Day 158 - Outside Club B

 Outside Club B

 Matthew Ryan Fischer

 

It was raining when Kaylee arrived at Club B and there were at least a dozen police cars in the parking lot. Declan was somewhere in all that mess. It was just past three in the morning, but she didn’t dare approach the club. Yes, Declan was in there, and perhaps the man he was fighting, but there could be any number of other criminals inside being detained or questioned, or outside in the crowd trying to catch a glimpse. If she went inside and the wrong person saw her, then all her efforts tracking Agents of The Dragon’s Claw would be ruined. It was a risk to be in the crowd, but Kaylee felt it had to be done.

There were the bruised and bloodied being attended to at an ambulance. Kaylee scanned the crowd for familiar faces, but failed to recognize anyone. Word on the radio was unclear. A fight broke out. Perhaps multiple. The way the police reacted you would have thought it was a riot. The way the crowd gawked, the club was all spectacle.

Club B was known for its multitude of criminal types. Declan and Sonny could have been here after any number of people. How they connected to the unidentified gunman, or the counterfeit currency appearing on the streets was beyond her. She would get to see a report in a day or two. As long as she could make it in to the department without being followed.

Declan had been in a crabby mood for weeks now ever since he lost a suspect in a fight. It was entirely possible that he dragged Sonny here based on a hunch or a feeling or bad intel or because Declan was looking to get in a fight. His focus was broken and if it continued not only would he be a bad partner, but possibly a danger to the her and the position he had put her in.

Kaylee caught Declan’s eye as he emerged from the club, followed by Sonny. He didn’t react, but he looked her way a moment too long. If anyone was watching her, they probably wouldn’t have noticed. Probably. Both men had torn clothes and blood and bruises to show for their efforts tonight. Neither was pushing along a suspect with them. Whatever they had been after, they failed. Declan’s mood would only get worse. She wondered about getting a private message to Sonny. Someone needed to look out for him if she wasn’t about to.

Kaylee took a step back and mixed into the crowd. Her partner was alive, but she wasn’t going to get any answers tonight.

As she returned home, she recognized two men from her building. One had a bloody lip and the other’s suit was torn. Had they been at Club B earlier? Entirely possible. There was a very good chance they were the one’s who made Sonny and Declan seem so frustrated. She had no evidence, no proof, no information and nothing to accuse them of. But she had her hunch. And she was pretty sure she knew for sure. The Dragon’s Claw. If they ran Club B, then Club B was a very dangerous and deadly place.

“Are you okay,” she asked as innocently as she possibly could.

The younger one held the door for her as she entered.

“Fine,” he mumbled. He tried to brush his hair and straighten his jacket.

She thanked him and wished him a speedy recovery. Kaylee decided she would check on him in the morning. She was a horrible cook, but could buy something early. He would think she was a concerned neighbor and it would give her a chance to step inside his apartment. Hardly a step at all, but a step all the same.

Day 157 - A man named Arch

 A Man Named Arch

 Matthew Ryan Fischer

 

“Ruel, what if I told you that all your money was counterfeit?”

“I’d say I need more than your words to believe an accusation like that.”

“There’s an international cartel that recently arrived in Jakarta. They call themselves Naxis. You and your men can research this all you want after I leave. But you get funding from a gang called The Reapers, headed by a man named Yama. The Reapers worked for a syndicate that used to have a stranglehold on Bandung and were making inroads here before they came up against The Dragon’s Claw. It’s taken years of rebuilding, but The Reapers are back. Mostly because of the funding they receive from Naxis. Now, you might not care about politics or backroom deals and all you might care about is that pile of money that grows larger and larger on your table over there. But that pile is a quarter, maybe a third fake. And the longer you keep getting funds from Yama, the longer you’re really getting funds from Naxis, which really means that pile will soon be half to two-thirds fake, and then pretty soon it will be a pile of scrap paper and kindling.”

“And you’re the man who came to warn me out of the goodness of your heart.”

“Ruel, I don’t care about you at all. You’re just the very bottom of a conflict that is brewing between men in fancy homes who drive fancy cars and never once look upon people like you or me. The Dragon’s Claw is old and slow and haven’t realized yet that they are under attack. Now, I don’t think Naxis can win and I don’t think The Reapers can win, but I do think they can stir up countless problems along the way. Me, I’ve been paid to keep stirring. Stir, stir, stir until The Dragons finally realize and have to respond. If you’re in the wrong place, you get eliminated.”

