The day truly begins beautifully, cool breeze of temperate winds drifting along, the Gods painted the sky blue, and the mighty sun decides to be malevolent today with its cloudy companions blessing Gian's flying island estate a generous shade.
The flying island continues to stay suspended in the air. Supervised by the engineers underground, its crude engines perform their perpetual duty, and the clockwork mechanical machinery that keeps everything afloat greasily undertakes its purpose.
The Families' fleet of airships only consists of three rudimentarily built flying metal vessels powered by hot air and steam with four sets of propellers on their hulls. Near its humongous rudder are three long copper chimneys that discharge white smoke. On its underbelly is a cylindrical-shaped metal gondola that serves as its elevator entrance and cockpit.
Inside the airship, the engines are located on the first floor, connected by various wires that lead to the main frame where the gigantic gas bag is attached. The elevator ascends from the gondola to the second-floor cabins where the rooms and other facilities are located. It is also where the storage room can be found with its own hatch that opens at the airship's rear end.
The airships emerged from the clouds majestically and loudly. They are led by a peculiarly ornamented airship that has a design of a winged bull on its nose cone, its name is Kelly, evidently painted on its starboard. The airship on its left is named Capone and on the opposite side is Lucky.
The estate has its own landing pad but the airships flew past them and decided to continue moving towards the mansion. The three flying vessels start to descend, preparing their landing gears, and destroying arranged flowerbeds and trees quite destructively as the propellers get near. A grand fountain stands at the center of the circular driveway where the welcoming party awaits, they watched the Kelly crush the structure with great force on its landing.
Capone and Lucky landed on the grass field near the lead airship, also damaging decorations and fences. The people on the driveway obviously ran away and avoided the airships, with only a few feet away left between Kelly and Gian's welcoming party. The ornamental winged bull design on the nose cone nearly damaged the elegant walls of the mansion.
The propellers finally ceased, and the noise followed. Silence. The crew resumes and goes back to their positions. Then on its side, the first door of the elevator entrance opened, releasing an unfolding staircase. When the final part of the metal stairs touched the ground, the second door slowly reveals a person wearing a suit.
The person then steps down the stairs, and his features became more clear. His long hair stops on his shoulders, arranged as if he is trying to hide his ears, and his bangs' length is down to his eyebrows. His face is pale and he has a set of lazy eyes. He has a metal jaw where his whole lower front teeth protrude from his upper front lip.
This person's silver-coated set of sharp lower teeth twinkles as he approaches Gian's welcoming party. Niko steps closer to the person, Judan followed, and then Elvira did the same. Annoyed at each other, they try to outpace one another. The person stops and waited for them to greet him.
"Costello." Niko stretches his arm and asks for the person with a metal underbite's hand. Behind him is Elvira and Judan also making their presence known, bowed their head.
Costello slowly nods and offers his hand to Niko. His hand's fingers are replaced by metal prosthetics, which made a clicking sound as the doctor holds it carefully and kisses it.
After Niko was done putting his lips on Costello's cold metal fingers, he released them from his hold and bowed. Judan followed and did the same kiss then lastly Elvira who is reluctant on doing it.
Niko and his two companions raised their heads after the greeting. "The family welcomes the Five Fingers Gang's consigliere," the doctor did a smile as real as he can.
Costello, the right-hand man and advisor to the Five Fingers Gang's boss. They are the biggest and most notorious gang in all of Lostandos' undercity west side. They hold most of the territories only sharing the land with other members of the Families. The Five Fingers Gang is known to be the First Family, meaning they rule over other members of their alliance. They thrive on extorting and controlling big and small businesses that exist in the main city and the undercity.
When they were greeting each other, the three airships unloaded their own soldiers. They formed in line, surrounding the welcoming party. Costello turned around to face the vessels.
At the Capone, a retinue of men wearing iron armor painted in red and fine black suits underneath escorts a woman wearing a purple corset dress. The woman holds her parasol playfully while walking towards Costello. Her long black hair complements her bodacious figure. She literally has white porcelain skin on her limbs with designs of laurel tattooed on it. When she got near enough, her escorts disassembled and reformed in a ceremony line.
Costello raises his hands once more and expects the woman to take it, the woman instead kissed the consigliere on the underbite's lips. Her lipstick stains the metal, the woman then takes out a napkin from her cleavage hidden inside the corset, and she wipes the stain with it. She giggled and turned around.
Costello's hand still raised, expecting the hand to be kissed nevertheless. "Stella," he said, asking for the woman's attention "I insist you to kiss the hand."
Stella pouts and turns to face Costello once more, "So grumpy!" she exclaims as she grabs the hand and kissed its metal fingers. She steps aside and begrudgingly turns around again.
He wipes his metal fingers on his suit, Costello then signals Lucky's crew onboard. The people inside the airship complied and rushes to open the elevator doors. Niko and the rest watched in confusion.
