Black Market Merchant

The banks vault was quiet as dust flittered everywhere while Jerry went from one of the numerous file cabinets to the next. Jerry was normally alone when he was tasked to do something by Jackson and being sent to the vaults to find some papers was no exception. Because of this he would often speak to himself out of habit.

“Let’s see, the dam was called, Maple Valley Dam, so it should be in this file.”

He opened the file and found two official, decorative looking papers that had on them the words: Deed and Registration. Not knowing much about what these documents clarified or if they were exactly what Jackson wanted, so Jerry chose just to take the entire file folder with him back to Jackson. If he had gotten the wrong papers all he needed to do was come back. After all, it didn’t seem like that much of an important task.

Leaving the bank vault Jerry headed for the hallway connecting the bank and Warehouse Arena and as he got halfway across, he heard yelling coming from up ahead. Though he couldn’t make out what was being said. Getting closer he realized the voices belonged to Jackson and Tio. Stepping out into the Warehouse Arena’s hallway by the betting booths Jerry listened to them now being only a few steps away.

“I don’t know what to do. Martinez is going to be furious!” Tio exclaimed. “You are the only other lieutenant here right now and I need a second option.”

“Let me get this straight, one of the guards from the factory just got here and told you that all the workers have disappeared overnight? There was no sign of forced entry or escape either?” Jackson asked.

“Yes, that and the cameras were all out of commission as well. Plus, the guards on duty that night in the halls said that nothing was out of the ordinary.” Tio said nervously.

Jackson rubbed his hand through his black and white striped hair and exhaled heavily. “So, you have no information at all. Only that everyone is missing. Are you sure there was nothing different about the workers or the buildings structure?”

“Well, the guard did say that there was a symbol painted on the floors of the rooms the men and women were being kept in.” Tio said after a moment’s thought.

“Why didn’t you say so earlier.” Jackson sighed once again. “Did they recognize the symbol?”

Tio shook his head. “No, it was nothing related to any gangs in or outside the town that we know of. It was a just a simple tiara.”

“A tiara…” Jackson rubbed his chin. “Oh, I think I see what has happened and its actually a good thing for you, sort of.”

Tio rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “Tell me what it is!”

“The disappearance of the workers was Queens doing.” Jackson answered.

Tio shifted uncomfortably from his tiptoes to heels once. “How can you be so sure? Even if it was her, how does that help me?”

“Well, for starters we assume that the woman you spoke with in the factory was Queen herself. Meaning she already knew where those people were being kept. Next, we know Queen is gearing up to fight with Martinez. She only needs to earn a valid reason to get him mad enough to get him to challenge her. Stealing valuable assets and crippling our sources of income is an easy way to do so.” Jackson said before patting Tio’s shoulder.

“As for you, you and Rodney were both not the factory at the same time, Branch was. Queen was probably watching over the area for the lack of leadership to happen before making her move. You can shift most of the blame onto Branch and leave yourself out of most of the ridicule.”

Tio was about to speak, but Jackson cut him off. “I’m not finished yet.”

Tio crossed his arms and Jackson continued. “You were probably going to say we should confront Queen ourselves before Martinez comes back, right?”

Tio nodded slowly and Jackson resumed. “This is a bad idea for several reasons. One is that I know for a fact Queen is a skilled fighter. We would be outmatched, and all the decent fighters are out dealing with the Skull. Two is that this would make for a bad impression with Queen if she did happen to beat Martinez. We don’t know what she is really like or capable of doing nor what her plans are. So, messing with a contending leader is a bad idea. The third issue would be if we did confront her and then loose. Martinez would be doubly furious and put a bad name on our gangs reputation as a whole, not just for ourselves. We should just let Martinez decide what to do with the situation and go from there.”

Tio was silent for a moment. “You make it sound like letting this insult go would be a good thing.”

“Basically I am.” Jackson said giving a grin.

“Um, boss?” Jerry said stepping up to Jackson.

“Oh, Jerry. I didn’t know you were there.” Jackson said glancing at Jerry.

“I got the papers you asked for. These are them, right?” Jerry said handing the folder over.

Jackson opened the file and nodded approvingly. “Yes, these are the right papers. Go ahead and deliver them.”

Jerry took the folder and hurried off without so much as a word. Jerry’s head was down, and he was moving at more of shambling pace which was not really like a run or walk either, just something bumbling in between. The two lieutenants watched him go curiously.

“Is he always like that?” Tio asked.

“Pretty much. He’s an odd, weak fellow but he gets the job done, most of the time.” Jackson answered.

“I see. Well, anyway about what to say too…” Tio started to ask but they were interrupted as a shout from the Warehouse Arena’s entrance drew their attention.

Looking up, the two of them saw that it was Rodney and his two dogs Zeus and Cooper. All three of them looked worn out and like they had just finished running a marathon. Jackson motioned for Tio to follow, and they headed for Rodney.