“So, you’re here to save me.”

“Again, whatever you want to do is up to you. I leave, you talk to your bosses, they lie to you, you go back to work. Or you take some samples of your cash and you find someone in the know who can tell you if it’s real or not. Once you know it’s fake and you’re being screwed, you might be a little more interested in what I have to say. On that day, I will pay you in whatever currency you want, and it will be real. Then you’ll work for me. You keep all that fake money flowing around, let it bleed out into the city and infect every underground cash business there is in this town. Naxis undercuts The Dragons, their grip weakens and on and on. And whenever this great big battle comes, my bosses think they can swoop in after.”

“And I get to on the winning side? Out of the benevolence of your heart?”

“I don’t know who will win. I just know the storm is coming. And I know that if you’re caught with all that counterfeit money, two out of three sides will see you as the enemy, and the other is simply using you as a pawn and didn’t bother to tell you. So, I’m going to give you real money my boss gave me. And in turn you’re going to give me as much of that fake money as you can skim and I’m going to build an army. I don’t need to know which of the three to trust or to follow, I just need to have enough strength built that it doesn’t matter.”

“Again, why me?”

“Maybe I’m appealing to your inner businessman. Or maybe you find out you were a pawn and you decide you want revenge. I don’t know you. You might set me up and get me killed. What I do know is that I’m talking to all the little pawns out there all over town and I’m seeing who’s tired and who’s ready for more. I’ve heard the stories about Ruel the cruel. I know you have networks of your own. Your man Rendy has spies and pickpockets out on the street. I could use some infrastructure. I need information and I need it to be fast and nimble. I’m just offering you an extra source of money and appealing to your greed. You do your researching, ask around about me, whatever. Call me when you’re ready.”

“And if I decide to tell my bosses about you?”

“I guarantee your bosses have already been affected by my efforts. They would probably reward you for killing me. But that’s just a one-time payment where if you let me live, you get a continuing revenue stream. Like I said, greed. You think it over and let me know.”

Day 156 - Jade

 Jade

 Matthew Ryan Fischer

 

Jade learned at an early age what her family did to make money. It wasn’t an accident; she didn’t overhear something by mistake or walk in on a strong-armed negotiation when she shouldn’t have. Her grandparents and great aunt sat her down and explained their livelihood, some of the things this required, and what eventual participation was expected of Jade. She was twelve at the time.

Jade wasn’t appalled or disgusted and never considered going to the police. She had been raised to obey her family elders, but she was also a curious child. She knew the value of money and saw how her parents lived compared to the parents of her friends. Money determined a lot in life, and if this was the family business, then Jade wanted to make as much as she possibly could.

Queenie was her matriarch, a great aunt who had once upon a time wrestled control of the family away from the men around her. Men that included Queenie’s own brother, Jade’s grandfather, and Jade’s father and uncles. Once in power, Queenie made sure none of them ever had a chance to take it back.

Jade hated Queenie for years. The name Queenie was a joke, showy and arrogant. Jade hated the audacity it took to change one’s name and call yourself a Queen. Jade hated that Queenie slapped her father in the face, both metaphorically and once for talking out of turn. As a child she had no perspective on gender dynamics or the challenges Queenie was up against. It was hardly an excuse and didn’t sway Jade’s judgment or wrath. Jade had been taught to be loyal to family, and she knew which part of her family she was most loyal to. Even as she got older and understood more of the world, she still dreamed of the day she would stab her great aunt in the back and perhaps make her father smile.

For years Queenie had little time for Jade, but when Jade turned fifteen, suddenly Queenie took a much greater interest in her. Private conversations that were meant to make Jade feel special. Offers to mentor her as she grew up and joined the family. Most people would be thrilled when a boss offered such things, but Jade remembered his father and wondered why it was never his turn.

Jade was almost sixteen and Queenie finally called her into action. It didn’t take too much to guess that Queenie had plans, and only the women in the family would be in charge of enacting them. War was coming, and Jade was pushed to the front of the line. How much power Jade could inherit seemed restrained only by how much she tried to take. As far as she could tell, none of her sisters or cousins were given any secret assignments. Queenie was preparing her for a much larger role. Jade was not one who intended to fail.