"Are your bosses sleeping together in a separate ship?" Niko jests, and Elvira and Judan chuckles in response.
Costello remained expressionless and keeps his gaze on the Lucky. Stella glances at Niko and stares at him for a good while, raised a brow, and then looked away.
Judan scoffs at Stella and turns to Niko while still giving the woman a mean look, "Look at that cunt, sucked dick, and became an underboss," he said snarkily, "Now she acting tough and all."
Niko rolls his eyes and looks at Elvira who has a shocked reaction. Niko quickly turns his attention back to Judan with Stella's parasol-saber nearly puncturing his neck. It was stopped by Costello who just caught her porcelain hands on time.
Judan slightly bent his body backward, he saw Stella's swift attack and narrowly avoided it, "What the fuck!?" he snapped and pulls out his rifle. He readies his trigger finger and points the muzzle at Stella.
Elvira rushed to neutralize Judan, her mechanical legs swiftly slicing the barrel of his rifle, "Juds, stop!" she shouted.
Costello stares at them, his grip on Stella's porcelain skin almost causes it to crack. A group of people descends from Lucky, they soon begin their approach.
"Meeting hasn't started yet and we're already at each other's throats," Niko placed his hands on Judan and Elvira. Costello removes Stella's hand away from Judan and released her from his grip.
Costello turns to the approaching group of people, apparently, they are not members of the Families. "Welcome." the consigliere greeted with his usual monotone voice, "The Families welcome the Pink Flamingos of Rainbow Clan Gangsters."
Shocked, Niko takes one step closer, "What?" he whispers. Elvira and Judan glared at their unexpected visitors.
Before them is Bose, a huge fellow in a pink suit, he is almost as big as Gian. "It's just Rainbow Clan." he corrects the consigliere.
"Of course, my apologies," Costello presents forward his hands to Bose, offering a handshake, "Welcome, Bose, the Families are delighted to have the Pink Flamingo's Double OG."
The breeze grew cold and the wind became stronger than usual. Bose grunts, "So, are we doing this or what?" he turns to his group behind him and one of them gave him a cigar and lights it, "I ain't got no time for stroking the Families dicks,"
Costello nods with his usual deadpan face and turns to Niko. "Where's your boss?"
Niko, quite taken aback, "I got a few questions before we let you all in."
"Yes?"
"First is what the fuck, Costello?" Niko said while backing away, Elvira and Judan follows, "Why are we having outsiders? Where are your bosses? A Grande Reunion only needs three of the Families why did you bring the Pinks here?"
Costello's brow twitched subtly, "Gian already requested a Grande Reunion before, this is not a Grande Reunion. He may not request another. This is just a meeting regarding our investigation of what happened to Big Poppa."
"Our?" Niko looks surprised, the wind blows cold, and dark clouds start to form above them.
"Yes. We are conducting our own investigation."
Niko frowns, he looks around to search for Mako, "I don't think Gian will be happy with the other bosses today."
"Do not worry, they are not here. The Lostandos Outfit will be represented by their underboss, Stella. While I'll be talking for the Five Fingers." Costello waves at his soldiers, and they spread out to surround the mansion.
Elvira paced backward and separates herself from Niko, regrouping with her maids. Among them is Mako who is still wearing a maid outfit.
"Do we have a problem here?" Bose grunts and his muscular escorts prepare themselves.
"No," Costello reassures their guests while still staring straight into Niko's eyes.
The wind grew stronger and colder, and a weak thunderclap faded in and out, "I think the mansion is closed today, why don't we have this meeting on your estate, Costy?" Niko smirks.
Costello's brow visibly twitches, "Do not escalate."
Niko loudly laughs, "Me? Us? Escalating?"
Judan growls, his rifle is useless, so he draws his revolver. It looks like a regular revolver but it has a huge barrel as big as his face.
Stella immediately raises her blade and points to Judan, "Are we dancing or what?"
"I want to know why are you really here." Niko scowls and slides a pair of brass knuckles from his sleeves and wears it on his fist.
"To clear the Giant Crime Family's name." Costello's cogs on his metal jaw start to spin.
A flash of strong yellow electricity ignites on Niko's torso and it burns his suit, revealing a crude mechanical exoskeleton attached to his spine and limbs. His chiseled body reveals noticeable scars all over his skin and a tattoo of an eye on his left chest where his nipple once was.
"Ours or yours?" Niko growled preparing to attack.
Costello's metal jaw opens and the cogs on it spins rapidly. The lower jaw drops a few inches, and an eight-inch barrel emerged with a muzzle as wide as his fist. The consigliere's ears discharge an amount of steam from his ears, it blew off the hair on his side and it reveals his sharp set of ears.
