"Get on the ground and put your hands up, you dirty pig!"
Tai felt pressure on his back, forcing him toward the ground. He pulled his hands over his head, the actual appendages swamped in his oversized sleeves. Quivering, he stuttered, "I don't know anything, I swear!" There was a chuckle, and a sneering face bent down to look at him.
"Oh, but you do." The figure pushed his aviator glasses up and grinned.
"You still owe Luci some money, don't you? The boss don't like having his debts go unpaid." Tai's blood went cold at the mention of the nickname. Luci was a feared name around these parts.
How could he still possibly remember that? It was five years ago!
The figure spat, and held out the palm of his hand.
"Fifty, up front."
Tai whimpered, and dug around in his pockets for any spare change.
"I only have twenty on me, but I'll get the rest to you as soon as possible!" There was mocking laughter, then;
"That's what you said last time, wasn't it, Tai Yang Chung?"
Tai winced. He didn't like having his full name used with strangers.
"Can I give the money to Wang? He'll get it to you!" More laughter.
"Nup, pal, that's not how it works around here." He felt more pressure on his back, and he was sure he heard something crack.
"How about we meet him at his house tomorrow, and he can give us the money then? No escape, that way." A female voice remarked.
"Good idea." The redhead stood up, then kicked him in the face, leaving a black eye.
"That's from Luci, with love." He stretched his back, and picked a large heavy object up from where it lay on the floor.
"We'll see you tomorrow. With the money."
They left Tai quivering on the floor, arms still above his head, black eye slowly swelling.
...
"So, you didn't get the money?" Luciano leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the desk.
"Nope, the dirty ***** only had twenty on him." Allen handed the crumpled bills to Luciano, who placed them in his pocket.
"Get the rest by tomorrow. Or we'll have to send in Flavio." The Italian grimaced at the mention of his fratello.
"Yes, sir."
"One more thing." Luciano stood up and walked slowly over to Allen, his boots making heavy thuds on the cement floor.
"I notice the streets now recognize me under my little pet name of 'Luci'?" Allen swallowed.
"Y-yeah. I didn't start that up." Luciano pushed him towards the wall with his shoulder, knife to throat.
"If you hear somebody calling me that name, strike them down." He turned and walked back to his desk, twirling the knife in his fingertips.
"B-but-"
"Orders from the top."
Allen sighed, and turned to leave, when Luciano commented,
"Nice haircut, by the way."
Allen felt the back of his head. There was significantly less hair there than earlier. Apparently, Luciano had decided to give him a little warning mark. He was...nice...that way. Gritting his teeth, Allen left the office.
...
"Dude, where were you?"
The lounge was almost empty, with only three people there. Wang was relaxing on a tattered couch, playing with a meat cleaver, Erika was sharpening one of her small knives, and Francois was filling up his coffee cup. Wang grinned sheepishly.
"I had to take care of something. I didn't mean to skip out."
"Did you get permission from the boss?"
"Uh, no."
Erika wagged her finger. "He's not gonna be happy. You know Luciano hates things like that."
"I can explain!" Wang hooked his knife back onto his belt.
"What were you doing, anyway?" Wang slipped a piece of paper from his pocket.
"Gathering information about these." He handed the picture to Allen, who grimaced.
"Who are they?"
"Some idiots from a different district. Luciano wanted me to research them."
"Let me see." Francois had taken an interest in the conversation. Snatching the paper, he looked it up and down.
"They look like idiots."
"Yeah, it kind of mystifies me why they are important to the boss." Wang stuffed the photos back in his pocket and grinned. Just then, Flavio stuck his head in the doorway.
"Wang? Mi Fratello wants to see you~!"
...
"I trust you've gathered enough information for us to set up a meeting?"
"Shì. So far, they seem innocent enough. Though, one member of the team seems a little...off..."
"'Deadly' off?"
"No...more like, 'Why is he working in a detective agency he should be working in a preschool' off."
Luciano chuckled. "Well, one more idiot that'll be an easy target. Good job, Wang."
"Thank you, boss."
...
"You've gotta be f**king kidding me!" Lovino angrily tore down the paper on the wall and angrily speedwalked as fast as possible to Arthur's office.
"What's with these new team assignments? Me, Antonio and Francis had a perfectly good team set up, thank you very much!"
Arthur stirred his tea calmly, not looking up at the angry italian. "Orders from Ivan. He picked them himself. If you like, I can bring up the issue with him the next time we meet."
"You do that! Damn that vodka bastard."
"What was that?" Lovino felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, and turned to see a smiling, six foot tall man behind him.
"I hope you weren't insulting me. That wouldn't be very nice, would it, Meester Lovi?" His smile grew icier, and Lovino trembled.
"N-no, sir."
"Good!" Ivan thumped him on the back and pushed past him to talk to Arthur.
"There is a mysterious group wanting to make the plans to meet with us." His heavy russian accent made the news sound even more intimidating, more than it should have.
"Can you give me their contact information?"
"Da. The note is from somebody named 'Kuro Honda.'" Arthur finally looked up.
"Honda? Isn't that the last name of the chap that works with Feliciano and Ludwig?"
"Da, it is. I was wondering if that would be his brother or something like that."
"I'll have to check. When do they request our presence?"
"Three days from today. The old abandoned warehouse, on the other side of the district. They say bring three people other than myself and you."
"Alright. How about Vash, Ludwig, and...um..."
"Alfred?"
"Right. They'll make a good team."
"If comrade Alfred can keep his mouth shut." Arthur sighed.
"Look, if you feel that way about him, get rid of him. But we can't let personal feelings get in the way of our job. Alfred is one of our best when it comes to infiltration."
"Da, I see your point." Ivan sighed. "I guess I will not be firing comrade Alfred this week."
"Glad to hear it." Ivan's smile returned.
"I will gather the people needed. Except Alfred."
"Okay." Arthur went back to his paperwork.
...
Luciano smiled as he witnessed the useless one, the silent one, and the angry one attempt to catch a petty robber. The angry one shouted something at the useless one, who yelped and circled back the other way, bumping into a wall, a telephone pole, and the silent one in the process. The angry one turned his back to yell at the useless one, and the useless one started to wail, while the robber just stood and watched. While this whole spectacle was going on, the silent one snuck up behind the robber, drew a katana, and knocked him out cold with the butt of the handle. The angry one saw the unconscious robber, and congratulated the silent one, who nodded.
If this is how they solved all their cases, they would be even easier to negotiate with then I
thought.
He pressed the intercom button on his desk and said, with an air of somebody who has just won a poker game or some other game of skill,
"Bring me a cup of coffee, Bernard."
"On it, boss."
Luciano smiled, and looked out the window again. The useless one had managed to wake up the robber with his loud, obnoxious voice, and the angry one was hitting the useless one on the head, and the silent one was just hitting the robber over and over with his katana.
"Here you go."
Bernard slowly opened the door, holding a steaming mug. He went over to the window and looked at the idiots below, smiling.
"They're like little ants, aren't they?" Luciano remarked, taking the hot cup.
"Ja, I know. They are small, idiotic, and easy to squash." The secretary's smile grew wider as he placed one palm on the window.
"I enjoy thinking about how we are going to pound them into dust, later."
"Go away, Bernard. You're creeping me out."
"Yes, sir." Bernard turned to leave, but before he could make it out the door, Luciano grabbed his arm.
"I agree with you, wholeheartedly. Now leave."
"But of course." Bernard left, the smile never leaving his face.