Chang dropped Rock's earpiece containing the recording into his personal wall-safe for the night and closed it with a soft thud. After spinning the dial he sighed and stretched his back. It had been a long day, but a productive one. He was looking forward to tomorrow. He, Fry-Face, and Rock would plan the destruction of their mutual enemies and end up with a much bigger profit by year's end as a result. That'd shut Hong Kong up for sure. He had just laid down with a smile on his face when suddenly a frantic pounding on his door jerked him back to wakefulness.
"Dai Lo!" his subordinate called. "I apologize, but it's urgent!"
Chang leapt out of bed and seized his bathrobe. He knew his people wouldn't be disturbing him at this hour without a good, in other words very bad, reason.
Damn it, he wished things could be simple for once. A hard day answered with a sound sleep. Was that so much to ask?
Reaching the door he flung it open. The look on his man's face gave Chang an instant overview of the night he was likely about to have.
Apparently, it was.
"Sir," his lieutenant bowed apologetically. "Okajima's apartment has been attacked. We got the report about five minutes ago. They say there've been gunfire and explosions. We don't know where he is."
Years of experience kept Chang's face calm, but the feeling in his chest took a nosedive. Even now, their cause might be lost.
He had just opened his mouth again to issue an order, when the cell phone on his bedside table rang.
"Wait," he said.
He strode to his phone and checked the number.
"Dutch." he answered nonchalantly. "Quite the hour, isn't it?"
"Sorry. Didn't realize you kept the usual nine to five," Dutch dead-panned into the phone. "Anyway, I've got someone here for you."
Chang's heart leapt as he heard Dutch's phone change hands.
"Dai Lo!" Rock's voice echoed out of the phone. "My place was just hit. I barely got out!"
Chang breathed a deep sigh of relief. It seemed the house of cards that kept the city together, and allowed him to keep bedding Balalaika, was still intact.
"A bunch of my people are dead. I managed to get to the Lagoon Office. I'm going to transfer to my office tonight. Can you pick up our guest and meet me there tomorrow?"
"Of course." Chang answered. "Same time?"
"Yes." Rock answered, panting. "I'll be ready."
Chang felt a twinge of sympathy. Poor guy must've had one hell of a night.
"Good, good. Take care of yourself. I'll see you tomorrow."
They hung up. Rock handed the phone back to Dutch and buried his face in his hands. He could still see the terrified face of his last brave defender against the black of his eyelids. That boy deserved better.
"You ok?" Dutch asked in his usual deep, calming voice.
Rock decided to keep his report physical unless Dutch pressed. He pulled his hands away from his face and looked down at himself. He was still only wearing his pyjama bottoms, his wallet and pistol were tugging at the pockets. Dutch had given him a blanket to drape over his shoulders. He couldn't see any physical wounds, but his side and wrist still ached. He decided to play the stoic.
"Yeah, I'm alright," he answered. "Thanks for your help, Dutch. It's insane. Before, they tried to hit Chang and me while we were out. Either they're getting desperate, or braver. They must've gone through at least three guards to get to me."
"Where's Revy?" Dutch asked.
"I don't know. When I woke up, she was gone."
"Try her cell," he half advised, half ordered.
Rock dialed the number. After a few seconds, his face fell. After leaving a short message he hung up and handed the phone back to Dutch with disappointment etched on his face.
"Straight to voicemail," he reported.
Dutch crossed his arms. "She step out often?"
Rock could sense the argument behind the question and decided to try to deflect. He might be angry at her himself, but he still loved her. Any disagreement they might have was between them.
He shrugged. "Sometimes," he answered. "I mean, she can kind of go where she wants."
"She tell you where she went?"
Rock had no answer to this. He shook his head.
"No."
Dutch took a breath.
"Listen Rock, things are getting bad here. You wanna take a little cruise on the Lagoon? No one will touch you on my boat. I'd cut you a discount for old times sake."
Rock smiled weakly. "It's tempting, Dutch. But I have to get to my office. I've got an early meeting tomorrow."
Dutch nodded knowingly. "Need a lift?"
"Yes please! That'd be great!" Rock responded in a tone that dripped with gratitude. "I'll get you some cash when we get to the office."
"No need," Dutch answered, strapping his revolver to his side. "This one's on the house."
Dutch cracked the door to the outside world and carefully scanned the street.
Nothing.