Costello's mouth cannon glows, "I am warning you." he said from the voice box on his throat.
"We didn't kill Big Poppa," Niko assumes a stance, ready for Costello's weapon.
Judan and Stella are still on a standoff. They waited for the other two to get it started, they are eager for each other. Meanwhile, Elvira is nowhere to be found but her maids surround the area along with Judan's soldiers. Mako is hiding behind a column, confused, and afraid of the escalating event.
Mako watches, he trembles, apparently, he is still quite disoriented but the Gangsta Powder that Niko injected in him will take effect soon.
The cogs in Costello's mouth continue to spin and it makes a clicking sound, "The laws of the undercity demand answers. Someone ordered a hit and took Big Poppa's stash of Gangsta Powder. Gian will be questioned for instigating a war."
"Fuck the rules." Judan spits on the ground near Stella's feet, "We live in the undercity why do we have to comply with these fucking rules you made up?"
Stella pounces with her parasol's blade but Judan deflected and paces backward unamused, "So you admit?!" she said
"No!" Niko shouted his exoskeleton clinking and expanding along with his breath, "Maybe you're blaming us too much, maybe those who did it were just a bunch of wannabes,"
"Impossible," Bose chimes with his fist clenched, "Big Poppa was an OG."
"Indeed. If you are implying the frenzied kids that disturbed the Borderhood killed the Flamingo's OG then you are laughable, Niko. This is beneath you!" The mouth cannon on Costello's jaw prepares to charge, steam is discharged and cogs roll.
"What if one of the kids is here, what if he can tell you who really did it!" Niko positions in a fighting pose.
"Please," Costello said, his weapon all charged up, and it makes a single beep sound, "Don't lie."
Costello's mouth cannon blasted a blinding energy projectile at point black range directly toward Niko. The ground that the consigliere stands shook and cracked, and pieces of cement flew off the air. Thunder roared at the same time, and the rain started.
Judan jumps away from Stella and covers himself from the light that the cannon created. Bose watches humourlessly and disappointedly, his guards covered their eyes. Mako looks away and hugs the column that he was hiding on, when the light disappeared he slowly takes a peek.
Niko is unhurt, but he fell down from his position, in front of him is a giant half-naked man with huge brass knuckles that might as well be identified as a gauntlet.
Gian, who stopped the blast from hitting Niko, caught the burst of energy with his hands. Startled, Costello jumps away from the giant boss. Gian smirked as the energy formed into a ball and melted away in his hands, it burned his skin but he probably didn't even feel it.
Behind the giant boss is Elvira who is helping Niko up, she rushed inside the mansion to get Gian as soon as possible.
The maids, soldiers, and other servants surrounding the airships felt relieved, Judan howled in the thrill of the moment. "You are all fucked now!" he shouted at the visitor's soldiers.
The underboss of the Lostandos Outfit, Stella, completely unsheathes her rapier, destroys the parasol cover, and rushes forward to Gian at full speed. Judan immediately attempts to block her way.
"Stella, retreat!" Costello tried to stop her. But Stella slides underneath Judan between his legs and grabs hold of his groin area, making Judan fall down, and then she tosses him to Costello.
The consigliere's gears on his metal jaw clunk as he catches Judan and stumbles. Mid-air, Stella readies her weapon to stab it at Gian's bare body. Elvira and her maids swiftly engaged the porcelain-skinned woman but Stella parries every strike that they throw at her.
Meanwhile, Niko stands but the exoskeleton attachments on his arms are malfunctioning, rendering him offensively useless. He looks around to search for Mako, "Where's the kid?"
Gian turns to his doctor, "Why are you looking for the kid?"
Then Costello came running towards the boss, his fists transformed into small versions of his mouth cannon, and his face returned to its normal wicked underbite look, "I would advise you to focus, Don Gian!" he said while shooting focused beams of energy, "We have visitors! Don't make your situation worse!"
Distracted, Gian prepares his mechanical knuckles, electrical energies visibly crawl through from his nipples towards his fists, "You're the ones bringing in trouble!"
"I brought them as guests!"
"You talk as if you own the place!" Gian easily deflects the beams, ricocheting on the walls of his mansion.
The fighting continues and the Families' soldiers start to brawl seeing their leaders engaging each other. Judan, lying on the floor, defeated.
"I gave him an installation," The noises from the brawl and Costello's attacks offsets Niko's voice.
"What!" Annoyed at the consigliere's attempts to hurt him, Gian grabs Costello's hand cannons and slams him on the airship Lucky.
The airship's gas bag deflated as the mainframe supporting it exploded, destroying its capability to fly. The crew and other servants inside it evacuated, and the Pink Flamingo's boss watched from the sidelines as the chaos erupted in front of him. His guards are on stand-by and on high alert, "What the fuck is wrong with them," Bose muttered, "For a crew of paranoids who hates infighting, they sure fight like somebody fucked their wives..."
