Up the dark, empty street, a man in a hat and trench coat strode, the sounds of his footsteps echoing in the still quiet of the night. As he reached the soft glow of a street lamp, he paused, waiting. A dozen yards up the street, a second man, dressed much like the first, stepped out of the shadows and into the light of another lamp. For a few seconds they stood facing each other. Finally, the first man spoke.

“I’m glad you got my message.”

“Little good it will do ya. This here’s my turf and I ain’t budging just because some two-bit palooka says so.”

“I thought you might want to play hardball...fortunately, I had the boys go and get a little leverage.” He raised his hand and snapped. To his left, the door of one of the dark buildings opened and two figures stepped out, one supporting the other who shuffled along in awkward lunges.

As they stepped into the light, it became apparent why. While the first was another man concealed in a trench coat and fedora, he dragged alongside him a young woman in a light blue dress. Her hands were behind her back, bound with rope, as were her feet, forcing her to move by short, awkward hops. She murmured something through the white cloth bound across her lips towards her husband.

He, in turn, did not seem the least bit worried seeing his wife a hostage. “I figured you might stoop to something like that...” He raised his hand and snapped. Behind him, one of the cars parked on the street opened a door. Another man, dragging another woman bound, hand and foot, over to the street light. The two wives grunted cordially towards one another as their husbands stared each other down. “Seems to be balanced...”

“Oh don’t be so sure… When we were picking up your wife, we also stopped and grabbed your mistress as well.” Another snap and the captive dame was brought out.

“Funny. I had the same thought...” There was an awkward moment as the respective wives and mistresses grunted to each other in muffled gag talk.

“Once again things are balanced. But when was the last time you saw your sister?”

“Ya Yegg! You’re not the only one who thought ahead...”

There was a pause, which stretched on for a minute or so.

“Couldn’t find her either?”

“Nope.”

The two bosses sighed. One scuffed the pavement with his boot. After a second, the other spoke up. “Want to go get some dinner? Maybe make it a...um...sextuple date?” He said, eyeing the hostages.

The other man shrugged. “Fine...Montoni’s?”

“Um...probably not tonight. Vinny said he was going to try and whack Giovanni there tonight.”

“Bummer for him. Luigi’s then?”

“Splendid! We’ll work out this whole turf thing over a risotto and wine...”