[Mercy Merchant]

The young woman nods and goes to the still unconscious guard, bending over him to remove a silencer for the pistol from an inside pocket.  Screwing it on the end of the gun, she steps to just in front of the quavering Ping, who begins to plead with her.  "Mercy.  Please Li Shang, mercy.  I gave you authority.  I gave you money.  Kill the woman and I will give you more.  She is not one of us.  She will use you and then destroy you.  You are but a mere nothing in her eyes."

Li Shang puts the end of the silenced pistol up to Ping's forehead, shutting him up.  In a quiet and calm voice, she says, "Yes, you have done much for me.  You raped my little sister when she was twelve, got her addicted to your filthy drugs, then sold her.  She is out there in the Barrens somewhere, lost and alone because I could not protect her from you.  I bear the marks on my back from every time you used your whip on me as you raped me again and again and again.  The mercy I give you is that your death will not be the many tortures I have imagined over the years."  She falls silent for a moment then murmurs, "Forgive me Li Mai."  Ping has paled as the woman talks.  Now his eyes go wide as she steps back and straightens her arm.  The report is no more than a soft click in the large room, but the effect is dramatic.  The large bullet speeds from the gun and enters Ping's forehead, exploding out the back of his head in a shower of bone, blood, and brain matter. 

Li Shang carefully lowers the gun and turns to you, motioning to the prone guard.  "And the others, Ma'am?  What do you wish me to do with the guards?  They have been useful for the former boss here to help gather his slaves and little else.  I would recommend replacing them in any case, but do you wish to let them live?"

There is a knock on the door and your bodyguard looks at you in a questioning manner.

[VegasRigged]

I draw out my commlink and text Ni Ni, requesting access to a sketch artist, the sort the police use to do renderings and aged renditions of missing persons. Then I glance around at the security guard who let me in and has remained stationary and uninvolved through this entire proceeding. Either he is smart enough not to intervene against a superior adversary or he is as slow and crude as his boss, I'll read him in a moment to find out, as I will the three actresses, in case any of them harbor secrets that might impede progress.

"They are less a concern for me then yu at this moment, you have done well a difficult thing and I see satisfaction in the killing of a bad man. Their will be others like him, but be wary that this sensation does not become an addiction. Many men are more useful alive then dead. And you will have many chances to decide such fates. Always the business may come first, and justice for their crimes will be secondary to our success. Because if we fail, their will be no justice at all, and no safe place on this plane where we might hide. Now, I will read the guards and girls to determine their loyalty, then introduce you to your regional manager and you chief method of contacting me here in the Barrens." I give Sylvia a nod towards the door to let in Sian and delve into the minds of the other occupants of the room.

[Mercy Merchant]

Saturday  9 June 2075  1935  Li Shang's Studio  Seattle Chinatown Barrens


The security guard pales as he hears Li Shang offer to kill him and seems rooted to the spot, unable to move until you speak.  He nods at your reprieve, obviously glad to be alive, and mumbles some sort of thank you and offers to swear loyalty to you and Li Shang.  Ni Ni texts back that she can have an artist available in her shop in an hour.  Li Shang looks at you and nods.  "I will remember that, Ma'am.  May I ask what authority I have for hiring and firing staff?"

Bodyguard Sylvia steps aside and opens the door to let Sian in.  The girl steps in without her hounds and the reaction of the people in the room is...........................dramatic.  The security guard pales even more if that is possible and moves sideways a good distance.  The naked actor and actress back up to place the desk between them and the door.  Li Shang kneels on the floor and carefully sets her pistol down, saying in a voice of wonder, "Sian?  I do not understand.  What is happening?"

Sian looks at the body on the floor and you could almost swear that you see her lick her lips.  She lifts her gaze to Li Shang.  "I see that you have received a well deserved promotion, Li Shang.  Congratulations.  I would like to speak to your new employer when she is done ripping the secrets from the minds of these others."  Turning to you she continues, "I guess that the negotiations with Ping do not go well?  Sad.  He was a despicable person, but he would have had his use to you.  But Li Shang will serve you better and be more loyal."

[VegasRigged]

I finish with the security guard and straighten up, shaking my head a little to clear it of thoughts not my own. "He will still be of use, since the only ones who know of his demise are in this room.

With pointed effort and and suppressed gag I look at the still floating corpse of Mr Ping. I've seen some nasty memories today, but this is going to stay with me. "He was, as you say, despicable. But he was also unwilling to see reason and act in the best interest of all. I have no need of such men, as Mr Sing will soon learn."