Jade had trained with Ace for several weeks. She had sparred with other members of her family and had her first few sessions with actual Agents. Three was a cousin of a cousin or two or three steps beyond that. He was family but not close family. He was more Agent than blood, at least as far as Queenie was concerned. Queenie was after loyalty. She had plans for the family, plans that The Dragon Claw might prevent. They might be able to distract Three, but the others would be more difficult.

Queenie wanted to know what Seven was working on. She suspected Gideon gave him a secret mission. It was Jade’s job to find out what. They had worked out together once and he easily defeated her. She had hope rolling around on a wrestling mat and getting hot and sweaty might make him more open to her advances, but no such luck. He was sleeping with a woman named Kira and didn’t seem interested in a second partner. Queenie would be disappointed. This might be Jade’s sole chance to rise within her family and she didn’t want to ruin it. Jade considered killing Kira, but wasn’t sure how to get rid of the body. She didn’t want to ask for help for fear of disappointing Queenie.

Jade thought about other options and other Agents, but Queenie had been specific about Seven. Jade didn’t see what was so important about him, but knew she should stick to what she was told do. The next time Jade sparred with Seven, she was going to make sure he knew she was available. If that didn’t do it, she would find a way into his apartment building. Kira wouldn’t stand in her way.

Jade had her closest cousin tracking Seven and she got word that Seven was heading to a nightclub. Seven didn’t seem like the nightclub sort, but Jade figured she could work with that. She would bump into his there and see where the night took them.

Day 155 - Trouble at Club B part 5

 Trouble at Club B part 5

 Matthew Ryan Fischer

 

The Agents thought Club B was cheating on paying their taxes. Seven had been there a week ago with Three and it was pretty obvious that there were all sorts of illegal activities going on here in every part of the club front and back. There were drugs being sold on the dance floor and prostitutes in the karaoke rooms. They were pretty sure some skimming and laundering were happening in the manager’s office, and if they checked they kitchen they expected they’d find something there too.

Seven and Five thought they would ask a few questions and scare the manager a little bit. But halfway through their intimidation tactics they heard the fights break out. The manager’s eyes darted to a security monitor and Seven saw what he saw – chaos on the dancefloor. It seemed like the sort of thing the bouncers should be able to handle, but the fighters were a little too good and taking a little too long to get under control. Then there was the flash of a gun and someone yelled police.

Seven looked at Five. Perhaps they should excuse themselves. They had a tacit agreement to avoid interfering with the police and the police usually left them alone. But in closed quarters like this, with no obvious friend or foe, mistakes could be made. Best to get out now and avoid any conflict.

“Is there a back way out of this office?”

The manager told them about the stairway down the hall. They could avoid the dancefloor and the police.

Seven thanked him and told him they’d be back to talk about his books.

They turned a corner just in time to see a group at the back door, stopped by Three. Seven didn’t recognize anyone in the group, but it looked as if Three was about to get in a fight. These people wanted out and Three was in the way. Seven surmised they were likely responsible for some of the illegal activities here and possibly the police presence. Escape was paramount, but this group could also answer all the questions about what really went on here at the club. Best to make sure they all exit together.

Seven and Five rushed to intervene before any back hall brawl got them all caught and arrested.

Day 154 - Trouble at Club B part 4

 Trouble at Club B part 4

 Matthew Ryan Fischer

 

Rama saw a fight breaking out across the room, but before he could do anything, he felt the blow to his face. For a moment he was disoriented and stumbled backwards. He barely had time to blink before he saw the flash of movement coming at him again. This attacker was quick. Rama shifted his weight and fell back again, but this time turned away from the coming punch. He could feel the fist glance across his face but it barely connected and there was no force to knock him back again.

Rama took another step back and readjusted. His vision cleared and things seemed to slow down.

The face of the attacker was familiar. A split second later, Rama remembered – this was the police officer that tried to arrest him a couple weeks earlier. Rama had fought him off last time, but last time he was on the run and had room to escape. This was a packed nightclub with a lot of bodies blocking any path towards the doors.

