First things first [Fontaine]

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Office of Malcolm Fontaine 
Three days after the funeral of Richard Fontaine 
2:34 PM 

Alberto Trianti had gotten to work straight away after his boss, Salvatore Maroni made his way back to Gotham. He was tasked to help Malcolm Fontaine found the man or men that killed his father. Malcolm had reason to believe that there was foul play considering the murder case. Square one was retrieving the case file. Alberto Trianti's name meant something in Gotham, but no one really knew him in Bludhaven. They knew of him, they knew he might be associated with Don Maroni but they didn't really know how far that went. Alberto Trianti was considered an underboss in the Maroni crime syndicate, but he wasn't a public face of the organization for obvious reasons. He was useful as a button man, he was a doer that got anything that Salvatore Maroni wanted done, got anyone that Maroni wanted dead, or taught a lesson. He was the perfect candidate for a job like this. He didn't need any notoriety to find a corrupt cop that'd make a copy of the file and hand it over to Trianti. All he had to do was make an offer in cash, and ensure whoever sold the file that if they talked they wouldn't have a very good time.

Trianti entered the office building, took the elevator to the top floor. He made sure he set up a meeting, he made sure he didn't show up unannounced. He had the police file under his arm along with some other documents accompanying it. "Alberto Trianti to see Mr. Fontaine. I have an appointment for two-thirty, my apologies for running a bit late... Traffic, now." He smiled at the female secretary, he didn't seem out of place due to him wearing an expensive custom-tailored suit. He looked like any business associate that Malcolm could reasonably have. He also made sure not to bring his weapon. It wouldn't have gotten past the guards on the lower level anyway. He wasn't carrying anything that could get him in trouble and wasn't carrying himself in a way that would invite suspicion. If there was one thing Trianti was good at, it was blending in.

"That is quite alright Mr. Trianti, go on in... Mr. Fontaine is expecting you." Trianti nodded and slightly bowed in front of the receptionist. He walked forward and approached the door that would lead him into Malcolm's office. He walked in and approached Malcolm's desk. "Took a few days but I managed to do some digging." The most important part of this visit was the Bludhaven Police Department case file on the murder of Richard Fontaine. He would place it on the desk carefully and pushed it forward towards Malcolm. It had witness testimony, pictures of the crime scene, a manifest of evidence as well as fully written reports by the first responding officers and the detectives that were on scene and dealt with the case. "This is the best I could do for now... want any of the actual evidence? Doable but might be a bit more difficult than getting this. This is a copy of the original, so they won't notice anything out of place." A full copy of the entire file wasn't cheap, but Sal made it clear that cost was no issue.

After the case file, Alberto Trianti would lay down another file. The manila folder was about four inches thick, it had the dossiers of over three dozen men. "Also thought that you might be in the market for some help, which is hard to get unless you know the right people. While you're a good friend to have, most of these guys would never work for you unless someone vouched for ya. Think of this as a suggestion that you look these names over. I'm not fully sure on what we're dealing with here, but a little backup couldn't hurt." Trianti took a breath, blinking a few times.

"You got any scotch in this stuffy office? I'm parched." He wasn't used to talking this much, he was more of the type that listened and acted. Talking was Sal's talent, and Sal was not here.

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Three days have passed since the funeral of Richard Fontaine, the dust has barely settled and the city still hasn't quite accepted that he's gone - then there's those that don't care, there's those that have already forgotten and moved on, and there's those who post their motivational rants on social media to talk about how awful and violent the world is for the purpose of getting traction and attention. Malcolm hasn't forgotten - he hasn't stopped, and he doesn't plan to stop until the people responsible are brought to justice, by the hands of the law...or by his own hands.

Near the center of Bludhaven is a skyscraper that towers over everything around it, this may not be the biggest building in the city but it's definitely a sight that can't be missed if you're in the city - most of the floors are filled with offices with agents taking calls, filing paperwork, dealing with potential partners - but the top floor, that's the one where the owner of it all can be found. The name on the office door still has Richard's name on it, and the same goes for the nameplate on the desk. The file cabinets are filled with paperwork that will take days to go through and learn everything about, the new owner has a lot of work ahead of him.