He drew and cocked his revolver, then opened the door and led Rock out to the red 1965 Pontiac parked on the street. He unlocked the door and Rock climbed gingerly into the passenger seat, covering himself with the blanket. It would not do for the citizens of Roanapur to see one of their biggest power-brokers in this state, plus it would be safer not to be seen.
"Stay low," Dutch ordered. Rock nodded and slid as far down as he could. Dutch checked the mirrors and slid out of his parking space.
"You any closer to figuring this all out yet?" he asked.
Rock looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "We have a number of solid leads. I'm sorry but I can't give any more details now."
"Mmm."
They turned down a couple streets before Rock's office building came into view.
The building that housed Okajima Consultants, LLC was a four story office building. Rock's company owned and operated out of the top floor. Rock had specifically wanted other tenants to occupy the building. It would make his own company appear more legitimate and respectable, and it would increase the risk if any of the gangs decided to try to attack. More collateral damage would mean more scrutiny. Besides, the building was also next door to the central police station, and Rock was on good terms with the Chief. He should be. After all, not only had he and Saensak worked together before, but his murder of the previous Chief, Watsup, had allowed Saensak to rise in the ranks.
Dutch circled the building once to make sure it wasn't being watched, then pulled into the underground parking garage. The night guard at the entrance was at first shocked to see the CEO of one of his wealthiest tenants out in such a state, let alone accompanied by one of the city's most notorious captains. But after Rock whipped out his wallet and flashed his I.D. badge, the guard politely followed his training and admitted them both.
Two guards were stationed outside the Okajima Consultants office when they stepped off the elevator. They scrambled to their feet when they saw Rock and tried to hide their game of cards.
"Call Lotton," Rock ordered over their spluttered excuses. "Tell him to call up all the security personnel we have. Then call Benny and tell him to get here as soon as possible. Tell him I apologize for the hour."
His tone suggested that he wasn't apologizing for anything, and the guards verbally acquiesced as Rock and Dutch entered.
The office was reminiscent of Rock's time at Asahi industries. A large number of open cubicles for most employees with private offices for the higher ups. Conference rooms were available along the walls. The windows were tinted to prevent outsiders from looking in and barred with steel to discourage attack. As C.E.O. Rock might have been expected to take the largest office for himself, but he had instead allocated that space for a small company gym and attached shower. It was useful for when he or his employees had to work nights. He and Dutch crossed the main mass of cubicles to his private office and he used the key card from his wallet to let them in.
Inside was a fine though sparsely furnished office room. A black sofa stretched invitingly along the left wall. A computer and desk sat immediately opposite them facing the door. When he sat there, Rock would only have to look up to see his visitor. In the middle of the room sat a small coffee table in front of the sofa. On the right wall, a doorway led into Rock's closet and supply room. Between the sofa, closet, and shower the office could serve as Rock's home almost as well as the apartment could.
Rock gestured to the couch.
"Make yourself at home, Dutch."
Dutch sat and lit a cigarette. Rock disappeared into the closet and reemerged a few minutes later wearing a white t-shirt and carrying a bottle of Dutch's favorite whiskey, Ardbeg Providence, and two glasses.
"Up for a drink?" Rock offered.
Dutch smirked.
"Now that is what I'm talkin' about."
Rock poured them both a glass and checked the wall clock. It was 11:32 p.m. He knew he'd have to be up early for his meeting with Chang and Balalaika, and he'd have to be at the top of his game. But with Dutch refusing payment there was no way he could let him go without showing this small courtesy. Plus, it had been too long since they'd simply drunk together and he could definitely stand to blow off some steam.
"To as much money as we can cram in our pockets!" Rock toasted as he raised his glass.
Dutch smiled, "Amen to that."
They downed their shots and Rock poured two more. He pulled his desk chair to the opposite side of the table and swirled his drink thoughtfully before speaking.
"Tomorrow I have my meeting with Balalaika and Chang. Hopefully we'll be able to resolve all of this."
Dutch lowered his drink. "How bad's it gonna get?"
"Hard to say," Rock responded. "It depends on what Chang was able to find out. But with me, Chang, and Balalaika combining our resources we should be able to finish this well. I'm sorry but I can't give any more than that."
Dutch set down his glass on the table. "Rock," he said, leaning forward. "Be straight with me. Should I get outta Dodge before shit hits the fan?"
Rock looked at the coffee table. "I don't think it'll be as bad as when Revy left us, then again it's hard to judge with such incomplete information. Besides, if you clear out that's lost business for you, right?"
