"So what do you want to drink?" Max asked curiously, his
thinning black hair slightly glossy in the dim light of the bar.
"Just a beer," Jack sighed, her sandy brown hair falling into
her eyes.
Max filled a large glass mug and then pushed it over to her. "So
is life this exciting around you all the time?" he asked curiously.
Jack gave him a look, "Don't start on me, Max. It's not my fault
that there's so much politics going on around here."
"So what are you going to do now?" Max asked curiously, pulling
himself a drink too.
Jack sighed softly, taking a drink of her own beer. "It's been
awhile, so refresh my memory. Who's competing for the Mayorship now?"
"You know about Bannon, of course," Max smirked, "he's been
holding onto the business core of the city for a few years now, he's
pretty dug in."
"And?" Jack said impatiently.
"The west end is pretty badly fragmented right now," Max said,
"but the Wolf seems to have the biggest gang out there right now and the
smart money's on her taking over the area."
"I haven't met her," Jack admitted, "but the name does sound
familiar. Wasn't she from the Davies street enclave?"
"Yep," Max agreed, "she used that as her springboard to build up
her forces. Right now she holds from Davies to Denman Street, more or
less."
"Then it's only a matter of time before she's in control of the
west," Jack said firmly.
"Granville Island is the headquarters of the other contender for
Mayor," Max said, "goes by the name Professor. He holds the Island
itself and from the bridge out into the suburbs, a lot of territory but
he's not very powerful."
"So why is Bannon so worried?" Jack muttered.
"That's the question," Max agreed.
Jack finished off her beer, thumping it on the bar before
pushing a coin over to Max. "I guess I'd better go find out," she got up
from her stool with a sigh. Jack smiled at him slightly, "I don't think
anyone else is going to try anything, but if more goons come just
cooperate."
"Gee thanks," Max made a face.
Jack walked out of the bar and past the check in counter, giving
the young lady there a nod of her head. She went out the front door,
casually checking if anyone was waiting for her then made her way down
the street. This had been a bad part of town before the lights went out
and now it was oddly deserted. Only a few bums lay in the gutters and a
couple of young women standing on street corners dressed to reveal what
charms they had.
"Care for a good time, mister?" the younger woman called to Jack
as she went by. Dressed in a mini-skirt and clingy top she looked better
than most, her long red hair flowing down her back.
Jack turned, her profile revealing the bumps of her breasts and
she smiled slightly. "I think you made a mistake," she said.
"Oh," the redhead blushed fiercely, "I'm sorry." She hesitated,
looking Jack over more closely before adding softly, "I wouldn't
mind...."
Jack just kept smiling as she softly said, "Maybe next time."
Main street cut across Hastings like a knife, marking off one
edge of the Shogun's territory. All the old Chinatown and a bit more was
firmly under his control, the Chinese residents pulling together in a
enclave under the protection of this powerful leader.
A group of Asian punks sat on the steps to the old Carnegie
Library, the turn of the century building fallen into disrepair. The
domed roof had partially fallen in, the library on the west side gutted
by fire but the north side of the building remained mostly intact.
"You got business here?" one of the punks asked, dressed in red
jacket and black pants. He played casually with a knife, his two friends
armed as well.
"Jack Scott," she smiled, taking in the widened eyes as she
continued, "I thought I should pay a call on the Shogun, now that I'm
back."
"How do we know you're really...." one of the punks started only
to be cut off by the knife wielding boy.
"I'll go get an elder," he said, the tone of his voice much more
respectful, "please wait here for a moment while I do so."
"Of course," Jack nodded as he and his friends scurried off.
Even though she was a friend of the Shogun she knew that disobeying
would probably get her shot by snipers hidden on nearby buildings,
hopefully to wound, but accidents were known to happen.
A few moments later Jack heard footsteps, the sound of the three
young men returning. "Here she is, ma'am," the leader said, the three
leading a older woman around a corner.
"Ba-chan," Jack smiled, recognizing her almost instantly.
The older woman chuckled softly, "I told you not to call me
that, Jack-san." She looked up at the boys, "She is who she claims to
be, boys."
"Madoka," Jack smiled after the boys apologized and then resumed
their guard positions on the steps, "it's been a long time. How are
you?"
"I'm still alive," Madoka smiled, her gray hair curling against
her neck, the pants and T-shirt that she wore looking oddly out of place
on the older woman. She looked up at Jack curiously and said, "The last
time we talked you gave up your job as a Negotiator to become a courier
and you intended not to return."
"Never say never," Jack smiled back wryly. They moved down Main
Street over to Pender, taking a right turn down the street. "I missed
the city," she admitted as they passed herbalists, clothing shops and
Oriental grocers, "and wanted to come home."
"And found trouble as soon as you arrived," Madoka noted. She
looked up at Jack, an impish twinkle in her eyes, "Do you think it's
fate?"
"You know I don't believe in fate," Jack made a face. They had
walked down a block to what had once been the Multicultural TV station,
now occupied as the Shogun's headquarters.
"He's waiting for you inside," Modoka nodded to the front doors
where a young man and woman stood there. "You might want to reconsider
your view on fate," she quietly added, turning around to walk back up
the street.
Jack walked to the doors, her eyes widening as she recognized
the man there. 'Wonder how Mike got into trouble?' she thought, being
careful not to let on that she knew him. Instead she looked at the woman
and said, "Jack Scott, here to see the Shogun."
Jack was ushered inside, Mike tossing her a slight smile as she
passed him by. Inside she was met by one of the finely dressed servants
who led her to the Shogun's chambers. They rearranged the interior
regularly following no pattern to prevent an attack from outside from
succeeding. The door was opened and her eyes widened at how decorated
the room was, the fabric draping what was once a broadcast studio. A
large table sat at one end, the Shogun kneeling down beside it.
People meeting him the first time were often surprised to see
that the Shogun was half-westerner, but they soon realized their error.
Whatever he might be in body, his soul was Asian to the very core. He
had aged since she had last seen him, a bit of gray marking his black
hair, but his eyes were as sharp as ever.
Jack knew his real name, of course, they had been comrades long
enough for that, but she wouldn't be so disrespectful as to use it.
Instead she knelt down and said, "Shogun, I regret I could not call on
you sooner."
"Duty," the Shogun nodded gravely, "it binds us all." He
gestured and a woman came forward, pouring them each tea. He drank the
bitter tea, savoring it, then set the hand crafted clay cup down on the
table gently. "It is good to see you, Jack-san."
"It's good to be back," Jack agreed, drinking her own tea. She
smiled wryly, "Though it seems I've walked into trouble again."
"You don't change, Jack-san," Shogun agreed with a slight smile.
He took another drink of tea, "Bannon-chan seems to be interested in
gaining control of the whole city, becoming Mayor in fact as well as
name."
"And he was counting on Mission's support," Jack said
thoughtfully. "And the other candidates?" she asked.
"They see your arrival as the opportunity to open hostilities,"
Shogun said simply, "assuming that Bannon does have the support of
Mission."
Jack made a face, "I can't reveal what was in the message but I
can say what the Mission city council decided publicly." The Shogun
looked interested as she continued, "They voted not to interfere here
until we settled our own leadership problems."
"Meaning Bannon does not have their support," Shogun smiled
slightly. "Shall I have my people spread the word? It may defuse this
crisis," he said.
"I'd be most appreciative," Jack smiled back.
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