FOUR
.
The two men manoeuvred the refrigerator in through the door, crossing the room and setting it upright. Kato stood back, watching them disconnect and pick up the old one, heaving it out onto the decking and down the iron steps to the parking lot below. He walked over to the new appliance and ran a finger over the top door, marvelling at the crisp brand-new-ness to the lines. It even smelled new.
"Excuse me sir," said a voice, and he stepped back guiltily. The workman came round him and walked the heavy item back into the spot where the old one had been. He pulled off plastic wrapping and then went about checking power plugs and points. "Now you can't turn this on for a few hours, right? Coolant needs to settle again. Wait till about…" He flicked a look at his watch. "Give it till six-thirty, ok? Then plug it in and wait another hour for refrigeration, and like overnight before you use the freezer down the bottom. Ok, sir?"
"Yes - thanks," he said, as the man tore the top page of a work order off the pad and held it out to him. He took it quickly. "And the bill?"
"Already paid, sir - looks like a works perk," he grinned. "Oh - the work order said to check your electric supply too."
"I think it was a power cut but I can't find the - the - the switches," he said.
"And you won't, sir, not up here. They're normally out by the parking lot. I'll take a look as we leave, ok?"
"Thank you," Kato said, relieved.
"No problem, sir." He clapped a hand to his arm and then walked out onto the metal landing. "Jimmy!" he called, and a man leaning against the delivery truck, quietly puffing on a cigarette, looked up. "Fuses!"
Jimmy waved and dropped his cigarette, crushing it out before crossing to a host of boxes down by the base of the iron stairs. He opened one up and got to work.
"Ok then sir - remember, don't turn that on just yet," he said to Kato.
He nodded. "Got it."
They paused as an electronic beep told them the microwave oven had been turned on, and then the clock on the table began to flash midnight.
"There you go - fuses reset," he nodded. "Have a good day, sir."
"Thank you."
The man nodded and walked off down the landing, going down the metal stairs to catch up with Jimmy.
Kato stood on the upper walkway, watching the truck pull out of the lot. He turned and went back inside, his foot slowly closing the door behind him. Walking up to his new refrigerator, he freed the doors of safety tape to look inside. He frowned and stood back to fold his arms. It was silent as his grumpy eyes inspected every facet of the appliance. He gave a resigned sigh as he had to appreciate the dryness to the floor, and the fact that it would stay that way. He was just unsticking the plastic A4 wallet from the side, opening it to look at the guarantee and various instruction manuals, as his phone rang.
He took it from his pocket and looked at the display. He touched at the green button. "Britt?"
"Hey - DA is a go for the party, dude. I'm picking her up at eight."
"Good."
"So have you asked Lenore about a plan or you want me to do it?"
"She said everything is handled - Sapphire won't even know she's helping us so she'll be safe."
"That woman is amazing," Britt said.
"She really is."
"Hey - no dating her, remember?"
"Hey - I'm the one taking a date tomorrow night, and you are the one hoping to get lucky." He cut the call, putting his phone back in his pocket. He twisted to look across the room, at the new suit hanging from the makeshift wardrobe pole against the wall. Embroidered swirls from the base to the chest and the cuffs to the elbows, the jacket was all dark blue, shimmering silk, all the way up to the Nehru collar. The trousers, also midnight blue but with embroidered swirls only down the sides from the knee, looked like they were waiting for some serious fun.
"I think I'm actually looking forward to this party," he said in Chinese, allowing himself a small smile.
.
.
She felt a rumble in her back pocket and immediately rescued the phone, not even looking at the display before she answered it. "I'm here."
"Well?"
"A small problem," she said. "The Green Hornet turned up."
"What?"
"Totally unannounced, boss - I have no idea how he even knew we'd moved in on Chudnofsky's turf."
"What did he want?"
"A distribution deal," she said. "I made him talk for a bit - promised him fifteen percent of the take if he controlled the docks for us. And then I told him he had to get rid of DA Park to get in."
"Interesting, Sapphire. This is why you're my second."