Rock correctly interpreted the next second of dead silence as Dutch being unsatisfied with his answer, so he elaborated.
"I really wish I could give you a better answer, Dutch. But the truth is we're dealing with a lot of unknown factors here. And by the time we figure them all out it might be too late. The best I can say is that if I hear anything that might impact you or your business, you'll be the first to know."
"Hmm." Dutch drained his glass and stood up. "I should get back to the office. Anything else you need before I go?"
Rock stood too. "No," he answered, shaking Dutch's hand. "Thank you. I will never forget this nor fail to pay you back. Here," he picked up the bottle and corked it. "Call it an advance. If I hear anything that could help you, I'll let you know."
Dutch took the bottle graciously. "Alright. Have a good night."
He left.
Rock made liberal use of his company showers. The hot water seemed to briefly wash away his troubles. He leaned against the shower wall, inhaled as much steam as he could, and let the warmth wash over him. His side and wrist still ached, but not enough that he thought he should call a doctor. When he returned to his office he found Lotton and three more guards waiting outside.
"Boss," Lotton exclaimed, standing quickly and bowing. "Are you injured?"
"No, but they got close. Take a few of our people and go to the apartment. Search it thoroughly. They may have planted bugs or explosives as a trap. If you meet any cops, tell them you're there on my behalf and that you need to get some of my things. I'll need the cell phone by my bed, my laptop, and…" he paused for a moment, thinking hard. "A manilla folder. I don't remember exactly where I put it, but it's got a disk inside that I need. Can you take care of all that?"
"Yes, boss." Lotton answered, bowing.
"Excellent. Get to it. I'll have more for you when you get back."
Lotton bowed again and crossed to the door. No sooner had he opened it then Benny burst in.
"Rock!" he exclaimed as he barreled over the threshold and past a less-than-impressed Lotton. "What the fuck?!"
Lotton turned and stalked out of the room. Ordering the guard outside to stay alert before sweeping towards the elevators.
"Benny," Rock answered, slightly amused at the terror in his friend's face. "To be honest, I'd rather like to know that myself."
He and Benny sat in his office and for the next half-hour Rock recounted the events of that night. Benny sat in silence, occasionally asking questions. When Rock finished he simply nodded.
"Damn. This place really did end up on the Banana Pancake trail. Think we can beat this?"
Rock nodded. "I've already got buy-in from the Triads. We get Hotel Moscow, and maybe one other player, and we should be good to go. By the way, have you heard from Revy?"
Benny cocked an eyebrow. "Wasn't she supposed to be with you?"
Rock shrugged. "Yeah but apparently she had to step out for a bit before we got hit."
Benny's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Wasn't she supposed to be guarding you?"
Rock shrugged. "There's only so much I can actually order her to do. She's not an employee."
Benny nodded slowly. He had his suspicions, but not enough evidence to actually talk with Rock about them yet. He decided to change topics.
"Fair. Oh! The hospital called a few hours ago. The autopsy you wanted on that Russian dude came in. Apparently he had a brain tumor about the size of a golf ball. He would've been basically retarded."
Rock nodded slowly as he absorbed and processed this information.
"That rules out him being any of Balalaika's men. No way they would've allowed that."
Benny nodded, "My thoughts exactly."
Rock returned the nod. He had never suspected Balalaika but it was good to have confirmation. "Okay then. Anything else?"
"Nope," Benny responded.
"Goodnight then. Please give Jane my best for me."
Benny left. Rock made sure to double-lock the door after he was gone. He flicked on his computer and opened his email. He briefly thought about checking his personal email, but decided not to. Benny was a stickler for cyber security and company policy was that personal and business emails were strictly kept separate. Rock tried to work through a few of his highest priority items, and after about an hour the adrenaline of the night wore off and was replaced with overwhelming exhaustion. He turned off his computer.
He lay down on the sofa and spread his meager blanket over himself. Now that he was alone his mind started doing cartwheels and his insides were burning in a way that had nothing to do with his injuries. Where was Revy?! He loved her enough to deflect the question when it came from Dutch or Benny, but he couldn't deny it from himself. If she didn't want to watch him, fine. But why did she just disappear? And why wouldn't she answer her phone? He was sure he hadn't done anything to piss her off. Not with the amount of sex she'd given him before she left. He punched his pillow in frustration a few times and then slowly fell asleep.
