okok, uh

I don't remember if i told you guys why the warrant was important, but the thing is - blackwell just needs an excuse to storm Geese castle.

He wanted to get this thing signed under the radar and just bust in before anyone could get ahold of it and tie it up in court (recall he's got like 4 days left in FL, before he gets sent back home to texas). Unfortunately, Geese's cops and contacts in the Justice dept caught wind of this thing and ratted on him.

The only reason this warrant got signed in the first place was Rock and Heinlein burned down one of Geese's warehouses, producing the appropriate fireworks for the Judge to realize Heinlein was back. Recall that Judge was unwilling to sign a warrant unless he knew conflict with Geese was unavoidable. Since he thinks Heinlein is working under geese, and causing the violence, he will serve Geese Howard the search Warrant.

"A fucking warrant?"

Geese Howard wasn't a man often prone to profanity. Everything in him was strictly disciplined, and - even when it didn't appear so - was tightly controlled. You couldn't run a business, even manage to be a low level executive, if you routinely lost your head, and Geese Howard almost never lost his head.

Of course, Hein knew his employer occasionally indulged in various blood sports in accordance to his fighter's upbringing, but the CEO of HCon didn't let his personal (rather violent) passions interfere with his work.

And that was a good thing…

Because personally, Geese Howard was haughty, vengeful and incredibly ambitious. In his earlier years - when his gang was just a gang - he (and that maniac, Kain Heinlein) struck fear into the hearts of all who had the misfortune of coming into conflict with him. His methods were so brutal, so inhuman, that his reputation alone cut the path before him to conquer SouthTown.

"Fuck! Ridiculous!... Hein, the supporting case?"

"Sir."

The mild German man slid a Manila envelope across the table. The CEO placed his brandy down with a clack and swiveled around to pick up the documents. As he flipped through, sharp eyes reading carefully, Hein was reminded how violently this issue would be 'solved' in times past.

In his earlier years, upon hearing that his hometown's justice system had served him a warrant, Geese might have burned a couple of houses down and kidnapped the mayor's kid until the warrant was repealed. However, that sort of action in this environment would bring the American army into the picture. It was a good thing Geese Howard had perfected diplomacy… because that was exactly how HCon was going to fight this battle.

"Hein… This case… it's pathetic."

Geese had finished flipped through the police reports - which had been snagged out of the filing cabinets by one of their informants - and found them lacking, just as Hein did. The file had accused Geese Howard of killing two CIA agents. The evidence was circumstantial as best, and conspiratorial at worst. Thanks to the Yakuza brat, there was zero evidence of the CIA murders, but regardless there were several federal agents in town sniffing around. Inconsequential. They wouldn't find anything. Not even the Yakuza Brat.

"Nothing of substance. Can you get it thrown out?"

Could he? Hein huffed in a rare show of amusement.

"Of Course, sir. I've already contested the warrant. I'll be fighting it myself. Court date - tomorrow. It's a ridiculous case."

Of course he could. These were trumped up charges with zero supporting evidence whatsoever. Did this new Sheriff think HCon didn't have contacts in the justice department? Nonsense. Did he think he could have a search warrant served to Geese Howard and not expect the information to get leaked? Naive.

Perhaps that bastard Blackwell thought HCon had idiots for lawyers. No… HCon had the best of the best. A freshman Law student could get this case thrown out, but Hein would handle it personally, and he was going to nip this charge in the bud. Not because he could pull strings behind the scenes - which he could. Not because he was terribly clever, which he was… but simply because this warrant was illegal.

There was no doubt that this warrant came at a terrible time. Kain Heinlein had come crawling back from whatever desert island he'd been exiled to - to cause trouble in the city. He had burned down one of their primary shipping points with the backing of - not the Yakuza organization, but rather their nutjob musician heir. That issue would be handled with violence… but this one?

Hein would win this victory in the courts.

Geese Howard tapped his brandy against the table. He issued a command.

"You will win."

"Sir, you don't pay me for nothing. I certainly will."

Blackwell has a sister in law who teaches Rock's Calculus class.