An Offer You Can't Refuse

Who: Jakob and Sam
Where: Sam's apartment
When: early afternoon

Who could sleep? Not Jakob, no way. He was giddy with excitement, more eager than he'd ever been as a child, celebrating pauper's holidays with his parents. It was down to the final snippets of time before chaos, beautiful chaos could flow freely. Three days, he mused with a pleased smile as he stepped from the elevator onto the floor of Sam's apartment, adjusting his grip on yet another bag from Nighthawk's and starting towards her door. Now was the time to savor everything, to lock down the last few people he would need to see his agenda through to the end.

Sam was... an unknown. Could he count on her help? Could he trust her if torn between her duty and her kin? Jakob didn't know, but then, he was a man who believed in plans within plans. Hedging my bets, he told himself as he nodded to the men at Sam's door. "Gentlemen," Jakob greeted, raising a hand, "May I knock to announce myself? Or would you prefer to?"

The guards frowned deeply down at Jakob, clearly disliking having to deal with him, but the shorter of the two knocked on the door.

Sam was sitting on her couch. Or rather, she was sitting upside down on her couch, legs thrown up over the back and her head hanging off to the floor. She was going a bit stir-crazy from being cooped up and she didn't consider an outing to the church to 'beg for forgiveness' an actual outing. So when the knock came on the door, she eagerly yelled out 'come in!', getting up so fast that the blood that went to her head went rushing out, causing her to lose her balance and land awkwardly on the floor in front of the couch.

Pushing through the door once Sam's guards nodded for him to do so, Jakob couldn't help chuckling a little at the sight of Sam where she lay prone. "Is there a story behind this tableau?" he asked wryly, setting the food aside as he moved towards Sam, crouching low on the balls of his feet to offer her a hand up. "Wait, let me guess. Boredom has left you paralyzed? You knew it was me and became so excited that your legs betrayed you?" His eyes sparked with some mirth there as Jakob studied Sam intently, pleased to see even the gradual signs of recuperation. "How are you feeling, Tyler?"

She took the offered hand, getting to her feet, albeit a little woozily and flopped back on the couch, properly this time. "Exactly. I was so overcome by your presence that I nearly fainted," she drawled in an exaggerated southern accent. Sam rotated her shoulder, having landed on it a bit awkwardly. At least she wouldn't be so bored now. For a little while at least. "Better than I did a few days ago. Did you bring me presents?" she asked, hoping for some case files that would come from what she'd been reading in the paper.

"I'm afraid not," Jakob answered with a shake of his head, "Other detectives are manning both the recent fire and the Jane Doe, captain's orders." And sure, they were orders that Jakob had suggested in his own way, but they were still a valid alibi. "Actually, I brought you a proposition of sorts," he said, his expression curious, nearly unreadable. "And a late breakfast, of course. You're hungry, I hope?"

Sam frowned a little at his alternative "gift". A proposition? That was... unexpected and it piqued her curiosity. She was, however, feeling jipped at having what should've been their cases handed off two someone else. Still. "Pancakes?" she asked hopefully. Pancakes and she'd be quite willing and ready to listen. Especially the Mars Bars pancakes down at Nighthawk's. With coffee.

Jakob chuckled at the muted enthusiasm in her words, nodding and stepping back to the table where he'd dropped their meal. "The universal choice for breakfast," he answered, "Not my favorite, but I assumed you could enjoy them." He was simple in his movement as he unpacked the food, opening his own box of potato pancakes and breathing in the aroma that drifted up. "You have coffee? I wasn't in the mood to juggle cups today."

The potato pancakes looked pretty good, but she was someone who'd rather have them for dinner than breakfast. "Sure, I'll go put a pot on and you tell me what super secret agent stuff this 'proposition' contains." Sometimes Jakob unnerved her, usually in a good way though, when they provided her favorite dishes. He'd probably asked for something she'd like when he went to pick up the food. They said a way to a man's heart was through their stomach. Well, it worked for Sam as well, even if she wasn't one. "Anything you want to go with those?" she asked, putting the kettle on.

"Salt, please," Jakob requested as he broke a piece off of one cake and popped it past his lips. For all of the man's usual neatness and organization, Jakob was a messy eater. He was a tactile person, he enjoyed eating with his hands, and these cakes? They were actually surprisingly good, taking him back to his childhood when his mother had prepared them with most meals on a given week. "And a napkin, I suppose. I'd be a poor excuse for a partner if I stained anything in your home, no?" He was eager to launch into his plans, but Jakob wanted Sam's attention; he needed to be able to read her facial cues and body language, to try and anticipate her reactions as they happened.