Next morning Chang strode up to the nail salon where Balalaika had her nails done at exactly 7:15 a.m. He had made this hike once before. During the last war he had come alone to ask her to allow his Triads to destroy the Cartel without interfering. The difference now was that he'd told her he was coming, and she'd agreed to see him and drive with him to see Rock.
Her guard looked at him warily as he approached.
"She's expecting me." Chang said, pulling down his medical mask so the Ivan could see his face.
The Russian mobster nodded and flipped open his phone. Chang leaned against the car and placed the fresh cup of coffee he'd bought on the trunk. A few minutes later Balalaika appeared. She nodded once to Chang before turning around to the Thai woman standing in the doorway.
"Thank you again for accommodating my schedule," she said in Thai.
The woman bowed.
"Of course Madam. Same time next month?"
Balalaika nodded and turned, with a swirl of her overcoat, to her lover.
"You're late, baby," she chastised him.
Chang smiled and threw up his hands.
"I figured she'd need a few more minutes to finish anyway. Your nails look lovely as ever," he responded. Then he reached for the cup. "Coffee?"
The compliment utterly failed to register as she strode towards him and accepted the cup. After taking a sip she turned to her subordinate and gave an order in Russian. Her man nodded and opened the passenger door. She slid in gracefully.
Chang strode around to the driver's side. The Russian guard met him there and opened the door for him before passing him the keys. Chang would be her driver today. He gunned the engine and they drove off.
As soon as they were out of sight of the salon, Balalaika slid her overcoat off of her shoulders. Chang fought hard to keep himself from sneaking a sidelong glance at her breasts. His several day absence from her had dramatically increased in libido. Taking care not to damage her nails, she opened the glove compartment and removed a long headscarf. She tied it under her chin in the Russian style and put on a large pair of sunglasses. To any outside observer they were just a random odd couple out for a drive.
"You hear about last night?" Chang asked.
Balalaika nodded curtly. "Two times in the last week. Somebody's determined."
"Yeah. And they're trying to pin it on your people."
Chang saw Balalaika's jaw tighten. He knew how much she loved her men. Whoever was trying to frame them was trying to get them killed, and she wouldn't stand for that. She was like a wolf-mother protecting her cubs. She might send them out to hunt, but woe be to he who tried to take them down.
"I got it all right here," he continued. He opened his jacket and pulled out the box containing the earpiece Rock had given him. "You're in for a treat."
They pulled into the underground parking garage of Rock's office building and parked the car. They both used obviously fake names to sign the guestbook, but the guard didn't object. When they got to Rock's office the guards at the front stood and bowed before politely collecting their weapons. No guns were allowed in Rock's office. They were on neutral ground.
"He's waiting for you in conference room three," the guard explained.
"Thank you," Balalaika responded.
There were only a few employees in the office. It was still before normal work hours. They stood and bowed as the two mob-bosses, and VIP clients, passed. The conference room they needed was easy to spot as Rock had left the door to it open. He stood and bowed as they entered before coming forward to shake their hands. Chang noticed that Two-Hands wasn't there. Balalaika politely refused Rock's hand due to her fresh nails.
"My apologies," Rock said, bowing slightly as he retracted his hand. "Thank you both for coming. Would you like coffee? Or tea?"
They both shook their heads.
"Let's get to it then. Dai Lo?"
Chang smirked and drew out the box Rock had given him the day prior.
"You both owe me big for this," he gloated.
Rock plugged the earpiece into a speaker on the table and adjusted the volume. By the end of the recording, Balalaika's jaw had stiffened with rage. Chang was frowning in obvious displeasure. Rock was stroking his lips with his knuckles, looking thoughtful. Suddenly, his eyes went wide and he jumped to his feet.
"Please excuse me for just a moment," he said hurriedly before nearly knocking over the table in a mad dash to leave the room. After he left, not even bothering to close the door behind him, Chang and Balalaika looked at each other confused. It wasn't like Rock to lose his cool like that.
"Something big," Chang muttered to her. "Something only he gets."
Balalaika nodded. "Perhaps he'll deign to enlighten us when he returns, after leaving so rudely."
After about five minutes, Rock returned. His expression was unreadable.
"I apologize," he said, bowing. "Some of the information on that tape was… urgently actionable."
He retook his seat at the table and looked at them.