"Thanks, boss."
"Having said that… You shouldn't have made a deal without me."
"It wasn't a real deal, boss. Once he's killed the DA - if he pulls it off - then we just kill him. And his partner, too."
"I like it. See to it, would you?"
"Yes boss," Sapphire said. The line clicked and she locked the phone, slipping it back in her pocket. She thought for a second, then strode out of the shed and into the open warehouse. "Charlie," she called.
The skyscraper was perched on the bonnet of a brand new Mustang. He looked up from his phone. "Yeah?"
She studied his twin black eyes from having fallen on his nose on a hard metal floor. "You want some payback?"
"On the little guy? You bet."
She smiled. "Then keep an eye out for the news. Boss says when the DA is done, we kill the Green Hornet - and his sidekick. And when I say 'we', I mean 'you'."
Charlie grinned. "Looking forward to it."
.
.
Britt got up from the laptop in his tiny office. "Right - it's already six o'clock, dude. We split up and get ready for the big show tonight."
Kato, closing the small refrigerator door behind Britt, straightened up with a bottle of iced tea in his hand. He looked at his phone, typing something with his thumb. He put it back in his pocket. "You haven't told me the plan yet. Did Lenore talk to you already?"
"Right right - get ready for this," Britt grinned. He swept up his jacket from the back of the small chair, walking toward the door. "We go get our party duds on, right? But we also stash our secret outfits at the venue. We pick up our dates, then—"
"I pick up my date," Kato said, pointing a finger at him round his bottle. "You have to pick up the DA."
"Whatever, ok? We get them to the party, we have a good time, we do some flirting, we maybe get to first base, then—"
"Like baseball?"
"Yes, like baseball," Britt said irritably. "Then—"
"Why baseball? I thought this is a party."
"It is, ok? I meant we try to…" He stopped and huffed. "Forget it. Anyway, after we've broken the ice, talked to our dates and everything is heading in the right direction, then we disappear and get changed. We storm the party as criminals and shoot the DA with gas. Everyone screams and runs, we stash her in the trunk of the Beauty and then we leave."
"But my date will want to know where I am."
"Ok ok - I'll leave with the Beauty, you stay and look innocent."
Kato's eyes narrowed. He stared at Britt.
"What?" Britt asked.
Kato stared.
"What?" Britt demanded.
"I am just thinking of all the ways this will go wrong."
"Oh come on, bro! This will be easy."
"But you're the head of the party - when people don't see you then they will think something is wrong."
"But my date is the one in the car - yours will be running around screaming or looking for you," Britt argued. "We can't be in two places at once."
Kato's head tilted and then he twisted the cap off the bottle, taking a sip. "I don't like it."
"You never like it."
"Because it always goes wrong. Is this really Lenore's plan?"
"Look," Britt sighed, "just this once, can you please have a little faith? It's all going to work out, ok? Trust me."
Kato took another sip. "Ok. Just… be careful with the DA. If she really gets hurt then this whole thing is ruined."
"I know, dude, come on," Britt said.
"Where do we hide her when she's back at your mansion?"
"Wine cellar," Britt said.
"You have a wine cellar?"
"Don't you?" he grinned. "It's clean, it's not too cold - and she could shout for hours and no-one will be able to hear her."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!"
"Hmm."
"Ok listen - I've had women down there before and they've been screaming, right? And no-one, not staff, not my dad - no-one heard us. Ok?"
Kato gasped in shock. "Why were they screaming?"
"Dude," Britt said, shaking his head. "I don't know how you do it in Shanghai, but American girls make a lot of noise when they enjoy themselves. Especially when I'm good," he grinned, waggling an eyebrow.
Kato's eyes narrowed and he frowned at him for a whole five seconds, a tasked looked on his face. Then it twisted in horrified realisation. "No! No! Stop! I don't want that picture in my head!" He slapped a hand over his eyes.
Britt laughed. "Chill, dude. Anyway, come on, let's go. We have like two hours before the party and we need to get everything in place."
