Prologue

Back in the Lemon Shark Fruit Cannery, Kiara and I put on cheerful masks but stayed on our guards. We searched for any sign that our cover had been blown, but the members of the Shrimps gang didn't treat us any differently than they did yesterday. Some of the gangsters whispered jealously about how 'the new kids Amelon and Erika are getting close to the boss', but that was to be expected. Rising stars attract attention wherever they go.

I remember how I grumbled beneath my breath when Detective Ouro shot up the ranks and earned Chief Enma's favor so quickly too. Isn't it how I can sympathize with these gangsters in that regard?

Either way, we were escorted to Gura's office in the second floor like before and reported about our deliveries to Fauna in the Mother Nature Cafe - and then to Irys in Eugenia Medical. Gura was overjoyed by the news. She tried to sound smug and keep a straight face, but her wagging shark's tail betrayed her joy.

Cute.

It turned out that Gura truly was good friends with Fauna and Irys. Gura even said that if those two saw us as good people, then she too was inclined to trust us as well. Hearing Gura praise us like this made me feel more welcome in the Shrimps gang than in my own police department.

To think that this whole relationship was just a farce - part of an act with deeper purpose. The shark-girl's bright smile will be difficult to betray, but Kiara and I will do what we have to do.

Gura's doing her job, so Kiara and I will do ours.

Signed - Amelia Watson.

…

Ame finished off her notes and closed her pocket notebook. Gura saw 'Amelon' hide that notebook but didn't question it at all. Her disguise, as well as Kiara's, was still airtight in the Shrimp's gang - and Gura was starting to get comfortable having the two around.

So, the petite gang leader folded her arms and beamed at the two.

"Since you two did such a good job with that delivery, I'll be making you guys do a bit more substantial work for the gang." Gura leaned back into her chair and set her shoes on her desk, "Up here in the Northern District, lots of places give us gifts every three months or so. Usually in briefcases of twenty dollar bills. In exchange, the Shrimps make sure that their businesses and homes are unmolested by anyone: not the Deadbeats, not the dirty cops, no one!" She pointed to a calendar hanging on the wall and said, "It's not yet the end of the quarter, but I'm gonna start 'politely asking' our friends here to pay us in advance. And - I want the two of you to help us collect. You two up for it?"

Kiara suddenly stiffened up nervously beside Ame. The senior detective racked up a spotty-gray public record because of her aggressive investigation tactics, but she knew Kiara was a rookie with a spotless record thus far. Still, after a few moments of thought, Kiara managed to give Ame a small nod.

That was Ame's signal to take Gura's dirty job.

"We'll do it." Ame accepted, feigning eagerness.

"Awesome! I like that initiative, Amelon!" Gura's grin brightened, "We've got a big collection run coming up soon - probably up by the docks. My Lieutenant…"

Suddenly, Gura paused and most of her excitement was sapped from her tone, "My Lieutenant Bloop will be leading the operation. I'll tell him I want the two of you to tag along."

Gura straightened up her seat and grabbed the telephone on her desk to make some calls. Ame, on the other hand, patted Kiara's back to try and reassure her. Kiara just nodded, a bit more weakly than before.

…

An hour or so later, the large, musclebound Lieutenant of the Shrimps Gang named Bloop arrived in Gura's office. The Shrimp gang guards posted outside saluted Bloop and referred to him as 'Sir'. Gura, on the other hand, casually greeted him, "Hey there, Stinky!"

Bloop rolled his eyes and just sighed. The two of them exchanged pleasantries before he turned his attention to the two new faces in the office.

"So, you're the wiseguys that the boss talks about a lot." Bloop assessed. He walked around the two and towered over them, scrutinizing them from head to toe, "Introduce yourselves. Now."

"I-I'm Amelon." Ame stammered, barely able to speak in the midst of such an oppressive shark-man. She pointed towards Kiara and, "T-this girl beside me is…"

"Let her speak for herself." Bloop interrupted, glaring at Ame.

"B-but she's German…!" Ame tried to argue.