I turn back to Li Shamg and Sian "You have the power to employ anyone willing to submit to my inspection, and to assign to a task you see fitting anyone who proves incompetent. However, anyone who wishes to try their luck on the streets, including yourself, is also free to do so, as leaving the protection we offer is demonstration of foolishness enough for most everyone in this room. Of course that freedom will be withheld until Mr Sing joins Me Ping in the cycles of reincarnation, but after that I intend for this company to employ only those willing to work for their survival."

To Sian "My friend, I will need you to take care of the body and hostLi Shang and another at you place of business for a little while. The man is a professional artist capable of true to life renderings from memory, he will help Li Sheng create posters requesting information on a specific lost person, and offering a reward for their return."

I turn towards the two actors, still naked and afraid of my companion. "Be at ease. I know this time has been trying and that their is much that freighters you, but you will come to no harm here. Dress yourselves and have some water, then I will read you minds and all will be well."

[Mercy Merchant]

Li Shang is still kneeling on the floor and looking at Sian.  The young teen gives the barest of nods and Li Shang retrieves the pistol from the floor near her and stands up.  Your investigation of the two naked actors reveals that the girl is the lover of the cameraman and has helped him skim money from Ping.  The young man really disliked Ping and is glad he is dead.  Neither has any specific knowledge about Ping's business that you have not already heard.  The two girls on the couch still too drugged to even know that anything had happened.  You are told that another two girls and a boy are sleeping.

Sian looks at you and shakes her head.  "I think it would be best to leave the man in your world than bring him to my place in this one.  When do you wish to deal with Sing?  Every minute you delay, the greater opportunity he will have to hear about what has happened here."

[VegasRigged]

"I agree, we will work with him soon. I want to assemble some recourse before we strike at Mr Sing, but a few hours should be long enough. A midnight duel seems thematically appropriate for two old rivals. I will have my bodyguard set up the duel, Sian, if you can draw some soldiers together, we may have need of them. We will also have need of curiurs to bring in supplies from outside the city, a carrot to Sing's remaining forces, with his corpse being the obvious stick. Li Shang, for the time being, keep your people together and away from commlinks, if they inform our enemies of the ruse we are likely to fail. When Midnight approaches, come to the spot we designate. Anything else?"

I begin making a list on my commlink, including considerable basic foods, clean water, and the like. I also request a few items for myself, mainly a helmet with numerous mods, and lots of gel rounds. If we want to recruit Sings men, keeping most of them alive will serve us better.

[Mercy Merchant]

Saturday  9 June 2075  2000  Li Shang's Studio  Seattle Chinatown Barrens


Li Shang shakes her head when you ask if she has any questions.  Sian gives you an odd look.  "Finding soldiers is not the hard part.  You could go outside and offer some money and find twenty men and women at your door.  Getting good soldiers is the problem and loyal ones even more so.  You will need to prove your strength here before you get the sort of soldiers you need, and that will be hard to do in the next few hours.  In the meantime, what you have is your man there, your own mojo skills, and me.  That will be enough to deal with Sing.  Once you have secured his business under Li Shang, other things will begin to fall into place."

[VegasRigged]

"Valuable council as ever, then let us get to work. Ms Shang, the house is yours."

I head downstairs, finally letting the body of Mr Ping drop.

Once outside I hand Sylvia the commlink "You heard Mr Ping speak, can you effectively mimic his voice in an outraged message? If he seems resistant, tell gim his spying cameraman has fucked Sings wife and Daughter, at the same time. That should get his blood up."

Turning to Sian my tone becomes inquisitive "They acted rather frightened of you in there, or at least profoundly respectful. I had planned to sell the rumor that I was a creature from another world, but it would seem I have on at my side, so perhaps that rumor will have to change. Should I trust disposal of the body to you?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Your guard nods and gives a perfect copy of Ping's voice.  "I can send the message.  Where do you wish to meet him?

Sian looks a bit amused.  "I have found that it is frequently best to let rumors fly unchallenged.  That way, no one knows for sure and everyone wonders.  I can take care of the body and meet you somewhere, but I would remind you that you are still an unknown in the Barrens and that walking about alone could cause problems.  I would think that you could handle things, but that might mean bodies on the street.  Would you like to walk with me?"

[VegasRigged]

"I will walk with you, and I'd like the fight someplace relatively know but minimally inhabited. Somewhere  we won't be disturbed. The less anyone knows about this for the time being the better. If we are discovered too soon, we risk the Triads coming down on us. To that end, we will need a big target, someone prominent but reachable. Preferably someone with sway in the magic community."

