Zoe parked beside the handicap parking spot next to Capones front doors. She smiled as she took off her helmet and sat it on the tank. Even though vehicles hadn’t used gas in years, Knight and other motorcycle manufacturers still called that part of the bike the tank. If Zoe could make one change, she would turn it into a storage space. But the microreactor had to be somewhere she supposed and after checking the technical specs, Zoe was pleased to find that the tank was well shielded. Zoe lovely patted her GT4 and activated the security system after getting off the bike.

“System armed,” a robotic voice announced as she walked towards the restaurant’s doors. Zoe smiled again. She could change the voice to something different as Knight offered thousands of voices ranging from cartoon characters to famous celebrities to the option to use her own voice, but Zoe didn’t feel like paying 50 credits a year to do so.

She took off her gloves and stuffed them into her back left pocket before entering the restaurant. One of Nucky’s men was sitting just inside the door.

“Doing guard duty?” Zoe asked him.

“Yep. Tony is waiting for you in the main dining room.”

“Thanks.”

“Uh huh,” the guard said as Zoe walked past. “Zoe?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re looking good this morning,” the man said giving Zoe an exaggerated wink. She was wearing a pair of the leather jeans, the ankle boots, her jacket, and a red short sleaved underlayer shirt. Her black hair now reached about halfway of her neck, but she had noticed it wasn’t growing as fast anymore.

“Thanks, Zoe replied giving the man a wink in return while unzipping her jacket. She was determined not to let other people get her down this morning. The restaurant was quite warm, so Zoe unzipped her jacket to stay cooler. He laughed and she smiled before walking into the dining room.

“Right on time girl,” Tony said by way of greeting.

“Good morning to you too,” Zoe replied. Tony looked up and grunted.

“Right. Good morning,” Tony said. “Ready to find out what you’ll be doing?”

“I assume I’ll be transferring some data for you.”

“Yep. I know you’re aware of some of our less than legal activities, but we won’t use you for any of that. That might happen later though,” Tony said.

“Great,” Zoe muttered.

“Anyway, you’ll be taking some contracts to Citadel Management Inc, which is a property management firm in Manhattan,” Tony replied. Zoe looked like she wanted to say something, so he continued. “It’s important to establish your reputation as a good and trusted courier so you can pay us back.”

“Alright. It sounds simple enough,” Zoe said excitedly. Truthfully, she was more excited to ride her GT4 more than make deliveries.

Tony laughed. “Can’t wait to get started huh?”

“No. I get to start making credits and paying off my debt.”

“That’s a good attitude to have,” another voice cut in. Zoe and Tony turned in the direction of the voice.

“Nucky, you’re here early,” Tony said.

“Good morning, Mr Capone,” Zoe greeted the mob boss. Nucky was holding a steaming coffee cup.

“Good morning you two,” Nucky said as he joined Tony at the table he was sitting at. “Zoe, while you’re in Manhattan, I want you to carry a letter to an old associate of mine named Vincent Manna.”

“Consider that your second job,” Tony added. “The first was the site redirect you did.”

“Good point,” Nucky replied pointing a finger at Tony. He then pulled a sealed envelope out of the inside of his jacket pocket and placed it on the table. “The bit of work did get us some more reservations and a quite a few walk-ins.”

“I should have gotten a messenger bag or saddlebags yesterday afternoon,” Zoe said.

“Weren’t expecting to carry physical things so soon?” Tony asked.

“Not really, no.”

“Pick one up while you’re in Manhattan,” Nucky suggested. Zoe nodded in agreement. “Vinny might have you wait for a few minutes so he can send me a reply.”

“Ok,” Zoe replied as Nucky slid the envelope towards her. She picked it up and placed it in her inner jacket pocket. Nucky nodded his approval.

“Alright. Sit down and plug in,” Tony instructed holding out a cable. “I prefer hardwires over crystals. They’re faster and more secure.”

“Right,” Zoe replied sitting down and taking the cable. She plugged it into her data slot. “So, how much am I getting paid?”

Nucky laughed.

“We’ll give you 100 credits for both deliveries,” Tony answered.

“If Vinny sends a reply, make sure he pays you,” Nucky added. “He’s a cheapskate, so take my warning to heart.”

“Yes sir.”

*

“She’s got a nice ass,” Nucky remarked as he and his underboss watched the new independent courier walk out of the dining room.

“Yeah, she does,” Tony agreed. “So, how long do we string her along before going through with the bank job?”

“I’m thinking a few months. I want her to trust us, and this will prove to other potential couriers that we can be trusted as well as maintaining trust with the established transport companies,” Nucky answered. “When we do the bank job, we can say she did it all on her own and betrayed us.”

“I like that part. Plus, we get a cheap courier in the meantime.”

“And I like that part,” Nucky replied after sipping his coffee.

“So, was the letter asking Vincent to be your consigliere?”

“Yeah. The old scoundrel is retired, but I want to make use of his wisdom while I can. As consigliere, the other families and gangs will view him as a civilian if we go to war.”

“That’ll make him happy” Tony replied. “So, do you think he’ll accept?”

“I do,” Nucky answered. “Vinny will get power as the family’s number three under you and me. He’ll get paid well and protected too. What’s not to like?”

“That you’re not supplying him with 18-year-old girls?” Tony asked.

“He can get his own. If I had any, I would keep them for myself,” Nucky laughed. “Well, there are always the dames, but I want them making credits.”

“What about her?” Tony asked gesturing to the entrance that Zoe disappeared through.

“She may have been part of the purity church which means she probably has some strange ideas and may even go into freakville with body modifications once she has some credits to her name to blend in with the rest of the kids. Plus, she’s either Hispanic, mixed, or black. I’ll pass. Feel free if you want to.”

“No. You know my tastes run like yours do. Tommy will be happy though. He wants her.”

“That boy doesn’t care who, what, or even if the girl is willing if he is attracted to them. You need to have a long talk with him about that again. He’s no good to us if he gets arrested for rape.”

“I know. I’ve talked to him about his… desires,” Tony replied. “Perhaps we should start giving Jimmy some of Tommy’s responsibilities to see if he can handle them.”

“And if he can, we phase Tommy out?”

“Then make an example of him. The family comes first,” Tony said.

Nucky raises his cup up in a toast. “That’s one of the things I love about you Tony. We think alike.”

“We’ve always been a good team going back to our years as kids running the streets as best friends,” Tony replied before laughing. “If we were homosexual or one of us bisexual, we would have gotten married years ago.”

“That’s true,” Nucky agreed before sipping some more coffee.