"Ugh," Kato shivered, clearly still disturbed. He followed Britt, his bottle in his hand, as they walked out of the small office.
Britt heard him humming as they walked to the elevators. "What's that you're singing?"
"Anything," Kato said deliberately. "Anything so I don't remember what I just saw in my head."
Britt laughed and pressed the button for the elevator.
Something buzzed in Kato's pocket and pulled his phone back out, pressing to get a message up. "Oh."
"What?" Britt asked.
Kato turned the phone round to show him the screen. "Is this place far from here?"
"Whoa, posh part of town, dude. Is that your date?"
"Maybe," he said, his chin high, as he pocketed the phone again. "I can use the sat-nav."
"Yeah but don't let it make you take the bridge," he said, as the elevator pinged. "Traffic can be a bitch around there and you can't be late."
.
.
Kato pulled the bike round in a graceful twirl, stopping at the kerb and wondering what to do next. However a light went on in the house set back from the pavement, and then the front door opened.
Amy stepped out of the door, turning and locking it securely. He let his mouth fall open at her outfit; black skinny trousers in some kind of shiny, silk material; killer black heels; an off-the-shoulder top that would have made Brigitte Bardot weep; her chestnut hair waved up on top like a miniature beehive, and a small, studded silver clutch purse in her hand that matched her drop earrings. In her other hand was a silk bomber-style jacket, which she lifted and waved at him.
"聖姦!" he breathed in awe.
She stepped off the front porch and walked down the path to the kerb, stopping with her clutch and jacket in her hands. "Hi," she smiled.
He gazed at her, unbidden. "Wow," he breathed, making her giggle. "Um - hi," he said smartly, sitting more upright. "Ready?"
"Am I ever," she grinned. "Do I get a helmet?"
"But your hair is perfect."
"And it will be when I take it off, too," she said firmly. "I've spent all night on this."
He twisted and reached back into the storage at the end of the seat. Lifting it open, he producing a helmet that matched his. She gasped as she saw something else in there. "Wow - is that your jacket?"
He let himself smile. "Yes."
"It's amazing," she whispered, spying the blue and making out swirls and embroidered work. She looked at him but he simply offered her the helmet. She grinned and folded her jacket carefully, placing it and her clutch in the storage. She took the helmet and he closed the box, steadying the bike.
She did the strap up under her chin. "So… I've never been on a bike before. Do I just hold onto you?"
"Yes."
She put a hand on his shoulder to steady herself as she climbed on behind him. She shuffled up closer to his back. His bike jacket smelt of old leather and engine oil, and she threaded her arms round him and squeezed.
He cleared his throat, wet nervous lips, and gunned the engine. "I go slow, ok?"
"Perfect," she said in his ear.
He smiled and pulled away from the kerb.
.
.
The limo pulled up at the front of the building, as if daring anyone to suggest it didn't own the road. The chauffeur got out of the front and went around, opening up the back door. Britt pushed himself out, nodding to the man and buttoning up his relaxed tux jacket. He looked up and down the street before he crossed the pavement to the front door.
A man just inside waved him to wait, then pushed a keycard into some kind of box. He pressed a button and the door opened up, allowing Britt to walk in. He stopped by the man and looked around the lobby.
"Mr Reid, sir," the man said politely.
He smiled. "Hey, how you doing?"
"DA Park is on her way down. Would you mind waiting?"
"Not at all," he nodded, putting his hands in his pockets and turning to the sofas along the wall. He let his expensive shoes heel-toe up past the sofa as he looked up at the paintings along the walls. He stopped as he came across former DA Scanlon. "Hmm," he allowed, scenes of extreme hatred and violence crossing his memory.
Somewhere an elevator pinged. He jumped and turned to see the doors slide open and DA Park step out.
A deep red silk dress clung to her as if afraid of heights. Her dark hair was elegantly brushed and apart from the sides being swept back and out of the way, the rest fell around her bare shoulders in a way that made Britt's mouth go dry. She was carrying a simple black clutch and a black silk wrap that had fallen from her shoulders to sit quite comfortably in the crook of her elbows. Her black heels clack-clacked across the lobby until she was stood in front of him.