"The kid! I gave him the nose!" the doctor shouted.
Because of his size, he easily catches a glimpse of Mako. Gian snickers, "The kid's over there," he points at one of the columns decorating his mansion.
Mako, fearing for his life, covers himself behind the column that he is hiding from. The doctor finally saw him cowering, "Mako, come on, I need you!"
Costello, seeing an opening, rushes toward Niko. Gian jabs in the air in Costello's direction and it launches his mechanical knuckles, the cord attached to it extends, catching the consigliere before he could reach the doctor and Mako.
"Release me!" Demand Costello, who looks ashamed of the display.
"Sure," Gian smirks and throws Costello again on one of the airships, Capone. The consigliere crashed into the cockpit, destroying the controls and elevator entrance. The crew inside escapes the wreckage from the windows.
Niko takes out Mako from his hiding, and Gian noticed the kid's dress, "Ha! You look funny." the don's cords slowly reel back in and the knuckle returns to his wrists.
Mako frowns and stares at the ground with great disdain, Niko levels his chin up, "Your nose isn't just for your looks," he said as he puts his thumb and index finger on the side of Mako's metal nose, "Use this properly," the doctor press and pinch the metal nose and it releases an unseen wave of electromagnetic pulse.
A huge number of soldiers with Installations fell unconscious.
Mako fell down and passes out, the move took another toll on his own energy. Niko's exoskeleton attachment became heavy for him to bear but he still manages to stand.
"That's kinda weak," Gian grunts, stands, and remains unbothered while watching most of the brawl participants pass out.
Niko carries Mako who is unconscious, "He's just a kid,"
"You seem fond of him,"
Niko shrugs, and turns to the burning and deflated airships, "You gonna pay for that?"
"Let's just give them a ride later," Gian drops his gauntlet-sized mechanical brass knuckles, the ground cracks as it lands on the cement floor. The don removes the cords connected to his nipples, "I'm all gangked..."
The doctor hurriedly turns his head to Gian who is looking a bit pale, "How many did you snort?"
"Too many," Gian smirks and sits on the ground, "But I ain't dying... Not yet."
Niko continues to carry Mako while looking at his boss, "Gian, maybe-"
"As my consigliere, you will talk to these bitches," Gian interrupts, "I fear that the bosses will never trust me again,"
"Is that why you came in here already armed?"
"I expected it. There was no Grande Reunion, only an investigation of their own..." Gian somberly said while appearing pale and exhausted, his mouth breathing for him. "I really thought I could have my revenge,"
Niko rolls his eyes and shook his head, "You know I could've given you a new one."
"You know whose nose I want," Gian's voice trembles then he breathes to regain his calm, "I see you gave the kid a new one,"
"Yeah," Niko looks at Mako's nose, "I installed a pulse, in case he needs it. The kid can't fight." he chuckles.
Elvira and some of her maids ceased engaging Stella, they are assisting their fallen fellow helpers. The underboss, on the other hand, seems to be annoyed that she is ignored but she couldn't admit that the pulse saved her, she takes a step back and walks to the burning airships.
The flying vessels continue to burn. From the debris, Costello recovers but his suit is all burnt. All of his cannons are hidden away, especially the one on his mouth, his metal underbite suffers minor damage and it is missing some gears.
Judan awakes from his defeated state, helped by a few of his soldiers who manage to survive. The wind starts to cool, and small drops of rain pour down on the flying estate.
Bose, who was just standing on the side watching the chaos erupts, walks closer to the exhausted Gian, Niko greets him while still carrying Mako.
"So, this is how the Families meet, huh?"
Niko nods his head gently, "Aren't all families meet like this?"
"Not my family,"
"Well your family sells Gangsta Powder," Gian banters with deep breaths.
Bose offers his hand to Gian, "And yours deal with killing,"
Gian accepts and grabs onto Bose's hand, "Better be an honest killer than a fat addict,"
"Speak for yourself," Bose uses his strength to help Gian up.
Gian stood once more and patted Bose's shoulder, he weakly smiles, "We don't have anything, we didn't kill Big Poppa."
Bose clicks his tongue, "You already convinced me with this," he said as he points at the destroyed airships and fainted soldiers, "Why do you have to do that to Costello?"
"Well he started it," Niko answers genuinely, "Told him he's not welcome, he won't listen. Told him we got the kid who can answer all our questions, but he won't listen."
Gian chuckles and turns to the unconscious Mako, "Costello got that stubbornness from his boss,"
Bose leans in, checking out the kid that the doctor has been carrying, "You sure he will tell us everything?"
All three of them turn to Stella and Costello who is still fixing his metal jaw. The rain intensifies and extinguished the fire. Niko looks up at the thundering clouds, "Let's see."