"There are a few points I'd like to clarify. First and foremost, it was definitely Eda on the other end of that phone. In all my life, both in Japan and here, she's the only one who has ever called me 'Romeo.'"
Chang smiled a smile that spoke of blood and murder. It told a story of a long-suppressed resentment about to be vindicated in true Roanapur style. It was a story that ended with every member of the Ripoff Church stuffed in a suitcase and delivered to the Cleaner, if he was feeling merciful. Rock would normally have felt a little sympathy for the members of the Church. In his time in the city he had come to know them quite well. But at the moment he had more urgent problems.
"Second, she and the CIA are definitely behind both of our attacks," he said to Chang. "She told multiple lies throughout her story. And her story was extremely well crafted."
Balalaika narrowed her eyes at him.
"First, she repeated the same story told by the Italians, namely that Hotel Moscow was involved," he looked at Balalaika. "We now know that that's impossible. The autopsy report of my first assassin was finished last night. Apparently he had a brain tumor that would certainly have disqualified him from any military service. I'm assuming that none of your men had or have such a condition?" he asked her.
"None," she hissed, as if the very notion that any of her men were sub-par was insulting.
Rock inclined his head apologetically. "I'm not surprised. Your soldiers have always been the finest."
Balalaika's face seemed to relax. Rock continued.
"I suspect that the reason he was chosen to be my assassin was because his mental state made him more… disposable."
Balalaika gave no sign that she agreed with him, though she did. Chang leaned forward and spoke next.
"What was her line about your old employers? Asahi? And what did she mean about a charity event for sexual assault survivors?"
Rock took a deep breath. The implications of both of those statements were profound.
"There are… a few things… those statements tell me, which caused me to leave the room so abruptly. I apologize again for that. First, and this is very embarrassing, but it appears that my personal computer was hacked."
Chang's eyebrows jumped towards his forehead. Balalaika gritted her teeth behind her lips.
"The first thing I would like to assure you of," he continued hurriedly. "Is that my personal and business computers are separate, as are the email addresses and passwords I use for both. I'll have our technical department do a virus scan immediately, but I didn't hear anything on that tape that would suggest that our business dealings have been compromised, apart from the fact that they're trying to kill us," he added to Chang.
Chang's forehead relaxed as did Balalaika's jaw. Rock breathed a silent sigh of relief. The last thing on earth he wanted was for either of these people to be angry with him.
"Now, to Asahi. It is true that for the last several months I have been working with an… independent contractor, who I trust and value highly, on a business venture involving them. This is the reason why I had to leave. We only communicated about it via my personal email, and if that's been compromised this contractor's life may be in danger. I had to warn them immediately. I cannot discuss what they and I have been working on, yet. But as it's not part of normal business I've been using my personal computer and email for it. No connection to the company, or either of your organizations."
The independent contractor in question was Feng, but Rock wasn't about to give up her name.
"It's further proof that I've been hacked," he added looking sadly down at the recorder, "Same with the charity event."
He shook his head and looked up at Chang. He'd have to thread a very tight needle here. He absolutely would not give up the story that Revy had trusted him with, but he had to give a narrative that was true enough to be believable.
"There is no such event planned. However, it is true that during the last few days I've done some personal research into sexual assault survivors and their stories. It's a personal interest. A female friend of mine was assaulted when we were much younger. I had some time to research the topic on my own, so I did. My guess is that the reason they included it in their story is because they found it in my search history and are likely trying to make their story sound as believable as possible. While it is not true that such an event was planned, it sounds like something I would do. So it would make their story sound more plausible."
Chang nodded. Rock breathed a silent sigh of relief. He hadn't lied, but he'd concealed everything he needed to.
"So then," Balalaika spoke up. "How shall we respond?"
Rock looked at her.
"Any chance your men are up for a fight?" he asked.
Balalaika's face cracked into a smile that was all teeth. Then it vanished and was replaced by a more concerned look.
"We'll need some time. My men will want to move their families into the safety of our main building before the fighting begins. It would be best done after dark. But tomorrow we can indulge in victory."
"Works for me," Chang chimed in. "My boys don't have that problem. We're ready to move on your mark."
Rock nodded to Chang.
"Taking an extra day would be helpful anyway. I suspect that the locations they gave us are both fakes. They may be trying to lure some of your people into an ambush. Give me and my team a day and we'll find out where they're really hiding. Are you ok with taking the Italians?" he asked Balalaika.
"Yes," she responded curtly.
Rock nodded and turned to Chang.