Rama didn’t relish the prospect of fighting another officer, but he didn’t think he had another choice. He wondered about the fight across the room and if that was another policeman. And if so, who else the police were here to arrest and why. If the police were here because of Naxis, then maybe his undercover investigation wasn’t necessary and was only getting in the way. He considered telling his assailant that he was a fellow officer, but wasn’t certain and didn’t want to ruin his cover if the police were here for a different reason.

The officer pushed past a patron and charged Rama. This guy seemed a little unhinged. Rama wasn’t sure how to dodge or deflect in such a small space. The office yelled something about resisting arrest, but Rama wasn’t paying attention. He was trying hard not to hurt the other man.

Rama took another strong hook to his jaw and fell to the ground.

The officer climbed on top of Rama and out came the zip tie restraints. The man’s knees jutted into Rama’s arms, and he was having trouble freeing himself. Rama might have to let himself be arrested and explain things later that he was undercover. Hopefully being attacked in such a public way would help alleviate any suspicions anyone in Naxis might have about him getting arrested.

Before the officer could get the handcuffs on Rama, someone kicked him off. Rama was shocked to see his savior was Maliq. Even if Maliq hated him, he was a loyal to the crew. Good to know, thought Rama.

Maliq extended his hand to help Rama stand.

“We’ve got to get out of here.”

“What about Yaz and Junko?”

“In one of the karaoke rooms. Let’s go find them. We can take the back stairs.”

Rama looked across the room at the other fight. What he assumed was another police officer was fighting two men. They all seemed especially skilled.

“What do you think is going on?” Rama asked as they headed towards the back of the club.

“I don’t know. But cops nosing around isn’t good.”

“You think they’re here because of the money?”

“If they knew what we were doing, there would have been a full-on raid and they would have shut the club down. This seemed like two cops got suspicious and stumbled into something.”

“Even so, they might figure something out.”

Maliq opened doors to the private karaoke rooms, looked for Yaz and Junko. “True. This place is probably ruined. We’ll have to worry about that later. After we get out of here.”

Maliq kicked open a door and entered. Yaz was on the mic singing with a couple of prostitutes.

“Police. Time to go,” shouted Maliq.

Yaz nodded and hurried to the other door in the room. He opened it and Rama caught a glimpse of a bed and a naked body laying on it. Junko, he wondered.

Yaz said something and a figure quickly emerged. Junko threw on a jacket and took the lead in front of Yaz. Whoever it was on the bed was left behind.

Junko ran out into the hall, gun drawn, pushed past other patrons and lead the group towards the back stairs.

Junko opened the exit door, and they were all confronted by a tough looking man in a suit. Not a cop, thought Rama, but who was he?

Day 153 - Trouble at Club B part 3

 Trouble at Club B part 3

 Matthew Ryan Fischer

 

Von had not been happy when told the gunman got away. 66 didn’t mention the tattoo. It made little sense to 66, it would make less to Von, and 66 couldn’t afford to have Von suspicious. The gunman with the Twenty-Two tattoo wasn’t the real 22, but if 66 started telling people that without proof or explanations, there was little reason for any of them to believe him. And if they didn’t believe him, then trouble would begin again and right now 66 still needed the benefits of being a member of a crew. As long as they were out hunting, it gave him time to recuperate and to make a new plan. It would be best if he was the one who found the gunman, preferably alone and in a position to bludgeon fake 22 to the point that no one would question why a portion of his skin was removed. If someone else found him first and caught glimpse of the ink then both he and 47 could be in trouble.

47 was surprisingly relaxed about the situation.

“Someone is pretending to be one of us. And shooting up the town.”

“We all have different numbers. Why would anyone think we had anything to do with this guy?”

“They’re all in the same style. We’re hitmen who go by numbers. It’s not a giant leap. And this guy is targeting everyone. Anyone could catch him. Anyone could see us.”

“So, start wearing long sleeves.”

“It’s a little late for that.”

“We’ll get him first. You almost had him. This time we won’t fail.”

“This time he knows we’re on to him. He’ll change his behavior and the way he strikes.”

“We adapt. It’s what we do. What the fuck happened to you in Bandung? You used to be one ice-cold bad-ass killer. We track his movements, we find him, we kill him. Bang bang bang. Just like we do all the time.”

