Owen yawned as Tuck and Tom met him outside of New Asia. Owen thought he was done with it after his last visit. Vendors hawked street food to busy citizens, the invisible clock ticking away for them just as it used to tick away for Owen. He hadn’t thought about the clock for a long while.

  “Good fight,” Tom said. “You won me four grand.”

  “Do I get half?” Owen asked with a smirk.

  “You’re funny.” Tom slapped Owen's back.

  “Thanks for meeting us here,” Tuck said. “Walk with us.”

  “You guys were late," Owen said. "I thought early was on time."

  “We got here earlier than you," Tuck said.

  “You made me wait?”

  “Needed to make sure you weren’t followed by any Callahan spies. You’re in their web now. Tom, tell him how webs work.”

  “You move and the spider comes crawling,” Tom said, wiggling his fingers for emphasis.

  “Need to make sure there aren’t any spiders around. We didn’t see anyone.”

  “Why bring me if you’re worried about it?” Owen asked.

  “Ed was busy and Scott has a nasty case of PK face.”

  “What about Ben?”

  “He’s too important to have in the field.”

  “What’s wrong, you don’t want to hang out with us anymore?” Tom asked. He nudged Owen. “I thought you’d be itching for some real action.”

  “I've had enough action for awhile. I met Duke Callahan. We had dinner with him last night.”

  “What’d you have?” Tuck asked.

  “Lobster and ice cream. And something called caviar. I didn’t like that one.”

  “Sounds about right.” Tuck shrugged. “What did you think about daddy Callahan?”

  “He wasn’t too bad,” Owen said. He expected a monster. Duke was just a man, and a friendly one at that. It was hard to see him as the all controlling tyrant that kept City Seven in his iron grip.

  “You know he outlawed alcohol,” Tom said. “That makes him bad enough in my book. My uncle did ten years for brewing.”

  “I thought he got thirty,” Tuck said.

  “He did. Had a heart attack ten years in.”

  “Why are we here?” Owen asked.

  “Got a meeting with a supplier.”

  “I thought we were banned. Mei Chen let you back in?”

  “Mei Chen isn't an issue anymore. Be on your best behavior though.” Tuck pointed at Owen like he was the one that started the last fight. "I fucking mean it."

  Owen sighed as they got their New Asia visitor bracelets. He felt eyes on him as they made their way through the specialized zone. They stayed close together, ignoring the predatory sales tactics of street vendors and bar owners as they made their way to the Red Light Street. Owen swallowed as women tempted him from above and employees in suits held signs offering discounts to first timers. New Asia had him amazed the first time. It wasn't any different from the rest of City Seven. Just had a different coat of paint.

  “Lot of eyes on us,” Tom said. “You sure about this, Tuck. Not too late to go back.”

  “Sure it is.” Tuck banged on a metal door and seconds later an eye slit opened. The man behind the door asked Tuck something in a language Owen didn’t know and Tuck responded. They had a brief conversation and when Owen looked at Tom he shrugged. The eye slit shut and after several locks clicked a big man opened the door. “Be cool everyone,” Tuck said. “We’re going to meet Dennis Kim.”

  “Who’s that?” Owen asked.

  “Shut up.”

  Tuck led them down a set of concrete stairs and into a smoke filled basement where a few men sorted small plastic bags full of white powder stamped with dragons.

  “Don’t look at them,” Tom said. “That's none of our business.” He patted Owen’s shoulder. “You ever seen a moonshine still?” Tom asked Owen as they entered an adjoining room. He nodded at a bunch of metal buckets connected by tubes. “Peacekeepers can’t come here. You want alcohol in the city, that’s how you get it. They brew it here and sell it in the city. I'd say there are a hundred set ups like this in basements all around New Asia.”

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Does it taste good?”

  “It’s better than what we had in Black Hill. We made that in the toilet.” Tom said.

  “Look alive, you two,” Tuck whispered. “Dennis Kim! How the hell are you?” He sauntered toward a desk where a skinny man in a white jacket read from an old paperback. “The fuck you reading?”

  “Pride and Prejudice,” Dennis Kim said. He tossed the book on his desk and stood up, one hand in his jacket pocket. “To what do I owe the displeasure of this visit. This is Black Dragon territory now. Not Crimson Lotus.”

  “I’m unaffiliated,” Tuck said.

  “You still wear their ink. I’m surprised they didn’t cut it off of you.”

  “What can I say, I’m a likable guy.”

  “These two know how to keep their mouths shut?” Dennis nodded at Tom and Owen.

  “Quieter than mice.”

  “What the fuck do you want? Mr. Darcy is about to confess his love to Lizzy and you’re interrupting me.”

  “Need to see the candy room,” Tuck said with a grin, and I got the credits for it.”

  “Stolen?”

  “You deal in any other kind of credits?”

  “Yeah right, you fucker. Follow me. You better not be starting shit with Crimson Lotus. War just ended.” He waved the trio to follow him through an adjoining cube and down a small lift to the floor below.

  “Isn’t war good for business?”

  “Not if the end result is no customers,” Dennis said. “I’m about controlled chaos.” He spared Owen and Tom a look. “Who are the tourists?”

  “Nobodies,” Tuck said. “I need a vehicle too.”