"That leaves the Cartel for you. Up for it?"
"Not a problem." he answered.
"We'll confirm that the E.O. company is actually here. After taking the others, it shouldn't be a problem. That just leaves the Church…" Rock said to the table.
He cast his mind around.
"I'll handle that. Start making your preparations and I'll have your intel by the end of business today."
They both nodded. Balalaika produced a cigar, the tip already razored off, and Chang offered his omnipresent lighter, which she accepted.
"How are you planning to deal with the Church?" she asked Rock.
Rock smiled. "To call the police."
Chang snorted. Balalaika smiled unbelievingly.
"Rock, be serious," she pressed. "How are you going to take on the Church?"
Rock smiled back at her. "I'm being quite serious, Ms. Balalaika. As far as I know, most of what the Church does is, to use a technical term, highly illegal. The police may be interested to learn of their actions, interested enough to do a few searches and make some arrests. It may not be as satisfying as killing them outright, but it will tie them down long enough for one or both of you to take over. And it would be quite the feather in the hat of our new Chief."
Balalaika still looked skeptical, so Rock elaborated.
"And if not then one or the other of you can take them on your own time. It's not as if they're likely to run. Our biggest advantage right now is that they don't know, that we know that they're behind these attacks. That should give us some breathing room."
Balalaika and Chang exchanged glances.
"Fine, fine," Chang said. "Do what you want. We'll take care of the rest."
Rock showed them out. And bowed before they left. Before she swept out the door, Balalaika took one last look at Rock.
"Well, Rock," she said, smirking around her cigar. "You've become quite the good villain after all."
She left. Chang waved to Rock, and hurried after her.
Rock slid his key card into the lock, stepped back into his office, and grabbed his desk phone.
The rest of the employees filed in around 8:30 a.m., as was normal. Even with the drama of multiple assassinations there was always filing, sorting, and assorted paperwork to be done. Chang and Balalaika were easily Rock's two biggest clients, but they were far from the only ones and none of the others cared about his personal drama. In the STG office however, Rock briefed Benny, Jane, and the other key members of the team on the situation and what they needed to accomplish. They exchanged questions, then broke to do their jobs. Jane let all of their child informants know what they were looking for. Benny contacted the major warehouse providers in the city and collected intel on who their clients were. He also ran an antivirus scan that confirmed that their business network was not compromised. Rock breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that. If the CIA or any other actor was able to see everything they were working on, the damage could be incalculable. Lotton returned around 10:00 a.m. with the items Rock had asked for. He reported that the apartment had been sealed off by police and that Chief Saensak wanted to speak to him as soon as possible. Rock gave his laptop to Benny for another anti-virus scan. Then, he extracted the CD from Feng's folder and called the senior of his two attorney's into his office. Rock gave him the CD and some instructions.
"I want a detailed analysis of the legal liability of the subject listed in this disk," he explained. "And nothing about it can be sent over email, even our internal system. Call me when it's ready and I'll come to your office myself."
The lawyer briefly raised his eyebrow but bowed and left to complete his task.
At around 10:30 a.m., Benny called Rock to his office. The moment Rock walked in, Benny's face told him that his worst suspicions had come true.
"Heya boss," Benny greeted him when he entered. "We're fucked."
Rock crossed the room in four huge strides and looked over Benny's shoulder.
"So, you were right," Benny continued. "Virus scan came back A-plus positive."
He showed Rock. Sure enough the scan summary page listed one threat.
"Want me to dump it?"
"No."
Benny looked at him, confused.
"They might be able to tell if their worm is deleted. We can't risk giving them that intel. Any idea how it got in?"
"See, that's the other thing," Benny continued. He clicked out of the virus scan page and into Rock's email. The email page was already pulled up to Rock's "Deleted Files" tab and the email that Benny had already selected showed an image that, even after all his years in the criminal underworld, still made Rock clap his hand to his mouth.
The image showed a man splayed over a dirty mattress surrounded by porn magazines, cigarette butts, and empty beer bottles. A ripped pillow was stuffed over his face. It's feathers were strewn everywhere. In the center of the pillow however was a dark red spot that looked a lot like blood. Rock instantly recognized the scene of a murder.
He turned away, cupping his mouth in his hand while his stomach started to gurgle. Benny looked at him.
"You ok?" he asked.
Rock wiped his mouth and fought down the nausea.
"I'm fine," he rasped, turning back to the computer. "What is that?"