66 wondered what had happened to 47. So casual, so cavalier. 33 had been that way. It was all a big joke to him. Killing and drinking and eating and spending money. And then killing again so he could keep the cycle going. Maybe he had been like that too, but it didn’t seem real to him anymore. Had this ever been fun, he asked himself. Certainly not. But it was so long ago, he couldn’t quite remember how he felt when he got the tattoo or why he did it. It was a different world back then. Joining a crew and making money seemed like the only option. Now? He wasn’t sure about now. He wasn’t sure where he could go. Fara had seen something in him and thought he could be better. But Fara was gone. And the dangers remained.

66 and 47 divided their time between trying to find the gunman and guarding Von’s shipments to the various dealers around town. That night they were headed to Club B, where several of Von’s men supplied party-goers with a little extra fun. 66 wasn’t in the mood for it, but he had no other choice.

66 was guarding the door to the manager’s office, when he saw a man cross the nightclub and approach 47. He didn’t recognize the man, but when he reached for 47’s arm, 66 knew they were in trouble.

47 threw the first punch, but the man dodged it with some amount of skill, and it seemed like he was ready for battle. People screamed and another man came charging around a corner. 66 heard someone yell police.

66 didn’t want to fight, but he had no choice. He had to get 47 and get out of there. If the police had made a connection with the tattoo, then they were both in for a lot of trouble. 66 headed towards the fight.

Day 152 - Trouble at Club B part 2

 Trouble at Club B part 2

 Matthew Ryan Fischer

 

Rikard and Vik almost never worked at the same place at the same time. The bosses were particular like that. Not that they didn’t trust their underlings, but they didn’t want anyone getting any ideas. Two men might become friendly. They work together too often; they might form a bond. A bond that would be more important than their fear or loyalty to the bosses. And Vik and Rikard were brothers on top of that. No telling what they might get up to if left to their own devices. But business had picked up lately and there was more to do than there were drivers to keep on separate routes

Of course, for all their caution, the bosses weren’t paying attention to the right things. They didn’t know about Arch or his gang or the conversations Rikard had been having behind their backs. If they had known about that, Rikard probably wouldn’t be breathing.

Club B was a goldmine. Rikard enjoyed it there. It was easier to sit at a nightclub than it was in a car on the street outside an apartment building or a hotel. The police didn’t hassle you inside a nightclub. Normally it allowed Rikard a chance to relax, have a drink and enjoy the view. But tonight, Vik was there, and Vik enjoyed following rules. Vik stood guard at the hallway that lead to the private karaoke rooms. And he never drank. Rikard to could make it one night playing by all the rules.

One of these days, Arch would decide it was time to make his move, and then Rikard would be doing a lot more than driving. One of these days, Rikard would be management. He could abide by the rules until then. No sense in raising suspicions now.

Rikard was pretty sure Vik would come along for the ride. They had their mother to think about. Extra money was nothing to complain about. Vik seemed to enjoy following orders. It probably wouldn’t matter much if it was someone new. There were other men here though, other men that Rikard had begun to like. He wasn’t sure what would happen to them. Some of them might be too loyal. He wasn’t excited by the idea of having to kill any of them. Maybe Arch and his men would take care of that. All Rikard would have to do was open the door at the right time. That’s what he was hoping for, anyway.

Rikard was distracted by his machinations, and he didn’t notice the shift in mood within the club at first. It didn’t take long for him to realize something was amiss. Agents had arrived. The Dragon Claw. He had never seen these two before, but he knew full well who they were and what they meant. His fight or flight instinct kicked in. Were they here for him? Had Arch gotten sloppy? Had the families discovered the threat already?

Rikard felt a sense of relief when he saw them take Rama to the back offices. Rikard liked Rama, and felt sorry for whatever was to come, but he was glad it wasn’t headed in his direction.

It only lasted for a second, for when he turned back to the room, he saw what had to be a couple of police officers. They were dressed casually, but they stuck out in the crowd. Police and The Dragon’s Claw? Were they working together or was the bar about to become a warzone?

Rikard caught Vik’s attention and pointed out the police. Vik nodded and head towards the back to get the girls. Rikard crossed the room to assist. He only hoped there was a backway out and that they could get there in time before trouble began.