"Early! Too Bastin' Early. Farb didn't make the sun rise when he did so we could all get up before it does!" Gavin was the complainer of the group, but he was also the one most likely to die for you if you needed someone to do that. He also liked to make sure that everyone did as they were expected to do, especially if it was something that he didn't want to do himself but also had to. So he continued, "did all of you boys and girl," he smarmily eyed Max, "remember to swallow those pills Aldo made up for ya? Because we don't want to lose any one of our precious family. It's a big world out there and you know how it is these days, you just can't trust anybody, especially strangers."
"Nobody's stranger than you, Gav," Marv joked as he threw what looked like a bazooka in pistol form about thirty feet into the air, arcing perfectly down into Gavin's waiting hand. Gavin caught the gun by the grip and stashed it over his shoulder in a neat little holster on his back.
"All right you guys," Max bellowed so everyone in the warehouse could hear,"This shipment is going to make each and every one of us some snark, I don't want mine going to Levito, Palmeri, Kaspar, any of 'em, and if that little worm Masterson gets anywhere near this shit I will personally beat the bastin' farbunkle out of whoever is responsible, so keep your damn eyes open. Now, before we head out Victor wants you all to gather around this little mark he has put on the floor, right here," she indicates the spot with the tip of her boot. The men move slowly toward the spot. "C'mon, c'mon, we haven't got all day, gentlemen, let's move!" They hustle just a bit and in a few seconds all of the men are gathered around the spot, including Aldo who is holding a small piece of paper up to Max indicating that he had received his "invitation" and did indeed show for the event. Max acknowledged his arrival,"Thank you all for coming, now step back from the mark just a bit, Heads Up!" she said just in time to move the men far enough back to not be hit by the falling body which made a heavy, dull thud upon the floor in the precise location of the mark. Max winced and opened one eye in the direction of the floor as if to summarize the ickiness of the situation. The men began to murmur amongst themselves.
Victor's voice echoed from across the warehouse. "Yep, that's Bobby! Found him on my doorstep this morning with a little note from Sal. Two words gentlemen,"Not Again!". That's what the note said and that's all I have to say to you, now let's get this job done." He began to turn from the group but caught sight of a concerned expression on Max's face. As he looked around Leer could see that the men were waiting for something. Max's eyes drifted toward the nearby pillar upon which the familiar "Farb Sees" icon was painted. He was happy that Max was on his side because even though he had lived this day nearly thirty years earlier, he could not remember every detail of it. To miss the prayer would be just the type of thing to raise suspicion or inspire mutiny. Turning on his heels, as if the whole thing was planned Victor said, "Abe, you were Bobby's closest friend, why don't you say a few words."
Leer's play was perfect. Almost certainly, Abe knew something about the missing shipment. Whether he was in on it or not, Leer did not recall, but putting him in the spotlight would do two things. Primarily, it would let Abe know that Victor was watching him, secondly it would let all of the others know that a similar fate would befall them if they interfered with the success of the shipment.
Abe began, his head bowed low, his voice nervous," for as much as it has pleased almighty Farb to take the spirit of our dear departed friend and colleague, Bobby, uhh," he paused as all eyes were upon him, not one of the others wishing to be in his place, at once all of their eyes dropped as if deep in prayer, he continued," uhh, we, um, ask that you take him into your divine presence. We ask this in your name." Abe stopped and began to turn away. Several of the men cleared their throats and Franco gave him a little elbow. Realizing his mistake, he continued,"Almighty Farb, we also ask that you watch over the work we do here today and deliver us and the shipment we carry, safely to its destination. In your name, all things happen, by your will may all things be done."
With that, the group dispersed, each man bowing in turn to the painted image then grabbing guns, knives, grenades, lasers, a couple of swords here and there, rocket launchers the occasional taser and several rifles.
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