The Independants/Rap Sheets/Flashback3

From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

It was amazin' how much stuff we did for ourselves in the chemical line. We made meth, we processed X, some specialty stuff we liberated from those that made it. Even had a small sideline in 'shrooms that we were tryin' to expand. Few things, though, we couldn't do, not yet. Opiates, coke- we COULD process the stuff, if we could get the raw materials, but it was more efficient ta bring it in already done.

The lights on the loading dock flashed three times, as agreed, an' the little ferret-faced middleman stepped outside an' showed himself. Never knew his real name; everyone just called him the Sandman, 'casue he had the stuff that made ya sleepy in such nice ways. Good stuff, too- I was an off-an'-on customer, aside from Fox business.

He didn't look real happy when seven of us piled outa the van, armed to the teeth. Usually the meets were me an' another girl, once in a while Dragon would go. He got sorta pale, half-turned like he was gonna bolt. I held up a hand. "Easy, Sandy, bro. This ain't a rip. Just brought some backup, is all."

Still twitching some, he decided he wasn't gonna outrun all our bullets anyway. "The fuck Didi? Whass with alla hardware, huh? Ain't real friendly, you know? We always got a good thing, what's this for?"

"Jamaicans, bro. Nothin' to do with you. We got a tip they were gonna try an' take us off after the deal." That didn't improve his mood, though he did wave us into the warehouse, where the briefcases were there, as always, on the same rickety table. I set the payoff on the table next to it, popped the top. Greed for the win- he relaxed for a sec when he saw all those crisp Grants staring at him. He reached for the case...an' I closed it, gentle, on his hands.

"Count it, Sandy. No rush, is there? 'sides, we gotta do our check." He stared at me, and my neck started to crawl. "Nah, Didi. 'scool, I know you're straight...no offense.." he actually grinned, the little weasel- "An' like, I'd be CRAZY to stiff you guys, right? So, let's just, you know, call it done, and get gone."

Chuckling, I moved the one, beat-up chair around behind him, pushed him down into it. He didn't try to fight, sank like a balloon with the air all let out. "Humor me, sleepydust. Let's keep it all on the pro-down lowdown, huh? Just for me- count. The damn. Money. Dragon."

The tall Jap girl nodded, opened one of the Sandman's cases, took out a bag. I watched our little rat very carefully- his hands were shakin' as he counted his cash. Somethin' was for sure off.

"Is good," came Dragon's OK. "Open another. Just for fun," I drawled back. Sandy looked up at me, and I saw it in his eyes, before he forced himself to go back to his cash.

"This good too."

"Another. Other case." Lumpy broke in, "Awww, come ON D-bang? We done business with the boy hundredsa times. Let's just boogie."

"Another. Other case." I didn't look to see if Dragon was gonna obey- I knew she would. A solid soldier- an' firmly in my camp, if I had a camp. Which I kept tellin' myself I didn't...

Yup. "Baby powder." That was when the rat made his move, but there was no way in hell he was fast as I was. I had him down on the floor, one wrist cuffed to the opposite ankle, before he'd made three steps. "Sandy, Sandy, Sandy...you know....I'm real disappointed."

"It's not LIKE that, Dee, honest," he started to babble. "I had no choice, I was gonna tell you, was gonna HELP you..." And then we heard the engines. Bikes, at least one truck. Everyone tensed up, guns and knives and implements of destruction came out. Dragon stood, impassively, waiting for orders. I chuckled.

"Oh, looks like it's JUST like that, Sandy...Lumpy. Get this ass behind some boxes. Don't want him checkin' out. Everyone else, spread out. Stay behind th' midline, far away from windows as you can get. When the windows break, take a deep breath an' close your eyes..."

They hit us fast, an' they hit us hard. They used flashbangs 'steada frags, guess cause they wanted Sandy boy in one piece- or his stash, anyway. They boiled in, hopped on ganj, Uzis ripping the place up.

They were expectin' three of us, maybe four. They were expectin' us to be all disoriented from the 'nades. They weren't expectin' seven of us, under cover, armed just as good.

They weren't expectin' me. Not really.

When it was over, we had three Foxes down versus six times as many darker-skinned gangers. Dragon had a hole in her leg; she'd live. Lumpy had one in her face; she wouldn't. Third one hit was touch-and go. My ears were ringin', bloody nose, all the usual badges. I made a quick call to bring in some backup, then me an' the other mobile ones made sure none of our guests would be back to party. Ever.

Then I had 'em drag Sandy outa his hole. "Sneak." I held out my hand, she put the knife in it. I never carried one, can't fight with one worth a damn. This wasn't gonna be a fight. His face went loose, only his eyes movin', trackin' the bright steel, like a bird with a snake.

"Now, Sandy," I said, voice light as a feather. "We were havin' a little conversation before we got so...rudely interrupted..."