[ WP ] Criminals have to be much more creative now that new , barbaric laws have been passed to punish them .

`` Hey Thad. You got all the shit the boss wants run downtown?'' Manny hollered, stepping out on to the loading dock in the frigid air, taking a mental inventory of the number of legal boxes stacked high around him. 
 
 `` Yeah, yeah, I'm loading it. Calm your tits.'' 
 
 Manny lit a smoke carefully, not wanting to burn the rubber on his prosthetic again, and watched the hulking form of Thaddeus, hobbling around on his artificial leg, transfer the boxes to the waiting truck one by one. His curiosity was burning. He was itching to pull open the lid on the nearest box and check its contents, but he knew better. Still, he stepped in close to the slowly dwindling stack and eyed it narrowly, as if his interrogation techniques would work on inanimate objects. 
 
 `` What the hell *is* all this shit?'' he wondered aloud, more to himself. 
 
 Thad came up behind him, huffing and puffing, and answered. `` No idea. He just said to make sure it gets there by four. I got ta get a move on.'' 
 
 Manny heard the impatience in Thad's voice, and turned his withering stare from the boxes to the man. Only when Thad seemed to shrink a little in front of him did he step aside and allow him to continue his menial task. 
 
 The stare followed Thad and then the truck until both disappeared around the corner out of the alley. He finished his smoke and stepped back inside the labyrinthine warehouse to find the boss, let him know the job was done. The sense of unease that had met him at the door when he had arrived that day trailed him down the halls. Something was up; he could feel it. It had n't been this tense in the place since The New Laws were passed. 
 
 Every eye he had met was wide, every conversation he had had was hushed, even if it was about the most mundane thing. He had seen a troop of about fifteen besuited men leave the boss's office, and as he was eyeing them suspiciously, thinking they looked a narc to the man, he had heard his name called. The boss had asked him to ensure everything, *everything, * made it on to Thad's truck, and he had obliged. 
 
 The door to the office was shut now, so he knocked, waited and entered on command. 
 
 `` It's done Ash.'' 
 
 Not looking up from his computer, Ash replied, `` Good.'' 
 
 He turned to leave, but was stayed at the threshold. `` Manny, come in here a sec. Shut the door.'' 
 
 The door clicked when he pulled it closed, and he took up his familiar place in the chair across the desk from his boss. Ash continued working on his computer for a moment, then fixed Manny with his usual unreadable stare. 
 
 `` You probably have questions.'' 
 
 `` About what?'' 
 
 Ash gave him a smile that did n't reach his eyes, `` Manny. You're smart. That's why you're still around. Please. You do n't have to play the fool with me.'' 
 
 Manny raised his eyebrows, shrugged, and put on his best gormless face. He knew from experience, even if Ash told you not to play dumb, you played dumb. He loved explaining things, Ash; and however much he loved that, he hated gossip, presumptions, and speculation even more. 
 
 `` You saw those folks leaving earlier?'' 
 
 Manny nodded, but winced internally as he did so. He did n't see how he could play *that* dumb, ignoring a dozen unknowns traipsing through their territory, but thought Ash might have expected them all to turn a complete blind eye. 
 
 `` These people, I've been working with them for months. They're... well, they're not good people, they're not bad people, but they're our kind of people. You see?'' 
 
 Manny did n't know how much higher his eyebrows could go; he was running out of politely puzzled expressions, and forehead. 
 
 Ash sighed, and turned his gaze back to his computer screen. `` You know first hand it's been a clusterfuck since The New Laws came down. I do n't have to tell you, of all people.'' Ash gave a slight shake of his head. `` I do n't have to tell that to ninety percent of you guys.'' 
 
 Manny nodded down at the plastic in his lap that now barely passed for his hand, and briefly flashed back to when his sentencing was carried out, drugged to high heaven and strapped to a table. Now, as in his dreams, he heard the real one fall to the floor, with a dull, squelching, thud, over and over. 
 
 `` To me? This was a declaration of war. And I'll be the first to admit we took the wrong tack in the beginning. I thought we could carry on, the same as we always have. A few casualties here and there, on both sides? That's just how things go. But the other side? They took it too far. They're committing war crimes against us. They are maiming and murdering our soldiers, and that will not stand.'' 
 
 Ash turned and looked him in the eye again for a moment, then stood, walked to the window, and sat on the brick sill, head turned to the glass-block window beside him, as if he could see out of it. `` No. It will not. So many families have been decimated. Do you follow the news Manny?'' Ash asked, turning to him, eyes bright. 
 
 Shoulders hit ears again in response. 
 
 `` You should. It's been a sad state of affairs for people in our line of work these last months. The Hester's out of Chicago, the Scrugg's out of Memphis, the Bibb's out of Florida.'' Manny watched Ash shake his head, and heard his voice turn lethal. `` They've all but been reduced to nothing. And I will not let that happen here.'' 
 
 Ash stood abruptly and clapped his hands together, with a gleam in his eye and a manic smile on his face. `` So. We're going legit.'' 
 
 Manny nodded in appreciation of the plan, not understanding it at all. As Ash sat back down at his desk, and leaned in conspiratorially, Manny mirrored him, shifting forwards in his chair and resting his elbows on the desk. 
 
 `` These people Manny, they're brilliant. The best lawyers money can buy. They've been working to'legitimize' our businesses,'' he punctuated the dreaded word with air quotes, `` and we're finally ready to take the last step. We're gon na hit the big time. And you've proved your loyalty. I want you there with me.'' Ash grabbed his hand and squeezed it for a moment. 
 
 `` You're getting a promotion. How does being CFO of the First Connection Bank sound?''