  “Specifically?”

  “Need a peacekeeper van. You know what I’m talking about? Like the ones they drive during the parade. Newest model you can get your hands on.”

  “The fuck do you need one of those for?” Dennis scowled at Tuck. “You think I just have one lying around?”

  “Do you?”

  “I might have an old one tucked away. Needs a coat of paint, but it won’t come cheap.” Dennis stroked his stubbly chin as he glanced at Owen. “You see the fights last week. Newcomer’s getting it on with Amber Callahan. Lucky man. She’s a hot little number.”

  “This is Owen,” Tuck said. “Didn’t think he was that famous yet.” Owen swallowed as Dennis Kim grinned from ear to ear.

  “He sure is,” Dennis said. “You’ve been all over the news for a week straight. How is she? She suck cock good.”

  “Watch your fucking mouth!” Owen yelled. Gangsters stood up from a nearby card table and Dennis waved them away. It didn’t matter. If they were slow to rise they’d be slow in a fight.

  “Alright.” Dennis stopped and raised his hands in surrender. “Guess that’s a line. I’ll let your little outburst slide. Be the bigger man. I meant no offense. We good?”

  “Yeah,” Owen said. “We’re good.”

  “Candy room,” Tuck said. “And you.” He glared at Owen. “Keep your cool. We don’t need to piss Dennis off. Remember whose side you’re on.”

  “Hope you guys have a sweet tooth.” Dennis brought them to a steel door and unlocked it with a thick key he kept around his neck. “I got something for everyone.”

  “Shit!” Tom shouted. “Can you believe this shit, Owen.”

  “No,” Owen said. It was wall to wall weapons. Blades, bludgeons, chains, shields. Everything that could be used to maim another human could be found in Dennis Kim’s candy room.

  “Go crazy,” Tuck said. “We need to get geared up for our next op. Knives for everyone.” Tuck picked up a large knife with a single edge and ran his finger across the blade. He gave it a quick flourish, spinning the blade with precision earned from years of practice.

  Owen looked over the selection of weapons. Nothing spoke to him on a spiritual level. The only weapon he used was the pair of homemade nunchucks he lost during the warehouse raid. He didn't see a pair of those hanging anywhere.

  “How about a sword!” Tom picked up a long curved blade and swung it like a bat. “I always wanted one of these after I saw Specter Wars.” He gave it another swing and swatted a helmet off a table. "Fuck!"

  "Big and stupid," Dennis said. "Whatever you break you own."

  “Inconspicuous,” Tuck said. “Concealable weapons only. Stop playing around.”

  “You going to war?” Dennis asked with a laugh. He returned the helmet to its spot on the table.

  “We’re already at war.” Tuck grabbed a duffel bag from a counter and tossed a few more knives in. “Time to finish it.” He grabbed a couple of padded vests and tossed them in with the knives.

  “What are those?” Owen asked him.

  “ECD proof vests with metal lining. Basic knife protection. One for you, me, and Ed.”

  “You going up against peacekeepers?” Dennis asked. “Well, whatever you do, keep it far away from my side of the city.”

  “You don’t have anything to worry about. Grab that club, Tom.” Tuck pointed a metal club with a machined head. “That’ll crack a skull. See anything you like, Owen?”

  “That one,” Sensei Dan said as suddenly as he appeared. He pointed at an oddly shaped club that had a handle at a ninety degree angle. “I can teach you how to use that one.”

  “Nightstick,” Dennis said as Owen grabbed the weapon. “That’s an old peacekeeper toy based on an even older Japanese weapon. Easy to mass produce and hit hard. They got replaced by the collapsible models, and then the ECDs. You like it?”

  “Yeah, I like it.” Owen wasn’t sure how he’d use it, but it had a nice heft.

  “Good,” Tuck said. He tossed Dennis a personal debt tab and hauled his bag of equipment away. “That’s enough for everything we got and the truck. With enough left over for a nice tip. Good doing business with you, Dennis.”

  “Let me walk you guys out. High paying customers get the VIP treatment in candy land.” Dennis talked their ears off about the last slaughter ball game and how he thought they were rigged by the team owners. “I’ll work on that PK vehicle,” he told Tuck as he led them to the exit. “But if you get caught with it—,”

  “I don’t know you,” Tuck said. Dennis Kim smiled.

  "That's right." Dennis smiled. "Hey, you hear about Mama Chen?"

  "Not really on the up and up anymore. What happened?"

  "Someone tore through her place a couple weeks back. Killed damn near everyone wearing Crimson Lotus ink. Sawed Mama Chen's head right off. Witnesses said the guy was covered head to toe in black. Fought like the devil. Black Dragon is the prime suspect. I got another theory." Dennis chuckled. "You don't know anything?"

  "Not a thing," Tuck said. He put a hand on Dennis Kim's shoulder. "See you around, Dennis."

  Owen parted ways from Tuck and Tom outside New Asia and Owen made it back to his apartment before sundown. Amber was having a night shoot which gave him time to practice with his new weapon without interruption. He needed to think. They were getting weapons. Were more bodies in their future? And Mama Chen was dead. Did Tuck do that? Owen needed Dan's advice more than ever. Problem was Dan wouldn't say more than five word to him at a time.