"Then let her speak in German. I have to hear her voice." Bloop insisted sternly, "Please introduce yourself, fraulein ."

Kiara started sweating. She couldn't look him in the eyes but managed to speak, " Ich bin Erika, freund von Amelon. "

Gura put a hand on her hips and pouted at Bloop, "You're being too harsh to them, stinky."

"With all due respect, boss." Bloop started, "The last group of wiseguys you entrusted deals with ended up getting caught by City PD. We can't be too careful - especially with your inner circle for the coming war."

The smaller shark-girl frowned and furrowed her brow, "But if you push them too hard, they might jump ship and join the Deadbeats - like that arms dealer did!"

Arms dealer? Could that be the same one that Fauna and Calliope Mori knew?

Ame kept her thoughts to herself and stayed quiet. She watched the impasse between Gura and Bloop together with Kiara in silence. After a short stand-off, Bloop relented first.

"Very well, boss. I will give Miss Amelon and Fraulein Erika a fair shake for your sake, but if their performance or loyalties are less than satisfactory…" Bloop clenched his fists and showed off the twin brass knuckles to Ame and Kiara, "Then I will take matters into my own hands."

Gura nodded, halfheartedly accepting Bloop's terms. Ame and Kiara, on the other hand, braced for their gauntlet of trials under the fearsome Lieutenant of the Shrimps.

…

Gura sent Ame and Kiara off with a worried frown on her lips. Then, the two undercover detectives were marched out by Bloop to the cannery's parking lot. There, a convoy of three brand new cars were waiting for them. The first two cars were already manned by four gang members each while the third one only had a chauffeur.

Bloop took the front passenger's seat, leaving Ame and Kiara to take the back seats. Once they were in, the chauffeur reverently offered Bloop a cigar and lit it for him. The Lieutenant puffed leisurely on his cigar and glanced at the two passengers behind him.

"You smoke?" He asked.

The two girls shook their heads, declining politely.

"Good. Smoking is a right to be earned, after all." Bloop scoffed.

He puffed on the cigar again, filling the car with smoke. Ame and Kiara quietly rolled down the windows and sought fresh air.

This is probably why Gura calls the man 'Stinky'.

With the entire convoy assembled, the three cars drove out of the parking lot and then down the long length of Ocean Street. From the passenger's seat, Bloop briefed Ame and Kiara on their mission without looking at them.

"Ladies, we will be collecting protection money from the businesses and the flophouses around the docks up north. There's a lot of ground to cover, so I prepared this convoy." Bloop explained. He puffed on his cigar again and added, "It's usually an easy job. The folks under the protection of the Shrimps gang know their place and pony up without a fight." The Lieutenant then glanced over his shoulder again and glanced at Ame and Kiara, "But the two of you will be collecting from our 'problem children' today. These folks will require a little more… 'persuasion', if you get what I mean."

"You want us to rough em' up, sir?" Ame asked bluntly, putting on her mask of mafioso bravado, "Give em' a bloody nose? A black eye or two?"

"Precisely." Bloop smirked devilishly, "You catch on quickly. Can you handle yourself in a fight?"

"I was in the Army, sir." Ame answered, "Erika was in the Navy. We can handle ourselves."

"Good. Good." Bloop nodded, "Perhaps the boss picked promising candidates this time around. There might be hope for the two of you yet!"

One by one, the other cars of the convoy split off for their collection runs. Then, their own car pulled up by a prewar strip mall that had seen better days. Bloop pointed out one of the storefronts in the row of distressed shops.

"That shop right there in the middle is your target - the Dicey Odds bookmaker's office. A sports betting joint." Bloop sneered with disdain, "They've been behind on their payments for quite some time now, so I want the two of you to make a ruckus. Leave no stone unturned until the gang gets its due."

He then turned towards the two newbloods and whispered to them with a chillingly cold voice, "And if you see the owner - a slippery red rat - whack her. But don't kill her. I'll deal with her myself."

…

Queenpins

Red Ocean

…

To Be Continued