"It's the email that contained the virus. You don't recognize it?"
"No," Rock answered.
Benny's expression changed.
"Anyone else have your password?"
Rock's stomach plunged. There was only one human on earth he trusted with his email password, and she'd been AWOL since just before the attack.
His silence told Benny everything. He looked at Rock with a mix of understanding and sadness before turning to the computer.
"Love makes us do some crazy shit, huh?"
Rock's legs felt like jello. He swayed slightly, then righted himself enough to stagger backwards a few steps and flatten himself against the wall.
"Damn it," he whispered. "I… I can't."
Benny looked at him, concerned.
"You ok?"
"Don't throw up. Don't throw up. Don't throw up," Rock thought repeatedly to himself. Finally, he straightened up. The contents of his stomach surged unpleasantly, but otherwise stayed where they were.
"I'm okay. Isolate that laptop and make sure it doesn't connect to any other device. Do another antivirus scan of the office. Let me know when the intel from our informants comes in. And… don't mention this to anyone else."
Benny gave the thumbs up.
"Sure thing, bossman."
Rock nodded and left. He strode back to his office with as much composure as he could muster and flopped into his desk chair as soon as he got there. He stared blankly into space for a few moments, then put his elbows on his desk and buried his face in his hands.
Revy…
It had to have been Revy. She had opened that awful email containing the unknown picture of a dead man, and knowingly or not had let the worm program into his personal email and files. There was no way to know how much the CIA had seen, or what operations had been compromised. At the moment though, he was certain that Feng was compromised and might already be dead. She and Rock had been working together for months on the plan that involved Asahi Industries. That was the only place where Eda could have gotten her little story involving them, unless she just made it up. Rock, however, couldn't take that chance. Feng was too valuable as both a colleague and friend for Rock to risk her life. He knew all too well how Ronnie would dispose of her if he even suspected her of betraying him. For now, he could only hope that Feng had gotten his message in time and was somewhere safe. But every minute that ticked by lowered those odds.
He rubbed his face again. There was nothing he could do on that front for now. He had to arrange his meeting with Saensak. He called and agreed for the Chief to interview him in his office at noon. It was a testament to the amount of sway he had over the city that the Chief of Police agreed to come to Rock rather than the other way around. But Saensak also understood that Rock's life was at risk, and was willing to accommodate his desire for security. No sooner had Rock hung up the phone than his cell phone buzzed. He didn't recognize the number, but answered anyway.
"Rock!" Feng's voice erupted from the other end of the line. "What's going on? You call me and tell me not to go into work today? You realize how pissed Ronnie's going to be? You could have blown my cover!"
"Feng!" Rock breathed a deep sigh of relief, then continued, "Your cover might already be blown. My personal email was hacked."
There was a momentary silence on the other end of the line, then…
"When?" she asked.
"Last night. I don't know how much they saw, but I'm sure they saw some of our emails about Asahi."
"Who?" she pressed.
"I can't say over the phone. Listen, can you lie low for the next forty-eight hours? Everything should be resolved by then."
"Yeah," she answered, clearly relieved too. "Thank you, Rock."
"Stay safe, Feng. I'll contact you as soon as this is all over."
They hung up. Rock breathed a huge sigh of relief and made a mental note. When this was all over, he owed Feng a bottle of rum.
The next few hours were spent gathering and sifting through data. At noon, Saensak arrived. After buzzing him into the office, Rock stood and bowed as he entered.
"Chief," Rock said, extending his hand. "Thank you for coming."
"Sure, sure," Saensak nodded. "You mind if I ask you a few questions about last night?"
"Not at all," Rock answered. "Please have a seat."
For the next hour Rock recounted the events of the night before. Saensak took careful notes. Rock knew the only reason Saensak was remotely interested was because of the fat envelopes his firm provided on a regular basis. That said, if Saensak could help them in this fight, he might be willing to make them a bit fatter.
"Alright," Saensak flipped his spiral notepad closed and looked up at Rock. "Thank you for your time. We'll get to the bottom of this!"
Rock smiled.
"I'm glad to hear that, Chief. Because I actually have my suspicions, and I'd be grateful if you ran them down."
Saensak raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"Yes sir," Rock continued. "I believe my attack was ordered by the Rip-off Church."
Saensak frowned. Rock could tell he had no desire to take sides in a gang war.
"Do you have any evidence to back up your claim?"