Grabbing the wanted items, Sam came back over to the couch and handed them over, along with a fork. Just in case. It was rather amusing to see him nearly giddy over some potato pancakes, but she was feeling kind of the same way over her chocolate filled pancakes. Sitting down on the couch, she propped her feet up on the table beside him and dug into with just as must gusto into her breakfast, waiting expectantly for his proposition.

Sam had to wait for a few minutes as jakob dashed salt across his food, breaking apart two of the cakes and wolfing them down hungrily. Eventually, though, he set his food aside and took the napkin Sam had brought, wiping his hands clean neatly. "So... there's something big coming down through the force," Jakob began carefully, wearing a look that spoke of nerves and uncertainty. "A major strike, multiple focal points, designed to hit both factions in their wallets." He paused long enough to sigh quietly, running his hands through his hair.

"The brass has asked me to..." Jakob trailed, sighing again, "After that business with the spree killer, they want one of their 'hero cops' heading up the logistics of this. I've been tasked with choosing officers I trust, regardless of department, to help conduct this affair. And I know you're on stress leave, Sam, but... I could use help."

Sam listened quietly, munching on her food as he explained what was going on. It wasn't what she was expecting to say the least and it sounded big. Really big. And even if Jakob was playing at something, this was something that would call for nerves and uncertainty because this was just way too big for anyone, legitimate or not, so she believed him regardless. Not that she was doubting it, but it had been playing around her mind from time to time.

And factions. "You know who my family is, right?" she asked after a little while, wanting to know what he knew.

"I do," Jakob told her in a soft voice, "I know very well, in fact. Which is why I only wanted to give you the barest details initially." He put on a flawlessly troubled expression, sitting forward and knotting his fingers together in worry, staring down for a moment before glancing up to Sam. "I know this isn't easy to even consider, Sam. And if you want nothing to do with it, I wouldn't fault you. I... cannot even imagine the difficulty in choosing between family and this, and I'm sorry for putting you in this spot. But I trust you with this knowledge, even if you choose to stay clear of it."

Reaching up to tug the knot of his tie loose, Jakob rose from his seat to pace a bit as his fingers busied themselves. "I don't suppose you could keep a clear conscience if I offered you a Konovich target, could I?" he asked, giving a strained smile.

"If you knew very well what my family did, you wouldn't be so worried about me choosing," she said with a smirk. "Jakob, I may not be privy to all the backdoor dealings of my family, but we're Giacomos first and foremost. Yes, they may be tied to an overall 'family', but as long as people are willing to throw their money away on who has the fastest horse and whether or not the ball lands on red, we'd still be okay. We've been around for years. You really think a city like this will ever not have a need for gambling?" It seemed too idealistic for Jakob to think that.

Of course, this was never about cleaning up the city entirely, not to him. It was about a grand distraction, and one that no official in the city could decry with a stated goal that was so blindingly noble. "Of course it will, such is the way of us all," Jakob told her, steadying his smile. He would personally go mad if there was ever a total lack of wagers to play in the city. "As I'm told, the goal is far less grand. Someone on the city council has decided certain... activities are a bit too flagrant. So it falls to us to remind the criminal element of the rules. Round up their street-level soldiers, shut down their obvious operations, bring a bit of peace to the citizens. Who knows, we may even inadvertently collar our unknown killer."

"And how do I play in all of this, Jakob Hollis?" she asked, her head cocked to the side and she pushed her blond hair out of her face, not wincing as much as she did when she skimmed over the bruises still covering her face. The shirt she wore did nothing to cover the bruises over her arms, stark blacks and blues against the pale skin. Out of the two of them, she was more than likely the one who'd want to clean things up the most, especially if it meant burning the Lotus to the ground. "The little mob princess who prefers to play cop."

His pacing stopped as Jakob turned to face Sam, lines showing starkly in his brow. "I know the department isn't clean," Jakob said in a low, harsh voice, "I know it, Sam. We have officers around us with far thinner ties than yours who gladly help cover up heinous acts. Who knows how many of them have hindered our own work?" In truth, Jakob had a fairly good idea of who was on the dole, at least the more significant payouts some officers received. "Whatever last name you choose, I haven't ever considered that you would act in such a way. And for this task? I need people covering each location and organizing the other officers, people I can trust to say nothing of this to either side."