The office is still organised exactly how Richard left it, and nothing has moved an inch, the only difference in the room is the fragrance that fills the air. No longer does it smell like scented candles and air freshener -- instead, the smell is replaced with nicotine. The lights are off, the window is ajar and the blinds are only slightly open as his son Malcolm glares out of the window, taking draws of his cigarette with one hand while holding a short glass of whiskey in the other -- he stares out of the window through the blinds, glaring down at the city below. Even in the middle of the day, the smog that fills the air of this city blocks the sun, and the sounds heard every hour make it sound like there's on-going violent riots...but that's just the atmosphere of the city. Crime in every corner, bad drivers in every street, and police always on the clock.

In the lobby of the top floor, Malcolm hears an elevator ding followed by the sound of his receptionist's voice and the muffled sound of a male voice - Fontaine sets down his glass of whiskey for a moment before he quickly shuffles over to the lightswitch, flipping it on -- he wants to make sure he's well presented if he has a potential business partner. Malcolm grabs his short glass from the windowsill, cigarette still hanging between his index and middle finger as he goes to his side of the desk and seats himself down on it just as the door to the office opens - perfect timing. That's when Alberto Trianti enters, which at first surprises Malcolm, but he wastes no time in telling him he's been doing some digging.

"Sorry, Alberto. Completely forgot I arranged this - good to see you again." Malcolm says as he sits up properly on his chair, pushing his whiskey to the side slightly and setting the cigarette down on the ashtray as the case file is placed in front of him, he grabs his chair by the handles as he drags it closer to his desk and opens the file up. "Good work. This is exactly what I've been looking for." Sifting through the pages of the file, getting glimpses here and there of the text...he gets caught off guard by the crime scene pictures, but he maintains his composure, that's when he sees the names of the first responding officers and detectives -- bingo. Leads. "These names - the officers - look, Alberto, I've made my theory very clear...I think this has been covered up by the police. This makes them suspects in my eyes, think you can find out more about them for me? And yes, get me any evidence you can get your hands on."

The son of Richard Fontaine watches as a second file is placed down, he takes a quick drink of his whiskey and sets it back down before opening it up. "There's a lot here, this is excellent work, you'll be well compensated." Malcolm's going through the dossiers as he speaks, his attention doesn't really focus on any single dossier, but the amount of names on file will definitely be a big help to his cause. "I would like to meet these people personally before I make any judgements - anyone can look at a file of someone and think they know everything about them, but how they act to me in person is what counts. I'll hold some meetings with them later this week, I do agree that we'll need the back-up, I want to make sure I have plenty of help on my side if we're going to be taking on a case like this. Any names you recommend I start with?"

Malcolm takes another sip of his whiskey, still having about half left - he won't be needing any refills for now. "Scotch? Of course - see the table over there in the corner with the glasses? There's wine, scotch and whiskey - I've got some beer, tequila and pretty much anything else you can come up with in a fridge behind reception, too. Get a drink and take a seat." He puts the dossier file aside and goes back to the case file, flipping through the pages as he reads what bits and bobs he can, talking while he does so. "So, tell me Alberto...a file like this couldn't have been easy to come by, right? Where did you get your hands on it? I figured this would be exclusive to the police...how does a guy like you get something like this?"

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Malcolm forgot the appointment, makes sense since his father had just died. Trianti didn't react to the fact that the appointment was forgotten, he simply listened to Malcolm long enough until he was pointed in the direction of scotch. Trianti approached the table with the bottles of liquor and glasses. He took the bottle of scotch that first caught his eye. Knappogue Castle, 16-year-old single malt with a sherry finish. "This your dad's? Or yours? Either way, good taste." He poured two fingers of the scotch and took a sip straight away before placing the bottle of scotch back on the table. He gave a half-smirk before returning to a chair that was the opposite of Malcolm.

