Rainy Night Blues
Matthew Ryan Fischer
It was pouring rain and no matter how much Rama tried to pull
himself flat against the wall, he was getting soaked. Bagus had it worse. He
was out in parking lot, watching for anyone who wasn’t supposed to be there. Club
B was a money maker, even on a night like this, even with the gunman threat
still lingering all over town. A town car pulled up and Rikard the driver got
out and opened the back door. Four women got out of the back – designer dresses,
high heels, and too much makeup. Rama pretended they were dancers and singer
hired by the bar to entertain businessmen in the karaoke rooms, but he knew what
they really did upstairs. He turned a blind eye. It wasn’t his job and it was
one of the many ways Club B made money. Rikard asked Rama for a cigarette,
which was absurd on a night like tonight. Rama gave him one and Rikard tried to
smoke it while getting drenched.
“Any trouble tonight?”
“No attack if that’s what you mean...”
Rikard nodded.
“…What about you? Anyone every try to stop you and steal your
cargo?”
Rikard laughed at the phrase.
“Car is bullet proof. I’m not too worried. Besides, I thought this
guy was only robbing drug labs and money launderers.”
“I didn’t know anyone had figured that out.”
“Huh. Maybe. I don’t know.”
Rikard took a final futile drag and flicked the cigarette towards
a nearby puddle. He headed inside to watch his precious cargo.
Rama watched the street for signs of any disturbances. He wondered
what his bosses were doing to ensure his safety. Police or gang, either, both. These
were strange times when he realized he could have been thinking about either
one. In a way he was all alone in this mission and he had to watch his own
back.
Rama had been looking for a time to sneak off and get word to the
police. He wanted to hear their perspective and learn what they knew. He was
still living in an apartment with a dozen other soldiers. He had no idea when
he would get any privacy again.
Headlights caught his attention as another car pulled up. He was
expecting it. The Foreigner and his bosses were supposed to be entertaining an
important client tonight. He had heard their names but didn’t know much else – Yaz
and Junko. Junko emerged from the car first – a wire thin and androgynous.
Hair slicked back and a man’s suit, but Rama wasn’t sure if they were he or
she. Junko opened the door and Yaz stepped out. Son of someone fairly connected
to the Yakuza, Yaz was flamboyant, hair colored, with preposterous blue sunglasses
on. Perfect for a cool rainy night.
They all walked past Rama and his boss barely made eye
contact. Something important was happening, and it seemed like his team were
the losers. Perhaps Naxis was disappointed, perhaps fear of the gunman had
ruined some part of the deal. Either way, it was a bad sign that additional visitors
were coming in from overseas.
Rama wished he could sneak inside and try to listen in
or find out what was amiss. But Maliq had handed out the assignments and he made
sure Rama and Bagus were left out in the rain. Rama pulled up his jacket collar
and took a deep breath. It was going to be a long night.
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