"So you want my silence?" she asked for clarification. At least a quarter of the department was indebted to her family or the DiGiovanni's in some way. There was no doubt. And she knew that one of these days, she was going to have to make this kind of decision, but she didn't think it'd come so soon.

"Regardless of what else you choose, yes," Jakob confirmed, "Most of the personnel being signed up for this won't have any idea of our goals until we're en route to the raids. If you wanted to be a part of it, you'd obviously have prior knowledge. And once we moved? I'd be counting on you to spot any leaks in your assigned squad, and to control the situation if trouble erupted." And on that front, Jakob had utter confidence in Sam. She had the wit and intellect to handle a field operation, and she'd said that four men had jumped her in Chinatown? Which made Jakob think that in a fair fight, Sam would have him curled up around her shoe. Which is why I never fight fair.

Sam nodded slowly, considering. Either way, she'd be taking part of this. There was no question about it and she appreciated that Jakob trusted her to include this despite her familial connections. It was hard enough being a cop in a family of mobsters. Even harder to completely turn her back on that kind of life. Sort of. "And if I agreed to help unconditionally, what would that mean?"

The question was a surprise; Jakob had expected to get a promise of silence from Sam and little else. "Well, last time I led an investigation I did get shot," he said with a grin, "So that possibility may be present. More seriously? It would mean making sure all of our affairs are in order, as far as legality. Warrants, making sure every officer reads perps their rights, containing scenes of evidence to prevent tampering, the usual. Just on a much larger scale. And of course there is the chance, based on where you would like to work, of coming face to face with people you know."

An interested smile spread over her face and she took another bite of her cooling pancakes. Interesting. Interesting indeed. Not just at the prospect of exercising some payback, but to be really in charge of a group. "So I get to have authority, hm? With people having to bend to my will. So to speak, of course." Yes, that sounded nice. Her authority respected.

The smile wasn't lost on Jakob, and he realized he actually quite enjoyed that expression on Sam. "You will indeed be holding the reins of power, tactical and temporary as it may be," he confirmed, "Of course, it also means you'll be under a fair amount of scrutiny. I've worked many larger operations before, and in my experience? Nothing can move your career faster, though the direction it moves hinges on your performance." The conniving side of his mind wanted to suggest she have her family sacrifice some people, let Sam's unit bust them, and watch as she raked in a commendation. Of course, suggesting that would be far too revealing.

"Little old me? Draw in scrutiny? Jakob, I'm shocked that you would accuse me of such a thing." She allowed herself to look properly offended and took another stab at her food. She doubted how far she'd be able to move up in the department, having breasts and all that sort of thing, nevermind how well she did during this situation. And it was like she was reading his mind. "I'm sure I could get a list of appropriate individuals from some people I know." She didn't specifically say her family, but she had her own people to talk to.

How long had it been since he'd been proud of someone? Jakob's lips pursed in thought as he realized it hadn't been too long, though it was still a good feeling. Danny McKinnon had been so eager to lie for a commendation, Eris Stockard had survived the worst that was thrown at her, and now? Now his dear partner was willing to sacrifice someone for the sake of making this investigation look solid. "So... that's a yes to my offer?" he asked carefully, not daring to smile just yet.

"Maybe," she said, paying more attention to her food than Jakob. Regardless of the end game, it would still get people off the street, at least for awhile but... "Even if we do clean everything up, it would make our jobs awfully boring, don't you agree?"

"Only if it were permanent. Of course it won't be, we both know that. The upper rings of either syndicate are far too entrenched, with countless loyalists willing to take the heat for any crime we may build a case on." Not that they'd ever managed to actually take down a family head before. No, the only solution there had been the one that was used on Moira O'Malley. "Instead, I hope that we will be making our lives more interesting," Jakob mused, "Those who escape the dragnet will have to wisen up, yes? Step lightly for fear of a repeat, fill the gaps we create, find new methods of commerce... I expect things to be quite engaging for us in the days after this, Sam."

"You think I'll really get some deserving commendations out of this?" Cutting to the chase and voicing her main concern (oddly enough).

Again, the pride surged up in Jakob. He was guessing, but to him? Sam knew that every ladder peg she climbed would make the next easier. "I do," he assured her, "Request my service record if you doubt it. Every task force I've worked has netted me one, and I'm among the youngest men to make senior detective in department history." Really, his record was exemplary, but Jakob just liked to gloat about it. "I'd also suggest, if you're interested in the commendations, that you make some friends down at the Echo. The people love someone who can look good in the newspaper."