"Yes, sir," Rock answered, pulling both Feng's folder and his earpiece recorder out of a drawer. "I do."
Rock walked Saensak through his evidence. Feng's information showed that Ronnie and the Italian Mafia were behind at least one of the attacks, something that Saensak also took note of. The recording from the Ripoff Church was the most damning however. Rock watched in muted delight as Saensak's face twisted first with interest and then with anger. When Eda mentioned the Thai army, Saensak visibly seethed.
"You served in the Royal Army, as I recall," Rock mentioned when the recording was over.
Saensak's eyes, previously glued to the recorder, suddenly locked on his with the intensity of a cannon.
"Your father and grandfather too," Rock persisted.
Saensak took a few deep breaths.
"It's gonna be big trouble, taking them on," Saensak responded. "What did he call them? Mr. CIA?"
Rock nodded.
"You're right, this is going to be huge. But I'm not asking you to execute them. Just search the premises. I think you'll find more than enough evidence for a few convictions. Worst case scenario, they have to buy you off with a few more envelopes. Best case? You take down a corrupt Church that deals in drugs and illegal guns under the name of god, to say nothing of the fact," Rock leaned forward. "That they're a front for a foreign intelligence service operating in sovereign Thai territory."
Rock let these words linger for a moment, then…
"Either way, you win."
Saensak considered for a moment, tapping his finger on Rock's desk, then nodded.
"We're gonna need the big guns for this," he said. "When should it go down?"
"Tomorrow. At dawn."
Rock thought that time would be early enough to tie down the Church while Chang and Balalaika got to work.
"So be it!" Saensak answered with a smile blazed across his face. "I and the good people of Thailand thank you for your information, Mr. Okajima. It's a pleasure doing business as always!"
They stood and shook hands before Saensak left.
By mid afternoon the intel Chang and Balalaika needed was ready to go. Rock's network of informants had come through beautifully. Not only had they identified exactly where each Cartel and Mafia member was hiding, they also had their exact number pinned almost to a man. The same held true for the E.O. Company. Rock had been concerned that that might have been another lie from Eda, but he was proved wrong. The Ramsap Inn turned out to be a false lead, but warehouse fifty-seven proved a goldmine.
The warehouse itself was empty, as were the others near it. However, Anu, who had previously worked for a fisherman, noticed a Junk in the bay acting oddly. Specifically, it wasn't moving. The kids snapped pictures of it and sent them to the office. Blow ups of the composites confirmed it was the E.O. company. Some of their personnel could be seen in uniform through the windows of the ship. They were able to match some of the pictures of the officers to publicly available images. Rock drew a map, and realized they were positioned within sniper range of the warehouse Eda had mentioned in the recording. With a jolt he realized their plan had been to wait for the warehouse to be stormed, then pick off the attackers from the safety of the harbor. Rock put in a call with Dutch. After they agreed on a price, Rock hung up the phone and smiled a truly evil smile.
Rock sent physical copies of the report directly to Chang and Balalaika's headquarters. By 5:00 p.m. they called one last time by disposable cell phone. They hashed out the last details, and everything was a go.
At 5:27 p.m. his lawyer returned to his office. He shook his head when he entered, looking impressed.
"I know you said to call you to my office when this was ready," he explained. "But I didn't want to wait for you to make the walk."
He sat down opposite Rock and opened his laptop.
"Basically they're, to use a technical term, utterly fucked."
He pulled up the relevant files and walked Rock through the case. By the end, even with the shocks of the day, Rock couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you, Darani. I owe you a bottle of something strong when this is over."
Darani laughed. "And I'll toast us both with it, sir. Shall we compose our message to them?"
"Yes. Compose a first draft but don't send it yet. I'd like to review it before we make contact."
"Yes, sir!" Darani replied. They shook hands and he left.
By 9:00 p.m. the last details were nailed down and Rock stretched back in his chair.
So, it would all be solved by tomorrow, he thought to himself. No more scurrying around the city disguised as a beggar. Satisfied with his work he dutifully showered, brushed his teeth, and crawled onto his couch. The only thing that could make this better, he thought to himself as he closed his eyes, was if Revy was there.
Author's note: Thank you all for reading! All reviews and feedback welcome! Post here or on Reddit. My Reddit username is LeroyJ12. A special thanks to Illicit Action for his invaluable help. Please check out his stories for more excellent Black Lagoon Fan Fiction content!