1 – The price of corruption

"Don't do it man, they'll never let you get anyway with it!"

"Quiet Rico!" shouted Miguel, punching his hostage across the face. The police officer fell, smashing his face against the cold, stone floor. Miguel had had him bound and tied to a chair. He was ready to serve his punishment.

"Rico, you've forgotten one thing" Miguel kneeled down and pulled the writhing body of the officer to him. "I own this city!" A fist shot down across Rico's face, blood splattering from the broken jaw.

"Now then, have I made my intentions clear?" said Miguel as he stood. Rico began muttering something, a stream of babble erupted from his mouth.

"Answer me!"

"Y-y-yes boss" Rico forced through, spitting out a cracked tooth.

Miguel pointed to the two men standing quietly, observing what was happening.

"Pick him up"

The two heavy set men grabbed Rico by his arms and forcefully dragged him until the chair was on all four legs. They stood behind the officer, breathing down his neck heavily. Miguel walked up close, massaging his hand. The knuckleduster had cut into his fingers.

"You work for me. You gave me information. That information, which I paid you for, was very, very wrong. And now I have lost millions of dollars."

"Rico," Miguel spoke quietly, "do you know how that makes me feel?"

"N-n-no" mumbled the officer.

"You'll find out sure enough. What happened? Why did this go wrong?"

"Inside job, my source was unreliable. He played you off the Yakuza, cops were waiting."

"Really…" Miguel sighed. He thought this might have been the case. "So, the person you got your information off gave you false details designed to trap both us and the Yakuza? And why would they do that?" Miguel turned and walked a few paces, his mind contemplating the revelation.

"The force can't afford to take both of you on; Liberty's stretched as it is. They're trying to provoke a gang war, crippling you both. When the time is right, they'll wipe both of you out. Good publicity and it'll make the city more confident in its law enforcement" explained Rico, his mouth pounding.

"Is that so?" Miguel turned to face Rico, cracking his knuckles. "Who was the source then Rico?"

"What? No, I can't tell…" Miguel's hand lashed out like a whip, knocking the officer to the floor again, the iron metal slashing across the officer's stubbly face.

"Try again!"

"N-no…"

Miguel put the boot into the officer's stomach, crushing Rico's chest. Miguel nodded to one of the men, throwing the knuckle duster to the ground. Rico's moaning and coughing filled the warehouse. The dim light reflected of the metal object the guard gave to Miguel. Putting on short, black gloves he took the pistol and primed it. The noise held Rico with fear.

"Who provided the information Rico?" he said sternly, levelling the gun to the officer's head.

"Ok, ok, I'll tell you," he screamed, coughing up blood, "There's this guy who's staying in Liberty at the moment, his plane takes off tonight. He's an associate of the Yakuza and was brought over to act as a neutral party for your exchange. We arrested him by accident as part of a sting in the airport. I got to him first and exchanged freedom for information. I met up with him a couple of times. All the info he gave me was tight, all up to the point where he screwed you over. He was probably working for someone else too; the cops or another gang maybe. I don't know."

"The name Rico, I want a name."

"He just told me to call him Yen, I don't know if that is his real name" Rico groaned on the floor, trying to clutch his chest, his bound hands preventing him.

Miguel pushed the officer on to his back with his foot and levelled the pistol to the man's head. Rico's eyes narrowed with terror, fixated on the barrel.

"Rico, I want to believe you, I really do. This had nothing to do with the police. They weren't there. Rico, this just isn't working out." He pulled the trigger, the noise exploding around the quiet warehouse. Blood splattered everywhere. Miguel handed the gun back to the guard and wiped his face.

"Take him and dress him up. Send him back to the coppers, try our favourite inspector. Leave a note; I want them to see they can't touch me."

Miguel turned and headed outside. The night was pitch black, no stars and no moon. The dim flood lights that filled the estate provided a very cold and gloomy atmosphere to the place. Miguel marched up to the three cars that were waiting and got into the backseat of the silver Esperanto, smiling at the girl as he got in. Roxy smiled back, her red lips glinting in the light. The car was flanked by two dark Landstalkers, each filled with four guards. You could never be too careful in this city. Miguel knocked on the window to the front seats and turned to his driver.

"Franco, we're going on a trip, get me to the airport…"

x

Inspector Conway hastily parked his car on the sidewalk outside the station. He could see a clamour of officers around the area, each just staring at the ground. Incompetence was something Conway hated, but this force was full of it. There'd better be a good explanation for this he said to himself. He pulled himself out of the car. He was a big man and the new Infernus GT wasn't the biggest in the world. Checking his watch, he headed up the steps to the gang of officers. He could never have expected what was waiting for him. The big man pushed himself through and was faced by a corpse; a police corpse. He walked around the body and knelt down. Gunshot wound to the head, clear fractures to the face. The guy had clearly not been liked.

"Is he one of ours?" Conway asked.

"Yes sir. Rico Esprezzo. His arrest record has gone through the roof these last two weeks. And he tipped us on the Yakuza meet today" said one of the officers.

"Was there anything else Rafa?"

"Just this sir" said Officer Rafa, handing him a note. It was addressed to Conway.

"Inspector Conway, is this the price of corruption???"

He read it a couple of times and closed his eyes in grief.

"What does it means sir?"

"It means Rafa, that our plan has hit a small snag…"

x

Roxy snapped her phone shut as the convoy pulled into the airport.

"There is a Mister Yen headed to Layman City to the North. His flight left half an hour ago although there is another in an hour" she said.

Miguel smiled at her again and put his hand on her bare knee.

"Bastard may have told the truth on this one. Well done" he said softly, admiring her eyes.

"We made need some different clothes though" she said, not breaking the gaze. "You can't go like that.

Miguel was wearing a blood stained white shirt and black trousers that had been part of his suit. His collar was undone as well as several buttons, showing off his hardened chest. He'd built up a bit of a sweat during his encounter with Rico. He tucked back his long black hair behind his ears and rubbed his face with his hands, stroking his moustache and light beard. He had a very laid back appearance about him.

"You're not much better" he laughed pulling a jacket out of the back. It would cover the stains for now.

Roxy was a stunner. She wore a short black skirt and wore a lacy white top, showing off her arms and hugging her perfect figure. She had long brown hair that she kept free and billowy which only added to her allure. Many a person had connected her beauty with stupidity. Most pretty girls in Liberty were dumb, free and easy. Roxy had soon put them right. She was quick and had a shrewd, calculating mind. Miguel thought she was perfect.

The car pulled up to a halt and Franco got out, opening the door first for Roxy and then for Miguel. Miguel was soon surrounded by guards.

"Guys, guys, chill" Miguel joked with them, "You four, take the cars back and report to my brother. You guys are coming with us. And you Franco."

Putting his arm around Roxy, they headed to the checkout. It was going to be a long trip…