"Ronnie Pickering. He's a good guy to know. Stay away from Charlie Dayman, he's on the list because I owe him a favor. He can be useful but he's as likely to shoot you as he is to shoot the guy you want gone." There were a lot of names on that list, it wasn't often that Trianti compiled a list such as this, in fact, this was probably the first time he has done such a thing. This is also the first time he has ever talked this much, he was visibly uncomfortable but he was in this for the long term. Sal was trusting him with this, Sal was the man that saved Trianti from the gutter. He found an alcoholic, drug-addicted former special forces soldier broken with nothing left to lose. Salvatore Maroni gave that man purpose, he gave that man something to believe in. Alberto Trianti was that man, and because of what Sal did for him, he would do anything for Sal. He wasn't sure how he felt about Malcolm yet, but Sal had a good feeling about him.

"How did I get the file? I'd bet that you already know. A lot of money given to the right person. That's a perfect copy of the original, they won't even know the file was ever checked out. Enough money applied to the correct areas and you get what you want. Remember to make sure that amount covers your plan B too, and your exit plan if one is needed." Trianti had some sort of strange feeling that Malcolm might not approve of his methods. He seemed to think already that it was corrupt cops that put an end to his father. He felt the best course of action now was just to change the subject.

"Detective Francis O'Leary. Detective Andrew Hunt. These were the detectives on your father's case. O'Leary has been on the force for a very long time, he was lead. If I had to guess he'd know the most... But Detective Hunt might be a good choice as well. I imagine you want to talk to them." Trianti downed the rest of the scotch, still holding the glass in his hands. He took a deep breath and shot a glance at the case on Richard Fontaine's murder. " We oughta study that so we have our questions beforehand. How do you want to proceed?]" The look in Trianti's eyes basically could be deciphered to spell out. 'Which of them do you want me to kidnap?'. Malcolm Fontaine was in charge here, he'd have to make the call and they could always study the file and find him the best subordinates that would best fit an organization like Fontaine's. First things first though, would be to set up a meeting with a certain Bludhaven homicide detective.

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Malcolm's head rises up from the case file as he looks over to Trianti by the table, he paused for a moment, contemplating whether or not he should say anything - but gives a brief response. "It's my fathers. Everything in here is exactly the way it was before he was taken from me." His head looks back down as he reads through portions of the case file, trying to get a full understanding of everything in the skimming over he takes -- as Trianti returns, Malcolm rests his forearms on the desk as his head rises and his eyes lock onto Trianti's.

He makes the suggestion of Ronnie Pickering - from what he read about him, Ronnie seemed to be the kind of petty criminal nobody would bat an eye to, but he seemed to be a guy to know? That's strange. "So...Ronnie Pickering, I think that was the petty crook? What's good about him? What kind of skills will he bring to the table?" Malcolm pauses, taking another glance down to the case file, making idle conversation about the candidates as he examines the pages. "...and Charlie Dayman. You say he's useful, but unpredictable - useful is what I'm interested in. I won't be staying away from any of these men, Alberto - all of them may be valuable assets, and I'd like to judge them personally for myself."

The next thing that happens is the question he really wants the answer to - he gets his answer. Malcolm's eyes narrow a little bit as he mentions a lot of money has been given to the right person...who is this right person? Why would they have an original copy? Malcolm lifts his cigarette from the ashtray as he plays it between his lips and takes a draw before setting it back down on the edge. "I've made my stance on corruption in the law enforcement very clear, Alberto. You say the right person was given a lot of money...just who is this right person, exactly? Is this something I should be concerned about? Please, do share." Malcolm leans back on his chair, adjusting his tied by flattening it down to his chest to keep it in position, his eyes locked onto Trianti's.

