die on his watch. But Mac quickly changes the subject and gives his opinion on how the pathetic performance of the bullpen for the Crowfall Knights is at fault for their recent slump. He talks very quickly and it is hard to get a word in.

You arrive at the Olympus and are surprised to see there is a full table being served even though it is still a few hours before opening. The men at the table are all smoking cigars and slinging back beers while waitresses in much more revealing uniforms then you remember sit on their laps. The men eye you suspiciously but cheer when they see Mac and call him over to the table.

"Alright, champ. Duty calls. Good luck taking care of your business." Mac spins a chair around backwards and sits down with the men at the table. They start laughing and trading quips immediately.

Ziggy sees you and calls you over to the bar where you have a seat.

"Good to see you again, Eli. Can I get you anything to drink or is it right down to business."

You can't help but notice that talk at the nearby table has gone quiet. Not silent, but hushed. The girls are sent away and the men have gotten real serious as they lean close together to discuss their business while occasionally looking over your way.

Why not do both? Let me have a bottle of something cold. Also refresh the drinks for the table and put it on my personal tab. Go ahead and show me the books while we're at it.

Ziggy nods and grabs a scotch glass from under the table. He tells one of the nearby girls to serve another round for the gentlemen at the table. She fills a new set of glasses and placed them on a serving tray, but stays put behind the bar. When she notices your questioning look she says "They really don't like being interrupted. I'll make sure they know the drinks are on you as soon as they call me over."

You take another look at the men gathered around the table and try to study their faces a bit. Besides Mac, none of them jump out in your memory.

As Ziggy prepares the necessary paperwork you look around the club at the handful of waitresses in uniform. You get a bit of a mixed bag feeling at their acceptance of the job and all that it entails. Some are bating eyelashes and flirting with the men, even from a distance. Others are tugging at their uniforms to make sure nothing slips out that they would prefer to keep covered.

"Alright, you don't have to worry about any legal tricks from me, Eli," Ziggy says. "Just sign here and you're once again the head honcho around here. You have to admit I've done a lot of good for business though. How much are you thinking about changing up the way we run things?"

Eli signs the papers where Ziggy pointed to. No worries Ziggy, I trust you. I'll simply watch how things run for a couple of days. At that point I'll make any decisions then.

Eli klinks his glass with Ziggy's and downs his drink. How are the locals in here? Any troublemakers I need to know about?

Ziggy laughs. "Kid, you're back in Crowfall. This whole city is trouble." He brings the glass to his lips, but thinks better of it and places it back on the table. He has a long night ahead of himself and it is a little early for him to start. "Things usually stay pretty calm in here, thankfully. We may get some rough customers, but everyone treats the place as a... eh, what do they call it... no one fights in here in what I'm trying to say. They know better. This place is too important to business to risk being banned. A lot of deals are brokered at these tables. Plus, no one wants to miss out on the games or the dames."

A thought comes to mind, and Ziggy shakes his head. He decides maybe it isn't too early for that drink. "I will tell you to watch out for this young Irish woman that recently showed up. Jade Sheahan. Word is she is some kid of terrorist or gangster from overseas. Killed a few too many men and was sent over here to cool down. She isn't haven't any of it though. That girl may not look threatening, but she put three men in the hospital the other night because they cat called her. This is supposed to be a safe place, but I ain't telling her do nothing."

Thanks for the heads up. I'll keep an eye out for her. The next time she comes in here, have someone discreetly point her out.

Eli finishes his drink and slides the empty bottle over to Ziggy. Let me have another one. Now, here's a serious question for you. I know deals of various kinds are made here. Other than the back room card games, what else goes on here? I need to know everything, especially if I want to keep this a neutral ground establishment.

Taking a long pull from his fresh drink, Eli thinks to himself for a moment. If I needed to get my hands on a file from the police... who from the PD comes in here often? Better yet, who has the biggest bar tab run up or the biggest debt at the card tables?

"Oh, I won't need to point her out. You'll know her when you see her. Or hear her." Ziggy pours another glass and refills his own, but leaves it sitting for the time being.

"I mind my own business. People start thinking I'm keeping tabs on their activities and they may take their business elsewhere."

"Sgt. Hamilton sounds like your man. I've given up on collecting his tab. I'd get to him fast if I were you, because he'll probably be wearing cement shoes within the week for his gambling debts. Should be in tonight. Always is."

Eli heads out to and decides to return the Olympus later that night when the place is in full swing. He walks through the doors during primetime and finds that the place is packed, drinks are flowing, the air is filled with cigarette and cigar smoke, and a jazz band is in full swing on the stage. Within seconds you recognize the faces of half a dozen world famous criminals from the newspapers. Mostly figures from organized crime families but you also see one or two low level costumed super villains who are mostly being unknowingly mocked by those around them.

Ziggy is no where in sight and the bar is being worked by a several young gentlemen who toss bottles into the air and perform tricks as they work. With so many people moving around, you are unable to spot Mac either. He may be out there in the crowd or the backrooms though.

A man roughly bumps into you from behind and nearly knocks you the ground. "What's the matter with you, kid? Standing in front of the door like some slack jawed idiot. Kids these days, I swear. You even old enough to drink?" You turn to see the man removing his police cap. Looking down his badge reads Sgt. Hamilton. Well, at least one of the people you were looking for was easy to find.

Eli watches as Hamilton shoves past him and disappeared into the crowd. If only everything was that simple in life. Moving through the crowds Eli takes a mental note of the various criminals and supers in the room.

Eli walks past the bar and nods at the people standing behind it at work. Moving back to his office, Eli starts his search for Ziggy there.

You open the door to the office and find Ziggy leaning back in his chair with his feet kicked up and in the lap of one of the waitresses. She massages his bare feet while Ziggy enjoys a cold beer. At your intrusion, Ziggy jumps up and starts to shout, "What I have I said about interrupting me-- Oh it's you, kid. Umm... Just taking a little break. You need something?"

Despite a good effort, Ziggy ends up looking considerably more annoyed than intimidated. He sits back in his seat and patiently waits for you to finish. "I thought you said you wouldn't be changing things up too much, kid. There's a lot of people that aren't going to be happy with the reforms you are proposing. Those 'mobbed up' guys and 'low lives' are none of our business. They are all paying customers and that is all we need to know. As long as no one causes any trouble, we do not get involved in anyone's business out there. They want to pay a bit extra to use the back rooms, be my guest."

He gets up and walks around the desk. Standing before you is no longer the beaten and wary bartender you used to know. Ziggy stands tall and confident as he looks you dead in the eyes. "Don't go making trouble where there doesn't need to be any. You won't like where that road leads to." Ziggy puffs out his chest and his eyes dare you to respond.

The smile slowly returns to Ziggy's face as you speak. It is clear that he views this as you caving in and letting him run the place his way. "Glad you’re coming to your senses, kid, but don’t make me out to be a monster. I don’t tell them girls what to do and we all get along just fine."

Ziggy stands there with his jaw dropped and shakes his head in disbelief. "Kid... you are jumping into the deep end before taking your first lesson. You're going to get killed if you mess around with these people. I'll put the word out that you want a meeting, but it isn't happening in the morning. You don't tell these people what do to. You make requests. I'll give you an update when I can."

Ziggy leaves to go get Sgt. Hamilton

The door to the office swings open a few minutes later and a very angry looking Sgt. Hamilton enters. "Just who do you think you are, you little punk. Do you have any idea who you're barking orders at?" Hamilton's face is red and his face sweating. He helps himself to a seat and it is clear that he needs it. It has clearly been a long time since he did anything other than work behind a desk for the police department.