Chapter 53 Whispers In The Walls

• Maria lingered in the shadows of the stairwell. Down below, Mason's crew was having their usual late-night powwow in the break room. Tonight though, the usual ball-busting had an edge that made her skin prickle.
• "Y'all seen what happened at the Morrison?" Big Mike's bass rumble filled the space. "Boss had six of the meanest sons of bitches in Chicago pissing themselves. With training rounds." He emphasized those last words like they were gospel.
• "Training rounds," Joey Two-Times wasn't buying it. His Jersey accent dripped with disgust. "Training rounds, training rounds. That's exactly the problem right there. Since when do Kings play with rubber bullets?"