“Rodney, what seems to be the problem?” Jackson called as they closed the distance.

Rodney looked up from resting his hands on his knees and still breathing heavily issued out his warning. “G-get everyone ready to fight. I am only just barely ahead of Martinez and the others, so we don’t have much time left.”

“What is going on?” Tio asked. “Did we loose to the Skull?”

“Worse, far worse.” Rodney answered still breathing heavily. “As we were fighting, Ernest called on the radio to Xander saying monsters were attacking them. At first, we thought he was just talking about the Skull, but then the Skull sent a signal saying that there was danger from the area Ernest was fighting at. Both Hugo and Ernest called again and this time they said ‘Twisted’ were attacking, hundreds of them.”

“Twisted? You got to be joking.” Jackson said giving a chuckle. “Those beasts have never attacked the town before.”

“I wish that were true, but I saw them myself.” Rodney replied coldly. Jacksons smile faded as Rodney explained. “We were retreating to come back here and when we got about halfway, we were suddenly flanked by at lest a dozen of the nasty creatures. Night Hounds if I am not mistaken. We were burning the town buildings as we retreated, I’ll explain that another time, and as such we were spread out. In that first attack we killed them all, but then they just kept coming and coming! We fought like h*** to get back here ever since. From the time we left the Skull to when we got here, we had lost a third of our numbers to just the Twisted hoard in mere hours. The Skull hadn’t even inflicted that much damage to our forces the entire time we fought.”

Jackson gulped nervously. “So, what is the next move then?”

Rodney looked around at the empty warehouse market. “I assume no one from the outside is here or getting ready for a Match Fight?”

Jackson nodded. “Yes, no one else is here.”

“Good.” Rodney replied standing up straight. “Get this announced on the compounds intercom. Have every single Mad Dogs we got that can hold a gun mobilized, all the ammo we have left brough out of storage, and to start manning the metal wall towers. Tell them to shoot anything not human.”

“Tio, you know how to do that. Go ahead and make the announcement.” Jackson said pointing towards Xander’s glass security booth. “I will help Rodney get everything out here organized. Once you get done, head straight for the ammo supplies and make sure everything gets cleared out.”

As Tio hurried to go, Jackson turned back to Rodney. “What are we going to do? Try hiding in here until the Twisted go away?”

“No, we need to fight.” Rodney said turning to go back outside and Jackson followed him. “The Twisted could climb over buildings and these walls will be only able to slow them down. Once everyone is inside the compound, we will block the entrances up and try picking them off as they climb up the walls. If they do manage to breach the walls, everyone else will be ready on the ground for them. We can also get as many snipers as possible on the three building’s roof tops to support the men on the ground.”

“Sound good to me.” Jackson answered. Just then Tio sounded the alarm and started announcing the situation to those within the compound. “I’ll go ahead to the far side of the compound and work with the men there. You can handle the others coming from the dorms out back and get ready to receive the Mad Dogs on their way in.”

The two split up and Jackson was about to pass by the water fountain when he remembered something, Jerry! Jerry was already outside of the compound and on his way to the dam. If the Twisted found him, he wouldn’t stand a chance.

Jackson hesitated and looked at the compounds exit nearby. “Should I go after him? He couldn’t have gotten far.” Then Tio’s announcement started repeating itself and a few Mad Dogs started to show up on the courtyard. “He’s going to the dam and that’s the opposite direction Martinez and the Twisted are coming from, so there shouldn’t be any danger over there. Besides Lisa is there too and she can protect him, I hope.”

…

“Are you serious?” Hugo said breaking out into a bloody cough. “You saw Ernest on the barge, and he passed right by you?”

“That is right.” The gangster replied. “We were on the dock waving to him for help, but the boat didn’t even turn our way. He was even looked right at us and chose to outright abandon us.”

“That kid has gotten on my last nerves.” Hugo growled. “Once I am better, I am going to beat his a**.”

The crack of gunfire rippled out across the river, which was soon followed by the sound of Twisted warbles and screeches. The Twisted were closing in from behind again, though now the gang was in a much better position. By the time had Hugo arrived at the river, the Mad Dogs forces doubled to nearly two hundred. His plan had worked to get the scattered gang back together.

“Come on Hugo, its time we keep moving.” The blue bandana gangster said shouldering the wounded lieutenant. “You were right about coming this way. It has been a safer route.”

Hugo grunted in both pain and agreement. “I just hope we can make it to the compound in time. If the Twisted keep following us like this, they might cut us off from the way back to the compound entirely.”

“What if they do?” The blue bandana gangster asked cautiously.

Looking up with tired eyes at the east side of town. The smoke was thick now and he could barely make out the far shoreline. Then Hugo glanced at the dam. “We might have to cross over to the other side of town on the dam and try hiding there. Though if we keep talking like this, we won’t make it to either place. Pick up the pace, I’m not dead yet!”