[Mercy Merchant]

Saturday  9 June 2075  2005  Li Shang's Studio  Seattle Chinatown Barrens


Sian shakes her head.  If one person knows about it, the news will spread through the Barrens quickly.  The really good part is that most people will ignore it as something that happens all the time and even those that might care should see it is Li Shang consolidating her business.  Such things happen.  I doubt the Triads will take any notice at all at this stage.  Later, some of them may wonder why they did not see you coming earlier.  As for someone prominent in the magic community; do you mean here in the Barrens or out in the greater Sprawl?

Two large Orks appear out of the darkness and lumber up to where the three of you stand.  The Hell Hounds at Sian's side do not seem concerned and you see your bodyguard visibly relax.  They pause in front of Sian.  "I want you to go up the stairs and fetch the body of the late Ping and take it to the cemetery.  Contact me when that is done."  The Orks nod and move into the building without saying a word.  Sian turns to look at you.  "Well, that is taken care of.  And I think I know of a good place to meet.  Tell him the old Three Rivers club.  Do you wish to go there and wait?  We will be about three hours early if we leave now.  Or do you have something else to do here first?"

Sometimes it is hard to believe that Sian is only fifteen or sixteen.

[VegasRigged]

"Is there a place I can buy some surveillance equipment, perhaps a gun? All I had on hand was a small knife, and though a weapon Focus is somewhere in my future, a sidearm seems only practical. After that, we head to this club. As to our coming out party, someone failry central, since I assume the Triads each control a corner, so the area in between must be either neutral or contested, either way once it belongs to us they'll have a hard time fighting over it, and frighting each others."

We head down another alley, walking towards what I assume is a market "So, how did you get so powerful here? Seems like everyone knows and fears you, and as much as I'm glad of it, I'm also curios." 

[Mercy Merchant]

"There are places, or rather people, you can buy surveillance equipment from, but none in this portion of the Barrens.  Look about, most of these people have no need for that stuff and nothing to buy it with.  The Triads pretty much have a lock on that down here and would certainly take notice of someone buying it in any sort of bulk.  In my opinion, it is best to buy that equipment from outside and slip it in.  I can lead you to a smuggler of some repute who might be able to move it for you once you get it."

"As for fear and power, those are some pretty relative terms.  Someone can have a lot of power in a very small area, but does that make him a powerful person?  Maybe and maybe not.  I am known by some and others may have heard of my name, but I do not know if that number is a lot.  And I would not know about the fear.  People talk and spread rumors.  I might even have started a few of the rumors.  The result is that some people fear me and most of the rest just leave me alone because they are not sure about me.  I am awakened and might have, on occasion, used magic to make a point."  She points to the massive Hell hounds walking beside her.  And some of the fear probably comes from my companions.  After all, I must have some link to the infernal if I can control these, right?  I also treat the people here with the respect they deserve, if any, and allow them dignity when dealing with me.  I sell drugs at a fair price and know many people and can arrange for the odd thing or two to be brought into the area.  So I guess that is the real power.

[VegasRigged]

Despite the mask I make a concerted effort not to show any of the satisfaction I feel. She's given me the key, the trigger, the detonator to her power and influence here. If ever I need to bring my new ally to her knees, or eliminate her altogether, I need only kill her dogs and the mystique she has built for herself will die with them.

"A sound method, fairness, strength and above all, Image. The rumors create a reverse of Sun Tzu's famous quote, 'know they enemy as thyself' for so long as your enemies are guessing, they will not strike." I smile at her under my scarf, and slip a bit of admiration into my tone "You are quite a clever girl, and I am glad that we are allies."

I cast a detect enemies spell, just a habit I'm trying to form, and check my link to see what other of my three businesses I have to attend to tomorrow.

[Mercy Merchant]

Sian nods and smiles, "Yes.  Very clever of you to think of that.  Down here, it is image and the ability to back that up if challenged that will serve you best.  You are already doing well by impressing Li Shang.  She is an ambitious girl, and I caution you to not forget that.  You are safe as long as she thinks she cannot challenge you.  That is the power here."

Your 'link has a message and a calendar reminder.  The message is to call Tanya Marisart to talk about setting up an appointment to go see her apartment.  The reminder is that you have your regularly scheduled appointment with Karl Yentz tomorrow afternoon at 1400.  He is one of your dominatrix clients.  An attached note tells you to be sure to wear the stiletto boots.  The appointment is at his house.