"Evening, Mr Reid."
"Ah-ah-ah," he grinned. "Britt."
"Shall we?"
"You know what? I think we shall," he said, immensely satisfied. "It's a short ride to the party but I hope it'll be fun. We'll have time to break some ice, anyway."
"Well I look forward to getting to know everything about you," she said with a smile.
He grinned and put his arm out. She folded her hand around it and they strode to the front door. She nodded to the man with the keycard. He nodded back slowly, watching as they exited the building and were swallowed up by the limo.
He locked the front door again. And then he pulled a phone from his pocket, checking the signal and battery life.
.
.
The lobby was a straight affair, long tables set up down either side to allow waiters to keep pouring drinks as guests meandered through. Two men had picked up a whisky each and were chatting by the end, watching everyone arrive.
"And you're sure she's coming tonight?" the first asked.
"Sean - forget it. She's definitely coming, and she's got that EA to bring her. I did not see that coming."
Sean grinned. "Well looks like I win our bet then. Although considering your date bailed on you, I'll forget we made it, ok?"
The other man shrugged. "He was just busy, that's all."
"Doug, he's an asshole. He bailed on you like thirty minutes before you were supposed to pick him up. Sounds to me like you're better off."
"What, standing here talking to you?" Doug said, although he did manage a smile. "Where's your date, anyway?"
"I asked Linda but she's already got someone," he shrugged.
"Oh well… that sucks, dude," Doug said. "So… looks like you, me, whisky and people-watching."
"Yes it does," Sean chuckled. Something caught his eye and he looked across to the far side of the lobby. "Like… Britt Reid, for instance." He raised his glass at the man he could see across the room. "Thanks, boss, for keeping us all on full pay while they rebuilt the offices."
Doug raised his glass too. "Guess he's not the asshole everyone said he was."
"It's certainly different now Mike's in charge of the place."
"And aren't we glad." Doug glanced at his friend. "So… Miss Case - Lenore. Is she still his PA?"
"So I hear."
"That can't be easy."
Sean shrugged. "Well she's not trapped in an office with him all day any more - she's remote working these days. No office space."
"That's her official story," Doug smiled.
"Hey don't be too rough on the guy. After all, he did put someone decent in charge, and he did let him have the office. He could have been a prick about it, you know?"
"True." Doug paused. He spotted a slinky pink dress appear at the front doors, then glide through and up to the long table with wine glasses on it. "There she is - Lenore Case. I heard she spends a lot of time with the EA."
"Does she?" Sean asked, surprised. "I've seen her with everyone though - I think she's just the friendly type."
"Yeah."
They watched as Britt came down the lobby and tapped her on the shoulder. They spoke, Britt excited about something, as Lenore nodded and pulled her phone out of her small purse, typing something in.
"She never stops working, does she?" Doug commented.
Britt put his hand under Lenore's elbow and walked her away from everyone else. "And don't worry about tonight," he said under his breath. "I've got it all under control."
"Ok," she said, puzzled.
"In the next few hours, all this will be going exactly how we want."
"I hope so," she said. "I've put a lot of effort into tonight."
.
.
Kato and Amy walked in through the large front doors; she kept her hand through his arm as they made it to the lobby. They nodded to employees already ploughing into the free drinks on offer. People turned their heads, watching in either amazement or amusement as they made their way down toward the doors to the large hall at the end. They stopped before they went through, totally unaware of Sean and Doug staring at them.
"Oh my," Doug breathed. "She is stunning - what an ensemble. And his suit is just… inspired."
"What do you reckon? Best dressed of the night so far?" Sean teased.
"Definitely," Doug said, waving air at his own face. "Her outfit? A nine. His? Oof - maybe a nine and a half. Look at the cut on it! The embroidering that's just off the same colour so you can see it. Amazing."
"Does this make up for your date not coming tonight?" Sean chuckled.
"I think it does," Doug said.