Once the subject is changed to the detectives, Malcolm moves forward again to the case file, flipping back to the page where the detectives are mentioned - he doesn't trust either of them for obvious reasons, considering how shady the circumstances of his fathers death and the lack of evidence surfacing after, Trianti advised Malcolm that the best course of action is to talk to them -- Fontaine agrees."O'Leary and Hunt...I'll want to question the two of them, and we should definitely have the questions prepared as you said, but in terms of who to prioritise, I leave that up to you - if you think O'Leary will know the most, he might be who we want to talk to...the question is..." Malcolm takes a draw of his cigarette again before crushing it in the center of the ashtray until it crumbles and the flame fades. "...Who is the easiest to break?"

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Malcolm had questions about Pickering and Dayman, he seemed to question why Pickering was worth knowing and wasn't convinced that he should stay away from Dayman. "Pickering knows people, and for someone like you that's just starting out, that kind of knowledge can prove invaluable. He'll help you transition to this sorta life, he knows the people you wanna know and the people you don't wanna know..." Trianti knew people too, but he probably wasn't as well versed in the underworld as Ronnie. Pickering knew specialists if you needed an explosives expert, safecracker, or whatever, Ronnie could set up a meeting. He was like a phonebook for the criminal underworld, and Malcolm could find that useful when he transitions to being on his own and not having Maroni or Trianti around to point him in the right direction. "It is your money, you can decide what you want to do with it. He might be useful, I dunno. Set up a meeting, have lunch. He likes pizza."

Malcolm was pretty adamant about knowing who the right person was, Trianti could tell that he had it in for corrupt cops and had a pretty good idea that if he told Malcolm who exactly gave him the file, they might end up dead. Trianti didn't really care, he gave them the money and they gave him the file. That was business, normally it'd be bad for business to sell out your contacts but since Trianti felt like he'd probably never need a file from Bludhaven PD again, he'd tell Malcolm what he wanted to know. "Cassidy Butler. She works in records at Bludhaven, she's not a cop. That's why O'Leary and Hunt will never know we have the file because it came directly from someone that works in records. She took some convincin' but she's paid in peanuts. $5000 in unmarked bills and you have a file that technically doesn't exist." Trianti was pretty sure Cassidy Butler was married, had kids, and would assume Malcolm wouldn't kill her anyway.

After he came clean about how he got the file, Trianti sat in silence for a moment while he pondered their next move. Malcolm wanted to know which detective knew the most and who was easiest to break. "I did a little digging on them before coming today, I don't know a ton but I know O'Leary is a tough Irish bastard. No wife, no kids. Goes to church service on Sundays. Not really sure what he has to gain from being bought off, but I also learned that he likes to gamble and has a taste for top-shelf booze." He paused, but only for a brief moment before moving on to Detective Hunt. "Detective Hunt is a family man. Wife, kids. It's easy to guess that he takes money for them, you don't make shit working as a cop." Trianti blinked a few times, it was obvious who'd be the easiest to break, but an appropriate amount of money could make a gambler like O'Leary talk, even if Malcolm wouldn't go for that.

Detecitve Hunt has more to lose. Threaten what he loves and he'll tell you what you want to know. If he wants to live long enough to see his family again, then he'll sing like a proverbial canary. If you want my opinion? I say we take both. If one doesn't sing then we've already got the other... and there's no way they can flee if they learn we're after them. Having both will also give us an easier time determining a reason they may have disappeared." Trianti felt that these detectives might not live to see another day, with Malcolm hating corruption as much as he did. His father had just died, corrupt cops were involved and he was still in mourning. It wasn't a difficult assumption to say that Detective Hunt and Detective O'Leary were about to have a bad day.

"Say the word and you'll be able to have this meetin' with them in forty-eight hours. Give or take." Finding a good time to snatch both detectives could be difficult, but this wasn't Trianti's first time doing such a thing. "I'm going to need to know of the place you want to conduct this 'meetin' as well." They'd have to be careful, they didn't want two cops to be missing for too long. They needed to learn what they needed to learn and then dump the cops somewhere. One they had enough information they could write off the cops if that's what Malcolm felt was the best course of action. No one wants a liability.