Sam shrugged, finishing off her pancakes. "Well, if I flashed you, you'd get a bigger eyeful than your average cop," she pointed out. She didn't need to look at his service record to know how quickly he'd climbed the ladder, but he was still a guy and she was still a girl and she had a hard enough time dealing with the job. She still suspected she was thrown into that interrogation room for a joke.

"Only in certain cases," Jakob argued with a laugh, "McPherson, who does the duty roster? That man's breasts would shame yours." Still, he knew Sam would face obstacles solely due to her gender. It was a hurdle Sam shouldn't have had to clear, even if Jakob was confident that she could. "The point, partner?" Jakob digressed, smiling Sam's way, "Is that I've taken measures to ensure that you cannot be denied recognition for the role I have for you."

"Well you've just got this all worked out, haven't you?" She nodded in approval. "Alright. I'm in." Why the hell not? She'd be part of the operation whether she threw her support behind it or not but if she was getting enough out of it (which she was), then there was no reason why she shouldn't go ahead do go in on his plan.

He was somewhat surprised by Sam's willingness, but not in a bad way whatsoever. She'd struck him as a straight cop initially, albeit a spirited one, but apparently her family's influence ran deeper than Jakob would've guessed. He liked learning that quite a bit. "I enjoy thinking in layers, yes," he said with a pleased smirk, "Having a plan for each possible outcome keeps me occupied in those rare times when there isn't a body to discover. And as for our undertaking? We have three days time, make any arrangements you deem necessary. If there's a particular locale you'd like to raid, let me know. Until it's time, though, I'm afraid I still have others to speak with regarding the heading up of task forces."

Sam considered herself a straight cop and if it were any other city, she'd be needing a lot more convincing and a lot more negotiating with Jakob's plan. But a place like Eidolon? You had to do the best you could do under the circumstances and when the chance came to clean things out for awhile, she was going to take it.

"I like my job," she said seriously, putting her empty take out box on the table and resting her arms on her knees. "I'm a cop because I want to help people, Jakob. I want to give closure to families who find their parents or their children face down in the river. I'm not going to cover up messes just because they're on the family payroll or something. It's their problem if they employed someone too sloppy in a business like they're in and when you make your bed, you have to lie in it." That was her motto. It didn't matter who you were. If you were too stupid or too careless to keep yourself from getting caught, you deserved to be punished (barring the sociopaths like their serial killers, of course).

"I understand that," Jakob assured her, "And for any benefit we may reap individually, the city will benefit as a whole. The entire ecosystem of the criminal element around us will have to react, Sam. And even if it's just for a few days, we'll have far fewer street-level problems to contend with. And of course, we can hope that those who are smart enough to avoid us will also be smart enough to avoid future casualties among the rest of the city. The more that they do so, the less likely we are to repeat this sort of raid." With a little effort on the parts of both DiGiovanni and Konovich, the city could end up looking clean for a while, whether it was genuine or not.

She was quiet for awhile, tapping her lower lip with the fork. This was... big. Really big and it was good to know that Jakob was able to assure her that this wasn't any sort of shady thing. "Making lives more difficult for various people is always entertaining," she said with a smirk and stood up, holding her hand out to shake his. "Alright. I'm in. Let me know what and when you need any of my incredibly valuable information in."

Jakob slipped a hand into Sam's easily, grinning warmly as he shook. One more piece in place, he mused, eventually releasing. "That's good to hear, Sam. I'll let you know as things draw together, and make sure you've got a roster of the officers that will be assigned to you." He paused to let the smile grow a little, knowing that the persecution she dealt with from her gender wore on her. "If any of them have maligned you in the past? Well, I trust you having complete authority over them. A bit of perspective might do them well."

"Of course," she replied with a smile, drawing her hand away. "I'm going to let you go. I'm expecting family to show up any minute. I'm surprised my mother hasn't shown up yet." Not to mention the two lugheads out there probably getting ready to bust through the door any minute.

"I do wonder if I'll ever get to meet your kin," Jakob mused, grinning wryly, "And also just how curious such a meeting might be. Perhaps someday, yes?" His expression spoke plainly of how unlikely Jakob thought that might be as he moved for the door, maintaining a low laugh as he walked. "Myself and matron Giacomo, indeed," he said with a smirk, lingering at the door. "Take care, Sam. I... it does me well to see you doing better. I'll be in touch soon," Jakob promised, smiling over his shoulder before he opened the door, smirking to the guards who looked in at him, "Gentlemen. Excited to see me again?"