Amy was guiding Kato round toward the drinks table, letting them both get a feel for the size of the room.
"This suit is too much," he said nervously by her ear.
She grinned. "No - it's just unusual. And look - everyone else in here is dressed up too."
They looked around, catching the eye of a few people, and Kato waved awkwardly as he realised the relaxed tuxedos and evening dresses were not as casual as he had feared. The flash of an expensive watch, the bling of a necklace or bracelet made him realise just how much money was swimming around him.
"See?" she said quietly. "It's just that your suit isn't as boring as theirs."
He slid his eyes over to her but she was already leaning closer to his elbow. A huge voice made them both jump.
"Hey you two!" Britt cried, landing a heavy hand on Kato's shoulder. He turned slowly, dislodging Amy's touch on his arm. Britt gasped, his hands out in amazement. "Dude! Look at you! You look so cool, man!" He grabbed Kato's cheeks and pinched at them, wobbling. "Oh my god you look so cute!"
Kato fought him off, glaring at him as he massaged a cheek. He cleared his throat and looked at Amy, but she was giggling, her clutch purse up to cover her mouth. "Britt Reid, this is Amy."
"Amy! Are you one of our war reporters cos if not, where have you been hiding?" he winked, taking her hand and lifting it as if to kiss. His eye was caught by Kato's scowl. He let it go gently.
She let her clutch fall to her side. "Oh no - I'm in Support and Admin, Mr Reid."
"Oh call me Britt," he grinned. "Well don't you look beautiful," he gushed. "Although I'm sure he's been telling you that since he picked you up, am I right?"
Kato looked at his feet suddenly, scratching at the back of his head.
"—Anyhoo," Britt said quickly, "you get this guy talking, ok? I mean, wow has he got some stories, and let me tell you it's not all oil changes and cappuccinos," he grinned. "My man here is a survivor, right?" he said, pushing at Kato's shoulder. Kato stuck an angry chin out at him. "Right, well - I've got a lot of people to get round but I'll be back later, ok? You kids have fun." He slapped Kato's arm and whisked away, back into the crowd.
"Well he's… loud," she managed.
They looked at each other - and then broke into laughter.
Kato turned more toward her, letting his hands go into his trouser pockets. "He is right though. You are beautiful."
"Oh. Thank you," she said. "You don't have to say that just because he did."
"No - it's…" He took a breath, looking out at everyone but keeping his chin toward her. "I don't do this. I don't know what I should say."
She looked at him with a warm smile. "Say anything you want."
He met her eyes for a long moment. "Hobbies?" he managed weakly. He cleared his throat. "What - uh - do you like to do?"
She grinned. "First we get a drink, then we talk about our spare time."
"Yes."
She turned away but he caught her up, pausing just slightly in front of her and sticking his elbow out. She grinned and pushed her hand through, and they walked off toward the drinks table.
Lenore sipped her wine, looking over and watching Kato say something to Amy, then pick up a glass of white wine for her. She noticed he only picked up water for himself and for some reason she couldn't place it made her frown.
"—Isn't that right, Miss Case?"
She turned back to the conversation. "Oh - sorry. Got lost in the room there for a second," she smiled at DA Park. "What were you saying?"
"That the rebuild was done under budget and sooner than expected," she said. "I guess your boss has a way of talking people into things."
"Oh," Lenore smiled. "I think people just get tired of the sound of his voice."
The two other people, older men, chuckled and nodded. "He calls my office sometimes," the taller one said. "We invite each other to golf afternoons that we can never make. However, it does make things go smoothly. Considering how he was before his father died, I think… he's come a long way. Made a lot of positive changes."
"He certainly has," Lenore said, taking a sip of wine.
DA Park watched her carefully, then turned to see how people were slowly moving from the lobby area into the larger hall at the end.
"Evening everyone," Britt said suddenly from behind her. "Looks like it's time to bust some moves, huh? Let's get this party started!" He put his arms up, as if shepherding them all forward, and gradually, everyone moved toward the sounds of music from the far room.
