“See that out there, that’s Brooklyn.”

 

Despite the fog that had descended on New York City over night, the waterfront provided by Red Hook could be seen in full detail. But there wasn’t enough time to stop and admire the view as the camera began to pan slowly to the left.

 

“An’ that there, that’s the Brooklyn Bridge.”

 

The distinct outline of one of the oldest suspension bridges in these United States came and went as the camera continued on it’s journey across the New York skyline.

 

“Then yous got Manhatten.”

 

Riverside skyscrapers dominated the view, but they soon passed as the camera came to rest on the next, and final, focal point. The shoreline, and with it the high rise building that made up Jersey City, could just about be seen through the fog, but there wouldn’t have been any complaints had it been obscured completely.

 

“An’ finally... New Jersey.”

 

In stepped Alceo Dentari, dressed in his full length, black woolen winter coat. He clasped his hands, which he’d been wise enough to adorn with a fine pair of leather gloves, in front of him and turned to face the camera. Walking in slightly behind him came Tony ‘Two Hands’ Di Luca and ‘Big Vinny’ Vincent Rinaldi, otherwise know as The Gorillas and/or The Associates.

 

“A blight on this picturesque landscape.”

 

Di Luca, whom had also wrapped up warm in his leather jacket, nodded in agreement while Rinaldi shivered with the cold. Despite all the extra insulation he’d packed on over the years he wasn’t exactly shielded from the cold wearing, as he was, his monogrammed blue shellsuit .

 

Dentari continued, “A state that’s built whatever they can as close as they can to a the true cities, all so as they can say ‘We’re pretty much New York.’ or ‘We’re pretty much Philly.’... But this ain’t my time to go bad mouthin’ nothin’... Tony?”

 

“Sinatra didn’t sing about Newark, New Jersey, did he?” Di Luca asked as he stepped forward to bring himself in line with Dentari. “No, he sang about New York, New York. The greatest city of ‘em all. The Chairman Of The Board didn’t wanna be a part of Atlantic City, he didn’t wanna wake up in New Brunswick... he didn’t even wanna go back to Hoboken...”

 

“And thank the good Lord that Ol’ Blue Eyes ain’t around today,” Di Luca added as he crossed himself, “‘Cause I’m sure he’d be ashamed of his home state, seeing as it’s now most famous for being the place where an Oompa Loompa got punched in the face.”

 

“There hasn’t been anything of merit to have come from of that toxic waste dump in a long, long time...” Tony continued, “And that includes Troy Matthews.”

 

Alceo took a step to the side behind Di Luca and allowed him to take center stage. Still Big Vinny didn’t seem to take notice, he was too busy trying to wrap himself with his own arm fat in an attempt to not freeze to death.

 

“It’s actually quite fitting that Matthews dubs himself the Jersey Devil,” said Di Luca “‘Cause much like his home state, he’s attached himself to someone, widely regarded as his superior, in the hope that he’ll look better by proxy.”

 

“Thing is that’s all in vain, ‘cause Jack Cassidy ain’t better, he's just as bad.” he continued, “See, Cassidy can’t cut it on his own. ‘The next big thing that never was’ ain’t exactly a title to go shoutin’ about, is it?”

 

Dentari shook his head in the background. Big Vinny shook his entire body.

 

“So Cassidy enlists the help of the young, up and coming star known as Troy Matthews.” Di Luca said, “And it’s a partnership that coulda gone one of two ways.”

 

“It coulda been just what they both needed.” He conceded, “Coulda been that thing that gave their careers a real shot in the arm and helped both of ‘em climb that ladder. Really coulda been a mutually beneficial partnership where each member accommodates for the other’s failings.”

 

“But it ain’t like that, is it?” Tony asked, of course he was right there with the answer before anyone could think of their own, “Nope. See, both of ‘em leave everything to the other. Problem is, Jack Cassidy don’t care, and Troy Matthews ain’t capable.”

 

“That ain’t happening over here, not on this side a’ the Hudson.” Di Luca said pointing at the ground he stood on. “See, The Moral Majority weren’t capable of working as a team, and look what happened.”

 

“Vinny an’ me, we work together.” Di Luca continues “We’re not out for ourselves, we’re not protecting each other, an’ there’s only one man we need to prove ourselves to, and he’s stood right here.”

 

Di Luca motions to Dentari, who in turn nods once.

 

“We ain’t concerned with impressing the fans, an’ we ain’t concerned with doing anything flash.” Di Luca said, “What’s important is winning, and that’s exactly what we did against the Frank Dylan James and Virginia Quell.”

 

“And if there’s anyone out there that thinks it’ll be a different story when we face The Devil Rippers on Sunday...”

 

Dentari motioned for Big Vinny to head out of shot, and not a moment too soon, his lips had started to turn blue. Soon only Tony was left to wrap it up.

 

“‘Ey, fuhgeddaboudit!”